Food Gardening

[Dave70]

We're getting into mid single digits in the mornings. Probably not helping.

 

[Airgead]

Nope. Not helping at all. Basil likes it warm. Mine dies off around now but sheds plenty of seed so I get a good crop the next year.

Edit:bloody autocorrect

 

[wynnum1]

Dirty jobs on ABC Hop Picking and processing 2008 episode http://iview.abc.net.au/programs/dirty-jobs/ZW1026A020S00

 

[wide eyed and legless]

What did you line your wicking beds with? I've been talking with my neighbour who lined his with builders plastic (PE) but cautioned me that it seems to be easily perforated by the bottom section of fill - he thinks one of his beds has a leak. I think builders plastic is about 200 micron. I was having a look at the big green shed and they have PVC pond liner which is 500 or 600 micron. Thinking it could be a better option as its thicker and seems to have a little give/stretch to it - unless there's a good reason not to use PVC liner.

Pretty sure I did read, or saw on youtube the wicker bed being lined with old carpet before the liner went in to save any perforations in the liner.

 

[earle]

Yeah, i was thinking about a sand bed in first then the liner and then perhaps some cheap yoga mats. My neighbour seems to think that it was the woodchip fill that caused the perforation.

 

[wynnum1]

Do you think cardboard would work when its wet is soft.

 

[wide eyed and legless]

Do you think cardboard would work when its wet is soft.

I don't think so, when it's wet it tears easily, any sharpish protrusions underneath can push through.As Dave said there is a lot of weight above the liner.

 

[wynnum1]

I don't think so, when it's wet it tears easily, any sharpish protrusions underneath can push through.As Dave said there is a lot of weight above the liner.

The big boxes have many layers and would compact down into a thick layer could wet and layer and top with sand.

 

[wide eyed and legless]

That should work, stomp the cardboard down and really compact it.

 

[LiquidGold]

Old carpet or geofabric work well

 

[wide eyed and legless]

Anyone know what these fruit are.

IMG_0172.jpg

Found out what they are, Strawberry Guava, planted some seeds today see how they go in the hothouse along with some Pineapple Guava I found in another neighbor's garden.
Phoned around to find some Vetch peas, found some at Dandenong Stock feed wanted 4 or 5 kg got over there only sold by the 20 kg bag for $25 a bag.
Drove back home intending to buy online, Green Harvest 2 kg $19.95! Drove all the way back to Dandenong and bought the 20 kg, some will go for fishing bait and some for green manure, for the next 3 or 4 years.

 

[Ducatiboy stu]

You would have more in fuel than what the seeds are worth

 

[wide eyed and legless]

Fuel isn't the issue, its the time, I recently bought 60 kg of hemp seed @ $8 per kg and I am sure the poor old farmer doesn't even come anywhere near that, much sooner the farmer got a better deal than the seed merchants.

 

[Bribie G]

It's Russian Garlic time again. I'm a bit late planting this year as we thought we might be moving house, but that's off for another year and a half, so I'm back into long term garden stuff.



I bought some local cloves - heaps of people grow them around here as it's absolutely ideal soil and climate. I kept 32 corms from last year. When you pull up the heads these little suckers are hanging from the roots, you can keep them dried out over the Summer then plant them out. I think they grow into the single clove style of garlic then if you plant them out, you end up with the clove ones.
Personally that's doing my head in so I'll just plant the whole lot anyway in separate beds and see what happens. haha.

I planted out 28 cloves last April and haven't had to buy garlic from the shops since October.

 

[wide eyed and legless]

Someone mentioned tiger nuts recently, while reading a gardening magazine found an article on growing tiger nuts. Went on eBay and found a guy in Hungary selling them, I think it came to less than $5.00 so if they do get stopped at customs not much to lose. Good chance they may get pulled up if they are shipped under there other name Chufa nut.
https://hartley-botanic.co.uk/magazine/can-i-grow-tiger-nuts-uk/

 

[Dave70]

They're pretty sharp. I had a tiny pack of purple bamboo seed seized. But only because they were un labeled. Or to be more accurate, labeled in Chinese..

Not sure if this suppler of tiger nut seed is urging us to read between the lines a little with the disclaimer. (bottom of page).

https://fairdinkumseeds.com/products-page/aquatic-swamp-and-moisture-lovers/tiger-nut-earth-almonds-chufa-cyperus-esculentus-tubers/

 

[Bribie G]

I remember Tiger Nuts from school in the 1960s, used to walk home with a small bag of them. I can still remember the creamy taste and the aching jaws masticating the bloody things. Nowadays I'd be up for another 6K dental work

 

[wide eyed and legless]

Reading about the foods, that in Britain were used during, and just after war years, it makes one wonder why they were neglected only to be revived as superfoods now.
After reading about Burpee seeds in the US having contanimated seeds amongst the seeds that were supposedly in the packet, and that Burpee seeds are now packed in China (probably due to the tiny deft fingers Chinese women have for counting and packing seeds) would that explain this plant which cropped up amongst some of Mr Fothergills Wong Bok I planted on my garden.

 

[Camo6]

No.

 

[manticle]

I'd say they dropped off the radar because they reminded people of poverty and hard tomes. Same reason offal or even meats like rabbit are loss common (but revived/popular in more gourmet circles).

My guess only.