Rosemary (Rosmarinus officinalis) is a fragrant perennial herb. Rosemary is a hardy, drought tolerant shrub and can also be used as an ornamental due to its evergreen foliage and purple or white edible flowers. Rosemary is a great herb to plant on your journey to sustainability, as it has a large list of beneficial uses for the garden, home, kitchen, plus many medicinal qualities. When Rosemary flowers it will attract an abundance of beneficial pollinators to increase your gardens production.
Full sun 6-8 hours per day. Cold climates -move it to a warmer spot in winter.
CARE
Water at base – dont over water. Keep well mulched. Prune early Spring to encourage new growth.
FERTILISE
Spring and Autumn with seaweed solution or an organic slow release fertilizer.
PESTS
Aphids, white fly, scale, mealybugs. Mildew in humid climates.
HARVEST
Anytime of the year.
REPRODUCE
Cuttings are the easiest and quickest way to reproduce.
Why Grow Rosemary?
Rosemary offers so many beneficial relationships within your garden. Rosemary is a hardy, drought tolerant, ever green perennial herb. A fantastic staple to have growing in any edible garden. Rosemary also has many healing properties, so it is a handy plant to have near the house or in a kitchen garden.
Here are some of the many reasons to grow Rosemary:
Low maintenance
Drought tolerant
Pest resistant
Attracts Pollinators
Creates diversity in the garden
Evergreen herbs
Edible flowers and leaves
Adds flavour to your meals
Great for skin care and healing
Anti-inflammatory properties
Boosts mental clarity and focus
Improves digestion
Aids in hair growth
Calming and therapeutic qualities
Popular Rosemary Varieties
‘Arp Rosemary’– Large sturdy shrub. Purple -blue flowers. Grows 1.5m high and 1m wide. Cold hardy. Popular for skewers.
‘Gorza’ – Tall upright shrub. Leaves are twice as big as other varieties. Large light purple flowers. Popular with Chefs. Can handle humid locations.
‘Salem’ – Medium sized upright shrub originating from Auckland, New Zealand. Deep Blue Flowers. Grows 1.5m tall and 1m wide. Popular for hedging.
‘Pink Remembrance – Small-Medium sized shrub. Light pink flowers. Grows 1m tall to 80cm wide. Can handle cold climates, wind, salt and dry soils. Popular for pots or cottage gardens.
‘Huntingdon Carpet’ – Low lying or cascading Rosemary. Bright blue flowers. Grow 30-60cm tall. Popular for rock walls or pots.
‘Tuscan Blue’ – Tall upright plant. Light blue-purple flowers. Grows 1.5m tall x 1.5m wide. Popular topiary or hedge. Can handle coastal environments.
‘Blue Lagoon’ – Compact trailing/ cascading plant. Deep blue- purple flowers speckled with white. Grows 1m tall to 1m wide. Popular for rock walls. Can handle coastal environments.
‘Golden Rain’ – The most densely compact variety. Leaves turn a golden colour during winter then back to green in summer. Light blue flowers. Grows 60-90cm high and wide.
‘White Flowering’ – Short dark green, needle shaped leaves. Curved branching form. White flowers give the appearance of snow fall.
How to Grow Rosemary
Rosemary likes a full sun location, with approximately 6-8 hours of sunlight. Rosemary is a hardy, drought tolerant plant that grows well in poor soils. Rosemary doesn’t like having wet feet, so free-draining soil is important. In humid areas, select a variety such as the ‘Gorza’. Before planting, add in a layer of compost and mulch around the base after planting.
When to Plant Rosemary
Plant Rosemary in Spring after the last frost has past.
Care/ Maintenance
Rosemary can get root rot if it gets too much water, so ensure the soil has had time to dry out between watering. Feed with liquid seaweed or plant fertiliser every few months for improved results. Pruning Rosemary regularly will help keep it compact and fresh. Older branches tend to go woody and sparse over time. Prune after it has finished flowering and remove no more than 1/3 of the plant at a time. You can then use your trimmings to make new plants!
Pests / Disease
Rosemary is a hardy plant but it can suffer from a few pests and diseases from time to time. In humid areas Rosemary can get powdery mildew and root rot. To prevent this, water only at the base and not the leaves. Let the soil dry out before watering and ensure the soil is free-draining. Prune to allow good airflow. Aphids, white fly, scale and mealy bugs may also effect your Rosemary. It is best to catch these pests early and you may be able to blast them off with the hose or try a natural spray such as chilli and garlic. A mix of natural dish detergent and water can also help remove them.
How/ When to Harvest
Harvest and use your Rosemary all year round. Use sharp secateurs to allow new growth to form easily.
Reproducing
Rosemary is very easy to reproduce from cuttings. Choose a semi-hard wood section (not the soft new growth and not the thick hard stems – somewhere in the middle. You can cut that portion down). Cut lengths of 10-15cm and strip the bottom half of the leaves off. Then either place in a jar of water to sprout roots or place directly in a pot of soil. Ensure the pot is kept well watered while they sprout roots.
Cooking and Using Rosemary
Rosemary is such a versatile herb and works well with both sweet and savoury dishes. Rosemary has a pungent, pine like aroma.
