Growing Kohl Rabi

Growing KohlRabi – Monster of all Vegetables

When I first saw Kohlrabi, I thought it looked like an alien vegetable that had invaded my vegetable plot. I found it hard to like its spiky sprouting leaves which stood sharply upright out of the spaceship bulb and it reminded me of an upside down tripod from War of the Worlds.

So to me it was a bit of an ugly vegetable and it didn’t help that last year when I grew kohlrabi mine turned out to be a bit malformed, probably down to me sowing it late in the season and the temperature wasn’t warm enough to keep it growing.


Last Years Kohlrabi
Now I’m not afraid to say I’m weird, but unusually for me, this appeared on first glance to be too weird for me. Although this year when I saw the shiny seed offer on MoreVeg.co.uk for the KohlRabi Triple Collection my eyes were drawn to the purpleness of the variety ‘Purple Delicacy‘ and all its ‘hideousness’ was forgotten.

Through my own admission I have gone a bit mad with the colourful veg this year with purple mange tout, purple sprouting broccoli and purple & yellow french beans – yet to come. So in short yes I am growing ‘it’ again this year.

Weird Things You Need To Know about Growing Kohl Rabi
1.The bulb grows above the ground not below it,
2.Its as crisp as an apple but tastes like cabbage crossed with turnip,
3.The whole vegetable can be eaten (leaves, stems and bulb),
4.Regardless of colour on the outside, they all have white flesh,
5.They can be used as a mad design feature by growing them in long column pots,
6.Kohlrabi is a popular dish in Germany, but no so much in the UK,
7.It has a mild flavour and can be disguised in dishes as it takes on other flavours.

Sow: February to August
Harvest: April to October

Do we have light inside us?

Do we really know what food is healthy?

Eat more good food and avoid bad food – this is one of the most important rules to return your health back to its original state.

But what does this mean – good food?

If you think that your diet has to consist of food rich in certain nutrients and particular number of calories you are totally wrong. Calculating calories may help you to lose weight, but it will not return your health (may be just partially). In order to understand what good food is let’s take a look at the very deep level of our body – the cell level.
Back in 1923 Russian biologist Alexander Gurwitsch, while working with onions, discovered that cell-proliferation of an onion was accelerated if stimulated by ultraviolet light. But this research was dropped for almost 50 years due to WWII.

Professor Fritz-Albert Popp (biophysicist at the University of Marburg in Germany) and his student Bernhard Ruth were able to pick up this theory and go further. In 1970 Popp, who was teaching radiology at that time - the interaction of electromagnetic (EM) radiation on biological systems - had been examining two almost identical molecules: benzo[a]pyrene, one of the most lethal carcinogens to humans, and its twin (save for a tiny alteration in its molecular structure), benzo[e]pyrene, which is harmeless to humans. He had illuminated both molecules with UV light. Benzo[a]pyrene absorbed the light and reemitted it in completely different frequency working like a frequency “scrambler”. Benzo[e]pyrene let the light go through unaltered. He then played with other different chemicals and guess what – all carcinogenic chemicals scramble the light while others didn’t. Each of the carcinogens reacted only to light at a specific frequency -- 380 nm.

Why cancer causing chemicals would be light scramblers? He stumbled upon phenomenon called ‘photorepair’. It is ability of the cell, which was destroyed by the powerful blast of UV radiation, to repair itself completely if illuminated by the same UV light with the same frequency but low intensity. ‘Photorepair’ works most efficiently on frequency 380nm – same frequency as carcinogenic substances scramble the light. Popp also knew that patients with xeroderma pigmentosum die of skin cancer because their ‘photorepair’ system can't repair sun exposure damage. He then realized that if carcinogens damage ‘photorepair’ system there must be a light in the body that is responsible for ‘photorepair’ and cancer scrambles it. To prove his theory Popp and his student Bernhard Ruth built big X-ray detector (1976) in order to measure extremely weak emissions. This machine was able to count light, photon by photon. They found that light was present in all living cells. Popp came to realize that light in the body might even hold the key to health and illness. In one experiment, he compared the light from free-range hens' eggs with that from penned-in, caged hens. The photons in the former were far more coherent than those in the latter.

Popp went on to use biophoton emissions as a tool for measuring the quality of food. The healthiest food had the lowest and most coherent intensity of light. Any disturbance in the system increased the production of photons. Health was a state of perfect subatomic communication, and illness was a state of communication breakdown. We are ill when our waves are out of synch, when instead of orchestrated dancing we see just the chaotic movements.
According to the biophoton theory developed on the base of these discoveries the biophoton light is stored in the DNA molecules of their nuclei - and a dynamic web of light constantly released and absorbed by the DNA of different cells, tissues, and organs within the body serve as the organism’s main communication network and as the principal regulator for all life processes. The processes of photosynthesis, growth, regeneration are result of network commands send in biophoton field throughout the system. It is scientifically proven that our body has channels of less electrical resistance through which photon light travels. Do you see the similarity to meridians described in traditional Chinese medicine where Qi energy flows regulating our body functions? In Indian philosophy it is ‘prana’ - vital energy which flows through a network of fine subtle channels called nadis. When we eat plant foods, our cells are able to absorb photon light, allowing them to oscillate at a higher coherency. A higher coherency leads to a higher state of order and an enhanced style of cellular functioning. Dead food full of toxins, additives and preservatives once in our body scrambles perfect harmony creating chaos and disease.

