Sauerkraut is a great way to preserve extra cabbage and make a delicious probiotic accompaniment. Red Cabbage, Carrot, and Beet make this a vibrant colourful Sauerkraut but you could use regular cabbage.
Cabbage, Beet and Carrot Sauerkraut
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Total Time: 10 minutes
Vibrant kraut full of gut-loving probiotics. This is a quick and easy way to see up extra Cabbage harvests.
Ingredients
3 cups shredded cabbage (1/4 of a whole cabbage)
1 medium Beetroot
2 Medium Carrots
1 1/2 tsp Salt
Instructions
Finely slice or grate cabbage using a mandoline or grater. Reserve a whole piece to cover the contents at the end. Add to a large mixing bowl and sprinkle over the salt. at the
Squeeze the salted cabbage to extract the moisture. Do this for 5-7 minutes.
Grate carrot and Beetroot and add to the cabbage bowl. Peeled or unpeeled is optional - see notes.
MIx to combine. Cover and let it sit for 5 minutes.
Give the mixture a final squeeze and mix. Then add to a sterilised jar. This mix will fit a 700gram jar so you could also use two smaller jars. Allow 2cm of empty space at the top of the jar. Press the mixture down to remove air bubbles and pour over any remaining liquid from the bowl. The liquid should cover the cabbage. Add a little bit of filtered water if you need it. Place a piece of cabbage leaf over the top to keep the mix submerged in liquid.
Store in a cool dark place for 3-5 days or until you like the flavour. It will get increasingly sour the longer you ferment it. Once you are happy secure the lid and place it in the refrigerator. This will mellow out the smell and slow the fermentation down.
Notes
- Peel the beets and carrots if the skin is particularly dirty and hard to remove or if you have purchased the beets from the store.
- Don't use pre-shredded store-bought cabbage as it will not have the active bacteria.
- Check the mix daily to ensure it is fully submerged in liquid. You may need to add a small weight to keep it down.
Okonomiyaki is a delicious cabbage dish similar to a fritter or hash brown (although referred to as a pancake). They make a great base to build any toppings you like! Add a fresh salad, pickles, or anything really! As the dish translates to “how you like it”.
Cabbage Pancake - Okonomiyaki
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 10 minutes
Total Time: 20 minutes
Delicious and easy cabbage meal for breakfast, lunch, or dinner!
Ingredients
3 cups of tightly packed finely sliced cabbage
2 eggs
1/2 cup flour
1/4 cup water
1/2 tsp salt
pinch chilli flakes
To serve
Japanese Mayo
Tonkatsu Sauce
Fresh chilli
Sesame seeds
Salad
Instructions
Finely slice the cabbage. A mandoline is a great way to do this quickly. The finer the cabbage the easier it will stick together. Add to a large mixing bowl.
In a small bowl whisk eggs and add the remaining ingredients. Whisk to form a batter.
Add the batter to the cabbage and stir until the cabbage is fully coated in the batter.
Heat a frypan to medium heat. Drizzle with a little oil (or butter for a browner crust).
Add the cabbage and press to form one large fritter or make two smaller ones.
Cook for 5mins and flip onto a plate. Carefully transfer the uncooked side back to the pan (push off the plate.
Cook for a further 4-5mins.
Top with sauces and sesame seeds. Add a fresh garden salad.
Notes
For a vegan alternative replace the eggs with 2 TBSP Sushi seasoning and allow the full cabbage mix to sit for 5 minutes before cooking. This will make the pancakes a pack more vinegary flavour so balance with a creamy salad.
Cabbage (Brassica oleracea) is a classic staple winter veggie that provides your homestead with a hearty base crop to build many dishes.
Cabbage is a great supporting veggie BUT it can also be the star of the show! Learning to grow, cook and preserve cabbage will go a long way to supporting your ability to become more self-sufficient. Cabbage is low-calorie but packed with vitamins, antioxidants, and nutrients.
Feed with compost and with liquid seaweed fertiliser.
PESTS
Slaters, slugs, snails, green caterpillars.
HARVEST
When heads are firm. Cut with a sharp knife.
