There is nothing quite like the taste of homemade tomato sauce! This recipe is so easy – basically, just cook and blitz and you have the most incredible tomato sauce to pour over pasta, pizza base, or dip crunchy potato wedges into. Add fresh herbs from your garden and it’s a winning combo. Try this sauce poured over spinach gnocchi for a mouth-watering garden-to-plate dinner.
Simple Roast Tomato Sauce
Yield: 2 cups / 400-500g
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 45 minutes
Additional Time: 5 minutes
Total Time: 1 hour
Simple and delicious tomato sauce. Staple condiment and the backbone of so many garden-to-plate dishes!
Ingredients
6-8 medium tomatoes (or 2-3 cups of cherry tomatoes)
2-3 Garlic cloves
1 tsp salt
4 TSBP Olive oil
1 medium brown onion
1 TBSP Balsamic vinegar
5-6 sprigs of fresh thyme (2inch long)
1/2 cup fresh basil
1/2 tsp chilli flakes
Instructions
Preheat oven to 180 degrees Celcius. Drizzle roughly 1 TSBP oil in a roast dish.
Cut tomatoes in half and add to the roasting dish skin side down. Add Garlic cloves (skin on) and thyme throughout the tomatoes.
Drizzle another TBSP of olive oil on top and season with salt.
Roast for 40-45 minutes until cooked and slightly golden. Time will be significantly less for cherry tomatoes (20 minutes).
While the tomatoes are roasting, dice the onion and add to a pan with 1 TBSP olive oil. Cook until soft and slightly brown. Pour in the balsamic and deglaze the pan (get all the delicious flavour off the bottom). Remove from the heat.
Remove the garlic from the skins and add the roasted ingredients to a blender (or jug and use a stick mixer). Allow the tomatoes to cool slightly before blitzing so the mixture isn't piping hot. Add in the chopped fresh basil, chilli flakes, and cooked onions. Blitz to combine. Smooth or chunky however you prefer.
Taste and season with extra salt or chilli to your liking.
Notes
Tomatoes will have varying amounts of liquid. If you get a lot of liquid in the bottom of the roasting dish, pour some to the side and blitz then add if you want a runnier sauce.
Add excess to a jar and keep in the fridge for 2-3 days or freeze for longer storage.
NZ Spinach (Tetragonia tetragonioides) also known in Australia as Warrigal greens is a perennial green with beautiful lush leaves. Although not part of the Spinach family, NZ Spinach is used as a spinach substitute. The great thing about this edible plant is that, unlike many spinach varieties, it thrives in warm weather! It has thicker more succulent style leaves perfect for warm climates or coastal sea spray.
NZ spinach grows as a thick edible ground cover and will cover and protect the soil in just a few short weeks. Thus, providing an abundance of leafy greens to eat!
Springafter the last frost.Can be grown all year round in many climates.
SOIL
Fertile, moist, well-drained soil. Plenty of compost.pH 6.8-7
LOCATION
Full sun – Dappled or shaded position.
CARE
Regular watering.
FERTILISE
Compost teas or liquid fertilisers.
PESTS
Slug and snail.
HARVEST
Harvest regularly to keep contained.
REPRODUCE
Grows easily from cuttings
Why Grow NZ Spinach?
There are many reasons to grow NZ spinach and it is so easy to grow!
Here are some of the many reasons to grow NZ Spinach
Easy to grow
Abundant producer!
Handles hot climates
Low maintenance
Edible ground cover
Antioxidants
High in vitamins A, C,B1,B2
Protects soil
Cut and come again harvest
Suppress weeds
Pest resistant
Handles coastal environments
When to Plant NZ Spinach
NZ Spinach is a hardy perennial but thrives in warm weather. It does not tolerate frosts so it may be grown as an annual in climates that receive cold frosty winters. Sow in Spring after your last frost. It is a vigorous grower so make sure you have space for it or it will overtake small plants. Great for a food forest-style garden or low-maintenance corners.
How to Grow NZ Spinach
Choose a sunny spot with dappled or part shade in the heat of summer.
Prepare the soil with rich compost
Direct sow seeds or plant in seed trays first. Can benefit from soaking the seeds in water overnight first.