We, as humans are able to change these vibrations by our emotions, by our words, certain movements and our thoughts. The higher our concentration is and the more innocent our mind is the more powerful our influence on harmonizing biophotonic structure in any type of emission whether it is in the water or in the plant.

Knowing all these facts we come to the conclusion that our food has to consist mostly of plants that are fresh and grown with love, possibly on our own piece of land where they are able to tune into our vibes or in the wild where the harmony is not disturbed.
Introducing this type of food into our diet and following it will allow most of the illnesses to be self healed and the health will be self restored. Dr. Popp was happy to prove it with people that had serious illnesses like cancer fully restoring their healthy conditions by introducing homeopathic remedy that created light coherence in the cancer tissue. We just need to know what kind of plants are good for our health, what kind of thoughts will help us to get harmony back and what kind of movements help our bodies to remove all of the toxins.

How to Make Money Growing Rooted Cuttings

Does it really happen this way. Yes it does. I was recently talking to a friend who grows and sells all kinds of plants and he told me that he has been buying Dwarf Alberta Spruce cuttings and growing them on and selling them. He doesn’t even root any himself, he just buys 5,000 every year, pots them up and sells them wholesale. How many other nurseryman across the country do you suppose do that?

To get started you can either buy a stock plant or two, or buy several hundred cuttings of the variety that you would like to sell. Instead of planting them out in the field, I would plant them in beds. Make each bed 4’ wide so you can reach the center to weed and take cuttings, and place the plants in the bed 10” apart. As long as you keep taking cuttings the plants will remain fairly small, and compact. Then after a two or three years dig them up, put them in pots and sell them. By then you will have thousands more coming on that you can take cuttings from.

Start out slow until you know what there is a market for. Of course if you are subscriber to my Backyard Nursery Newsletter then as you know I let you know what is in short supply.

You’ll have to use some weed control measures if you are growing in beds, but that’s all covered in my report “How to Start Your Own Backyard Nursery on 1/20 Acre or Less”. In the report I also cover how to sell the rooted cuttings.

Chilly Plants in Winter.

There was a lot of unnecessary information in this rather long winded article, so I will keep it short.

Cut your chilli bushes back to stumps in winter. Lol

Chinese peppered snake beans

Bright, crisp and spicy snake beans with crushed green peppercorns, fresh red chilli and garlic. This recipe works well for any green beans.

Ingredients:

2 tablespoons green peppercorns

handful coarsely chopped fresh Herbs

1 tablespoon olive oil

450g snake beans

4 cloves garlic, finely chopped

2 teaspoons dark brown soft sugar

1 small red chilli, seeded and finely chopped

2 tablespoons water

Preparation method:

1. Grind or crush the peppercorns coarsely. Stir in the coriander.

2. Heat oil in a large wok or frying pan over medium high heat. Stir in beans, garlic, brown sugar, chilli, peppercorns and coriander. Stir-fry for 45 seconds. Pour in the water and cover to steam for about 2 minutes. Serve immediately.

Preparing your Vegetable Garden Soil

Good Soil is the key to success!



Ensuring that you have the best soil possible; healthy, friable and free draining will almost guarantee a healthy and plentiful crop, yet this is one of the most common places people go wrong. It is important to get the soil right before you get all excited and start planting.

So lets look at the soil types you are most likely to encounter.

Sand
Sandy Loam
Clay

Sand - basically the least desirable soil type for fruit and vegetable gardening. It has little to no nutrient value, is usually very free draining, to the extent that it holds no water at all or can in the opposite extreme be highly water repellant.

Sandy Loam - this typically contains more minerals, is still free draining, but can readily become water repellant. With a little bit of work, this can become an ideal soil for growing in.

Clay - often considered one of the worst soil types you can have, but, in my opinion, very underrated. The main issue with clay/clay loams is that clay is comprised of lots of minerals and other fine soil particles, but there is little air space between them, so the soil is very dense, heavy and can be extremeley sticky when wet. Most plants struggle in clay soils because of these factors.

BUT - before you rush down to your local garden supplies to buy topsoil, stop and consider for a minute. In my experience, you are often likely to import more problems into your garden than you think and invariably, the soil you already have is better! (I know this is the case because I have done it twice!)
With a bit of effort, it's easily transformed.

This is how it's done
If you have a nice, friable, dark rich looking soil then you're ready to prepare the beds for planting and can move on.

If you have sand or clay, then we have work to do. Ideally this needs to be done at the beginning of winter, so, by the time we have finished, you'll have great soil ready for your first planting in spring. But there are ways around this if you can't wait.

Fixing Sandy Soils

The main concern with sandy soils is that they typically lack organic matter (composted material) and nutrients and that's what we need to add - Compost! I strongly recommend you run your own compost bin. It's an effective way to deal with your household and garden greenwaste and will help to reduce costs.

Alternately, there are a number of commercially available compost mixes available. The amount you will need will depend on the condition of the soil and the size of your bed and is hard to advise, so have a look at the soil pictures and then you know what to work towards.

Before you add the compost, lets make sure the soil isn't water repellent. Use a watering can and pour some water on the soil. Let it soak in. If it runs straight off or is very slow to soak in, it is likely water repellant. Scratch at the surface. If the soil underneath is dry, we need to add a step to break the repellance. Add the compost mix and using a garden fork (preferably) or a spade, dig the bed over to mix the two together.

The next step is determined by when you need to use the bed and the time of year. If possible, sowing a "green manure" bed in late autumn would be the best choice.