REPRODUCE
Seeds can be saved in the second year of growth. See below.
Why Grow Cabbage?
Cabbage is a great crop to grow to feed the family and they look beautiful and ornamental in the garden.
Here are some of the many reasons to grow Cabbage:
Easy to grow
Low maintenance
Produce a lot of food
Can be used raw or cooked.
Rich in vitamin C, K, B12
High in anti-oxidants
High in fibre
Nutrient-dense
Can be used as a food colouring
Promote cardiovascular health
Popular Cabbage Varieties
‘Mini’ – Small green cabbage great for urban gardens. Slow blot. 18 weeks to harvest. 1.3kg size.
‘Early Jersey Wakefield’ – Tight cone-shaped green cabbage. Space-saving for urban gardens. Harvest small or allow to 2-3kg size.
‘Brunswick‘ – German heirloom green cabbage. Late season crop. Large 3kg Cabbage.
‘Red Drumhead‘ -Heirloom red cabbage with beautiful purple leaves. Large 3kg+ size. Caterpillar resistant so good for warmer months.
‘Red Express’ – Compact small red cabbage. Quick to grow and will produce an early harvest.
‘Savoy‘ –Green cabbage with distinctive curly texture. Mild flavour. Rich in vitamins.
When to Plant Cabbage
Cabbage is mainly grown in the colder seasons of Autumn and winter but some varieties can be grown in the warmer months to allow for a full year of cabbage harvests. Plant seeds at the start of Autumn.
How to Grow Cabbage
Choose a sunny location.
Prepare compost-rich soil ( pH 7.5 preferred)
Direct sow or plant your seeds in seed trays.
Plant seeds or seedlings 40cm apart
Protect young seedlings from slugs and snails but adding a ring of crushed eggshells
Add mulch to keep retain moisture
Care/ Maintenance
Cabbage are heavy feeders and can benefit from a liquid fertilizer every 2-3 weeks
Regular watering
Pests / Disease
Slugs and snails may eat young seedlings. Use natural pest management. Green caterpillars from the white butterflies are usually the main culprits. Especially during warmer months of the year. In some cases, exclusion nets over your cabbage plants or entire patch may be the best option.
How/ When to Harvest
When the cabbages form a tight ball and look about the right size to harvest (check the variety to how big you can expect them to grow) Use a sharp knife to slice the cabbage stem at the base. Remove some of the old outer leaves and rinse well checking for bugs and poop.
Reproducing
Cabbage plants are biannual meaning they will produce seeds in their second season. This means saving seeds from cabbage can be quite time consuming and will take up space in your patch. Cabbages grown in warm months will also attract a lot of white butterflies to your veggie patch. Most of the time it is easier and more effective to purchase cabbage seeds. If you would like to try to save your own – leave a few cabbages without harvesting them for a year to produce flowers and then seeds. Once the seed pods start to dry on the plant, pick and dry further inside. Separate out the seeds from the seed pods and store them.
Cooking and Using Cabbage
Cabbage is a versatile veggie that can be used raw, cooked, roasted and pickled.
10 Sustainable Gardening hacks to ensure your garden is quickand easy to maintain for sustainable long-term growth. Do you want to grow an edible garden and harvest delicious organic food straight from your own backyard but… you don’t have enough time in the day? Whether you are a busy parent or your spare time is already devoted to hobbies, sports, growing your business, or other priorities and you want to ensure your garden is easy to maintain for sustainable long-term growth, then these Sustainable Gardening Hacks are perfect for you!
Lazy gardening is actually an amazing thing! It means you are working smarter, not harder, and have systems in place to work with nature to get abundant harvests.
So let’s not waste any time and get straight into it…
1. Plant Perennials
Perennial plants are ones that you plant once and they will continue to give you harvests for many years to come. They are the ultimate hack for sustainable gardening! So this is probably my number one tip for lazy or time-poor gardeners.
