Food Gardening

[wide eyed and legless]

If you want an all rounder spog try the Maxicrop liquid fertilizer it has the seaweed plus fertilizer at about half the nitrogen as Powerfeed and save the Powerfeed for green leaf vegies.
Seasol at the start to establish a healthy plant and root system, then one of the above for whichever vegies you are growing.

 

[wide eyed and legless]

Found these little jiggers on eBay cheap and handy for anyone growing cucumbers or tomatoes up string.

 

[Danwood]

http://m.ebay.com/itm/131629504675

Great find there,WEAL....cheap as chips.

 

[Bribie G]

My new place has pretty clapped out soil. It's old volcanic red stuff but pretty well compacted and leached (sloping block) but with plenty of compost / spent grain / trub dug into the veg garden it should form beautiful soil. Big compost bin is already happening.

One treatment I'm planning is to spray the whole block (half acre mostly lawns) with Magnesium Sulphate, Epsom Salts. Also foliar feed the couple of citrus. I did that in a smaller yard and the grass turned out so green it was almost blue. I'm mowing on mulch setting but when the lawn really thickens up I'll do the odd bag-catch to get fodder for the compost.

Any hints on bulk Epsom Salts? Faulding blue boxes from the chemist are about $4 or $12 a kilo, Bunnings do an ag version for about $6 a kilo.

I reckon I'd need about 10 kilos.

 

[sponge]

Alright, I'm really getting the ***** with some of these insects that keep eating my greens - mainly pak choy, basil and chili leaves (along with hops). Some are taking big chunks out of leaves, and the hops seem to get a mix of holes/chunks and transparent patches.

I've used pesticide (suitable for edibles) along with tomato/vegetable powder but neither seem to have worked.

What do you greenies suggest to protect your precious edibles?

 

[Spohaw]

I some times grow plants as sacrificial offerings to the bugs to try keep them away from plants I like

It's usually bok choy or cabbage .... Stuff the bugs seem to love then I hammer those plants with as much dirty pesticides I can get my hands on haha

I don't eat them so it's ok in my head

 

[wide eyed and legless]

When I see big chunks coming off leaves if they are low usually snails higher it will be caterpillars, I do the rounds in the morning and look for the snails and caterpillars and pick them off, red cabbage attracts less caterpillars in the summer, they must know they stick out like dogs balls.
I get the odd caterpillar in the greenhouse on my tomato plants, but just one can take out quite a few leaves, you can try this stuff sponge.
https://www.myhealthbox.eu/en/medicine/neemtechinsecticidalpotassiumsoa/2201932

Bribie I would have a look around for magnesium sulphate, sure I saw some for about $30 for 10kg, maybe eBay?

Yep eBay http://www.ebay.com.au/itm/10Kg-Bucket-EPSOM-Bath-SALT-Magnesium-Sulphate-Pharmaceutical-Grade-/131642822042?hash=item1ea6860d9a:g:Yu4AAOSwFL9TulQP

 

[Dave70]

Alright, I'm really getting the ***** with some of these insects that keep eating my greens - mainly pak choy, basil and chili leaves (along with hops). Some are taking big chunks out of leaves, and the hops seem to get a mix of holes/chunks and transparent patches.

I've used pesticide (suitable for edibles) along with tomato/vegetable powder but neither seem to have worked.

What do you greenies suggest to protect your precious edibles?

I've done alright using a homemade chilli (searing hot bhut, if that makes a difference) garlic and soap flake spray dispensed from a cheap spray bottle. The key is to coat the leaves top and bottom. The bastards like to tuck themselves in between some of the new growth on my kale particularly. And re apply often. One shower and its gone. Remember its only a deterrent, not a killer.
Combined with those biodegradable safe for everything snail pellets I'm managing to keep the snails and arsehole cabbage moths under some kind of control.

Heres a basic recipe for the spray. There plenty of variations and some use garlic exclusively.
All I can suggest is filter it good. Those micron sized atomizers on the spray bottles clog up super easy.

8-10 chillies finely sliced
4 cloves garlic crushed and cut roughly
1 Tablespoon soap flakes
1 Litre boiling water
Combine in a glass jar and set aside for 24 hours. Strain and pour into a spray bottle.
Use within 2 weeks

 

[sponge]

I've made a similar garlic/chilli/vinegar spray but didn't seem to work all that well, but didn't have any soap flakes so will try those next time.

Looks like I've got a few options to try though. Thanks again fellas!