If your soil is water repellant, you need to add an agent to help water absorbency. There are a number of products available, some are sprinkled on and watered in, others are in liquid form. Add your choice following the manufacturers instructions. The soil pictured here has a high sand content. We have had a reasonable amount of rain in recent days and this soil mound was almost bone dry beneath the surface. In the background, you can see where the rain has washed the sand down the surface of the mound.

Fixing Clay Soils.
The aim here is to break up the clay so that it becomes more friable. It's already full of nutrients and mineral, but could also benefit from a green manure. First step here though, is to apply Gypsum.

Gypsum, also sold as a clay breaker, naturally breaks the clay down over time. So, following the instructions and application rates, apply the gypsum and get stuck into digging the bed over. yes it's hard work, but well worth the effort. You will most likely need to repeat the process again in a few weeks, but at this time, should already see an improvement as the clay begins to crumble.

Working with Sandy Loam Soils.
What action you take with sandy loam will depend on the first vegetables that you wish to plant. Different vegetables have different fertilising needs and tolerances so before you think of planting or fertilising your bed/s, have a look at the fertilising page AND plants page to determine what if anything needs to be done. In most cases, it is advisable to add compost to boost the amount of organic matter in the soil and get the beneficial bacteria working for you.

How to build a Straw Bale Vegetable Garden

One of the simplest ways to create a raised bed vegetable garden is to build a Straw Bale garden bed. There are many methods and construction materials that can be used to create a raised vegetable garden, we have already looked at some in the vegetable garden design page, but the straw bale still remains one of the quickest, cheapest and easiest methods around. They also have the added bonus of being environmentally friendly!

Benefits of using Straw Bales

As we have already mentioned, bales are quick, cheap and easy to use, but they also have other added benefits that other methods do not.

No Dig - Straw bales can be used to create a no dig garden

Renewable - The straw does eventually compost down (another bonus)and when it does, it is easily and cheaply replaced.

Ongoing source of compost -As the bales break down, the straw can be used to mulch the bed.

Attract beneficial soil life - Because straw is a natural product and it composts down, when in contact with bare soil, straw attracts worms to the bed, that in turn condition the soil, as well as encouraging beneficial soil organisms that are crucial to healthy soil.

What straw should you use?
There are many types of straw/hay available depending on where the hay was cut. General paddock hay could be a mixture of grasses, where others such as Lucerne or Pea straw are bales made from straw of these specific crops. Because these are legumes, as they break down they help to contribute nutrients to soil. Lucerne and Pea straw bales are usually more expensive than pasture cut hay.


Lucerne hay is more coarse than pasture cut hay and usually has a dark green colour about the material, as opposed to the standard dried yellow colour of hay. Remnant leaves from the dried lucerne plant is normally visible in the compressed bale.


Pea straw has a different texture again to pasture cut hay and Lucerne. Also showing signs of dark green from the dried pea plants, pea straw will almost always have stray dried peas embedded in the straw. As a result, germination of these seeds is inevitable and all you have to do is pull them out of the bales as they geminate and leave them on the garden bed surface to die down and compost, otherwise you'll end up with a living straw bale wall!

How much does it cost?

The materials can be obtained at a cost as little as $50, but of course, this depends on the size of the bed you want (and therefore the number of bales needed)as well as the straw type chosen. Pasture cut hay is readily available in semi rural areas as land owners who have cut hay often sell it from the their properties. We are spoilt for choice in our area at the moment as the change in weather has resulted in bumper crops.

What do I need to build a Straw Bale bed?

This is the easy bit! All you need is a hammer, some sturdy garden stakes and the bales.

Ready to start?

Here's the how!
1 - Select an appropriate site. Refer to the garden design page on where to position your garden. Your site preferably should be level, but if this isn't possible, a gentle slope is acceptable. Steeper slopes can be handled by "packing" under the bales with "biscuits" from an opened bale.

2 - Clear the site. It is not essential that the site be spotlessly clear, you can build your raised bed, right over the top of unwanted grass, but if you have a lot of weeds, especially if they are flowering, it is best to remove them first. If building over grass etc, then the centre of the bed should be mulched. (dealt with later)

3 - Decide on the bed size. To some degree here, you are restricted by the standard size of rectangular straw bales. Although you can open a bale and reduce it's length, it is often difficult to re-tie the bale up to the same tension as the baling machine and this may result in the bale falling apart earlier.



Step 3 - As shown above, layout the straw bales to make a bed the size you want.

4 - Lay out the bales. Set out the bales to form the size of your desired new bed. Secure the bales in place by hammering two garden stakes in per bale, about 30cm from each end of the bale, driving them in down through the straw. make sure that the bales are butted firmly up against each other to ensure that the raised bed soil doesn't leak out between them.

Steps 4 & 5 - Stake the Bales in place using a decent weight hammer, drive the stakes down through the hay to lodge the bale in place. Hammer the stakes down so they are flush with the top of the bale, then fill the new garden bed.



5 - Prepare the soil.

Vegie Patch Examples

Click to Enlarge

Markets – Gold coast

There are numerous markets located on the Gold Coast showcasing local produce and art and crafts from the region.

For further information regarding markets, please contact Alexandra Hardes, Gold Coast Parks on (07) 5581 7344. For information regarding pre-packaged foods for sale at markets, contact Health and Regulatory Services on (07) 5581 6220.