Perennials are plants such as Fruit Trees, Berries, Bananas, Sweet Potatoes, Rhubarb, Artichoke, and Asparagus. Aromatics such as Ginger and Tumeric, and Herbs such as Rosemary, Lemon Verbena, and Mint. These you plant once and each year they will produce more and more food. There are also many perennial versions of our much-loved annuals such as Perennial Basil, and Perpetual Spinach. This year I have added Egyptian Walking Onions, more Berries, Fruit Trees, Asparagus and Artichoke.
I am converting more and more of my gardens to perennials because not only does that mean I have more time to spend developing new gardens or pouring hours into creating more gardening content but, Perennial Plants also allow a seamless transition and continuous supply of food. Perennials will either produce all year round or they will have certain times of the year when they are fruiting or producing. If you want to really level it up you can plan out when your perennials are ready and ripe and plan to fill in the gaps with other perennials that will be productive during these gaps in the season. For example, my citrus are ready in winter, then over summer I have berries, and in autumn I have Feijoas. My plan is to have a continuous supply of fruit all year round so I will continue to select plants that are ready during the gaps.
2. Chop and Drop
This is a technique of mulching and composting that I use in my urban food forest. Any time I trim my plants or remove any annuals I simply chop up the leaves and branches and drop them around the garden allowing the plant matter to break down and feed my plants. This is very easy to do and I don’t have to move plant material anywhere. It protects the soil from the sun, suppresses weeds and it feeds my soil to help grow more and more food! It’s a win-win situation and saves a lot of time. Fruit trees also love the fungal properties that rotting sticks and branches provide.
This technique works best with a food forest situation rather than a veggie patch, as it would be much harder to spread the plant matter and not cover small seedlings. This may also attract slaters or woodlice which will help break down the plant matter but these little critters are not something you want in your veggie patch.
3. Direct Sow Seeds
This is my favourite way to plant seeds. No, it’s not the most effective, but it saves a lot of time. I find direct sowing seeds straight into the garden can take a bit longer for them to germinate because it might not be the right soil temperatures but once they pop up they will usually be stronger plants. Sowing in seed trays means you can control the conditions and bring them inside which will encourage them to pop up sooner but you need to baby them and care for them. Harden them off by taking them outside so they can get used to outside temperatures before you plant them in the garden. They are just more fiddly and do require more attention. So where I can I go with the survival of the fittest approach and plant a few extra seeds.
4. Grow Soil
If you are time-poor and only have small amounts of time to allocate to your gardens, I would definitely put a big chunk of that into improving your soil and creating soil-improving systems. This will go a long way in creating sustainable gardens. Healthy nutrient-rich soil means your plants will grow faster, they will be stronger and more resilient and they will not succumb to pests and diseases as easily. If your soil is poor and lacks nutrients you will end up spending more time trying to keep your plants alive, more time watering and more time babying your plants.
Following on from growing soil – keeping your gardens well mulched is a great system to help build soil for sustainable gardens. Mulch will start to break down over time and feed your soil. Mulching also helps keep moisture in so your gardens won’t need as much watering and they help suppress weeds. Weeds are not friends with time-poor or lazy gardeners. So having a thick layer of mulch will help reduce the time needed for weeding and also the weeds that do grow will be so much easier to pull out.
6. Make it Close and Convenient
Choosing a location for your garden can be a make or break for the time-poor or lazy gardener. If you decide to grow your veggie patch or garden down the back of your property or behind the shed, it may start off okay whilst you are full of enthusiasm and feeling inspired, but eventually it will be out of sight and out of mind…. this happens to me all the time and my property is just a suburban block. I plant all my low-maintenance plants such as perennials and fruit trees all in the outer parts of my property and the annuals or plants that require more attention or regular harvesting, within view of my kitchen. In permaculture, we call these zones and it makes so much sense. When it’s raining, dark or you have had a long day, traipsing out to the veggie patch might not be high on the list. But, if you have your gardens close to your house and within view, you might notice something that needs harvesting or attention, and your garden will naturally receive more love and attention because of that. Therefore it will be more productive.
Even If this means you start off with small container gardens and once you master that move on to larger more permanent spaces.