 

[Lincoln2]

I'm not sure if you've heard of Pigeon Peas. They're a bush that produce pods of lentils. They've been a food source in India for at least 3,500 years. Very hardy; drought and frost tolerant, fast growing and prolific croppers. My some-time co-brewer Bill gave me some seeds and I planted them on the avenue entrance to my brewery, you may notice it in the background.

 

[Lincoln2]

I harvested 6 bushes on the weekend and this is the yield. (They grow for approx. 7 years with maximum yields between years 2 & 5.) This is the first harvest and the plants are about 9 months old. That's a Cricketers Arms beer in the 'barrow. It was hot and thirsty work.

 

[Ducatiboy stu]

Have you tried chick peas

 

[LiquidGold]

Nice harvest Lincoln! I've got a few pigeon peas growing around the place, although I still haven't eaten any the chooks seem to like them and they are nitrogen fixing and love a good prune being legumes so a good plant to have near the compost pile.

 

[niftinev]

My new place has pretty clapped out soil. It's old volcanic red stuff but pretty well compacted and leached (sloping block) but with plenty of compost / spent grain / trub dug into the veg garden it should form beautiful soil. Big compost bin is already happening.

One treatment I'm planning is to spray the whole block (half acre mostly lawns) with Magnesium Sulphate, Epsom Salts. Also foliar feed the couple of citrus. I did that in a smaller yard and the grass turned out so green it was almost blue. I'm mowing on mulch setting but when the lawn really thickens up I'll do the odd bag-catch to get fodder for the compost.

Any hints on bulk Epsom Salts? Faulding blue boxes from the chemist are about $4 or $12 a kilo, Bunnings do an ag version for about $6 a kilo.

I reckon I'd need about 10 kilos.

Try Blants in sydney, deliver aus wide - about $50 for 25kg and $20 for delivery from memory

most equistrian places will have it as will produce stores

 

[wide eyed and legless]

Always thought Pigeon peas were the same as vetch peas or tares but they aren't, what are you going to do with them Lincoln?

I swapped a sack of low hemp seed once for a sack of pigeon ****, had to wait for ages for it to break down.

 

[Lincoln2]

Well, after a good hour of shelling, I have enough for morning tea.

WEAL. I'm going to shell enough for my wife to make a batch of her killer dahl and for me to make a big pot of lentil, chorizo, garlic, wine and potato stew and the rest will be chook food.

I planted them as an experiment to test their viability as a source of protein. When the revolution comes, I want to be able to feed my family. But at this stage they are too labour intensive to be practical as a regular food source. My kids did about 10 minutes before they went on strike. I can get a pack from the supermarket for $0.89 and store long term. I'll keep a few going as seed stock and chook food but I won't be going through this again.

The shelling is actually pretty easy, especially when you have a cold beer on hand and are listening to some sweet Dwight Yoakam tunes. It's just that I have more urgent jobs that need my attention.

Thanks for the tip LiquidGold; I hadn't thought of pruning them. I might do it now before they flower again. Apparently you get multiple crops per year. I know some chooks who are going to be happy.

Disco Stu: I have tried chick peas with pretty good results. I love the old hummus and use them in stews etc. But they have nothing on these bastards for sheer productivity and ease of maintenance.

 

[shaunous]

Do u guys plant Green Manure Crops? I plant Vetch, Oats and Lupins and its made my ********* soil into a nice garden. Maybe an option for you Bribie, I just mow it with the push mower height right up and no catcher so its mulching itself in. Never let it flower to seed or it'll stay their forever. Then when its planting season I turn the soil.

I highly recommend.

 

[Lincoln2]

My wife was relaxing with a Pimms on the back deck and said; "Don't speak to him like that!"

Because I was speaking to my stupid dog, Brewtus.

I said: "Will you **** off you stupid ******* arsehole or I will shoot you right through the ******* brain you retarded ******* *******".

Because he keeps getting into my vege beds and sitting down on mature garlic, corn seedlings, spinach etc etc.

Free to a good home: 1 brainless ****.

 

[Ducatiboy stu]

Do u guys plant Green Manure Crops? I plant Vetch, Oats and Lupins and its made my ********* soil into a nice garden. Maybe an option for you Bribie, I just mow it with the push mower height right up and no catcher so its mulching itself in. Never let it flower to seed or it'll stay their forever. Then when its planting season I turn the soil.

I highly recommend.

Any legumes like peas, lupins, chick peas, soy beans, Lucerne along with wheat/oats/barley/rice is an old trick. After a few years you get really nice soil

Had the same **** soil Shaun but was also acid sulphate, The legumes pump nitrogen back into the soil and the plants add organic matter. A win-win..

