41 Farrell street, Yandina
Hardy legume shrub with yellow flowers, and leaves that smell like popcorn when crushed.
Origin: Africa
Size: 3m high, 2m spread
Growing conditions: full sun to partial shade
Propagation: easily grown from seeds
Growing tips: Prune regularly to maintain compact habit.
Use: Good for permaculture chop & drop. It will fix nitrogen in soil after pruning.
Availability in shop: all year
Hardy perennial aromatic shrub that attracts bees.
Other Names: African Basil, Perennial Basil, Clove Basil
Origin: Africa, Madagascar, South Asia
Size: 2m high, 1.5m spread
Growing conditions: full sun to partial shade
Propagation: semi-hardwood cuttings
Growing tips: Bushes flower profusely all year and thrive on regular pruning. Prune half of the bush at a time to keep flowers available to insects.
Use: Flowers attract bees and other insects. Good for permaculture chop and drop. Use sparingly like culinary basil in food.
Availability in shop: all year, best in summer
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