7. Grow Wild
Creating diversity and growing lots of plants all together will not only do amazing things for the number of beneficial insects in your garden, but it can also be a lot more low maintenance. Conventional gardens with neat edges, straight rows, and symmetrical layouts will take a lot more time to maintain. By creating a garden that is a little wilder it will look lush and have less room for weeds to take up home. Even if you do get some weeds they blend in and don’t look too messy and hey, some of them may even be edible or provide flowers for the bees. Edible ground covers are great for this.
8. Let Plants go to Seed
If you let some of your plants go to flower and seed you will have plants popping up all on their own next season. This is another way you can create sustainable garden systems. The great thing about self-sown seeds is that they stay dormant in the soil until they get the right conditions to grow and then they shoot up. With absolutely no effort on your behalf. I have lettuce, tomatoes, basil, and edible flowers pop up nearly every year. Free FOOD! This technique can be amazing but it can also be a little wild at times. It’s important to try to contain the seeds on your property. I let a celery plant go to seed once and I had celery popping up in everywhere!
9. Easy Watering
Watering can take up a lot of time, especially during the warmer months. And if you run out of time or can’t be bothered then you could lose your plants after just one day in the peak of summer (especially if you live here in Perth!). Thinking about watering and creating sustainable watering systems will go such a long way to savingtime in the garden.
Some great tips are to install automatic timers and drip lines. Another is to ensure you have a hose nearby to your gardens and make it a retractable hose! Nothing puts you off watering than thinking about unraveling and putting away a hose. A retractable hose can be out and back in seconds and it has honestly been a game-changer for me in my garden!
Mulching will also help with water retention.
10. Get the Plant Selection Right
Selecting the right plants will go a long way toward creating a low-maintenance sustainable garden. We talked about choosing perennials earlier but there are also other plant selection criteria than can really help you grow an abundant garden with less effort.
Choose local or native plants. Plants that thrive in your local area will be much more adapted to the conditions and will be easier to grow. Native edible plants are often interesting and unique additions to your garden. They will also attract your local pollinators and wildlife which is a bonus!
Choose low-maintenance plants. Some plants require more care and upkeep than others. And some will have a lot more pests and diseases than others. This will vary from place to place.
Tomatoes – require staking and tying and are susceptible to pests and diseases. I often grow cherry tomatoes as I find them a lot easier to grow.
Stone fruit – Trees such as Nectarines, Peaches, and Plums have soft skin and can be vulnerable to many pests and diseases. Birds, fruit flies, rats, bats, etc. They may require netting or individually bagging fruit to ensure you get a harvest. I have chosen citrus as they have thicker skins and I find them a little more hardy and low maintenance. I have a lot of citrus for that reason such as Lemon, Lime, Blood Orange, Finger Limes, Blood Limes, Kumquat, and Lemonade.
Herbs and fragrant plants such as Lemon Verbena, Rosemary, and Ginger are often left alone by pests and are easy to grow.
This is where it is a great idea to visit small local nurseries where you can get helpful advice on what grows well in your local climate.
WATCH Sustainable Gardening HACKS for Time-Poor Gardeners
Homemade Mint and Rosemary Sauce is so fresh and delicious. With just a few ingredients and fresh herbs from the garden, you can whip this flavour-packed sauce to serve with any Sunday Roast.
Mint and Rosemary Sauce
Prep Time: 5 minutes
Cook Time: 2 minutes
Total Time: 12 minutes
Fresh and zingy Mint and Rosemary Sauce.
Ingredients
1 Cup chopped Mint Leaves (3-4 Sprigs)
1 TBSP Roughly Chopped Rosemary Leaves (1 Sprig)
1/4 cup White Wine Vinegar (or white vinegar)
2 TBSP Water
1 Pinch Sea Salt Flakes
2 tsp Raw Sugar
Instructions
Rinse off the Mint and Rosemary and remove the leaves from the stems. Roughly Chop.
In a saucepan add the vinegar and sugar. Heat until sugar is dissolved. Add the herbs and remaining ingredients and stir to combine.
Lightly blitz using a stick mixer or blender.
Serve hot or cold.
Notes
Store leftovers in the refrigerator in an airtight jar for 1 week.