Broadbeach Art and Craft Market
Where: Kurrawa Park
Old Burleigh Road (opposite Mall), Broadbeach
When: 1st & 3rd Sunday of month, 8am - 2.30pm
Contact: Art & Craft on the Coast
Telephone: (07) 5533 8202
Email: info@artandcraft.com.au
Website: www.artandcraft.com.au

Burleigh Arts and Craft Market
Where: Justins Park
The Esplanade, Burleigh Heads
When: Last Sunday of month, 8am - 2.30pm
Contact: Art & Craft on the Coast
Telephone: (07) 5533 8202
Email: info@artandcraft.com.au
Website: www.artandcraft.com.au

Bundall
Where: Gold Coast Turf Club
Racecourse Drive, Bundall
When: Every Sunday, 6am - 11am
Contact: Michelle Nugent
Telephone: 0405 185 683
Email: michelle@yourlocalmarkets.com.au
Website: www.yourlocalmarkets.com.au

Carrara Market
Where: Cnr Gooding & Manchester Drives, Carrara
When: Every Saturday & Sunday, 6.30am - 4.30pm
Each Friday, 7am - 1pm (Farmers Market)
Contact: Carrara Markets
Telephone: (07) 5579 9388
Email: info@carraramarkets.com.au
Website: www.carraramarkets.com.au

Coolangatta Art and Craft Market
Where: Queen Elizabeth Park
Marine Parade, Coolangatta
When: 2nd Sunday of month, 8am - 2.30pm
(Plus 4th Sunday of five Sunday months)
Contact: Art & Craft on the Coast
Telephone: (07) 5533 8202
Email: info@artandcraft.com.au
Website: www.artandcraft.com.au

Coomera Market
Where: Assisi College Carpark
Billinghurst Crescent, Upper Coomera
When: Last Saturday of month, 6am - 12noon
Contact: Corinne Tench
Telephone: 0424 189 344
Email: corinnetench@hotmail.com

Currumbin Valley Community Markets
Currumbin Community Farm Campus
1226 Currumbin Creek Road, Currumbin Valley
When: Last Sunday of month, 9.30am - 2pm
Contact: Andrew Lock
Telephone: (07) 5533 0312
Email: alock16@eq.edu.au
Website: www.currumbinfarmschool.eq.edu.au

Miami Organic Farmers Market
Where: Miami State High School
2137-2205 Gold Coast Highway, Miami
When: Every Sunday, 6am - 11am
Contact: David Whyle
Telephone: (07) 3358 6309 or 1300 668 603
Email: info@gcorganicmarket.com
Website: www.gcorganicmarket.com

Marina Quays Village Markets
Where: Village Square, 2 Sickle Ave, Hope Island
When: Every Saturday and Sunday
Time: 7am - 3.30pm
Contact: Nikki Hudson
Telephone: 0418 151 643
Email: markets@marinaquays.com.au
Website: www.mqmarketvillage.com.au

Monaco Markets (Preloved & New Fashion and Art & Craft)
Where: "Monaco Centre"
Cnr Rio Vista Boulevard & Monaco Street, Broadbeach Waters
When: Last Sunday of each month
Time: 8am - 12pm
Contact: Coffee Sisters
Telephone: (07) 5538 5655
Email: sales@monacomarkets.com
Website: www.monacomarkets.com

Mudgeeraba Farmers Market
Where: Mudgeeraba Showgrounds
Cnr Mudgeeraba & Worongary Roads, Mudgeeraba
When: 2nd & 4th Saturday of month, 6am - 11am
Contact: Paul Armstrong
Telephone: 0438 163 186

Nerang Fresh Produce & Craft Market
Where: Lavelle Street, Nerang
When: Every Sunday, 6.30am - 12 noon
Contact: Liana Baffari
Telephone: 0417 728 844
Email: info@goldcoastfarmersmarkets.com.au

Palm Beach Currumbin
Where: Palm Beach Currumbin State High School
Thrower Drive, Palm Beach
When: Every Saturday, 6am - 11am
Contact: Michelle Nugent
Telephone: 0405 185 683
Email: michelle@yourlocalmarkets.com.au
Website: www.yourlocalmarkets.com.au

Paradise Point Art and Craft Market
Where: The Esplanade Parklands, Paradise Point
When: 4th Sunday of month, 7am - 2pm
Contact: Julie Pearson or Sharyn Robb
Telephone: 0417 636 662 or 0407 636 822

Runaway Bay Zero 2 Five Market
Where: Runaway Bay Indoor Stadium
Sports Avenue, Runaway Bay
When: 8 April, 20 June, 22 August, 17 October & 5 December, 9am - 12pm
Contact: Karren Hackling
Telephone: 0433 831 140
Email: info@zero2five.com.au
Website: www.zero2five.com.au

Southport
Every Saturday
Southport Sharks AFL Football Club
Sharks Farmers Market
Corner of Musgrave and Olsen Avenues
Open 6.30am - 12 noon
Phone: (07) 5532 1155
Website: www.southportsharks.com.au

Surfers Paradise Beachfront Market
Where: The Esplanade, Surfers Paradise
(Between Elkhorn Avenue & Cavill Mall)
When: Every Wednesday & Friday night, 5.30pm - 10pm
Contact: Surfers Paradise Alliance
Telephone: (07) 5584 3700
Email: markets@surfersparadise.com
Website: www.surfersparadise.com

Upper Coomera Zero 2 Five Market
Where: Upper Coomera State College
Reserve Road, Upper Coomera
When: February 27, April 10, June 19, August 28, November 20, 9am - 12pm

Sports Avenue, Runaway Bay
Where: Runaway Bay Indoor Sport Centre
When: April 3, August 21, October 23, December 4, 9am - 12pm
Contact: Karren Hackling
Telephone: 0433 831 140
Email: info@zero2five.com.au
Website: www.zero2five.com.au

