Watercress

Watercress is one of the easy grown herbs or salad plants that can be grown this way. We pick this from a nearby flowing stream if the livestock have not beaten us to it! It grows very quickly and easily and in the wrong place a weed. The peppery flavours of the leaves are particularly nice in sandwiches. Watercress is a relative of the cabbage or Brassica family with genetic links to radish and mustard.
While the cress we pick grows big, in some cases over a metre in length, we never pick it if its flowering as the taste is too bitter. The beauty of growing your own on a windowsill
is any one can do it as seeds will grow in pots that just stand in water. Cut it at the size you want. Watercress is reputed to have many benefits including anti cancer properties,
as well as containing calcium, iodine, and folic acid so it is well worth including in the daily diet if possible

Mustard is another salad leaf growing quickly and easily at any time of the year. Mustard has been around for thousands of years and mentioned in the Bible.
Grow mustard seeds in a seed raising mix. Spread the seed out and cover with the soil mix and water gently. Keep seeds moist and the seedlings will normally appear within a week depending on conditions and warmth, earlier or later.
They can be cut at any size but leaving the seedlings to grow for three or four weeks until they reach 10-15 cm high, will provide a better return for your efforts and bigger sandwiches! Sow mustard seeds successively at two to three week intervals so you have an ongoing supply.

Rocket lettuce or herbs are another quickly grown green. Like both Mustard and Watercress has a peppery taste. It is best to eat just a few weeks from sowing as it grows so fast the leaves take on a bitter taste if they grow old. Grow it quickly with plenty of water, and sow successively for a continuing supply.
Enjoy your homegrown greens, they are worth it!

Tulips

Plant Tulip bulbs in mid to late autumn. It is fun leafing through catalogues and nurseries choosing what to plant. Preorder bulbs if you require something a little different. Choose large and unblemished bulbs without black spots, mould or growths on them. As tulips are cold weather bulbs, they can be encouraged in warmer areas by placing the bulbs in the refrigerator for up to 6-8 weeks by making them think winter! I generally keep them in the crisper area of the refrigerator out of the way of day-to-day food and fruit.
Like most bulbs, Tulips prefer a well-drained soil, whether it is in a garden, container, or rock gardens, include some fine gravel or sand when preparing the soil to enhance the drainage.

Good preparation of the soil with well-rotted compost and a complete fertilizer will ensure a good base for a stunning display of flowers in the future. The depth of planting bulbs is generally taken to be twice that of their size, lengthways. Mulch protects the bulbs once they are planted. I tend to plant and forget, delighting in seeing them pop up as they start to flower. Some people will label the bulbs so they know where to find their bulbs. Tulips varieties today will tolerate some shade but their preference is for a sunny spot in the garden. They come in many colours and mixtures of color but the black colour has not been reached that I am aware of yet. There are some very deep reds that on first glance you think “wow, a black tulip”.

The depths that tulips are planted allow some of the smaller bulbs to be planted over the top of them to make the most of the area. The tulips are not fond of an acid soil, so if it is likely that your soil is likely to be acidic, add some lime prior to planting. It is best not to leave bedding tulips in the ground after the leaves have died down they are better lifted and stored in a cool dry place until the next season. There are varieties that may be left safely in the soil, ask your nurseryman for those suitable for your area.
In my experience, from growing tulips in warmer areas, a better display is achieved by buying in new bulbs each year.

After flowering deadhead the flowers, but leave the leaves to die naturally ensuring the bulb is ready for next year’s flowers. Tall tulip varieties are likely to be affected by strong winds, so if this is a problem in your area, ensure they are sheltered, or alternatively grow some of the smaller varieties.