Green salads are a staple part of the homegrown, garden-to-plate lifestyle so it is important to have some delicious recipes to keep things interesting! This green salad may be simple but it is packed full of flavour and nourishing garden greens.
Try this delicious mint sauce recipe to dress potatoes or roast veggies!
Rocket, Zucchini, Pea and Mint Green Salad
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Total Time: 10 minutes
Simple and packed full of flavour this green salad is sure to impress!
Ingredients
3 cups of Rocket and mixed greens*
1/2 Zucchini
6-8 Sugar Snap Peas
5-6 Mint Leaves for serving
1/2 cup Mint Dressing (see recipe below)
Instructions
Add Rocket and Greens to a mixing bowl and drizzle with 1/2 the mint sauce. Mix lightly to coat.
Add greens to the Serving dish.
Using a wide peeler, peel long strips of zucchini lengthways. Add to mixing bowl and coat with a little extra dressing. Add on top of the salad mix.
Cut Peas in half-length ways and place them throughout the salad.
Place mint leaves throughout the salad and top with edible flowers. (I used Mint flowers and white Asselem). Drizzle over the remaining mint sauce to serve.
Notes
* Use seasonal salad greens such as Mizuno, Lettuce, Nasturtium, and Baby Spinach
Mint Sauce/ Dressing
Yield: 1/2 cup
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Total Time: 10 minutes
Ingredients
1/2 cup Mint leaves (Spearmint or common mint)
1 tsp Lemon Juice
1 tsp ACV
1 Tbsp Red Wine Vinegar
1 Tbsp Olive Oil
2 Tbsp Water
Salt to season
1/2 tsp Honey
Instructions
Roughly chop up the Mint leaves and add to a Mortar and Pestle
Add in the remaining ingredients and grind to a combined dressing.
Taste and add more lemon, honey, or salt to balance if needed.
Mint (Mentha) is a classic staple herb to grow that provides your kitchen garden with an abundance of fragrance and flavour. Mint can be used for both sweet and savoury dishes as well as medicinal, cleaning products, teas, and more.
Mint can be very invasive so it is important to choose the right location to grow mint so that it doesn’t take over your garden. Below will be more tips on where and how to grow mint along with creative ways to use your abundant harvests!
Sunny Position 6rs. Contain the roots in a pot or container.
CARE
Water regularly.Protect from the harsh summer sun.
FERTILISE
Feed with compost and with liquid seaweed fertiliser.
PESTS
Slaters, slugs, snails, green caterpillar, aphids. Rust.
HARVEST
Trim regularly. Harvest in the mornings.
REPRODUCE
Mint grows quickly from cuttings or dividing the plant up.
Why Grow Mint?
Mint is refreshing and packed full of flavour. Below are just a few of the amazing reasons to grow mint at home.
Here are some of the many reasons to grow Mint:
Easy to grow
Low maintenance / hard to kill
Flavour Teas or drinks
Natural insect spray
Aids in digestion
Calming qualities
Rich in vitamin A
High in anti-oxidants
Aid in upset stomachs
Nutrient-dense
Easy to propagate
Flowers for the bees
Condiments, dressings and dips
Popular Mint Varieties
‘Peppermint’ – Classic mint variety. Sharp flavour. Often larger leaves. Great for sweets, cocktails, teas and scented products.
‘Spearmint’ – Popular mint variety. Rounded leaves. Great for Roasts, sauces, teas, baking and fresh in salads.
‘Chocolate Mint‘ – Fun flavoured mint to grow with a mild chocolate flavour. Dark reddish tinted leaves and stems.
‘Morrocan Mint‘ – Fragrant mint with subtle spiced flavour. Great for roasts, salads and teas.
‘Grapefruit Mint’ – Fresh with Grapefruit notes. Summer drinks, salads, teas, cocktails and dressings.
‘Varigated Applemint‘ –Small green and white variegated leaves. Slight fluffy leaves. Sweet apple flavour. Gret for drinks and salads.
‘Ginger Mint’ – Fresh and vibrant flavour. Great for teas, salads and dressings.
‘Berries and Cream’ – Sweet berry notes. Great for desserts, teas and cocktails.