The Village Markets (Burleigh)
Where: Burleigh Heads State School
Lower Gold Coast Highway, Burleigh Heads
When: 1st Sunday of month, 8am - 1pm
Contact: Sarah or Marissa
Telephone: (07) 5679 0375
Email: stalls@thevillagemarketsgc.com.au
Website: www.thevillagemarketsgc.com.au

Markets – Sunshine coast

Wednesdays
•Eumundi Markets - Memorial Drive, Eumundi, 8am to 1.30pm
The Eumundi Market is the biggest on the Sunshine Coast and one of the biggest in Queensland. Any Wednesday or Saturday of the year around 10,000 locals, interstate and international tourists come to enjoy the atmosphere, the fun and of course the multitude of arts, crafts and produce on display, over 300 stalls of them in fact, as well as music and street theatre.

Thursdays
•Cooroy Community Market - R.S.L. Hall Maple St, Thursdays 8am - 1.30pm

Saturdays
•Cooran Eco Markets - King St Cooran, Pioneer Park, every 1st & 3rd Saturday of each month
Set amongst the beautiful shady hinterland of Cooran (5 mins north of Pomona) with a friendly family atmosphere and children park beside it. Expect to see a range of fresh local produce, plants, homemade food, live music, jewellery and Art & Craft. Contact - Shane Murray: 5485 2767, Mark Steer: 5485 2526
•Suncoast Growers Market - Suncoast Christian College, 7 - 13 Kiel Mountain Rds, Woombye, every Saturday, 6.30am to 12pm. Contact Helen on 0416 217 093 for more information.
•Pomona - beside Stan Topper Park every second Saturday, 6am to noon every second and fourth Saturday
•Eumundi Markets - Memorial Drive, Eumundi, 6.30am to 2pm
The Eumundi Market is the biggest on the Sunshine Coast and one of the biggest in Queensland. Any Wednesday or Saturday of the year around 10,000 locals, interstate and international tourists come to enjoy the atmosphere, the fun and of course the multitude of arts, crafts and produce on display, over 300 stalls of them in fact, as well as music and street theatre.
•Yandina Plant and Produce Markets - Yandina Sports Grounds (Wonga Park), 7am to noon
•Beerwah Village Craft Markets - first Saturday of each month, 8am to 1pm
•Coolum Market - CWA Hall, Coolum Terrace, first Saturday of month, 8am to noon
•Landsborough Country Markets - Memorial Hall, Peace Park, Maleny Rd, Landsborough, 8am to 1pm
•Mapleton Markets - Mapleton Hall Grounds, Obi Obi Road, Maleny, first Saturday of the month 8am to 12.30pm
•Kenilworth Country Markets - CWA Grounds, Elizabeth Street Kenilworth, first & third Saturday of each month, 8am to 1pm
•Yandina Makers Market - Anglican Church Grounds, Farrell Street, Yandina, 9am - 1pm
The Yandina Maker's Market is designed for locals and tourists to "Meet the Maker". The new market will showcase local artisans who proudly make their own products in a environment free from imports. Handcrafted jewellery, clothing, henna, art/photography, and candles are included among the stalls. Contact Dennis Sutton 07 5472 7409 or 07 5472 8710

Sundays
•Caloundra Country & Farmers Market
Every Sunday in Arthur Street - 7am to 12 noon
All your Fresh Fruit & Veg. Flowers & Plants.
Fresh Seafood, plus Hand-made Clothes, Craft, Tools, Books & Collectables
Car Boot Sales and New Stall Holders Welcome
Ph 0401 482 949
•Buderim Sunday Markets - in the car park behind the old Buderim Post Office, Lindsay Rd, Buderim, second and fourth Sunday of the month, 8am - 12 noon
•Eumundi Collectables Market - Butter Factory, 124 Memorial Drive, Eumundi, 8am to 2pm
•Nambour Sunday Markets - Nambour Showgrounds 7am to 12 noon
•Caboolture Markets - Caboolture showgrounds, Beerburrum Rd, Caboolture, 6am - 12 noon
•Noosa Marina Markets - 2 Parkyn Court, Tewantin, 8am - 2pm. The Noosa Marina art, craft and local produce market has an idyllic setting on the deck, overlooking the Noosa River.
•Lions Club of Mooloolaba Sunday Markets
Cnr Fishermans Road and David Low Way, Maroochydore
Held every Sunday between 6am to 12 noon
Phone 0429 109 149 for enquiries and bookings.
•Maleny Art Craft & Collectables Market -
RSL Hall Bunya Street, Maleny
Held every Sunday 8am to 2pm
Please contact 0448 423 919 for more informations
•Cotton Tree Markets - King Street, Cotton Tree, King St, 7am to 1pm
•Peregian Beach Markets - Kingfisher Drive, Perigian Beach, first, third and fifth Sunday of the month, 7am -12.30pm
•Caboolture Show Society Fleamarket - Caboolture Showground, Beerburrum Road, Caboolture, 6am until noon
•Peachester Markets - Peachester Hall, 9am to 2pm
•Woodford Country Markets - Archer St, Woodford, third Sunday of every month,6am-1pm
•Queensland Cancer Fund Markets - First Ave car park, Bongaree, Bribie Island, first Sunday of each month, 8am - 12 noon

Growing Corn

Sweet Corn/Maize
Corn originated in America and was grown by the Indians; it belongs to the grass family.