Capsicums

Growing capsicum or Chillies is easy from seed. Choose the seeds that you require whether it is the sweet or hot peppers. The seeds chosen will respond in the same way. The windows of opportunity for growing the seeds is a small one and to get the best results, start growing your seedlings a month or six weeks before they are planted in their final place whether in a container or garden. Depending on your family’s requirements, four to six plants will supply enough peppers for an ordinary family. Capsicum plants are also available from nurseries if you cannot be bothered with growing from seeds. Just make sure they are healthy and not root bound. Once seedlings reach about four inches in height, transplant them into to bigger pots for growing on. Plants have a reasonably deep root system, so they need regular and good watering.

Capsicums like most plants benefit from manure or compost worked into the soil or mix. Plant in a 35-40 cm diameter container or pot for growing on a patio or deck. Do not overdo the nitrogen-based fertilizer initially as all you will get are leaves and green growth. Once flowering and fruiting appear then is the time to sprinkle some high nitrogen general fertilizer around the plant. Peppers are really nice plants to have on display. Capsicum that you have planted in the spring will start to bear fruit in mid summer and continue having fruit until the onset of the colder weather.

Peppers can be picked at any time you consider they are big enough or suitable for your purposes. When you have just a few plants, cut the fruit from the plant as pulling them may break the branches. Like beans, the more you pick them the higher the fruit production will be. The common bell shaped varieties can be left on the plant until they change color be it yellow or even longer red. Pick the Chillies once they reach 7-10 cm long. Pick these when they are young for the freshest taste, but if you choose, leave them to shrivel up and then grind for use as an ingredient for spicy cooking!

If you have a creative side, make ornamental decorations of the peppers by threading on a string or displaying them.
Capsicums are usually trouble free and easy to grow; we used to grow acres of them!
The things that are likely to affect them are mostly of the insect variety. Amongst them are aphids, white fly, caterpillars and the green vegetable bug. Sprays suitable for the purpose control these, most of the sprays used do not have a long withholding period so the fruit can be eaten safely if you know how long the required time is.

Peppers can be frozen quickly from fresh with out prior preparation, apart from removing the seeds. This is fine for using as a casserole or added to soups. Done like this the pepper is not suitable for use as fresh in a salad.

Peace Lily

These popular plants provide an evergreen presence in a home year round. Grow these plants because they always look good with their shiny leaves. The flowers are unusual, produced on long stalks that grow from and over the plant itself. Those in not such good health will have smaller flowers right down to a miniature size. They are not unlike the Anthurium

The flower head called a spathe surrounds a spadix, which is the long protrusion.

The flower itself lasts approximately a week and then starts to change from white to green. This then lasts for a few more weeks. They are reasonably hardy plants. They have to be living at my house! They prefer medium light conditions as direct sunlight will burn their leaves particularly next to a window.  Keep an eye on plants, not just these, as they all need to adjust to the light and temperature conditions of the room in which they live.

I do put them out side in our warmer months in a warm sheltered spot out of cold winds way.

Watering pot plants is the nemesis of a lot of would be plant lovers. How ever, I find that watering sufficiently so that when you pick up the pot in passing it feels heavyish. When the weather turns cold, reduce the watering regime. Peace lilies prefer not to dry out and they will show you by dropping their leaves and looking sad! Perking up again very quickly after a drink. From the early onset of spring, give them liquid fertilizer every two or three weeks through to late autumn.

Repot the plants every year into a larger pot up to a size that suits you.  Use a good potting mix, peat based is preferable.

Increase the numbers of your plants easily by dividing the rhizomes of the big plants into smaller pieces. In addition, plant them into their individual small pots for on growing. Give them a chance to settle and grow. Do not bother with fertilizer for a while until they look as if they are growing nicely under their own steam.

Choosing the variety to suit your home depends on what is available in your area. Some can reach a massive 90 cms high while others a mere 30 cms in height. You may like to sponge their leaves to keep them free of the dust and slight fat coating that sometimes affects the rooms we live in.  They are not prone to many problems but a close watch on them will reveal any mite infestations. Mist spraying them frequently particularly under the leaves will keep the mites in check.

