Botanical name: Pisum sativum var. saccharatum (Snow pea), Pisum sativum var. macrocarpon (Snap pea) Description: Both snow peas and sugar snaps are cultivars of the podded pea. They are members of the legume family. The sugar snap offer a more rounded 4 cm pod, the snow pea a 6 cm flat pod. If the pods [more]
Botanical name: Phaseolus vulgaris Description: Climbing beans are the immature 10 to 15 cm long seed pods of the common bean. They are part of the legume family. There is a wide range of cultivars of climbing beans with pods coloured green, yellow (wax beans), purple, red or streaked. There are thin beans (harricots) and [more]
Botanical name Fabaceae also known as leguminosae Features of legumes Plants in the legume family cover a wide range from big trees to shrubs from vines climbing using tendrils to small annual herbs. Most legumes fruits are pods. The pods contain the seeds. Legume fruit are very nutritious and offer a high content of protein. [more]
Take care when reaching for items in the garden that haven’t been disturbed for a while, look out for animals that may hide there. Shake out gloves before using them but always wear gloves when gardening. Warm dry places are very attractive to red back spiders. Their favourite prey, insects and slaters, is available in abundance [more]
Botanical name: Cucumis sativus Description: Cucumbers are members of the gourd family. The plant has tendrils and is a climbing vine. The leaves are palmate and up to 40 cm wide. The stems of the plant are hollow and ridged and fruit show a prickly surface. The flowers are yellow and up to 15 [more]
Botanical name: Cucurbita pepo Description: Squash is a member of the gourd family. The plant has tendrils and is a climbing vine. The vines grow up to 15 meters long, they produce anchoring roots that only root down superficially. The leaves are palmate and up to 40 cm wide. The stems of the plant are [more]
Botanical name Cucurbitaceae also known as cucurbits Features of gourds Plants of the gourd family are summer crops. They grow as vines or shrubs and have a hollow five ridged stem. Their up to 50 cm big leaves are palmate with 3 to 5 lobes. Leaves, stems, and fruit are often prickly. The stems develop [more]
Botanical name Polygonaceae Features of knotweeds Knotweeds are a family of plants that grow widespread in temperate regions. The stems are often striped and have several ridges. Most plants in this family are herbs or vines. Knotweeds can grow as perennials. Several species in this family taste quite tart due to a significant content of oxalic [more]
Botanical name: Amaranthaceae Features of the amaranths: Amaranths are a family of plants that grow widespread from the tropics to the cool temperate regions. Most plants in this family are fairly hardy herbs or small shrubs that tolerate salty soil and drought conditions quite well. They are branching, broad-leaved plants with often egg shaped or [more]
Here is one of John’s favorite dishes, making use of the beautiful rhubarb that grows in the perennial beds. Use the stalks of the rhubarb, they are really yummy, the leaves are not good for human consumption! Serving 6 people 750 g rhubarb, cut into 2-3 cm chunks 75 g soft brown sugar 1 [more]
Botanical name: Solanum lycopersicum Description: Tomatoes are part of the nightshade or solanaceaes family. Only the fruit of tomatoes are edible! Flowers, greens and shoots should not be consumed because they contain a toxin. There are varieties that grow like a bush and varieties that grow like vines. Tomato plants are vigorous growers. They produce [more]
Botanical name Solanaceae Features of the nightshade family This plant family is very diverse, it ranges from annuals to perennials, herbs, vines, shrubs and even trees. It is present globally. Plants in the nightshade family show a typical star shaped flower with five petals that are grown together to a funnel. Most of these plants [more]
Botanical name: Beta vulgaris Description: Beetroots are actually the same plant as the silverbeet and the rainbow chard. Farmers selectively bred cultivars with big, tender swollen taproots, which is the actual vegetable. They grow about 40 cm high. The leaves are egg-shaped or oblong and show colourful veins. While most cultivars have red beets, there [more]
Botanical name: Beta vulgaris, var. cicla Description: Rainbow chard is actually the same plant as the beetroot and the silverbeet. Farmers selectively bred more leafy cultivars with smaller to none bulbs and thicker stems. They grow about 50 cm high. The leaves show an intense green, have colourful yellow, red or orange veins and are [more]
Botanical name: Spinacia oleracea Description: Spinach grows about 30 cm tall. It shows green oval to rhombic, curly or smooth leaves up to 30 cm long 15 cm wide. The leaves (including the stems) are the vegetable. Spinach doesn’t like acidic soil and needs soil temperatures not to be higher than 25 C. It is [more]
Botanical name: Beta vulgaris, var. cicla Description: Silverbeet, also known as Swiss chard is actually the same plant as the beetroot and the rainbow chard. Farmers selectively bred more leafy cultivars with smaller to no bulbs and thicker stems. They grow about 50 cm high. The leaves show an intense green, have white veins and [more]
Botanical name: Brassica rapa subsp. nipposinica Description: Mizuna is Japanese mustard green that looks a bit like wild rocket. There are lots of different varieties of Mizuna. They all offer 10 to 20 cm long, deeply serrated and feathered leaves, that are about 5 cm wide. The leaves are the vegetable and have a crisp [more]
If you take your time wandering through the garden you will be able to collect a wide variety of ingredients to make up a green salad. Taste the different leaves and you will be amazed by the plethora of scents and aromas you can find. There is not very much poisonous or harmful to [more]
Ever wondered what to do with choi sum? It’s a variety of Asian greens which is closely related to choy som. Very good in a stir fry or blanched but still left a bit crunchy. This recipe is also a good way to make use of the flower buds of all our brassica/cabbage plants. When [more]
Earthy baby beetroots combined with fresh oranges and creamy goats curd. Ingredients: 1 or 2 baby beetroots, but any beetroot (1/2 of a fully grown per person) will do 2 cups of mixed lettuce leaves 1 orange 60 g fresh goat’s curd 1 tbsp sunflower seeds [more]
We use a light and airy, slightly fertilised mix to germinate seeds and to raise seedlings after transplanting. One batch will fill the green container under the shelf in the old shed to the rim. You can find all of the ingredients in the old shed. Ingredients 3 bricks of coconut coir 1 bag of [more]