1-2 plants per person is plenty!
Plant seedlings on small mounds to keep them well drained.
Care/ Maintenance
Protection from the harsh summer sun can help the flavour of NZ Spinach and reduce bitterness. Keep well watered in warm temperatures.
Once the plant is well established with approx 1m sprawl you can start harvesting stems at 3-4 inch pieces. This will help contain the plant and also promote new fresh growth which tastes the best!
Use clean, sharp kitchen scissors to cut your harvest.
At the end of summer, it can be a good idea to back old growth and use as mulch.
Cut and come again crop that will regrow quickly. I often harvest and use in meals every other day.
Reproducing
Take cuttings and allow to root in a jar of water. Refresh the water every few days. Seeds can also be saved and will flower with tiny yellow flowers on the stem. Once the seeds form and turn brown, collect them and dry them further. Keep in a dark, cool and dry environment.
Cooking and Using NZ Spinach
NZ Spinach like many leafy greens contains high oxalates so it is best to blanch greens first. Blanch greens in simmering hot water for 2mins and then plunge them into ice-cold water to keep them vibrant and fresh. Or simply cook or stir-fry. Young leaves can be eaten raw in small amounts. NZ Spinach is great to cook/blanch and freezes for future use. Or try fermented greens.
An edible food forest is a type of food-producing system that mimics nature and creates a low-maintenance edible garden. Food forest systems can be designed and adapted to suit small urban blocks, sloping sections, and large open spaces. The idea of creating a food forest is that you can let it go a little wild and allow nature to create balance. Food forests not only provide an abundance of food, but they also promote biodiversity, sequester carbon, attract wildlife, nurture the soil, and create a beautiful and tranquil place to be.
Watch the workshop
What is a Food Forest?
A food forest is a layered system of gardening that is designed to promote biodiversity and create an ecosystem that feeds off each other through mutually beneficial relationships. A food forest aims to mimic patterns and systems that occur in nature. Although, the food forest gardens we create are definitely not what occurs naturally eg: planting tomatoes with guavas, feijoa, and lettuce. It is more so about creating layers both above the surface with different heights and shapes, as well as below the surface with varying root structures. This way all the plants can get the space they need to thrive, provide nutrients, shade, and shelter to others, and work all together as one big family to grow abundant food supplies.
image credit: Graham Burnett
Why Create a Food Forest Garden?
If you are looking to create a low-maintenance garden that produces food all year round, is lush, tranquil, and attracts birds, bees, and other local wildlife, then a food forest may be the garden for you! Food forests are a great way to grow a huge variety of plants in a single area. The ground covers will smother weeds so there is one less job for you to do! The plants are mainly perennials so this means we don’t need to dig up the soil and replace plants each season. The less we dig up our soil the better as this promotes healthy microorganisms and soil life.
There are certain characteristics of a food forest that allow it to renew and support itself with little external input
Planting Density
It’s important to cover and protect the soil from the harsh sunlight
Planting densely creates a habitat for wildlife
More leaf matter to fall and nourish the soil
More roots to hold the soil together and reduce erosion
More flowers for the bees = more pollination and more food production
Dense planting will reduce the number of unwanted weeds
Having flowers and fruit trees planted close together can increase pollination as the bees and pollinators will be nearby
Growing a wide variety of plants
Planting a wide variety of plants will mean you have fruit, vegetables and flowers ready at all different times of the year
Diversity in plants not only provides you with a wide range of nutrients but also your garden and wildlife
Different root structures will provide the soil microbes with different secretions and reduce the severe depletion of nutrients in the soil. If you have all one crop planted in a single area they use up the same nutrients and the soil can become depleted. Having a wide variety can help keep it balanced.
Plants have different flowers which will attract different pollinators to your garden. Each pollinator will achieve different results for each plant. It’s important not only to have flowers available all year round but also a variety of different kinds.
Self Fertilising
With a variety of layers and heights in your food forest, the plants will drop their leaves and fruit which will act as a mulch and built-in fertiliser.
Some plants may get overgrown or die off (survival of the fittest!) which will also return nutrients to the soil.