When to Plant Mint
To start off growing Mint it can be best to plant in Spring after the last frost. Mint will do well all year round in most moderate climates.
How to Grow Mint
Choose a sunny location.
BE AWARE – Mint sends out runners under the soil and can become invasive quickly. It is always advised to grow mint in a pot or container. A repurposed garden such as a wheelbarrow also works well!
Mint will grow in nearly any soil but it’s always good to add fresh compost. Ensure the soil is free-draining so that the roots do not get waterlogged.
Protect mint from the harsh summer sun and keep well watered in hot weather.
Trimming the mint regularly will help it stay low and bushy.
Care/ Maintenance
Mint can become root bound in containers quickly so if it starts to look sad it may need to be split up and divided to allow more room for the roots.
Feed with liquid seaweed or homemade fertilizers to help add nutrients into the contained space.
Pests / Disease
Slugs and snails may eat young seedlings. Use natural pest management. Aphids can also be an issue on young shoots. Dip them in soapy water. Green caterpillars can be a problem in summer and are hard to see against the green leaves.
How/ When to Harvest
Use sharp snippers or scissors and cut the tops off regularly. This will stop the plants from getting too leggy and stay low and bushy. Harvest Mint and herbs first thing in the morning when they are hydrated and full of life. You can keep them in a jar of water until you are ready to use.
Reproducing
The best way to reproduce Mint is to take cuttings or pull up a section with roots already attached. This will start growing immediately.
Cooking and Using Mint
Mint is a great flavour enhancing herb for many different dishes.
Pumpkins are a great base crop to grow and can provide you with a large amount of food. Pumpkins come with their very own packaging and can be stored as they are for 3-8 months if they are prepared and stored correctly. Having a supply of pumpkins in the pantry can supplement your meals throughout the year. Different varieties of pumpkins will store for varying amounts of time. This is usually due to the toughness and thickness of the skin. If you want to grow pumpkins for storage choose a variety that has longer storage qualities. Varieties such as Jarradale, Queensland Blue, and Blue Hubbard have great storage qualities.
STEP 1: HARVESTING
The first step to preparing your pumpkins for storage is to harvest them correctly. Follow the tips below.
Harvest the Pumpkins once they reach maturity to ensure the skin is as hard as it can be.
Pumpkins are ready to be picked when the closest curly tendril to the stem is brown and going dry. The vines will be starting to die off slightly. The pumpkins should be slightly hollow when you knock on them and have hard skins.
Use sharp secateurs and cut the stem as close to the vine as you can. This ensures you don’t damage the pumpkin and creates a handle to carry them with.
STEP 2: CLEANING
Wash the excess soil off and ensure the pumpkins are clean. Use a mix of 1:1 vinegar and water to wipe them down and remove any bacteria.
While washing the pumpkins check for any damage or areas that pierce the skin such as holes, or scratches. These won’t store well so it would be best to start using these first.
STEP 3: CURING
Curing allows the pumpkin skins to dry and harden before storage.
To cure the pumpkins place them somewhere sunny and sheltered for 1-2 weeks. This can be outside if there are no frosts or rain otherwise a sunny porch or deck will do. Just be careful if you have rats or other critters around.
Ensure they are spaced out and not stacked on top of each other.
STEP 4: STORAGE
Once the pumpkins are cured choose a dark cool location to store them. 10-16 degrees Celcius.
Pumpkins may leak sticky residue from the bottom flower or stem so don’t be alarmed. Also, consider this when choosing a location to store.
Ideally place them on cardboard, wood, or plywood. Do NOT store them on carpet, lino, or concrete as this will promote bacteria and moisture.
Allow space between the pumpkins and do not stack them to allow airflow.
Roll the pumpkins over and check the cardboard for mold regularly.
Roasted Salt and Vinegar Pumpkin Seeds make a delicious snack that once you start you won’t be able to stop! Below are three delicious flavours: Salt and Vinegar, Cinnamon and Honey and Lime and Cracked Pepper. Get more from your harvests by using the whole pumpkin. After harvesting your pumpkins save the seeds from the best ones – select for the best flavour, biggest size, or whatever traits you desire. With the remaining pumpkins and seeds, you can make these snacks to add crunch to salads, soups, or just enjoy them on their own.