Rosemary can be preserved by drying see preserving herbs. The great thing about drying Rosemary, is that it reduces in size dramatically. So a massive basket of Rosemary can be condensed into a single jar. It can also be blitz with salt to make delicious Rosemary finishing salt. This is an easy way to add extra flavour to your dishes. Rosemary can also be added to oils and vinegars to infuse.
Edible flowers offer so many beneficial relationships within a home garden. When creating a sustainable permaculture garden, everything should have multiple functions and uses. The more the better! Edible flowers not only look beautiful, but they also aid in pollination, provide food and habitat to beneficial insects for pest management, add diversity to the soil and provide food, and in some cases, offer medicinal qualities for us.
Without adequate pollination, crops may be smaller, less abundant or may not produce at all. So, it is important that we attract pollinators to our gardens to increase yields along with the quality of produce.
Note: not all flowers are edible. Make sure you identify them correctly. Do not eat flowers from florists or areas unknown, as they may have been sprayed with pesticides. The safest option is to grow your own.
Pick your edible flowers in the morning but after the sun has come up. First thing in the morning the flowers will still be closed, so wait until they fully open up. They will be at their best in the morning, full of life and well-hydrated. If you are serving them fresh, pick your edible flowers as close to serving time as possible. Otherwise, place stems in a jar of water or keep in a moistened towel somewhere cool.
Masterclass 1: Introduction to Climate, Pathways and Zones
This masterclass we are talking about how to understand your local climate to maximise your growing potential, and discover your Zones, to create ease and flow in your gardening and sustainability routines.
Objectives:
This masterclass will be divided into 3 core sections, each with an actionable task and worksheet that you will be able to complete for your own property.
Get to know your local climate and how that affects your garden and layout.
Identify your pathways. These are the areas of your property you frequent on a daily basis.
Map out yourZones will help you determine where to place elements within your property.
Understanding your local climate is very important for selecting garden locations, plants, care and maintenance. What works for one person, may not work for you depending on your climate and location. Within each climate there are micro-climates and that is specific to your exact location. You may live at the bottom of a mountain, near a stream or closer to the ocean, and these will all have specific and direct effects on your microclimate. It may also be that your neighbour has a large tree, or there are high rise buildings creating shade or directing wind. It is important to get to know your region’s climate and then take note of your location and microclimate. This will help you determine what to plant and where to plant it.
To do this we need to do a sector analysis. This will help us determine where our external energies (sun, wind, water, frost and fire) may come from. This can include neighbouring buildings, trees or structures.
Sun
The sun is a major factor when considering where to place your garden. Each plant has a certain amount of sunlight hours it needs to perform and be fruitful. So, understanding which areas of your property get the most sun and shade is so important!
When I first moved to my house, I was so excited to plant fruit trees that I planted a lime tree in the shadiest spot on my property. At the time, it was summer, and it received a lot of sun. But, throughout the rest of the year the neighbours tree shaded it, and I spent the rest of the time trying to keep it alive. After observing my property and analysing my sectors, I transplanted it to a full sun location. Since then, it has thrived and is covered in limes. So, getting this right, will make a massive difference and may save you a lot of time and money in sad trees!
Something that is interesting, and not widely known to beginner gardening, is that the sun tracks lower in the sky over winter (here in our temperate climate). Your “perfect sunny spot” may be short lived. With the sun tracking directly above your property over summer, you will have a lot less shade as the shadows will be short. During winter the sun is significantly lower in the sky, so many other objects will cast long shadows such as trees, fences and buildings. Once you have identified this, it can then be managed and used in your favour.
I cannot stress how important it is to be constantly observing your garden and taking notes. The seasonal Gardening Review Sheets make this easy to document.
Solar panels are another way to capture and store the sun’s energy.
Wind
Wind is another factor that can be difficult to analyse without a long term observation. Winds tend to come in patterns and seasons and some research online of local wind patterns can help you get started with this. Once you have identified this, you may be able to plant trees or shrubs to help break the wind or protect your garden.
Water
When it rains do you notice certain areas that pool water? or do you have creeks or dams on your property? When it rains it can be a great idea to stop and take a look at where the water is flowing or moving to. Noting this down will help you capture and store that energy and decide where to place elements in your design. Eg: if an area is prone to getting boggy, can you divert the water and spread it out to water more plants, or plant water loving trees there and avoid planting trees that hate having wet feet. Water naturally flows by gravity so you can use this to your advantage. Water flowing on your property will also pick up nutrients and top soil and deposit them in lower lying areas. This can help you locate fertile soil for edible gardens.
Frost
If you live in an area that has frosts, next time it happens, take a look around. Are there areas that seem more frosty than others? Dips and hollows can really change the temperature of the air, so you may find some areas of your property are more prone to frost than others.
Fire
Planning for a fire is something that many of us, especially here in Australia, should do when designing our gardens and properties. Identifying where weak points may be or the direction in which fire may travel can help you design to minimise loss. Your local council pages may have more information about creating fire plans.
