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Vegetable Gardening
Buying open pollinated, no chemical treatment, bio dynamic seeds is ‘the best option’ for starting your thriving vegetable garden. We have chosen Eden Seeds as they are a great Australian company with an ethos we align with. They stock both Organic and no chemical treatment, Bio dynamic seeds and we try to stock a good range of both.
Read MoreSharing my vegetable gardening experiences with you so hopefully you don't make the same mistakes as me.
Read MoreGrow your own potatoes from certified organic seed. Did you know that 29 pesticides are commonly used when growing potatoes?
Read MoreOne fragrant herb I am really fond of using in the garden is parsley. t's dark green, lush, exceptionally hardy. Can handle full sun or part shade. Can handle wind and a dry out once established. It prefers nice fertile soil but will grow basically anywhere as long as you give it a good start. Plus you can eat it and if one dies in your border it's easy to replace.
Read MoreFennel (Foeniculum vulgare) is actually part of the carrot family. It has yellow flowers and light green feathery foliage (just like a carrot). The whole plant can be eaten. It is native to The Mediterranean but it grows easily all over the world.
Read MoreBest Practices for having a Potted Garden
Read MoreStrawberry! Fragaria sp.
This relative of the Rose has delicate runners with charming flowers in white and shades of pink that makes Strawberries an attractive option for pots and baskets. Let’s be honest though we don’t grow strawberries for the flowers, we grow it for the delightful fruit that comes after the flowers!
Read MoreThis is new plant to me but I am falling in love with all its qualities - African blue basil (Ocimum kilimandscharicum x basilicum 'Dark Opal')
This was my original plant. Two years later, this plant is two metres wide and about a metre high. I think it’s one of my favourite plants.
The story goes that in 1983, owner of the Ohio owner of Campanion Plants, noticed a basil plant growing in the pathway between two other basil plants - green-leaved East African basil (Ocimum kilimandscharicum) and 'Dark Opal' basil.
The Ocimum kilimandscharicum is a large growing Perennial basil, with a beautiful camphor scent perfect for pesto making. This basil comes from the forests of Kenya, Tanzania and Uganda which means it can handle some shade.
Dark Opal is know for its compact growth and dark rich purple growth. This is also known to make an amazing red pesto.
The really amazing thing about the African blue basil is that it doesn't produce seed. That's right you can only produce it via cutting.
The African Blue Basil has taken on the prettiest qualities of its parents without the failings. It grows to about 1.5m and has lush bluish green leaves with purple lines through the centre. The new growth has a slightly darker twist. The flowers are the prettiest mauve colour.
African Blue Basil grows very similar to a normal basil. Plant in fertile soil in garden or a pot. It can grow in semi shade or full sun. Give it a nice trim to enable it to grow thick and busy. Fertilise regularly with a complete liquid fertiliser, like Triple Boost and about every three months with a complete organic fertiliser, like Organic Link.
This basil is perennial so it will continuously flower but it doesn't go lanky and to seed like normal sweet basil. This beautiful plant can be used as edible ornamental as it never dies down like normal basil can. It can be killed off by heavy frosts so please put it in a protected spot.
The flowers, leaves and young stems are edible. I've read that some people find the flavour a bit too camphory, but I find it has a rich, mellow flavour. I have been told it makes the best pesto as not only does it taste great but it holds its beautiful green colour and does not go brown like crushed sweet basil can in pesto.
Now we all know I love food so anything scented and edible to a perfect addition in my garden.
Now to find someone to make me that pesto!!
Melissa is the Greek word for "honey-bee." It was traditionally used by the ancient bee keepers. They used to rub the crushed leaves on the beehives to encourage the domesticated bees to return to their hives. They also believed that the lemon balm would also bring new bees to the hive.
Read MoreSome us can get gardening bored by beginning of March. We want to play but know it's to early. There are a number of things you can be doing to get your vegetable patch up to scratch so when the ‘autumn' weather starts you’ll be ready.
Read MoreQuick guide to creating your own vegetable garden and growing your own food
Read MoreAutumn, Warm Days, cool nights. Perfect for vegetable planting.
Read MoreI know the current trend is growing fruit and vegetables from scraps. I would never recommend growing anything from scraps or seeds from fruit and vegetables you buy from the shops. .
Read MoreWhy attracting some insects to your garden is beneficial for the whole garden's success.
Read MoreColeus graveolens is commonly called Bush Basil or the Five Spice Herb! This plant is native from Cape York all way down to NSW.
Read MoreWHAT? Coriander actually has a purpose?
Coriander actually has two purposes, making your tastebuds zing, I’m team coriander and attracting beneficial insects to our garden.
Read MoreCurry isn't just one herb, it is a complex seasoning that varies from region to region and even from family to family throughout Southeast Asia. If you thought you could buy a Curry plant, think again!
Read MoreThe Dirty Dozen, a list of the fruits and vegetables likely to contain the highest amounts of pesticide residue. You can plant many of these at home.
Read MoreGreen manure crops are crops grown not to be harvested but instead to be incorporated into the soil before they reach maturity to contribute to the health of the soil.
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