41 Farrell street, Yandina
Fast-growing annual rambler with yellow, orange or brown flowers.
Other Names: Indian cress, Monks cress
Origin: South America
Size: 0.3m high, 1-2m spread
Growing conditions: full sun
Harvest: late spring
Propagation: from soft cuttings or seeds, self-seeds readily
Growing tips: Hardy annual for all soils.
Use: Leaves, flowers and seeds can be added to salads or stir-fries. Unripe seed pods can be pickled like capers.
Great support plant for beneficial insects.
Availability in shop: spring
Heat-loving, tall shrub or tree with edible leaves, seeds and roots.
Other names: Moringa, Drumstick Tree
Origin: India
Size: 10-12m high, 5m spread ( or pruned to size)
Growing conditions: full hot sun, drought hardy, does not tolerate frost
Harvest: anytime except winter
Propagation: 50cm long hardwood cuttings planted in spring directly into soil or pots
Growing tips: Keep tree well-pruned by cutting back annually to 1 – 2 metres; this will encourage new leaves and also keep leaves and pods within easy reach. Plant trees as a living fence.
Use: The leaves are the most nutritious part of the tree, being high in calcium and protein and leaves can be picked for salads and stir-fries or sprinkled over pumpkin soup just before serving (can take pumpkin soup to another level). They have a mild mustard taste, while the roots of the tree can be substituted for horseradish where required. The seeds can be fried or roasted and the young pods can be added to soups and stews. Flowers can be eaten also (make a batter using besan flour, dip the flower in the batter and drop in hot oil until lightly browned). Pods freeze well. High-quality oil is extracted from the seed and the seed powder left over from this process has been trialled for purifying water. The sap is used for a blue dye.
Availability in shop: sometimes when mature cuttings are available
Hardy perennial legume shrub that thrives on poor soils.
Other Names: Toor Dhal, Congo Pea
Origin: India
Size: 2m high, 1.5m spread
Growing conditions: full sun
Propagation: Easily grown from seed in spring and summer. However, if you want to take advantage of the plant’s ability to fix nitrogen then you may have to inoculate the seeds. You can use any Rhizobium of the cowpea group such as that used for Dolichos lablab seeds.
Growing tips: Pigeon pea is a legume shrub that improves soil fertility by fixing atmospheric nitrogen. When they are pruned, (and also when the plant dies) the root nodules release nitrogen that can be used by other plants. The open canopy shelters young, delicate plants, but lets enough light through for other plants to grow underneath. Pigeon pea has a very deep tap root that is able to break through hard pans and improve the soil structure. It also brings nutrients from the subsoil to the surface. It is used extensively as a cover crop, green manure, intercrop etc. The plant is a short-lived perennial shrub, and lives for about five years. The flowers are yellow or yellow and red.
Use: Use for chop & drop or used seeds in cooking. Pigeon Pea is a staple food crop that provides a good source of protein. You can use the green peas like fresh peas and the dried peas like any other dried peas, beans or lentils. (In India they are actually one of the most popular pulses. Dhal is made from pigeon pea.) The peas can also be sprouted to make them even more nutritious, and they can be ground into flour.
Availability in shop: plant and seeds available all year