Growing Land Cress
Land Cress or Barbarea Verna is a wonderful plant for the home vegetable garden as a dead end trap for the eggs of butterflies, like the cabbage butterfly. The caterpillars hatch and die after eating the leaves of the land cress which is rich in saponins and toxic to the caterpillars. In doing so it acts as a biological pest control agent. This beneficial plant is … Continue reading Growing Land Cress
What to plant in January
The following is a list of things you can plant in January in Sydney, a temperate zone: Amaranth Beans (dwarf and climbing) Beetroot Carrot Chives Cucumber Egglant seedlings Kohlrabi Lettuce Marrow Mustard Greens Okra seedlings Parsley Radish Silverbeet Sunflower Sweet corn Turnip Zucchini Plant of the Month – Hibiscus Margurite – (Rare heirloom, double – purple, mauve, pink) Continue reading What to plant in January
Happy New Year 2017 !
To all gardeners, visitors and followers of The Grantham Gardener, we wish you good health, prosperity, peace and a Happy New Year……… ……and may your garden flourish and give you a bountiful harvest this year! Greetings from beautiful Sydney Harbour. Continue reading Happy New Year 2017 !
New Year’s Eve Kahlúa Liqueur Balls
Rum balls are a traditional favourite over the Christmas season. This recipe is a variation on a classic theme using Kahlúa’s rich, coffee flavour to enhance the dark chocolate and coconut. They are a delicious treat for the New Year’s Eve party. New Year’s Eve Kahlúa Liqueur Balls Ingredients: 250g sweet biscuits 395 g Condensed milk 3 Tblsp Dutch Cocoa powder 1/4 cup dessicated coconut … Continue reading New Year’s Eve Kahlúa Liqueur Balls
Rosemary and Olive Palmiers
These tasty little pastry treats are a wonderful nibbly to have as an appetizer over the Christmas season. They are so easy to make and can even be prepared ahead and frozen for baking when you need them. Rosemary and Olive Palmiers Ingredients: 2 sheets frozen puff pastry 50g kalamata olives, pitted and chopped 25g parmesan cheese, grated 1 Tbsp rosemary, chopped 4 slices salami, … Continue reading Rosemary and Olive Palmiers
Merry Christmas from the Grantham Gardeners
Its another sunny, Sydney Christmas day on this side of the world. Summer’s bounty of fruit and vegetables from the garden graces our Christmas table, as family gathers for a feast of traditional food that originates in the colder climates of far away lands, as well as the freshest seafood of our own country. What a blessing! To all who read this: gardeners, followers and … Continue reading Merry Christmas from the Grantham Gardeners
Portulacaria Afra and its role in Carbon Capture
Portulacaria Afra, commonly known as the dwarf jade plant, elephant bush or spekboom, in Afrkaans, is a succulent plant originating in the east of South Africa and popular around the world as a houseplant and also used for bonsai. Perhaps you have some growing at home. I wanted to share with you its beauty and its potential for carbon sequestration. This amazing, yet widely grown … Continue reading Portulacaria Afra and its role in Carbon Capture
Growing Cantaloupes
Cantaloupe, or rock melon, as it is called in Sydney, is a trailing vine that loves a long warm growing season. It is a member of the cucurbitaceae family and originates from the area from Iran to India. Sow seeds in pots from September, October and then plant them out in November and December in Sydney, which has a temperate climate. Alternately, the seeds can … Continue reading Growing Cantaloupes
Australian Apples and Pears Grown in Orange
Support our farmers Here in Parklea we are lucky enough to to have the only farmers selling direct to the public at Parklea Markets in Western Sydney. Rod Ostini and his son Boris bring their fresh produce from Orange, New South Wales to Parklea Markets in Western Sydney every weekend. The fruit is grown in the Orange district of NSW, a major cherry and apple … Continue reading Australian Apples and Pears Grown in Orange
What to plant in December
Today is the first day of summer and this is the first planting guide of the season. The following is a list of things you can plant in December in Sydney, a temperate zone: Basil Beans (dwarf and climbing) Beetroot Cape Gooseberry Capsicum seedlings Carrot Celery seedlings Chilli Choko Cucumber Eggplant seedlings Kohlrabi Leeks seedlings Lettuce Luffa seedlings Marrow Mustard greens Okra seedlings Pumpkin Radish … Continue reading What to plant in December
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