Other External Forces:
You may have neighbouring noise pollution from a factory, farm or noise from a highway. Bad smells, dust or something visually unappealing. Identifying these will help you come up with design solutions. You may be able to plant dense hedges or place elements such as barns and forests to reduce these before they end up at your property.
Knowledge is Power
Having these energies mapped out, will provide you with the information to make decisions and maximise your results. Having them all down on paper can really help you see the bigger picture. Many problems can be turned into solutions, once they are recognised. You can capture and store these wild energies and turn them into free power using solar or wind turbines.
Next we are going to go over pathways and zones. These two work together, so, to figure out our zones, we must first find our pathways. To start with it will be handy to get an aerial view of your property. This way you can see where north is and how your house and structures sit on your land. You can obtain one from google earth, local council or similar. This will help with your worksheets and drawing out your zones.
I do just want to touch on the term ‘Permaculture’ incase you are not familiar with the term. Permaculture comes from “ permanent agriculture”. Permaculture has a set of ethics and beliefs around creating an integrated system to work with nature. Everything is interconnected to create energy efficiency, ease and flow. It is what guides most of my gardening and lifestyle, so many of my lessons will have connections or links to permaculture practices.
Pathways
To workout your pathways, print out the pathways worksheet and choose 3 days to map your daily routine. Choose 3 days that are a fair representation of how you spend most of your time (eg: if you work 5 days a week, choose those days).
Outline the boundary of your property.
Outline your buildings and key elements (house, rooms, garage, car park, mailbox, compost bin, gardens, barn, chicken coop etc).
Each day draw lines or pathways through your map of where you have visited. Do this for at least 3 days.
This will allow you to see patterns and areas that you visit regularly, verses areas you do not.
What are Zones in Permaculture?
Zones are a way to divide your property into sections of areas that are used frequently, versus those that receive less attention. Determining these zones will allow you to place your gardens, animals and elements in areas that will allow the most ease and flow. Creating ease and flow is so important because, it will make tasks more sustainable long term. The permaculture zones generally start from the house at zone zero and work upwards.
Learning your zones is important for the placement of elements. A kitchen garden is something that is used frequently for daily meals, so should be located closer to the home than for example, an orchard. An orchard can be harvested from when fruit is ripe, and in batches, so it can be placed in a zone further away from the house. Chickens will need to be fed and cared for daily, so they are another element that should be placed in a zone close by. The placement of systems that work together should also be considered. For example, if you throw a lot of your old vegetables or weeds in the compost or to the chickens, then these systems should be near each other or on the way to each other, for ease and flow.
The secret to getting started with identifying your zones, is found in your daily routine.
We are creatures of habit, so it can be useful to map your current routines and track which areas of your property you frequent often. I have created a worksheet to help you map your pathways. Once you have these mapped out you can start creating your zones. These may change over time as your garden and lifestyle changes and develops.
Once you have you pathways mapped out, you can start to number or circle zones.
We will all have different zones and pathways because, we all have different routines and priorities. Below are some examples but also take into consideration how often you use or frequent these areas or elements. You may visit your chickens 3 times a day to say hello or you may only use your compost for pruning and weeding rather than everyday scraps. This will also change depending on the size of your property. It’s about finding out what YOUR zones are.
It is useful to go through this every few years, especially, if your lifestyle has changed or you have moved properties.
Zone 0
Typically your house or dwelling as you spend the most time here.
Bokashi
Indoor garden
Zone 1
Kitchen Gardens
Patio or Balcony gardens
Outdoor setting areas
Greenhouse
Seedling Raising areas
Compost
Worm farms
Pot plants or container gardens
Utility sheds
Zone 2
Main vegetable patch
Small animals such as chickens, ducks
High maintenance fruit trees or regular produces (lemons)
Larger composting systems
Dense planting
Vertical gardens
Zone 3
Other animals such as goats, bees, sheeps etc
Milking animals
Hardier fruit trees or food forests
Animal food systems
Windbreaks
Firebreaks
Ponds
Zone 4
Storage of extra supplies or firewood
Low maintenance herd animals such as cattle
Agroforestry
Set and forget planting
Old established non producing trees
Zone 5
Wilderness / bushland
Neighbouring properties
Place and mapping your zones out doesn’t need to be linear. They can be the same distance from the house as each other – it is more about how often you frequent them. For example: zone 3 may be closer to your house than zone 2 but it is out the side door of your house that you don’t often use.
The main goal of creating these zones and sectors is so that you can place your elements such as kitchen garden, shed, chickens, orchards in areas where they can benefit the most from the natural energy forces and create as many interconnected relationships as possible.
So you may place your vegetable patch where it is protected from winds, gets good winter sun and is next to or on the way to your chickens and compost bins. That way your extra garden greens can easily be fed to the chickens or placed in the compost. And then that compost can be easily spread on the gardens to grow more food.
Creating pathways where things can naturally happen along the way makes it so much easier and more achievable.
Remember to think of this as a journey. You may be just starting out with a kitchen garden and vegetable patch but in the future you may have chickens, a pond, a food forest and so on, so it’s important that you place things in areas that you naturally frequent and that are easily accessible. Otherwise, the further down the journey you get, it may get overwhelming and hard. If this happens, then your orchard may not get pruned, garden beds may be forgotten about and die and the wheels might start falling off.
