Superbum

Tags

Banana Peels, elk horn, Elk Horn Fern, epiphyte, Fern, fertile fronds, Flora and Fauna, Frond, garden, home grown, nature, organic, ornamental plant, plants, Platycerium, Platycerium superbum, stag horn, worm castings

This is my “MOTHER” superbum ( Platycerium superbum ). She arrived in my family of plants in 1988, which makes her the ripe old age of  25. Obviously then she was only a pup, looking like the pup pictured below.As she is an epiphyte, a container like the one above was created for her years ago. It was filled with a mixture of potting soil and worm castings. She was then attached using soft string and hung underneath a tree. The leaf drop replenishes the container with humus. She loves a twice weekly spray of water. Chopped Banana  peels and mashed banana are added twice a year.

These ferns develop a humus collecting “nest” of non-fertile fronds and in doing so can grown up to 1 metre wide. The ferns also develop hanging fertile fronds that can reach up to 2 metres long.^]

Both fertile and non-fertile fronds are broad and branching and grown to resemble the horns of a stag or elk, thus the common names stag horn or elk horn.

Plants on steroids?

Tags

animals, compost, coriander, earthworms, food, garden, green tips, herbs, Home and Garden, home grown, key hole, organic, Vermicompost, winter savory, worm, worm castings, worm farm, worm garden

The lush Coriander in the container with a Mini worm farm installation.

The  mint after being fed with worm castings

The Winter Savory fed with worm castings.

 

Related articles :

Coriander Key hole worm garden

Keyhole Gardens

A new twist to a key hole/circle garden – mini worm farm

Winter Savory- the forgotten Herb

 

Superbum

Tags

Banana Peels, elk horn, Elk Horn Fern, epiphyte, Fern, fertile fronds, Flora and Fauna, Frond, garden, home grown, nature, organic, ornamental plant, plants, Platycerium, Platycerium superbum, stag horn, worm castings

This is my “MOTHER” superbum ( Platycerium superbum ). She arrived in my family of plants in 1988, which makes her the ripe old age of  25. Obviously then she was only a pup, looking like the pup pictured below.As she is an epiphyte, a container like the one above was created for her years ago. It was filled with a mixture of potting soil and worm castings. She was then attached using soft string and hung underneath a tree. The leaf drop replenishes the container with humus. She loves a twice weekly spray of water. Chopped Banana  peels and mashed banana are added twice a year.

These ferns develop a humus collecting “nest” of non-fertile fronds and in doing so can grown up to 1 metre wide. The ferns also develop hanging fertile fronds that can reach up to 2 metres long.^]

Both fertile and non-fertile fronds are broad and branching and grown to resemble the horns of a stag or elk, thus the common names stag horn or elk horn.

 

Lemon grown with worm castings

Tags

food, gardening, home grown, Lemon, organic, worm castings, worms

The Lemon on the left has been grown using worm castings, it weighs in at 300g.

The Lemon on the right is a store-bought lemon, it weighs in at 200g.

Now here is real proof that the worm castings improve the quality  and size of your produce.

To order your worm casting direct please click here :

https://aristonorganic.wordpress.com/order-direct-4/

A new twist to a key hole/circle garden – mini worm farm

Tags

circle garden, compost pile, garden, green tips, key hole garden, mini worm farm, organic, recycle, reuse, small scale farming, worm castings, worm farm, worms

Using an empty 2 Lt bottle, cut off the bottom. Fill with worm castings and worms leaving space for some raw organic vegetable waste.

Plant the bottle in the middle of a large container, leaving a small amount exposed at the top.

Cover with a pot.

Plant your desired vegetables in the container. Keep on topping up the mini worm farm with raw kitchen waste.

The mini worm farm will feed your plants right down to the root level. The result happy, healthy and well fed vegetables.

Related articles :

Coriander Key hole worm garden

Keyhole Gardens

This is what is commonly referred to as a keyhole garden, an old world small-scale farming system invented in Africa. Build a circular structure to support the garden and bring it up to waist height to keep yourself comfortable and create easy accessibility. Place a reasonably wide wire tube for compost and a semi sealed “keyhole” entry to allow you to slide in for tending. The compost pile is where you concentrate the watering, which helps break down the organic goodies and disperse them throughout the garden for the plants. Fill in the bottom with wood and other materials at the bottom, pile on some nice soil on top and you’re all set to go!

This post was shared on Wildcrafting Wednesday

Learning to grow your own workshop 2 March

Tags

carrots, compost, eggplant, food, growing from food scraps, horseradish, lettuce, marjoram, nature, oregano, pineapple, planting, plants, preparing soil, propagation, rocket, rosemary, spinach, wild garlic, winter savory, workshops, worm castings, worm compost

We had a fabulous workshop yesterday. Jo and Janine arrived full of energy and enthusiasm.

We started by assessing the site in which we were going to garden.

We proceeded to improve the soil with compost made from straw, cow manure and mushroom compost.

We then planted some 2 liter bottles with small holes in the bottle to make sure we have water going down to the roots.

We then look around for plants we could propagate to plant . Rosemary,  wild garlic ( our companion plant), horseradish, winter savory, oregano and marjoram were chosen.

The worm farm was harvested for worm compost. Oh my word the girls just fell in love with the worms.

We then planted using the worm compost.

Seeds that were chosen to sow were : carrots, spinach, eggplant and lettuce. the carrots were sown directly into the ground, the others were planted up in seed trays which Jo has taken home to nurture until they are ready to be planted out.

Our piece of resistance for the day was planting a pineapple from food scraps.

We finished the bed by mulching with leaves and compost again and a thorough watering.

We all left thoroughly dirty and tired but thoroughly satisfied.

Book now for the next workshop in April

https://aristonorganic.wordpress.com/workshops-for-2013/

email aristonorganic@gmail.com