Another good trick is if you can get lots stable rakings full off urine and poo and lay it down at least 30cm thick in Autumn at let it break down. Stinks like all hell but in late spring you will have really good rich soil. A box standard box trailer cover will cover just under 10ft x 10ft ( 3m x 3m ) so you need a good solid supply of it

 

[Camo6]

Another good trick is if you can get lots stable rakings full off urine and poo and lay it down at least 30cm thick in Autumn at let it break down. Stinks like all hell but in late spring you will have really good rich soil. A box standard box trailer cover will cover just under 10ft x 10ft ( 3m x 3m ) so you need a good solid supply of it

Geez, you talk about a lot of **** sometimes Stu...

 

[spog]

My wife was relaxing with a Pimms on the back deck and said; "Don't speak to him like that!"

Because I was speaking to my stupid dog, Brewtus.

I said: "Will you **** off you stupid ******* arsehole or I will shoot you right through the ******* brain you retarded ******* *******".

Because he keeps getting into my vege beds and sitting down on mature garlic, corn seedlings, spinach etc etc.

Free to a good home: 1 brainless ****.

I feel for you.
We looked after a family members Beagle while they were O/S,when I say Beagle it was more like a Beagle/ Bulldozer.
The bastard was for ever plowing through fences,fly screens,and the vegie patch,if I he'd a gun I would have shot the useless #%*^ within 3 months.
We had the bastard for almost 4 years.
'twas a happy day I waved the #%^* bye bye.
No more dog **** in the garden,no more trampled plants....no more bastard Beagle.




So how's your mutt going.

 

[wide eyed and legless]

I fenced my vegie patch off, I too have a Staffy, loves to lie in a sheltered position in the sun, the one before was an American Staffy he used to lie on his back in the sun, problem was he had a pink underbelly and got cancer, cost us a fortune trying to keep him alive, it got him in the end though.

 

[shaunous]

My dogs are chained up, like all good dogs should be. How people live with 'yap yap' dogs allowed to roam free and wreck everything is beyond me..

 

[wide eyed and legless]

A favourite documentary of mine about the intelligence of plants was brought to mind when I notices a young sweet pepper catch the bite of the late afternoon sun, it was hot and the pepper had lifted its uppermost leaves to shade the first flower which was just starting to form, I have never seen anything like that before, probably because I have more time on my hands I will notice more of this sort of thing.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vzrPGxVUn7U

 

[wide eyed and legless]

In the vegie plot the potato haulms are the tallest I have ever grown, the leeks have bolted due to the unseasonable hot weather, the Purple King beans are winning the climbing bean race to get to the top of the trellis and I have plumbed in more hydro pots.
Made one hydro set up using a smart valve to experiment with the lettuce, seems to be working better than the commercial set up.
Twenty two more pots to set up, wanted to put the along the front veranda but the wife said no.
Greenhouse tomatoes almost ready for tipping and more tomatoes hardening off, what I don't use I give away.

 

[Bribie G]

I name thee green fingers. I just love food production.

Hey, can anyone I.D. my mystery tree?
I've recently moved into a place in Kyogle (Sub Tropical Northern NSW) and there are two absolutely jaw dropping massive trees, the same size, with huge canopies, that I assumed were both mangoes. One of them certainly is, and is now sporting quite a few tiny mangoes. The other has heaps of what look like mangoes from a distance, but up close they are obviously not mangoes.

The mango has the typical rough brown bark, the other massive tree has a smooth silvery bark and the fruits look like this: they are currently the size of a very small olive.
Obviously my main concern is whether they are edible or not. Not to mention what da fukathey.



Mango tree



Not Mango tree

 

[sponge]

I forget what those first things are called but my parents had a few trees of them in their old mountain property. Dad used to collect them, put them somewhere dark for a few days, then peel and eat them (assuming they're the same fruit, but I can't imagine there being too many fruits that look like that). Bloody delicious.

Supposedly poisonous when unripe though??

Happy to be corrected on that, but he always advised against it.

EDIT: You said they're the size of olives at the moment, the ones we had were more banana/cucumber sized.

 

[Bribie G]

Early days, I expect they might be ready after Xmas.... any idea what they were called?

 

[LiquidGold]

The texture reminds me a little bit of the jackfruit but I'm in no way certain. Great looking undergrowth beneath the mango tree by the way.

 

[sponge]

Just asked the old man about the fruit and the ones we had were monstera deliciosa. Those actually look like jackfruit that you have bribie. Similar texture though..