This is such a valuable exercise to do and update regularly. Create systems that work together and have that ease and flow. That way it will actually be sustainable long term with a lot less effort.
If you have any questions please let me know via email, I will be more than happy to help.
Pickled Rainbow Chard Stalks are a great way to preserve and utilise the whole vegetable. If you have made a recipe or cooked a meal using only the leafy greens, then this quick pickle is the way to go! Rainbow Chard is such an abundant and generous vegetable. In many areas Rainbow Chard can be grown all year round. Choose a shady cool location during the warmer month and keep it well watered. A great staple to grow in any home garden.
Pickled Rainbow Chard stalks absorb all the flavour from the pickling liquid but remain crunchy and fresh. Delicious!
Quick Pickled Rainbow Chard Stalks
Yield: 1-2 jars
Prep Time: 5 minutes
Cook Time: 5 minutes
Total Time: 10 minutes
Make the most of your Rainbow Chard and make these easy and delicious quick pickles. Pickled rainbow chard stalks stay super crunchy and absorb all the flavour of the pickling liquid.
Ingredients
8-10 Rainbow Chard Stalks
1 3/4 cup White Wine Vinegar
3/4 cup Sugar
1/2 tsp Salt
1/2 tsp Chilli Flakes (optional)
2 tsp Brown Mustard Seeds
1 tsp Fennel Seeds
Instructions
Rinse the Rainbow Chard well. Remove the green leafy part (see below for other Rainbow Chard Recipes). There are two ways to cut the stalks. Either slice into 1cm pieces or leave as long stalks. If leaving them long, make sure they will fit in the jar you have selected to use. Cut the stalks length ways down the centre.
Add the vinegar, sugar, salt, chilli, mustard seeds and fennel seeds into a sauce pan and simmer until the sugar is dissolved.
Sterilise the jars by heating them in the oven face down at 120degrees Celsius or in the dishwasher on a high heat. Sterilise the lids in a bowl by pouring boiling water on them.
Add your Rainbow Chard to the hot sterilised jars and pour over hot pickling liquid to fill. Place the lid on top tightly and sit the jars upside down to seal. Leave to cool and then place in the refrigerator.
Wait a couple of days to allow the flavours to infuse. Pickles will last in the refrigerator unopened 2-3 months.
Notes
Add in any other leftover vegetables you have such as red onion, carrot, cauliflower or zucchini.
Choosing a new fruit tree is exciting, daunting, and at times, overwhelming with possibilities! I am adding another fruit tree to my garden and I would love to share that process with you. Plus, some tips to help you select the best fruit tree for your garden.
Click Below to Watch
Growing Fruit Trees at Home
Fruit trees can be grown and incorporated into many home garden designs to create abundant, fresh food. Fruit trees can even be grown in pots or containers for urban gardens. There really is so many ways to grow your own delicious fruit at home, no matter the size of your garden.
Tips to Choose a New Fruit Tree
Below are some tips or things to consider when you are looking to buy a new fruit tree. Take down a few notes and this will help you eliminate or come up with a clear idea to speak with your local fruit tree nurseries.
Analyse theSun and Shade – is there a specific spot you are looking to fill or are you limited with where you can plant a fruit tree? If this is the case, just do a quick analysis of the conditions. Does it get full sun? are there large trees? or buildings that will shade it during winter? The sun tracks lower in the sky during Autumn and Winter and this means more shadows will be cast across your garden. This can have a huge impact on the growth of your tree.
Learn from my mistakes! I once planted a lime in an area that only gets full sun during the middle of summer. It never grew well and when I moved it to a full sun location, it has took off and is loaded with limes! Citrus like 6+ hours of sunlight a day. So noting down the sun and shade will help you pick a fruit tree that will thrive.
Wind – Does your property get strong winds? If so, what direction do they typically go? This can be very helpful to note down. Some fruit trees do not cope well with strong winds. Papaya, Tamarillo and Banana do not like strong winds. Especially while they are young and delicate. It may mean you need to plant a wind shelter or position your fruit tree in an area that receives less wind. Creating temporary barriers may also be a great solution to protect the tree while it is young and vulnerable.
Temperatures – Take note of your maximum and minimum temperatures. This can be a factor in whether or not you will be able to grow a particular fruit tree or if it will perform below average because of it. Do you receive snow? Frosts? These are important to note down and you may be able to find this information out on local weather reports. Feijoa or “Pineapple Guava” like to have at least 50 chill hours per year to produce good quality crops. Here in Perth, Australia, we can grow Feijoa, but they don’t taste quite as good ( in my opinion). This is also the case with extremely high temperatures, some fruit trees will not perform well. Sometimes, this can be managed with microclimates. Microclimates are areas in your garden that that have unique qualities. For example – next to a metal fence may be warmer, or a shady area with a pond may be cooler with more humidity. This can help you tailor and customise the surrounding to better suit your fruit tree.