From time to time you may need to trim your trees to reduce their height or width. This trimming can be put through a mulcher or cut up and returned back to the garden to feed the plants.
Self Seeding
By letting some plants go to flower and seed you will have new plants popping up each year. This can be an extremely easy way to grow more food for free.
At times fruit trees may grow beneath the canopy from the seeds of rotting fruit. It can be a good idea to move these as they won’t have adequate space to grow. Either, relocate them or pot them up to swap or trade.
How to Start a Food Forest Garden
Step 1: Choose a location and prep the soil
First up, we must decide on an area to start converting into a food forest system. This could be an old veggie patch, the front lawn, along the back fence line, or a large open field. The preparation needed will depend on the condition of the area selected. But in general, you will want to:
Clear any debris or unwanted structures
Remove or smother the grass. This can be done by laying down an old carpet for a few months to kill off all the grass. If the grass is still alive and present it can be hard to maintain. Another way is to use sheets of cardboard, as these will eventually breakdown once the grass has died.
If your location has never been used to grow before, the soil quality may be extremely poor or sandy. It could be a good idea to add a layer of compost or organic manure.
Cover your area in a thick layer of mulch. This will protect the soil and help keep any grasses or unwanted weeds away.
Give the area a good water and feed with a liquid seaweed solution.
Step 2: Selecting a plant list
We want to select plants that:
A: we want to eat and
B: provide benefits to other aspects of our garden (animal feed, mulch, birds, shade, etc).
Below are the 7 layers of the food forest. Write down a wish list of plants for each layer and then you can start mapping out which plants will go where depending on their size, what “layer” they are, and how much light they will need to grow.
7 Layers of a Food Forest
1 Canopy Layer – Large trees that require full sun – fruit and nut trees (Avocado, Chestnut, Mango)
2 Understorey Trees – Dwarf fruit or small trees ( Citrus, Papaya)
3 Perennial Shrubs – Small bushy plants (Berries, Ginger, Arrowroot)
Some plants may fall into multiple categories – Sweet potato is a root crop but also a fantastic ground cover. Ginger is also a root crop but can make a great Perennial shrub layer.
Step 3: Designing
Mapping out a design can be as detailed or as rough as you like. It is important to come up with some kind of plan so that you can decide where to plant your larger trees so that they get enough sunlight. You don’t want to be digging up and moving things around. This should be your master plan not what you are starting with. So go big, add in all things you want so that you can plan for the future and ensure you can room.
How to map out your food forest design
1 Draw the outline of your location or property to scale
2 Add in any permanent structure (sheds, veggie patch, established trees, fences)
3 Map where the sun and shade come from. Mark areas as full sun, part sun, or full shade.
4 Add in your large Canopy trees and allow space for them to grow.
5 Add in your pathways or future large structures (pond, shed, chicken coop)
5 Add in your sub-canopy trees
6 Add in your scrubs, herbaceous layer, root crops, ground cover, and vertical layers.
7 Add seating, a table, or a place for you to view and enjoy your food forest.
Step 4: Planting
To start with you will want to select your large canopy trees and ensure there is enough space for them to grow. The height and width will be noted on the labels. Then you can start adding in your sub-canopy/dwarf trees. Large trees may take years to fully establish so your food forest may not look very ‘foresty’, to begin with. This is a great time to interplant with more annual crops (lettuce, tomatoes, broccoli, etc).
When I first started my back fence line in a food forest system, there were large gaps between the trees. This meant there was a lot more light and space available but I knew that eventually my canopy and sub-canopy trees would grow to fill the space. I used this time to grow seasonal veggies and edible flowers. As well as accumulating and establishing new shrub layers and ground covers.
How to Source Plants for your Food Forest?
Creating a food forest can involve a lot of new plants and the costs will quickly add up. This is where learning how to make cuttings can be extremely valuable. Not only can you reproduce your plants to grow in other areas of the garden but you can also swap, trade, and sell your plants to acquire new ones. Keep an eye out on local pages as you can pick up established trees for cheap or even free! I have managed to get established fruit trees that are already fruiting for less than $20. This can really speed up your food forest production.