As the hippies used to say, “Peace”

Silver beet happily growing in containers

Temperature wise silver beet grows in most climates, in warmer areas the seed can be sown all year, but in the springtime for colder areas. The easiest way of growing chard is filling your container, preferably, a large well drained one with your multi purpose potting mix and planting your seed directly in the pot. The silver beet plants have a long taproot so a reasonably deep container is required.

If you have a source of different varieties or seed packets that come with mixed varieties, use them. It gives your containers a decorative edge while the plants grow. There are white and red stemmed plants. Plant more seeds than you will need, the seedlings appear in ten to fourteen days

After a few weeks, you will notice which are the strongest plants, and time to thin out the weak ones. The seedlings are usually about 10 cms after this time so the small and weak plants will be obvious. Feed them well with either liquid feeds or side dressings of granulated fertilizer that have an increased nitrogen component. Access to chicken manure also works well for silver beet but is too strong for using in pots. Silver beet requires little attention so bugs and diseases are not usually a problem. You will of course, still have to wash carefully before preparing for cooking because the small slugs get hidden in the crinkles of the leaves.

Preparing silver beet or chard for meals requires a good washing under a tap, or soaking in a salt solution for half an hour to rid it of any small bugs. Lightly cook in a small amount of water for a few minutes or alternatively steam until cooked then cover with butter. Butter is not the right thing these days with obesity becoming a problem but it tastes good! Another way if you like garlic, gently fry the chard with crushed garlic in a little oil, I use olive oil, until it is cooked. Whichever way you choose to eat it, silver beet or chard is very good for you and your family.

Chamomile Flower

Growing chamomile is easy. The plant likes growing in the full sun in a light free draining soil.
Growing it in pots or containers requires a similar soil mix. If you wish to propagate, your plants to either sell or like most gardeners, give them away. You can grow them either from seed, cuttings or division. The small beige colored seeds are sown in spring. The existing plants can be divided in springtime. Take cuttings from some of the side shoots over the summer months. Plants that are growing in pots, like most plants, need to be raised off the ground to stop the potting mix from becoming waterlogged.

There are many varieties of chamomile but the most commonly used ones are, Flore-pleno, Treneague, Matricaria recutia(German) or the Chamaemelum nobile (Roman).The low growing form of Flore-pleno has double flowers, while Treneague is used for lawns. Neither of these forms produces the flowers that are used for chamomile tea. Give plants, both in the garden and pots a liquid fertilizer drink every six weeks or so. Chamomile is a hardy plant and not too fussy about the temperatures it grows in. When chamomile is grown as a lawn or in pathway, the herb gives off a perfume similar to that of an apple.

When picking for use as an herb the leaves can be picked at any time of the day, while the flowers are picked when they are fully open and preferably in the morning after any dew has gone. Using the Nobile or the recutita make them into teas by infusion. Achieve this by pouring boiling water over the flowers and leaving them to soak for at least half an hour. This can be used for as a relaxant or sedative for both adults and children.
Drying the plant, both flowers and leaves allows you to use in pot pourri or in sachets for placing in clothing drawers, or bedding. Chamomile tea is readily available from supermarkets, health shops and pharmacies if you just want the easy way out! Try using the (squeezed) teabags for resting on closed eyelids for some eye relief. While generally an easy plant to use, be aware that if over used, it may cause dizziness or vomiting. Some people may also get dermatitis from touching the plant as well.

Blueberries for Healthy Food

Blueberries are acid soil loving plants and will grow in a peat based soil mix.
Choosing the right plant for your garden or growing situation will help in the successful cultivation of your blueberry. The three main types are the high bush with its growth reaching up to 4 meters, the rabbit eye reaching 5-6 meters and the low bush a dainty 50cm. All the varieties need a winter chilling, but both the rabbit eye and low bush varieties can stand a slightly warmer clime.