Root systems – Take note if you have any concrete, pavers, a pool or plumbing nearby. Some fruit trees have huge root systems that can crack concrete or damage pools. If that is a factor then note that down. There are plenty of trees that have shallow or small root systems or you can plant in containers or pots.
Height Restrictions – would it matter if the fruit tree grew too tall? Fruit trees can be pruned to keep manageable but if you have restrictions such as neighbouring buildings, power lines, roof, eves or fences, it may be worth choosing a shorter variety grafted on dwarf root stock. This will mean the maximum height will be a lot shorter and you will not need to prune and maintain it as often.
How much time do you have to Care and Maintain the Fruit Tree? – Some fruit trees will require a lot more care and maintenance to actually get a good harvest from. Stone fruit for example, will often need to be netted to prevent fruit flies, bats or birds from decimating your crop. If you are wanting a low maintenance fruit tree then there are plenty of options available. Speak to your local fruit tree nursery to see what low maintenance fruit trees thrive in your local area.
What other Fruit Trees do you have? I have a lot of citrus already, so I want to get something different for my next fruit tree.
Have you tried that Fruit before? Once you have an understanding of your specific climate and have a few key points noted down on sun, shade, wind and surroundings, the next thing is to taste some fruit! You don’t want to spend money, allocate space and time, to grow something that you don’t actually like! This can seem obvious, but is often overlooked with the excitement of new fruit trees. Some fruit will be hard to find as there are many types of fruit that don’t travel well and cannot be sold commercially. These can often be found at local growers markets or on local gardening pages. Imagine waiting four or five years for your tree to fruit and then hate the fruit..that would be so annoying!
Observe & Interact – take time to slow down and observe your garden.
What Next? Choose a New Fruit Tree!
Now that you have a little more of an understanding of your climate and restrictions, it’s time to start looking for a new fruit tree! Taking the time to stop and observe, will help you select a fruit tree that will not only thrive in your location, but, that you will also LOVE to eat! Visit your local fruit tree nurseries or fruit tree specialists for valuable local knowledge. They may even be able to order in rare varieties. Local community groups also offer a wealth of knowledge.
In this video I try some tropical fruit to decide whether or not I want to purchase those fruit trees.
What fruit tree do you want to plant next? Let me know in the comments.
Sunflowers (Helianthus annuus) are beautiful, edible flowers that can grow well in any garden. Sunflowers just like their name suggest, brighten up the day with their large striking flowers and they also attract pollinators to your garden. Sunflowers have a lot of beneficial relationships and within the garden and are on my must grow list every year.
Sunflowers offer so many beneficial relationships within your garden. They are also known to remove toxins from the soil. This can be a great way to regenerate soil. If you have had spill of chemicals or other sprays have been used on your soil, plant sunflowers to help remove some of these toxins. But of course do not eat any that have been planted in the “bad soil”.
Here are some of the many reasons to grow sunflowers:
Low maintenance
Drought tolerant
Pest resistant
Attract Pollinators
Create diversity in the garden
Add colour to your garden
Edible flowers, seeds, stalks and leaves
Add nutrients to your meals
Aid in soil regeneration
Bird or animal feed (seeds)
Make oil
Natural plant dyes
Act as a trellis to grow vines up
Green manure
Popular Sunflower Varieties
‘Mammoth ‘Russian‘– Large single yellow flowers. Grows 2-4m tall. Abundance of edible seeds.
‘Prado Red‘ – Rich red colour. Multiple flowers up to 10 per stem. Grows to 1.5m tall. Remove old flowers to promote extra growth.
‘Van Goghs Landscape’ – Large single traditional yellow flower. Grows to 1.5m tall.
‘Double Dazzler’ – Semi-double single stem flower with tightly packed petals. Edible petals and seeds. Grows to 2m tall.
‘ Evening Sun’ – Striking multi head sunflower. Colours range from red, bronze and yellow.
‘Italian White’ – Pale yellow multi head flowers. Grows to 1.5m tall. Great cut flowers.
‘Moonwalker’ – Pale yellow multi head flowers. Grows to 2m tall. Bushy plant great for screening. Remove old flowers to promote extra growth.
‘Teddy bear’ – Fluffy deep gold double flowers. Multi-stems per plant. Dwarf variety grows up to 50cm tall. Great for pots.
‘Dwarf Sunsation’ – Compact plant with golden yellow flowers. Multi-stems per plant. Dwarf variety grows up to 45cm tall. Great for pots.
How to Grow Sunflowers
Sunflowers like a full sun location. They will turn their head to follow the sun during the day! Sunflowers grow well in most soil but do prefer fertile, free-draining soil. Plant the seeds directly in the soil during spring and summer after the last frost. Plant 30cm apart. Sow seeds in trays indoors first to speed up germination if you are planting late in the season.
When to Plant Sunflowers
Sunflowers are warm weather plants so plant the seeds during spring and summer. There are many varieties available with differing lengths of growth and harvest.
