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Category Archives: Growing

Lemongrass

09 Thursday Jun 2016

Posted by Brigid Jackson in Gardens, Green tips, Growing, Health, Herbs, Honey Bee, Organic, Perennials

≈ 2 Comments

Tags

Bee, food, garden, green tips, health, honey bee, Insects, Intercropping, Lemongrass, medicinal herb, organic, tea, Whitefly


IMG_20160609_110518_edit

Sweet Pickled Lemongrass

Lemongrass (Cymbopogon Citratus) , are commonly cultivated as culinary and medicinal herbs because of their scent, resembling that of lemons.

Lemongrass is usually planted in home gardens to ward off insects such as whitefly adults. Its cultivation enables growing some vegetables (e.g. tomatoes and broccoli) without applying pesticides. Intercropping should include physical barriers, for citronella roots can take over the field.

Lemongrass is widely used as a culinary herb in Asian cuisine and also as medicinal herb in India. It has a subtle citrus flavor and can be dried and powdered, or used fresh. It is commonly used in teas, soups, and curries. It is also suitable for use with poultry, fish, beef, and seafood. It is often used as a tea in African countries such as Togo and the Democratic Republic of the Congo and Latin American countries such as Mexico. Lemongrass oil is used as a pesticide and a preservative. Research shows that lemongrass oil has antifungal properties. Despite its ability to repel some insects, such as mosquitoes, its oil is commonly used as a “lure” to attract honey bees. “Lemongrass works conveniently as well as the pheromone created by the honeybee’s Nasonov gland, also known as attractant pheromones. Because of this, lemongrass oil can be used as a lure when trapping swarms or attempting to draw the attention of hived bees.

Health Benefits of Lemongrass Essential Oil

Analgesic, Antidepressant, Antimicrobial and Antibacterial, Anti-pyretic, Antiseptic, Astringent, Carminative, Deodorant, Diuretic, Febrifuge, Fungicidal, Galactogogue, Insecticidaland Nervine.

A Few Words of Caution: It is likely to irritate the skin and produce other types of irritations too. Hence it should be avoided during pregnancy, and kept away from the eyes.

 

Image

Fuchsia Gardening tip

22 Monday Sep 2014

Tags

Flowers, Fuchsia, garden, green tips, plants


Posted by Brigid Jackson | Filed under Flowers, gardening tips, Green tips, Growing

≈ Leave a comment

Falling Stars

21 Monday Jul 2014

Posted by Brigid Jackson in Bulbs, Colours, Flowers, Growing, South African Endemic

≈ Leave a comment

Tags

bulb, Crocosmia aurea, Falling Stars, Flowers, gardening, plants, South African endemic plant


Falling Stars Crocosmia aurea

Falling Stars
Crocosmia aurea

The tall stalks make it desirable in a vase as a cut flower.

The tall stalks make it desirable in a vase as a cut flower.

This is a very decorative shade plant that offers a combination of both attractive foliage and showy flowers. Used in a mixed planting with broad-leaved plants and fine-textured ground-covers, Crocosmia aurea can easily become a focal point.

Black Eyed Susan

23 Wednesday Apr 2014

Posted by Brigid Jackson in Colours, Flowers, gardening tips, Gardens, Growing, Honey Bee, insects, Perennials, South African Endemic

≈ 3 Comments

Tags

Bee, Black Eyed Susan, butterfly, environment, Flowers, garden, honeybee, plants, South African endemic plant


 

Thunbergia alata or “Black Eyed Susan”  is a happy fast growing and long flowering vine. It is a favourite here in South Africa, as it is not fussy about the soil and needs only moderate water. It is mostly evergreen and covers ugly places fast.

Ecology
Black-eyed susan is probably pollinated by bees. An insect visiting the flower will touch the stigma first, with its back, and then the anthers, getting a load of pollen that is then carried to another stigma. The flowers reflect ultra violet light in a pattern that is visible to insects but not to humans. This helps insects find the centre of the flower. Seeds are perhaps ejected mechanically when the fruit splits open. A butterfly, Junonia ovithya, or the eyed pansy, and moths also visit these plants to lay eggs, for the larvae eat the leaves. Hence this creeper, being attractive to insects, helps bring birds into a garden. Birds also often nest in the thickly tangled stems.

Flowers always make people better, happier, and more helpful; they are sunshine, food and medicine for the soul. Luther Burbank

Flowers always make people better, happier, and more helpful; they are sunshine, food and medicine for the soul.
Luther Burbank

Butternut grown from scraps

11 Tuesday Mar 2014

Posted by Brigid Jackson in compost, earthworms, Flowers, Gardens, Growing, Organic, Pest control

≈ 2 Comments

Tags

butternut, Cape Porcupine, earthworms, Flowers, food, home grown, organic, plants, pollination, Red Wriggler, vegetable garden, Vegetables from scraps


Butternut

A few months ago I conditioned my Grow Zone with lashings of Worm Compost. As usual I had the normal tomato and Paw Paw seeds spout, which I weeded out, as I had enough already. These sprouts may also be transplanted into more suitable locations, to grow into mature plants. I had this butternut which sprouted and I moved it.It soon started growing lushly. I started to notice that all the female flowers just dropped off. So I when I noticed a female flower open, I would pollinate it from a male flower by hand. I managed to successfully pollinate 2 flowers.  This is the result. This butternut weighs in 1,1 kg. I have harvested it a little early because  Our resident Cape Porcupine (Mrs Schnoof) is finding it very hard to resist. She is gnawing away at my grow zone.