Roasted Salt and Vinegar Pumpkin Seeds
Reduce your food waste and turn extra pumpkin seeds into delicious snacks.
Ingredients
white vinegar
pumpkin seeds
sea salt
Instructions
Preheat the oven to 200 degrees
Rinse your pumpkin seeds to remove any extra pumpkin flesh.
Coat the seeds in white vinegar and sprinkle with sea salt.
Roast until slightly golden. Approx 5 minutes.
Remove from the oven and allow to cool. They will get crunchier as they cool.
For extra flavour splash with a little vinegar as you serve them.
Enjoy!
Honey and Cinnamon Roasted Pumpkin Seeds
Cook Time: 5 minutes
Total Time: 5 minutes
Turn your leftover pumpkin seeds into a delicious sweet treat.
Ingredients
Pumpkin Seeds
Honey
Cinnamon
Sea salt
Instructions
Preheat the oven to 200 degrees celsius.
Wash the pumpkin seeds to remove any flesh.
Drizzle enough honey to coat the seeds and sprinkle with cinnamon and a pinch of sea salt.
Spread the seeds out on a roasting tray and separate them. Roast for 4-5 mins check regularly the honey will caramelize quickly. Remove the seeds from the tray while they are still hot.
Enjoy!
Notes
Add on top of ice cream, and cakes, or enjoy them as they are.
Lime and Cracked Pepper Pumpkin Seeds
Cook Time: 5 minutes
Total Time: 5 minutes
Delicious and full of flavour!
Ingredients
Pumpkin Seeds
1 lime
Cracked Pepper
Sea salt
Instructions
Preheat the oven to 200 degrees celsius.
Wash the pumpkin seeds to remove any flesh.
Grate lime zest over the pumpkin seeds and squeeze enough lime juice to coat the seeds. Season with a pinch of sea salt and grind over crack pepper.
Spread the seeds out on a roasting tray and separate them. Roast for 4-5 mins check regularly. Remove the seeds from the tray while they are still hot and allow them to cool on a plate.
Pumpkin (Cucurbita maxima.) is a great base crop to grow that provides your homestead with an abundance of food. Pumpkins can be stored to use throughout the year and provide a variety of uses both sweet and savoury.
Pumpkin is easy to grow if you get these key things right: Rich compost, Sun, Water, and plenty of space to roam.
Pumpkins come in three main species, known as
Cucurbita maxima – Thick skin large pumpkins (eg. Jap, Queensland Blue)
Cucurbita moschata – Winter Squash (Butternut)
Cucurbita pepo – Summer Squash
Depending on where you live in the world different species will be known as Pumpkin or winter squash. In this plant of the month, we will just be focusing on the Cucurbita maxima.
Feed with compost and with liquid seaweed fertiliser.
PESTS
Slaters, slugs may get young plants.Rats can get to the pumpkins.
HARVEST
From 70-120 days.
REPRODUCE
Save seeds from the best-tasting pumpkins.
Why Grow Pumpkins?
Pumpkins are easy to grow and can provide a large amount of food. They are a great base crop to build complete dishes with both sweet and savoury.
Here are some of the many reasons to grow Pumpkins:
Easy to grow
Low maintenance
The whole plant is edible: Fruit, flowers, seeds, young shoots, and leaves
A large source of food
Have their own “packaging” with a hard exterior
Rich in vitamin A
High in antioxidants
Aid in upset stomachs
Nutrient-dense food source
Easy to store
Save seeds easily for sustainable gardening
Popular Heirloom Pumpkin Varieties
‘Jarrahdale’ – Australian heirloom. Ribbed blue/grey skin and orange flesh. Sweet and smooth flesh. Weight approx 5kg. Great storage.
‘Queensland Blue’ – Popular Australian heirloom. Large grey/blue skin. Easy to grow. Great storage.
‘Turks Turban‘ – Heirloom from the 1800s. Fun to grow for its interesting shape. Orange, green and white colours. Good storage.