There are a number of heirloom varieties of sweet corn and maizes with different shapes and sizes. There are golf ball shapes, bantam and lady-finger shapes. There are a large variety of colours; multi coloured, blue, red, white, purple and the typical golden yellows and not forgetting 'pop corn'.
Eden Seeds carries a good variety of the old traditional open pollinated seeds,(heirloom seeds). They also have a new seed catalogue coming out shortly.

When to Plant
The best time to sow corn seed is the end of August and September (early to late spring). Before planting out your corn, soak the seeds in a container of water overnight. You can either sow the seeds directly into the garden, 25mm deep (1"), 150mm apart (6") and in rows around 300mm (1') apart, or in seed trays.

By sowing your corn seed directly into the garden you do not necessarily get a 100% strike; you may have breaks in your rows. Try growing your corn in seed trays or in punnets, then transplant the seedlings out into the garden, when they are 50 to 75mm tall. You will then have complete rows.

Corn needs to be planted closely in a group to facilitate pollination. Plant a hand span apart. You could also try planting your corn in a circle. Another way to plant corn is to hoe out 6-off rows 150mm deep x 2m/s long, fill with chopped up comfrey leaves, (if you don't have any comfrey use compost). Cover over with soil, then sow your corn seeds 25mm deep/150mm apart and water them in (a good soak).

Corn likes lots of compost, comfrey, old animal manures, liquid fertilisers and heaps of mulch (around the main stem of the plant) give them a good soak around the roots, every second day, depending on the weather conditions.

If you have a small garden and are in need of space, you could also plant climbing beans and cucumbers in between the rows of corn, the beans and cucumbers will climb up the corm stems, making a temporary trellis. The seed for the beans and cucumbers need to be sown out at the same time as the corn.

Hints and Tips
A good tip is, once the corncob has been pollinated (the corncob tassels have gone brown and you can feel the cob forming) cut the top flower off about a 100mm up from the cob. Hopefully this will let the plant concentrate on feeding the cob, making it grow larger and sweeter.

Wind
A problem for the home gardener is wind. Your corn is growing great, nearly as high as an elephants' eye when along comes the wind and down goes your best crop of corn or, worse still you are out in the middle of a storm trying to stand it up with sticks and a ball of string.

One way that will save you all that stress is, after you have planned out where you are going to grow your supper crop of corn, hammer in tomato stakes or bamboo sticks every 1.8 metres apart, around the perimeter and down the centre of the corn plot. When the plants are a 1 metre high, horizontally tie (with wire) a stake or bamboo stick on to the stakes, like a top rail on a fence. As the corn grows, lift the horizontal rail higher; this will more than support your corn from strong winds.

Pest
Corn earworm is the major pest for sweet corn. They munch on the top of the cob working their way down. You don't realise that they are there until it's too late. Sometimes they will leave a telltale sign that they are there, by leaving a sawdust trail on the top/outside of the cob.
If you see this sawdust trail pull the top of the cob apart, grab the grub and squash it, or you could feed it to the chooks. Don't just throw it on the ground as it will continue its cycle. Re-cover the cob, wrap an elastic band around the top of the cob. This will stop the cob from drying out and stop other bugs getting in.

Saving Seed
'Corn Seed' being an 'air pollinated plant' needs at least a 2 kilometre distance between crops as corn will easily cross pollinate with the local farmer or your neighbours crops. If this happens, there goes your true to type seed.

If you are going to save seed ensure it has not been cross pollinated or that it is not seed from a hybrid plant as hybrid varieties may not produce fertile seed. If you use these seeds you won't know until it's too late and the cobs have not pollinated, this could take up to eight weeks.
Please ensure that the seed is from a healthy non-hybrid plant - an 'old variety'.
If you don't know, don't use that particular seed for the next season's crop, buy fresh seed.

To save corn seed pick the earliest and the best-developed corncob, cover with a large enough paper bag and tie the top to keep the bugs and grubs out.
Do not use a plastic bag as the cob needs to breathe. Allow the cob to develop and dry out on the stalk as long possible. To store the cobs remove them from the bag, pull back the husks and hang in a dry area, away from vermin or you will end up with a dried out corncob with no seed.

When the cobs are fully dried out break-off the seed, store in a paper bag and keep in a cool place, the bottom of the fridge is a good spot. Good seed should be viable for at least a couple of seasons (two years).

You can buy non-hybrid seeds from Eden Seeds a $1.80 a packet contact no 1800 188 199.

Diseases.
Diseases that attack Corn are mainly fungi and viruses.
Crops planted late in the season are more than likely to develop these diseases. Providing you plant out your crop at the right time of the year and have a happy well composted garden, use liquid fertilisers and rotate your crops, you will have healthy strong plants.

With having healthy strong plants there will no need for any control methods.

Storing Corn.
A corn crop matures all at the same time. Fortunately corn freezes very well. Freeze the corn when it is at its very best and, to ensure the highest nutritional value, as soon as possible after it has been picked.

Bring a large saucepan of water to the boil. Drop in prepared corn cobs, don't overcrowd, and leave them in the boiling water for seven minutes - that is actual time, not after the water comes back to the boil. Drain and cool as quickly as possible by running under cold water and then standing in iced water. Pat dry.
You may like to freeze a few whole cobs but I prefer to scrape the corn off the cob. It has more uses this way, keeps better and takes up less room in your freezer. Pack the corn kernels in plastic bags in meal sized portions. Pat the bags flat, remove any air and seal. Spread packets out in the freezer so they freeze as quickly as possible. It takes a bit of time and room so if you have a huge amount of cobs, do the picking and preserving over two or three days.