Maintaining your Food Forest
The idea of creating your food forest is that it will require less care and attention. This can mean it will look a little wild from time to time (in a good way)
Pruning or trimming back excess trees can be a great way to propagate more or mulch to feed the garden. This can be done once the tree has finished fruiting.
Some trees will need to be staked and secured while they are young so that they don’t snap off.
Propagating plants to establish in other areas – it can take a while for some plants to establish so once they have you can start to reproduce them in other areas.
Harvesting fruit – this is important so that you can reduce the number of unwanted critters (such as rats). Rotting fruit on the ground can also promote fruit fly infestations which you do not want! So ensure all fruit is picked and preserved or composted.
Feeding – It can be beneficial especially in a young food forest to add in extra fertilisers. Try using natural products such as seaweed solution or creating your own from leftover plants and weeds.
Netting or bagging fruit – Depending on your location you may need to net or place net bags on your fruit. Fruit fly, bats, and birds can decimate crops in just a few hours.
Ginger (Zingerber officinale) is a perennial herb with beautiful lush leaves and produces edible rhizomes that are both flavour-enhancing and medicinal. Ginger is a great addition to your edible garden as it can be grown in pots or as an understory part of your food forest. Ginger easily self propagates and you can divide the rhizomes up to regrow more and more ginger each year. Ginger is a staple for your medicinal garden.
Fertile, moist, well-drained soil. Plenty of compost.
LOCATION
Dappled or part shade position. Sheltered and warm.
CARE
Regular watering.
FERTILISE
Compost teas or liquid fertilisers.
PESTS
HARVEST
Harvest in autumn or 8-10 months after planting. When leaves die off. Harvest all at once or leave some to regrow.
REPRODUCE
Cut the rhizomes into pieces with at least 2 “eyes”. Allow cuts to dry off before planting.
Why Grow Ginger?
Ginger is a slower grower but low maintenance and produces an abundance of rhizomes beneath the surface.
Here are some of the many reasons to grow Ginger
Easy to grow
Versatile produce
Low maintenance
Aids in nausea
Antioxidants
Flavour enhancer
Visual Aesthetics
Supports Immune health
Rich in Vitamin A,B,C
Can be eaten raw, cooked, or pickled
Anti-inflammatory properties
Popular Ginger Varieties
Ensure you have edible ginger plants before planting as there are many types of ornamental gingers that can be invasive. Selecting organic locally grown ginger rhizomes from the shops can be a good way to regrow ginger plants.
When to Plant Ginger
Ginger is a warm loving tropical plant. It thrives in humid conditions but can still be grown in a range of different climates. Plant ginger late winter-spring depending on how cold your climate is. Plant after the last frost when temperatures are warming up. Ginger likes temperatures between 20-30 degrees and needs at least 5-8 months to grow. If you live in a cooler climate you may need to start or finish your ginger of indoors or in a greenhouse to keep it warm.
How to Grow Ginger
Choose a sheltered, sunny spot with dappled or part shade.
Prepare the soil with rich compost or a pot at least 300mm wide.
Cut Rhyzomes into pieces with at least 2 “eyes each. The eyes are on the end of the knobs and have a little circle. Wait a few days until the cuts have dried off to prevent rot.
Plant 15cm apart.
You can also plant the whole piece in the ground without cutting it first.
Ginger can be a little slow to get growing and show through the soil so don’t stress. Keep them moist but not soggy.
Care/ Maintenance
Keep Ginger well-watered but not soggy. Ginger doesn’t like strong winds so protection using larger trees or plant in sheltered locations.
Once the leaves start to die off in Autumn reduce the watering and let the plants start to die down to put energy into the rhizomes.
You can harvest ginger throughout the growing period the young ginger or “green ginger” has a more mild flavour and can be used raw. Just ensure you don’t disturb the patch too much.
Once the leaves are all brown dig up the patch.
You can select some to regrow and plant straight back in the soil.
Rinse off the soil and remove the roots. These are the skinny smooth parts below the rhizomes.
Reproducing
Ginger is best reproduced by cutting up the rhizomes to produce more plants or left to repopulate on its own. Leaving ginger in the ground without harvesting can help produce an established patch. Then each year in Autumn harvest what you need and leave the rest to regrow.