‘Bohemian‘ – Australian heirloom once thought to have been lost. Great for roasting. Stores well.
‘Golden Nugget’ – Small compact bushing plant – great for small spaces. Good for stuffing. Small round orange pumpkins. 1kg per pumpkin.
‘Blue Hubbard‘ –Large heirloom from the 1700s. Long vines. Great stored up to 12 months. 10kg per pumpkin.
‘Dills Atlantic‘ – Giant Pumpkin grows up to 220kg! Best used for pies and soups or winning competitions.
‘Lakota’ – Orange and Green skin with bright orange flesh. Bell-shaped. Nutty flavour. Decorative and great for storage. 2.5kg per pumpkin.
When to Plant Pumpkins
For an early season, you can start your seed off in a tray indoors or in a greenhouse. This is best at the end of winter or the start of spring. If you are sowing the seeds directly in the soil, it is best to wait until spring after frost. In warm, frost-free zones, you may be able to grow pumpkins all year round.
How to Grow Pumpkins
Choose a sunny location with plenty of space. Most pumpkins can ramble several metres but 1sqm per plant is enough.
Pile on the compost. Pumpkins are heavy feeders so mound up a pile of compost to plant your seed or seedlings on top of.
Apply mulch around the seedlings to retain moisture.
Poke a stick or stake near the mound. As the vines grow and take off you will have a locater to know where to water. Avoid watering the leaves as this can cause powdery mildew. Water around the stake.
Pumpkins can also be grown vertically if you are short on space. Provide robust trellis support and direct the vines in the direction you want. Once the pumpkins start to form, it is a good idea to place a sport underneath to that the stem can support the pumpkin as it grows. A stretchy “hammock” style support works well.
Care/ Maintenance
Try to avoid watering the leaves.
The fruit requires pollination to set and grow to maturity. If you notice the small pumpkins shrivel and die off it may be due to a lack of pollination. You can hand-pollinate by wiping pollen from the male flower onto the female flower. See more details on how here.
Feed with liquid seaweed for added nutrition if you have poor soil.
Pinch the ends of the vine off if it gets too long and wild.
Pests / Disease
Slugs and snails may eat young seedlings. Use natural pest management. Aphids can also be an issue on young shoots. Dip them in soapy water. Rats and mice may also nibble on your pumpkins. If you have issues with this you can build a crate or mesh around the pumpkin until it is ready to harvest.
How/ When to Harvest
Your pumpkins will be ready when the vine starts to die off. The closest curly tendril to the stem will be brown and going dry. The pumpkins should be slightly hollow when you know on them and have hard skins. Use sharp secateurs and cut the stem as close to the vine as you can. This will help with storage (see below).
Reproducing
The best way to reproduce pumpkins is to save the seeds. Save the seeds from your best-tasting or largest pumpkins. See the seeds saving guide here. wash and dry your seeds and store them somewhere dry and cool to replant next season.
Cooking and Using Pumpkins
Pumpkin is a great base for many sweet or savoury dishes. It can even be used as a base for many sauces and preserves.
The young leaves and shoots are also edible. These can be added to soups, curries and stir-fried. The flowers are great stuffed or used in salads. The seeds can be coated in spices and roasted for snacks or added on top of soups.
Depending on the variety, some pumpkins can be cured and stored for up to 12 months. Most will be around 6 months. The thicker the skin, the longer they last. Check the variety for a guide.
To prepare your pumpkins to store:
Cut the stem as close to the vine so that you do not damage the pumpkin.
Wash any dirt off using a hose.
Wipe the pumpkins down with a mix of Vinegar and water (1:1) This helps remove any further dirt and bacteria. Check for holes or damage to the skin. These will not store well so they should be eaten first.
Place your pumpkins somewhere dry with diffused sunlight to cure for two weeks. On the deck or porch is often a good place. This helps to harden and dry the skin.
Store your pumpkins in a cool and dark space between 10-16 degrees Celsius. Place them on a piece of cardboard or ply to protect them from bacteria or moisture on the floor.
Check your pumpkins regularly for any signs of mould or softening. Discard them so that they don’t affect the others.
