Category: growing
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Environmentally Friendly Weed Control
I actually enjoy pulling weeds. I find it very relaxing and distracts me from the day’s little stresses. Most people don’t and even for me when I am pushed for time the weed situation can get out of control. So I wanted to share a number of chemical free weed control methods I employ. Till…
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Bay Leaf Tree: Grow and Eat
The humble Bay Leaf tree is a must have in a kitchen garden. Once you try fresh or freshly dried bay leaves in your cooking you won’t go back to the store bought version. Like many herbs, they lose their fullest, layer rich aroma and taste as they wait in transport and store shelves. I…
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Australian Finger Limes
I was very lucky to be bought one of these remarkable edible bushes a few years ago as a birthday present. They are an annual fruiting plant in the same genus as citrus and are native to Australia’s east coast. The fruit is quite simply unique and you can believe the recent restaurant hype they…
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BadCritter: White Cabbage Butterfly
Oh but I hate these beautiful little butterflies. They are particularly active in spring and early summer. I don’t see them in January and February in Perth and suspect it is just too hot. I squish them and their caterpillars, turning them back into the soil. Species: Pieris rapae Identification: Adult: Eggs: Caterpillar: Damage:…
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PK Reviews: Nylex Heavy Duty 5L Shoulder Sprayer
The Nylex 5L and 8L Shoulder Sprayer range is perfect for people with kitchen gardens, even large ones. I am reviewing several of the Nylex Sprayer range and I started with their Nylex 1.5L 360° Sprayer. Please see the other Nylex reviews here. Today I am reviewing the heavy duty cousin of the Nylex 5l…
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Chili Pepper: Hoa Lat
Hoa Lat is a bushy, heavy producer of medium sized, long tapered fruit. It is another of my mild heat range favourites and is so easy to grow. The fruit starts of yellow-green and ripens to a bright glossy red. Taste: I have only eaten this raw in salads and haven’t cooked with it. It…
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Pyrethrum Natural Insecticide
I always try to use pyrethrum spray and Dipel over man-made insecticides. That said, my favourite method of pest control in the garden is to squish the BadCritters or eat the vegetables before they do. 🙂 My main target critter is aphids and caterpillars but it also controls thrips and whitefly. Why do I…
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Dipel Caterpillar Control
I don’t know why it has taken me so long to use this method of controlling that most common of gardening’s BadCritters, the pesky caterpillar. Whilst I will still more often than not reach for the pyrethrum spray, Dipel has a place in my garden shed from now on. It comes in a powdered form and is…
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Beetroot
Beetroot is a cultivar of Beta vulgaris mostly grown for its swollen taproot (other cultivars are predominantly grown for their leaves e.g. chard or leaf beet). Being Australian, my favourite way to eat beetroot is as pickled slices in a hamburger served with egg. 🙂 You can also boil, roast and puree it and it teams…
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Dried Onions
A great way to preserve your onion crop (or in my case a bunch of onions on special) is to dice them and dry them. I quite often freeze onion slices too but I found both my cupboard and freezer devoid of onions 🙂 . Note: This method is great for drying garlic too (see Dried Garlic).…
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