Cooking and Using Ginger
Ginger can be eaten raw, cooked, pickled or fermented.
Worms are an amazing addition to a self-sufficient homestead as they turn scraps into nutrient-rich organic fertilizer to help you grow more food. Creating a sustainable lifestyle is all about taking small steps and changes to close the loop and nurture thriving ecosystems. You don’t have to do it all at once and I highly recommend starting small, mastering a manageable garden, and then start adding layers one by one. If you overwhelm yourself and don’t have habits and systems in place it won’t be sustainable long term and you can end up with unproductive chaos.
Click to watcha warm farm tour
Tips for setting up a backyard worm farm
1. Source a Worm Farm or Home for your Worms
There are many options for backyard worm systems from kit-set to DIY. You will also more than likely be able to pick up a second-hand worm farm so keep an eye out on your local listings and marketplace. Be mindful of your local climate and do a little research. In Perth, Australia, we have extremely hot summers that reach over 40 degrees. Cool shady locations are a must for worms. If you do live in a hot climate there are some great DIY options using old fridges and freezers to offer more protection. This is something I will be creating very soon!
2. Choose a Location
Choose a location for your worms that is out of direct sunlight and is well protected. On the flip side if you get snow or cold temperatures you would need to make sure you can bring your worm farm somewhere warmer.
The other important consideration to make is to keep it close and convenient. Worms like to be fed a little and often so you don’t want them down the back of your property where they may get forgotten about. Permaculture zone 1-2 would be great or have them located on a path that you frequent regularly. For example: on the way to the chicken coop or the washing line. Having things in convenient locations is the absolute key to being consistent and having systems in place that easily become habits means you don’t even have to think about it just becomes part of everyday life.
3. Source Composting Worms
There are many times of worms in your garden and they all play different roles so it’s important to get the right worms for your worm farm to make sure they are happy and thriving. Tiger worms are a popular type of worm for this system and can be purchased at many plant nurseries or hardware stores that sell worm farms. You may also be able to get set up with worms from friends that have their own form farms established.
4. What to Feed your worms
Feed your worms little and often! Be consistent.
What to feed: Coffee grinds, tea leaves, vegetable scraps, egg shells, banana peels, shredded paper or cardboard, dried leaves, greens, vacuum dust, and hair. The more variety the better as this will help keep a balanced pH. Add a little sprinkle of soil when you feed as the grit can help the worms break down the scraps. Keep the food scraps in smaller pieces if possible.
What to avoid feeding your Worms?
Avoid citrus, garlic, or the onion family as this will create an acidic environment that will harm the worms. No meat – as this can create bad bacteria and attract rats and other unwanted pests.
5. Water your Worms
Worms like a moist environment of around 70% moisture, so it’s important to give your worms a regular drink. Keep a damp sheet of cardboard, hessian sack, or newspaper on top of the food scraps to retain moisture and regulate temperatures. This also acts as a slow-releasing food source.
6. How to care for Worms when you go on Holiday
If you are going away for a few weeks your worms should be fine if you get them prepared. Flush water from the top tray, add plenty of food and some slow-release food such as pea straw, hay, and place some layers of wet newspaper or cardboard on top. This will help keep the worms nice and moist. If you are worried or going away for longer ask someone to stop by and feed your worms.
How to harvest the Worm Tea and Worm Castings?
The by-products of worms are both castings and worm tea. Castings are the worm poo which is your food scraps converted into soil. Add scoops of worm castings to your garden beds to feed and enrich the soil. Warm castings are quite concentrated so it’s best to mix this through with other soil first.
Once the worm bin starts to fill up with worm castings and the worms start trying to get out it may be time to change the bins over. Depending on the size of your worm farm and the population of worms this can be done 2-4 times a year. The active worm bin should be in the top layer so it is time to move this down and place an empty bin on top. Lift out as much of the uneaten food as possible and add it to the empty tub. Put in some fresh food and bedding and pour water over the top to moisten it all down. The worms will start to come up to the top layer to access the food and leave the bin of castings behind.
This may take a while for the worms to move up depending on how much uneaten food is left behind and how dense the population of worms is.