Care/ Maintenance
Keep the plants well-watered on warm days. Mulch the base to keep moisture in and weeds out. For an extra boost you can feed your plants with a liquid seaweed solution every 2-3 weeks. Be aware that your local birds may find your sunflowers once they start to form seeds so you may need to harvest them early and keep in a vase inside to fully open. Plants with multiple flowers on each stem can be “dead headed” (cut old flowers off) to promote more flowers to form. The large single flowering varieties such as the ‘Mammoth’ may need staking to help keep them upright especially with wind or rain.
Pests / Disease
Mice and rats love the sunflower seeds so be aware and if you have an issue with this it may be best to start the seeds off inside until they are seedlings. Slugs and snails may be an issue when the plants are young. Utilise natural pest management . As the sunflowers mature there will be less pests until they flower and attract birds. If you plant plenty there may be enough for you and the local birds to enjoy!
How/ When to Harvest
Harvesting will depend on the variety of Sunflower you have chosen. Read the packet or label to determine the type and length of harvest. Multi- stem flowers can be picked as they flower to promote more growth. Large single head flowers will be ready to pick as their petals open. Leave longer on the plant if you want to harvest the seeds (but before the birds do). Use a sharp pair of secateurs.
Reproducing / Saving Seeds
Sunflower seeds will form in the centre of the flower. These will form last as the petals start to fall off. Pick the flower and hang it upside down somewhere warm and dry (away from any birds, rats or mice). Once the head is completely dry, remove the seeds and place in a tray to dry further for a few days. Once the seeds are all dry place them in a brown paper back and label them with the variety and year of harvest. Keep the seeds in a cool, dry dark place ready to plant again the following year.
Cooking and Using Sunflowers
Sunflower petals and seeds can be eaten fresh. The seeds can also be pressed using specialty equipment to make vegetable oil. The petals can be used fresh in salads or baking as garnish. The petals can also be used to make natural dyes. The sunflower leaves can be used just like spinach or collard greens. The younger leaves are best. The young stems can also be used fresh or cooked.
Preserving the Harvest
Sunflower petals can be preserved by pressing or drying and keeping in an airtight container. These can then be used to add bright colourful edible flowers to any meal throughout the year. Sunflower seeds can be dried and kept in a jar to use in cooking by roasting the seeds.
Cauliflower is fantastic at absorbing flavour which makes it a perfect substitute for rice. This Cauliflower fried rice is simple, easy to make, packed full of nutrients and tastes so so good! This recipe is flexible, so use whatever in-season veggies you have available. I have added a list of alternatives at the bottom of the recipe.
Cauliflower Fried Rice
Yield: Serves 4
Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 20 minutes
Total Time: 35 minutes
Ingredients
1 whole cauliflower (I used half green and half yellow varieties)
1/2 tsp Ground Smoked Paprika
1/2 tsp Cumin Powder
1/2 Red Onion
2 Garlic Cloves
1 Carrot
1 Spring Onion
1 Red Chilli
1/2 cup chopped Purple Cabbage
1/2 cup chopped Sweet Potato (roughly 1/2 a sweet potato)
4-5 Rainbow Chard stems and leaves
1/2 cup chopped Parsley
2 TBS Tamari (soy sauce)
1 TBS Water
2 tsp sugar or sweeter (honey,agave)
2 tsp lemon juice
1/2 tsp sea salt flakes
Instructions
Grate or chop the Cauliflower into rice sized pieces. You can also use a food processor if you have one. You want it to still be a little chunky and no smaller than the size of a long grain rice granule.
Prepare all your vegetables: Finely dice the Onion, Carrot and Sweet Potato into 1/2 cm cubes or chop up in a food processor. Finely chop the Cabbage, Rainbow Chard Stalks, Leaves and any Cauliflower leaves into small 1/2cm pieces. Thinly slice the spring onion. Finely chop the garlic.
Prepare the sauce by mixing in a small bowl: Tamari, Water, Lemon Juice and Sugar. Stir until sugar is dissolved.
Heat a large frying pan or wok with a drizzle of oil on a medium-high heat and cook the Onion and Sweet Potato until they soften (5-10mins). Stir regularly for even cooking.
Add Cumin, Paprika and Garlic to the pan and mix to combine for 1 minute.
Then add the Carrot and mix to combine.
Then add in the Cauliflower and mix to combine. Sprinkle over Sea Salt Flakes. Cook for 2-3 minutes.
Add in the Cabbage, Rainbow Chard, and Leaves. Mix to combine.
Drizzle over the sauce and mix to combine. Cook for a further 5 minutes or until vegetables are soft but still have some texture or crunch to them.
Remove from the heat and add to a large serving dish or individual bowls. Garnish with fresh chopped parsley, baby nasturtium leaves and edible flowers ( I used Nasturtiums, Calendula and Blue Cornflowers).
Notes
This recipe is flexible and you can use the vegetables you have in season. A total of 2-3 cups of diced vegetables. Other vegetables to try: Capsicum, Pineapple, Bokchoy, Spinach, Sugar Snap Peas, Beans,
SPRING is all about planting seeds, seeds and more seeds. It’s an active time for gardeners which is a refreshing and much welcomed change after slowing down during the winter months. In winter I tend to spend more time indoors, sipping too much coffee, flicking through inspiring books and dreaming up all the potential new gardens for Spring.