Plant propagation

23 Sunday Feb 2014

Posted by Brigid Jackson in Green tips, Growing, Organic

≈ 4 Comments

Tags

clivia, Cutting (plant), cuttings, division, gardening, layering, nature, plant, propagation, Seed, seeds, vegetative propagation


OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERA

Propagation is the term used to describe the process of plant reproduction. There are two categories of propagation, i.e. seminal and vegetative. Seminal propagation results from sowing seeds. Plants grown from seed are entirely unique and may differ from each other and from the parent plant. Vegetative propagation embraces all other techniques of reproduction such as cutting, grafting and layering and plants propagated in this manner are identical to their parents i.e. they are clones.

Cuttings

The terms softwood, semi-ripe and hardwood are to plant life the equivalent to the stages of infant, teenager and adult life in humans.

Softwood – is taken very early in the growing season, before there is any sign of hardening of the new shoots. They are green, both at the tip and base.

Semi-ripe – is taken at the end of the growing season when the tip of the stem is soft and green, but the base is hardening, going brown and starting to become woody.

Hardwood – is taken in the winter when the stem has become hardened and woody throughout its length.

Other terms used in cutting jargon are heel, stem and tip. These refer to the part of the stem that is being used for the cutting.

Heel cutting – the stem is torn off in a way that retains a portion of the parent branch – a heel – at its base. Heel cuttings are most often made from softwood or semi-ripe wood. They are normally about 3 to 15 cm long.

Stem cuttings – most often used for hardwood cuttings. They normally include 20 to 30 cm of the stem to provide a reservoir of nutrients so that the cutting can survive through the winter until growth begins in spring.

Tip cuttings – short portions 3 to 15cm long taken from the tips of the stems. These parts are used for softwood and semi-ripe cuttings.

The reason for the different types of cuttings is that some species will propagate more readily from a stem cutting than a root cutting. There are, however, many plants that will reproduce from more than one type of cutting.

Cuttings are encouraged to grow roots and to this end they require moisture, light and a clean, free draining soil. A dusting hormone in the form of rooting powder may be used to help cuttings take root. It is advisable to strip most of the leaves from the cutting in order to reduce the amount of moisture lost through transpiration, while the remaining leaves will add to the food reserves through photosynthesis.

Division

This is the quickest way to increase perennials that have a spreading rootstock and produce new shoots annually from the crown. Division is best carried out when the plant is dormant. Lift the parent plants and shake off excess soil from the roots. Separate the plants into sections using a garden fork, a spade or a sharp knife. Ensure that each plant has a good root system. Discard old or damaged pieces and replant the segments at the original depth of soil. Examples of this type of division include Agapanthus, Clivia, Iris, and Shasta Daisy.

Seed

Most seed is best sown as soon as ripe. If necessary, soak fruits in water first, then extract seeds by rubbing the flesh and leave to dry. Hard-coated seeds may need soaking or scarification before germination. Soak in recently boiled water from between 10 minutes to 72 hours, depending on the species. Viable seeds will swell and should be sown immediately in situ or in a tray or seedbed. Soil should be kept moist. Lightly cover the seeds with compost or soil. As a general rule, cover seeds with about their own depth of soil. Mix fine seeds with a little dry river sand, trickle them over the compost and do not cover. Ensure that the seeds are kept moist.

Stored in a dry place most seeds remain good for 2 to 3 years but germination rates gradually decline.

Layering, suckers and grafting

Layering is a simple method for increasing plants with stems that will produce roots if wounded. The stem is pegged into the ground and left to form roots, while still attached to the parent plant.

Suckering plants, such a Tecomaria, Wisteria and Plumbago, naturally produce suckers that may be detached and inserted as ready-rooted plants.

Grafting involves taking the stem of one plant and uniting it with the rootstock of a closely related plant. Roses and fruit trees are propagated in this way. Grafting is best left to the specialists.

Pink Accordions

03 Monday Feb 2014

Posted by Brigid Jackson in Colours, Gardens, Growing, Organic

≈ 2 Comments

Tags

food, Heirloom Tomato, home grown, organic, Pink accordian, plants, tomato


Green and Pink

Green and Pink

Accordion shapes

Accordion shapes

green

green

weighing in at 500 grams

cut in half

cut in half

One of the most beautiful and expensive of all tomatoes, this unique, non-splitting fruit is ruffled like an accordion. The mild-tasting, soft, pink-fleshed fruit, with few seeds, are also semi-hollow so can be used for stuffing like a pepper.