If you don’t have multiple layers in your worm farm another way to harvest the castings is to tip it all out onto some cardboard. The worms don’t like sunlight so they will move to the bottom of the pile and you can harvest off the top layer before putting the worms back in.
Worm tea can be watered down 10:1, especially on young seedlings but we also use a much more concentrated version of 50:50 on fruit trees. Just be careful when using it around young plants as they will be more sensitive, that’s when I would water it down more. Like with everything in the garden, when you are unsure or just starting out do sections and test it out first.
Use the worm tea within a month or two as you want to ensure the living organisms stay alive as that is the key to healthy soil!
If you have extra worm concentrate, bottle it up for gifts or this could be a great little side hustle for kids to sell.
Kale (Brassica oleracea) is a member of the Cabbage family and produces an abundance of leafy greens. The great thing about Kale is that it grows vigorously and is much more pest-resistant than cabbages. Kale is packed with nutrients and antioxidants and can be used raw or cooked similar to lettuce or spinach.
Benefits from regular compost and natural fertilizers.
PESTS
Slaters, slugs, aphids, snails, and green caterpillars/ cabbage moth.
HARVEST
Harvest the outer leaves as the plant grows or cut the mature plant off and allow new growth to form.
REPRODUCE
Kale is Bi-annual so seeds usually form in the summer or second season.
Why Grow Kale?
Kale is a fantastic crop for beginner gardeners or those wanting a low-maintenance edible garden. Kale is hardy and grows well in many different conditions.
Here are some of the many reasons to grow Kale:
Easy to grow
Versatile produce
Low maintenance
Bulk up salads
Nutritious smoothies
Less susceptible to pests
Visual Aesthetics
Supports Immune health
Rich in Vitamin C,K,E
Can be eaten raw or cooked
Popular Kale Varieties
‘Tuscan / Tuscano’ – Heirloom variety. Produces long dark green, palm-like leaves. Popular for flavour and texture.
‘Red Russian’ – Silvery green curly leaves with striking purple veins. Young leaves are good raw and older leaves are better cooked. Great for microgreens.
‘Siberian‘ – Green curly leaves. Mild sweet flavour. Hardy and prolific.
‘Scarlet‘ – Bright purple frilly leaves. Colour deepens with cool weather. Nutritious and ornamental.
When to Plant Kale
Kale is best planted from the end of Summer to Spring. Flavour improves with cool weather. In summer plants can get covered in aphids and caterpillars and the flavour is less palatable.
How to Grow Kale
Plant seeds into seed trays first (young kale is popular with pests) and transplant them in a sunny location once they have 4-5 leaves.
Dig in compost and composted manure to feed the soil.
Kale has shallow roots so add mulch to keep retain moisture and regulate temperature.
Care/ Maintenance
Keep Kale well-watered and keep an eye out for pests.
Pests / Disease
Slugs and snails may eat young seedlings. Older plants can suffer from aphids and green caterpillars, especially in warmer months. Use natural pest management.
How/ When to Harvest
The best time to harvest your Kale is during the coldest months. This is when the flavour is at its best! Harvest a few of the bottom leaves off each plant to allow continuous growth. Towards the end of winter/ early spring, you can cut the Kale plants off just leaving the stalk in the ground. This will reshoot multiple side shoots for a new harvest into Spring.
Reproducing
Kale is biennial so it will go to flower and produce seeds in its second season/ year or if the weather gets too warm. If your Kale does go to flower, wait until the flowers turn into seed pods and once they start to dry and turn brown they can be harvested. Keep the seed pods somewhere warm and dry until they have completely dried out. Pop open the seed pods to reveal the small Kale seeds. Keep your seeds in a dry, dark cool location.
Cooking and Using Kale
Kale can be eaten raw or cooked.
Kale pairs well with: Garlic, onion, chilli, apple, lemon, potato, beetroot, sweet potato, cauliflower, cabbage, tomato, mustard, honey, radish
Kale ideas:
Salads
Smoothies
Quiche
Pie
Curry
Pastries
Stirfry
Pesto
Preserving the Harvest
Kale can be easily preserved to use throughout the year.