Be careful during the spring months for late frosts and cold weather snaps. Starting your seeds inside or in a greenhouse is a good idea. Towards the end of spring you can start to sow some of the hardier seeds such as Zucchini and Pumpkin directly into the garden.
Spring Gardening
Spring can be a bit up and down with temperatures so it’s best to start your seeds in seed trays and keep them somewhere warm to germinate. Greenhouses and sunny windows inside will work well to get your seeds up and growing.
There are a few mini-greenhouse systems you can get these days or I often use clear storage containers and fish tanks as makeshift greenhouse systems.
The key is to keep your seeds warm but still allow plenty of diffused sunlight, air and moisture. These systems can also protect your seeds from hungry little mice who often like to dig up and eat your seeds before they get a chance to sprout!
Prune your fruit trees such as citrus if they are out of shape or too big. Do this before the spring growth starts. Keeping fruit trees pruned to a manageable height will allow the tree to put more of its energy into fruit production and also means you can harvest the fruit easier before the birds or other animals get to it.
Let your best vegetables go to seed so that you can collect your seeds. Some of your Winter veggies will be coming to an end so finish harvesting and allow the best ones to go to seed. This means you will have seeds to plant the next year which will be acclimated to your exact conditions. It also means some seeds will end up in the soil and will pop up on their own next season when the conditions are just right! This is my favourite thing to do. Let nature do its thing and everything becomes so easy and flows without any external work or force.
Keep gardens mulched to help retain moisture for the warmer months. Mulch will also help reduce the amount of weeds popping up during their peak growth months.
Save the ends and scraps of your greens, herbs, onion and root vegetables and make a batch of Veggie Scrap Stock
Make extra soups to freeze
Be inspired by Spring
Hang solar fairy lights.
Create an outdoor dining area.
Cook over an outdoor fire pit or fireplace and spend more nights outside.
Make an insect hotel using foraged sticks.
Make colourful plant labels for your new seedlings.
Make recycled pots and seed trays using toilet rolls, newspaper and egg cartons.
Start a cocktail garden – Plant herbs and flowers so you can enjoy beautiful refreshing summer drinks.
Press flowers – Preserve the colourful blooms of spring to create cards and art during the slower seasons.
Try your hand at some photography! The bees and flowers will be putting on a brilliant show.
Host a dinner party or high tea to celebrate and welcome the change of season. Use edible flowers to create show stopping, colourful drinks and dishes.
Planning for Summer
The key for easy and successful gardens is to plan ahead. This can help you maximise your food production and help maintain momentum. Summer can be a harsh season in the garden but there are a few things you can do to get the most out of your summer crops. The last month of Spring is a great time to get prepared and create a seamless transition into summer gardening.
Plan and prep any new garden beds with plenty of compost and composted manure.
Lay a thick 10cm layer of mulch to help retain water during summer.
Think about shade, if your garden beds will be in full sun do they need temporary shade.
Clean out any sprinkler heads and remove grass or plants from around the nozzles.
Do you have a hose nearby for ease of watering? On those super hot days you may need to water early morning and late evening so it is much easier and more realistically achievable if you have a hose close by.
Weeper hoses are great for distributing water slowly and allow the plants and trees to absorb it.
Plant flowers for the Bees. With lots of flowering fruit and vegetables over summer, it is vital you have pollinators in your garden to get a successful harvests. Plant lots of flowers in between your fruit trees and vegetables. Choose edible flowers so that you can also use them too! Zinnia and sunflowers are beautiful summer editions that the bees love.
Cauliflower is such a hearty vegetable and can provide nutritious and filling meals. Cauliflower is a great vehicle for flavour! As it absorbs and holds flavour so well. Cauliflower is a great source of fibre, vitamin C, B,A,K and Folate. Roasting Cauliflower brings out more of its natural nutty flavours. These roasted cauliflower steaks are so easy to make and go great with this punchy green sauce. Inspired by chimichurri, this green sauce is packed full of herbs and has a zesty, vinaigrette flavour. Adapt this recipe to suit what herbs you have in the garden.
Cauliflower Steaks with Green Sauce
Roasted Cauliflower is so full of flavour and has subtle nutty flavours. Purple Cauliflower is striking to use but this can be made with any cauliflower variety. This vibrant green sauce is packed full of flavour and would be great used on many chicken or fish dishes too.
Ingredients
1 whole Cauliflower
2 TBSP Oil
1 cup Parsley
1 1/2 TBSP lemon juice
1 TBSP Red Wine Vinegar
1/4 cup olive oil
1/2 cup Fennel fronts
1/2 tsp Chilli
1 tsp sugar
3 Garlic Cloves
Sea salt flakes to season
Fresh Red Chilli
Instructions
Preheat oven to 190 degrees celcius. Rinse the Cauliflower and cut into x4 steaks. Cut from the top of the Cauliflower 2cm thick slices.
Drizzle with oil and cook for 30- 40mins or until the edges start to brown up.