If you don’t have a freezer you will be popular with your friends and neighbours for a few weeks or you could try corn relish; -
One litre cider vinegar, 220 grams sugar, one quarter of a white cabbage, two onions, two capsicums (vary the colours), one kilo of corn kernels, two tablespoons cornflour.

One teaspoon of salt, one teaspoon turmeric and three teaspoons of mustard.
Chop and shred the onions, cabbage and capsicum very finely. Bring the vinegar, sugar and condiments to the boil. Add the vegetables and bring back to the boil. Add the flour dissolved in a little water. Simmer the mixture gently, stirring often, until it becomes thick - about 30-40 minutes.
Pour the relish into hot sterile jars and put lids on loosely. Screw the lids tightly down when the relish has cooled.
The jars can be heating (and sterilising) in the oven while you cook the relish.

Corn is delicious and nutritious and well worth the effort of growing.

SELF-SUFFICIENCY SEED COLLECTION

Two years seed supply
The more we take responsibility for our own food the less prone we will be to natural or technological disasters. Start now to grow some of your food and learn to save seeds and exchange them.

A lifetime garden can result
A cottage garden, even a window box, keeps growers in touch with nature. It is self empowering. Eat what is in season and preserve surplus and exchange with friends and neighbours.

Wouldn’t it be good if there was no longer any need for Eden Seeds to be concerned about our endangered food heritage?

The following seed is included in the Towards Self Sufficiency collection. The variety selection is our choice.

PACKETS
Amaranth-Leaf 1
Broad Beans 2
Button Squash 1
Cabbage 4
Capsicum 2
Cauliflower 2
Chilli 1
Celery 1
Cucumber 2
Eggplant 2
Gourd 1
Lettuce 6
Mustard 2
Pumpkin 3
Rockmelon 1
Salad Greens
- Corn Salad 1
- Mizuna 1
- Rocket 1
- Tatsoi 1
Shallots 2
Silverbeet 3
Spinach 4
Sunflower 2
Tomato 6
Turnip 2
Watermelon 2
Zucchini 4

HERBS
Basil 2
Calendula 1
Chives 2
Coriander 2
Dandelion 1
Dill 1
Echinacea 1
Marjoram 1
Nasturtium 2
Pigeon Pea 1
Oregano 1
Parsley 2
Pyrethrum 1
Rosemary 1
Sage 1
Thyme 1
Zinnia 1

BULK
Beans 400g
Beetroot 50g
Broccoli 20g
Carrots 50g
Onions 20g
Peas 400g
Radish 50g
Sweet Corn 400g
Normally at least $326.00

Special Offer $261.00 (including postage and handling)


________________________________________
SPECIAL OFFER!

26 different packets of our old traditional vegetable seed

$66.50 including postage and handling. Worth $88.20

A great gift idea for a friend!

And a good treat for yourself. Our selection which includes:

Bush bean, climbing bean, beetroot, broccoli, cabbage, chinese cabbage, capsicum, chilli, carrot, celery, sweet corn, cucumber, eggplant, lettuce, pumpkin, radish, rockmelon, rocket, shallots, spinach, button squash, sunflower, tomato(2), watermelon, zucchini.

Please note: The "26 packet special offer" is only available as our pre-selected set, if you would like to order your own selection then the normal rates apply ($3.20pp + P&H).
________________________________________
Contact & Ordering Details:
Select Organic
M.S. 905
Lower Beechmont 4211
Phone: (07) 5533 1177
Fax: (07) 5533 1108 (anytime)

http://www.edenseeds.com.au/content/default.asp

How to Grow and Harvest Bananas

Grow Bananas
It's quite possible to grow banana trees, even in cold climates. Banana trees aren't actually trees at all but are large perennial herbs native to the tropics. They grow quickly although it takes 10 to 15 months for a banana tree to actually produce bananas. They don't need a lot of maintenance, so just be sure to water and fertilize them regularly.

Instructions
things you'll need:
•Banana tree
•Shovel
•Water
•Fertilizer
•Mulch
•Pruning shears

1 Obtain a baby banana tree. You can buy these at nurseries, through catalogs or on the Internet. You can buy banana rhizomes or suckers or you can buy small banana trees that are already planted in containers.

2 Select a site for the banana tree. You want a place that is warm, protected from the wind and exposed to full sun. Twelve hours of sun a day is ideal. The soil should be light and well-drained.

3 Plant the banana tree. If it's a small tree in a container it can be planted like any container plant. If it's a rhizome, dig a hole about a foot deep and a foot wide. Put the rhizome in the hole and cover it with dirt.

4 Keep the area around the tree free of weeds. A layer of mulch will help choke out weeds.

5 Water the tree lightly at first. Water it whenever it seems dry but you don't want standing water around the tree at any time. Add some fertilizer to the water before watering the banana tree.

6 Remove any suckers that appear at the base of the tree after it's about 3/4 grown, except for one. Allow one sucker to remain.

7 Prune the leaves and remove dead leaves, if you want. The banana tree doesn't need much pruning.

8 Harvest a bunch of bananas when they're plump, round and no longer have ribs. It will take a while before you actually get bananas, so be patient. You can harvest them by the bunch or individually. They will still be green and will ripen on their own after they're removed from the tree.

9 Cut the banana tree down after it has produced bananas. The sucker that was left over from step 6 will now grow into a new banana tree and produce more bananas.