All blueberries need an acid soil with a soil ph of around 4-4.5. They thrive in well-drained rich soils. If you need to acidify your soil, the addition of ammonium sulphate would be required. Ask your nurseryman in your area for a more informed opinion.
Blueberry plants are best propogated from cuttings as seeds can be hit and miss. The cuttings taking up to two years to be ready for planting into their permanent positions.
Plant blueberries in groups with suggested space between them of 1.5 x2.5 meters. As birds are also partial to them, planting in groups lightens the problem but does not stop it.
Commercial growers cover their crops with netting, so you may like to use that option if you want to have a good crop.

Blueberries will provide their famous berries with out cross-pollination but crop production is much improved by the addition of another plant or two, preferably a different variety in close vicinity. The roots of the blueberry are shallow, so take care when cultivating or weeding near the plants. After fertilizing in the beginning of the season, cover the roots with mulch to assist in keeping the roots cool and moist. Pruning the plants will become necessary after three or four years, as fruiting occurs on the previous season’s growth. It will pay to cut back the oldest branches hard to encourage new growth.

The health benefits of blueberries include fiber, antioxidants, vitamins, particularly vitamins C, A and E. When buying the berries make sure they are firm with good coloring from a deep purple to nearly black. Eat them fresh, refrigerate in a plastic container for using in a day or two, or freeze loose on trays to package and keep frozen for later use. Freezing them loose means they will free flow when needed.

Rhubarb

While rhubarb is available to grow from seeds, the plants are mostly acquired from sets. Rhubarb is grown from sets, which means the plant can be divided from a single root. You dig the main root out of the ground and then with a knife cut into the sections that you want. Do make sure there is a bud or growing head on the individual pieces that you slice off the root. This is best done in either late winter or early spring Plant your new plants into well-fertilized and drained site in your garden. The plant will tolerate some shade but does best in a mostly sunny site in the garden. When you first plant Rhubarb in the garden, it is wise to consider giving it a place that you can leave it to grow on for several years.

Grow Rhubarb in containers as well; they are very handy to have on a balcony or deck if you do not have a garden. Growing rhubarb in pots allows you to stand the containers in a little shade, if you need to protect them from strong winds. The large leaves of the plant mean it is susceptible to being blown over by the wind. In containers, you can move the rhubarb into the sun if you feel like it. Water rhubarb frequently whether it is in the garden or pots.For the best results, give all plants a liquid fertilizer or nitrogen based granular fertilizer every four to six weeks. Do this during the main growing season.

Picking the stalks is done correctly if you twist and peel the stalk from the bottom of the plant, not unalike silver beet. This leaves the new growth to grow on from the centre of the plant. To prepare the stalks for cooking it is imperative the leaves are removed from the stalk. Avoid using stalks that are soft or the leaves of them drooping or not in a healthy state. The leaves are poisonous to human beings but it is all right to compost them. Keep the prepared stalks in the fridge until you need them, as they store well. The color of the stalks is immaterial and does not affect the taste.

The rhubarb is a reasonably hardy plant but is prone to some of the usual pests in the garden, like caterpillars, slugs and snails.
Rhubarb is prepared for the table by slicing and dicing the stalks and stewing for use as a dessert, or in pies. The rhubarb will need sugar to lessen the tart taste but that is a personal preference. It is a good fruit to use as a ‘crumble dessert’.

Hyacinths

Hyacinths are my most loved bulbs. Each year I look forward to growing and enjoying them while they flower. Their scent pervades the house from their containers; plant them on the balcony to captivate as we pass through to the garden. Originating from the Mediterranean and western Asia, the ones we see today are developed in Holland. The Dutch hybrids have a single flower. The smaller bulbs are great for planting in gardens as their flowers are smaller so are able to withstand outdoor conditions. When you grow them outside, they prefer a well-drained and sunny position. Given time, hyacinths multiply and enhance your garden, mixed in with jonquils a pretty picture.