While the Cauliflower cooks prepare the green sauce. Add Parsley, Lemon juice, Vinegar, Sugar, Fennel Fronts and Garlic to a mixer or mortar and pestle. Blitz or crush to combine and make a green sauce. Then gradually add oil to combine. Add Chilli flakes and a Pinch of Sea Salt flakes. Taste and balance with more salt if needed.
Place the Cauliflower on a serving dish and drizzle over the green sauce. Garnish with sliced red chilli, fennel fronts and edible flowers ( i used blue cornflowers).
There may be a little extra sauce than needed so you can keep in the refrigerator to use within a few days or freeze in ice cubes to use in cooking.
Notes
Swap or add seasonal herbs such as coriander or mint.
Cauliflower (Brassica oleraceabotrytis) is a hearty winter vegetable that provides large yields of nutritious food that can be used in so many ways! Cauliflower is great at holding flavours and can form the base of many meals. Growing your own Cauliflower at home means you will have nutrient-rich veggies but you will also get access to all the extra parts of the plant such as the leaves and the stem that are both edible and delicious. Cauliflower is easy to grow and can be grown in containers or garden beds. They are heavy feeders and can be susceptible to bugs such as caterpillars, slugs, and snails
‘First Early’ – Fast growing, small, compact heads. Harvest 90days.
‘ All-year round’ – Popular English heirloom. Dwarf size plant with medium/standard sized cauliflower heads. Harvest 110 days.
‘Purple Sicily’ – Large bright purple heads. Italian heirloom. Mild, sweet flavour. Harvest in 190 days.
‘Green Macerata’ – Bright lime green heads. Southern Italian heirloom. Good for cold climates. Large heads 1-1.5kg. Harvest in 190 days.
How to Grow Cauliflower
Cauliflower likes cool temperatures and a full sun location. Cauliflower is a heavy feeder so much sure your soil is topped up with compost and try to plant your Cauliflower in a different area of the garden each year to help the soil replenish the nutrients. Cauliflower can grow quite large with big leaves so plant your seedlings about 40- 50cm apart in compost-rich soil, water in your seedlings directly after planting. Add a layer of mulch to keep the soil protected from weeds and moisture in.
When to Plant Cauliflower
Cauliflower is a cool weather plant so you typically want to be harvesting your Cauliflower during winter and early spring. However, in some climates it can be grown all year round. There are many varieties available and some that can tolerate warm or cold weather. Sow your seeds in the last few months of Summer or during Autumn so that your Cauliflower plants are ready to harvest over winter.
Care/ Maintenance
Keep the plants well-watered on warm days. Water the plant at the base to avoid excess water pooling in the leaves and causing rot. For an extra boost you can feed your plants with a liquid seaweed solution every 2-3 weeks. Once the heads start forming it is best to protect the white Cauliflower from the sun. You can do this by folding the outer leaves over the head or tying them together above. The sun will “burn” or discolour your white cauliflower varieties.
Pests / Disease
Cauliflower is a prime target for white butterflies and caterpillars. Check your plants regularly by lifting the leaves and checking for caterpillars or larvae and remove. A barrier of crushed eggshells or a small container of beer can help keep the slugs and snails away especially while the plants are young and delicate. Plant a few extras throughout your garden and you will be sure to have more than enough Cauliflower to eat! Click here for more natural pest management to help keep the pests at bay.
How/ When to Harvest
Depending on the variety Cauliflower will be ready to harvest in 90-190 days. The Cauliflower head should be tightly packed and not have started going to flower. Once the little buds start separating and moving apart you will want to harvest ASAP as the flowers will be quite bitter in flavour. To harvest your Cauliflower cut the stem using a sharp knife. You can also harvest the younger leaves and use them in cooking as extra greens.
Reproducing / Saving Seeds
Cauliflower seeds can be saved after letting one of the Cauliflower florets go to flower and seed. Yellow flowers will appear and then after that, seed pods will form. Once the seed pods have dried off you can harvest all the seed pods. The Cauliflower seeds can be removed from the dried pods and stored to replant the following season. Save the seeds in a cool, dry, dark space.
Cooking and Using Cauliflower
Cauliflower is such a hearty vegetable and can provide nutritious and filling meals. Cauliflower can be used in so many ways such as raw in a salad, roasted, grilled, steamed, stirfried, and added to any curry or soup. Cauliflower is a great vehicle for flavour! As it absorbs and holds flavour so well. Cauliflower is a great source of fibre, vitamin C, B,A,K and Folate.
Cauliflower is super versatile and can be used to replace many grains and legumes. Try Cauliflower versions of mash, pizza base, rice, hummus, flat bread and more.
Preserving the Harvest
Cauliflower can be frozen to add to soups and stocks. To prepare the Cauliflower, rinse and remove the stalks. The stalks will take longer to cook so I like to freeze them separately. Blanch the Cauliflower in boiling water for 40seconds – 1minute then add to a bowl of iced water. Cut the stalks into slices or cubes and blanch for 2 minutes and then add to the ice water until completely cool. Shake off the excess water and add to freezer bags or ziplock bags. Try to remove as much of the air from the bags as possible to reduce freezer burn. Keep frozen and use within 6 months. The stems can also be pickled and stored in the refrigerator.