 

 

RELATED ARTICLES :

I can’t think anything else (http://aristonorganic.com/2014/01/22/i-cant-think-anything-else/)

Down to Earth tomatoes ( http://aristonorganic.com/2014/01/07/down-to-earth-tomatoes/)

Heirloom tomato Pink  Accordian (http://aristonorganic.com/2013/05/24/heirloom-tomato-pink-accordian/

I can’t think anything else

22 Wednesday Jan 2014

Posted by Brigid Jackson in Colours, Growing, Health, Organic, Quotes

≈ 5 Comments

Tags

food, heirloom, homegrown, organic, quotes, tomato


It's difficult to think anything but pleasant thoughts while eating a homegrown tomato. Lewis Grizzard

It’s difficult to think anything but pleasant thoughts while eating a homegrown tomato.
Lewis Grizzard

 

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Heirloom tomatoes – Pink Accordian

Down to Earth Tomatoes

 

Growing Sweet Potato from scraps

14 Tuesday Jan 2014

Posted by Brigid Jackson in gardening tips, Growing, Organic, Perennials, Re-use

≈ 5 Comments

Tags

food, garden, green tips, home grown, organic, recycle, sweet potatoes, vegetables


Sweet Potato

Sweet Potato

Growing your own Sweet Potatoes is really easy.

Cut a cube of your sweet potato about 5 cm x 5 cm.

Fill a large container with potting soil and mix in worm compost. (Placing stone ship in the bottom to ensure drainage.)

Plant your sweet potato piece in the center about 5 cm in-depth.

Water well until water runs out of the pot, making sure all the soil is thoroughly wet. Do this every day. In a short period of time you will see vine growth.

After about 3 months, start feeling around in the soil for new potatoes and harvest as required.

This Sweet Potato has been in the same pot now for 3 years and has provided a great deal of Sweet potatoes.

It also becomes quite a talking point, when I show my guests a new potato pulled from the ground.

 

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A Little Girls Potato Experiment Will Change The Way You Think About Food! – See more at: http://www.spiritscienceandmetaphysics.com/a-little-girls-experiment-will-change-the-way-you-think-about-food/#sthash.zLEua9Nt.dpuf

Elemental Organic Pest solutions

09 Thursday Jan 2014

Posted by Brigid Jackson in Green tips, Growing, Organic, Pest control

≈ 4 Comments

Tags

environment, gardening, garlic cloves, hot water, liquid paraffin, organic, Pest control, red pepper spray


In keeping with the organic gardening concept, it is always preferable to seek natural solutions to garden problems such as pests and common diseases.. Should you have any ideas to share on this topic please send them to us for passing on to others.

Please also note that dish-washing liquid is called for in most of these ‘recipes’. It serves as a ‘wetter’ enabling the liquid solution to adhere to the plant for maximum effect. The environmentally friendly non-toxic dish-washing liquid is ideal for this purpose. snail

Insect Spray Concentrate

This is an all-purpose natural insecticide.

  • · 3 unpeeled garlic cloves 1 tablespoon dish-washing liquid
  • · 3 teaspoons of liquid paraffin 2 cups of hot water

In a small bowl, crush garlic heads and add paraffin. Leave to stand for 24 hours then add the dish-washing liquid to the mixture.

Sieve the mixture, discard the solid bits and store the liquid in the fridge.

To use: Mix 1 tablespoon of concentrate to 1 liter of water. Spray every 2 weeks to be effective.

Wormwood spray (Artemisia)

This spray is best used against caterpillars.

  • · 1 cup of wormwood leaves 1 teaspoon of dish-washing liquid
  • · 3 litres of water 2 cups of hot water

Simmer wormwood leaves in 3 litres of water for 30 minutes. Stir, strain and leave to cool. Then dissolve the dish-washing liquid in hot water and add to the wormwood water. When cool, spray as required.

Red pepper spray concentrate

This is a good all-purpose insect spray and very effective against caterpillars.

  • · 1 unpeeled onion 1 tablespoon cayenne pepper
  • · 1 unpeeled clove of garlic 3 litres water

Chop onion and garlic and combine all ingredients in saucepan. Simmer for 20 minutes. Strain and store the liquid in jars for up to 6 weeks.

To use: Dilute 1 tablespoon of concentrate to 1 liter of water, and add 1 teaspoon of dish-washing liquid.

Comfrey foliar feed

This is a good general purpose liquid manure and may be used on all plants.

  • · 2 plastic buckets Plate and brick
  • · Flower pot that fits inside the bucket Comfrey leaves

Cut holes in the bottom of one of the buckets. Fill the bucket ¾ full with Comfrey leaves and pack down tightly. Put the plate on top of the leaves and weigh down with a brick. Place the flowerpot upside down in the second bucket and place the Comfrey-filled bucket on top of this. After 3 weeks there should be brown liquid in the lower bucket. Bottle the liquid and place the remaining wilted contents of the top bucket on the compost heap.

To use: Dilute 2 tablespoons of the Comfrey foliar feed in 2 litres of water; and add a little dish-washing liquid.

Powdery mildew

An alternative method of controlling powdery mildew is to spray weekly with milk dilute. Milk also acts as a foliar fertilizer and boosts the plant’s immune system.

Dilution: 2 parts milk to 9 parts water. Spray the affected plant weekly for good effect.

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