Who can resist the first of the early or forced hyacinths when yours are just greening up in the garden? It is cheating but what does it matter, because we get a prolonged enjoyment from this bulb. The forced bulbs from shops and nurseries are especially grown for indoor uses so if you have bought a pot of the hyacinths; keep them in a cool sunny spot. They tend to fade quickly if they get too hot. When they have finished flowering plant them outside in the garden and forget about them. In the right place, they will pop up again next year. They appreciate a little blood and bone as well.

Growing your own bulbs could not be easier. Choose well-grown bulbs that are free from signs of rot (soft to a gentle squeeze), mould, and gouges. If you are buying one of the string bags with a number of bulbs, look closely and feel as any as you are able. I have found buying them like this there will always be some that are not up to scratch.
The smaller bulbs also will grow as well as some of the bigger bulbs.

Each year I store bulbs from the garden in a cool room for the next season. One of my grandchildren wanted to know why I had my onions stored here! She now knows that onions and bulbs are two different things. Then approximately six weeks before planting, I put them in the chiller bin in the refrigerator to chill down. This misleads the bulbs into thinking that winter is just around the corner and its time to get growing.

Plant your bulbs between four and six inches deep and the same distance apart. Plant those for growing in pots and containers just to their necks, and reduce the space between them. Hyacinths grown for children’s interest are grown in bulb pots. These are jars with a specially designed cup at the top of the jar. This allows the bulb to sit in the top and send its roots into the water. If you grow them like this, do not leave the base of the bulb in the water as it will rot and spoil your efforts.

Increasing your stash of bulbs could not be simpler. After the leaves and flowers have died off, you will find the bulb has what are called off sets, small attachments to the main bulb. These can be removed and grown on. Grow hyacinths from seed if you have the patience, as they will take up to three years to flower. Enjoy these wonderful flowers if you have not already done so.

Beans

The four types are Runner beans.
These are easy to grow and do well climbing up a support for that purpose. Ideal for the smaller garden they take up very little space. Plant the runner beans in full sun with some shelter from winds. These beans are perennial which means after they have produced their beans in the summer they will die back but regrow in the next season.

Broad beans.
Can handle the colder weather, and grow easily in most garden soils especially if it is sunny. These beans grow to about a metre tall and may need staking to assist them to remain upright. This depends on the variety of course, as they do vary in height. Plant these beans once the summer varieties are finished and there is space in the garden.

Dwarf French beans
These little guys grow into small bushes and can be superb croppers depending again on the variety planted. French beans are usually stringless and taste good. Give them a well manured/fertilized soil and a sunny spot in the garden, and you will be well rewarded.

Climbing French beans
These bean flowers set with out the presence of bees for pollination. In addition, it makes the appearance of beans more reliable than those of the Scarlet runners do. Great for flavour these beans continue producing after the dwarf beans have finished.

All beans need the same soil preparation in order to produce well. They grow better on well-drained soils and appreciate compost and fertilizer. Mulching over the hot weather, avoiding the stems, will help preserve the moisture and encourage continuing growth.
As I mentioned previously, protect beans from winds because strong winds can seriously spoil them. Dwarf beans are generally ready to pick six or eight weeks after sowing the seed, where the climbers may take up to ten or twelve weeks.

Grow climbing beans on a trellis, or wall that you have attached some wire or string. This allows the beans to have support while they are climbing. A wigwam arrangement is also successful where several tall bamboo stakes or poles are tied in such a manner to look like a teepee or wigwam. Using this sytstem in large containers makes growing climbing beans very feasible for growing beans on a balcony. Planting two or three seeds at the base of the stakes allows the beans to climb with support.

Harvesting of your beans should take place every day as frequent picking encourages more beans from the plant. Freeze those that are not required by slicing, blanching in boiling water for a couple of minutes and quickly chilling down. Lay on flat trays to freeze quickly. Laying them out on trays enables them to be free flowing once bagged. Don’t leave them after they are frozen on the trays because they will get burnt by the freezer and spoil.
You then take what you need when you need some home grown vegetables over the winter months.