Tips & Warnings
•Select a cold-resistant variety if you're in a cold climate. These include Musa Basjoo, Saja and Ice Cream.
•It takes a long time for a banana tree to actually grow bananas. In cold climates you might not have enough time unless the banana tree can spend the winter in a greenhouse.
•Speaking of cold climates, bananas don't like frost or cold. Cold-tolerant varieties can survive the winter if you cut down the plant and cover the roots with a thick layer of mulch and a plastic sheet to keep them warm. You could also dig up the plant or just the roots, put it in a container and bring it inside. Put it in a sunny place and treat it like a houseplant.
•Some banana trees are strictly ornamental. If you want to try to grow bananas you can eat, be sure you're not buying an ornamental plant.
•If you're planting more than one banana tree, put them about 10 feet apart.

Chilli Cordial

Ingredients:
24 chillies (fresh or dried)
750ml water
juice and pared zest of 2 lemons
400g granulated sugar
2 tsp tartaric acid - optional

Chilli Cordial Preparation:
Method:Combine the chillies, lemon zest and water in a large pan. Bring to a simmer, cover and cook for about 20 minutes, or until well softened. Remove the chillies with a slotted spoon then stir the sugar into the water left in the pan.

Bring to a boil and continue boiling for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally. Now add the lemon juice and (tartaric acid optional). Return to a boil then take off the heat and bottle. Stopper securely then store in cool, dry, place for a few days before chilling and drinking (top-up with sparkling water before use).

Note, as this cordial contains no preservative it will only last a few weeks. Make certain that you use quickly once opened.

Red Banana (Jamacian Banana)

Red Banana
The ornamental red banana has interesting flowers and foliage, and the colourful bananas produce lots of seeds, unlike most edible bananas which are sterile.

Plant details
Common name: Red banana, self-peeling banana

Botanic name: Musa velutina

Description
A dwarf species of ornamental banana growing to about 2m (6') tall. The large leaves are waxy with a pinkish midrib. The plant produces yellow flowers with red modified leaves or bracts, followed by velvety red bananas. When the fruit is ripe the skins come away from the bananas, hence the common name of self-peeling banana.

Best climate
Although ornamental bananas are well suited to a tropical or subtropical climate, there are restrictions in some states due to concerns over the spread of banana diseases. See 'Important Information' below.

Best lookTropical-style gardens Pots or tubs Indoor plant

Good pointsAttractive flowers, fruit and foliage Easy to grow in warm, frost-free climates Easy to propagate

DownsideMay be difficult to find Not suitable for cooler areas. For a banana look-alike away from the coast, try giant strelitzia (Strelitzia nicolai).

CareBananas like rich, well-drained soil with added organic material (compost and manures). They need a position in full sun with protection from frost and strong winds. Encourage plenty of leafy growth with good watering and mulching. Feed with a complete fertiliser during the growth periods (spring to autumn). Remove dead leaves to keep the plant tidy. Also, cut down stems that are dying back after fruiting. Propagate from ripe seed or by dividing the clump.

Getting started
Other ornamental bananas include Musa ornata which has attractive purple bracts, and M. zebrina with its handsome striped and folded leaves. M. acuminata is a dwarf banana known for its fragrant, edible fruit. Eneste ventricosum, the Abyssinian banana, has arching 6m long leaves with a red midrib.

Ornamental bananas can be ordered through your local nursery, or purchased from growers offering ornamental varieties, such as:

Fruit Spirit Botanical Garden
Lot 69, Dunoon Road
Dorroughby, NSW, 2480
Phone: (02) 6689 5192
or visit the website at www.fruitspirit.com.au

Important information
Restrictions exist on the growing and transport of banana plants and propagation material in Queensland, parts of northern NSW and the Northern Territory to protect commercial banana plantations from disease. These restrictions relate to both Musa species and Ensete species. In Western Australia normal restrictions apply to the importation of plant material from other parts of Australia.

QLD
Although ornamental bananas are well suited to a tropical or subtropical climate, these ornamental plants can not be grown in Queensland due to concerns over the spread of banana diseases. There are also concerns that the plants can become weedy. They are viewed as pest plants and can not be grown. Any existing plants should also be removed. Individuals or companies growing ornamental bananas can face hefty fines.

For more information contact the Queensland Department of Primary Industries on 13 25 23.

Homemade Hot Sauce Recipes

Homemade Hot Sauce Recipe

With so many people sitting with friends and family to watch the Superbowl at home this weekend, I thought it was a perfect time to share my favorite homemade hot sauce recipe.

A few tips: ALWAYS wear gloves when cleaning or handling hot peppers, and always wash your hands thoroughly afterwards.

Homemade hot sauce recipe

Ingredients:
4 cloves of minced garlic

1 cup of diced red onion

3 cups of diced tomatoes

3 tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil

2 medium chili peppers

4 habanero peppers, seeded

1 cup of distilled white vinegar

2 teaspoons salt

2 teaspoons white sugar

Directions:
1. Over medium heat in a large saucepan, heat oil and add the onion, chili peppers, habanero peppers and garlic. Cook for 3 to 4 minutes, or until the onions begin to brown. Stir continuously.

2. Reduce heat. Add the vinegar, tomatoes, salt and sugar. Stir until the tomatoes break down. Roughly 6 minutes.

3. Place mixture in blender and blend until a puree is formed.

4. Pour mixture through a fine mesh sieve.

5. Let mixture cool for an hour.

There you have it. Pretty simple and can be done in under an hour. This sauce is delicious on just about anything and for those that don’t like it too hot, serve it to them when they talk too much during the game.

What Is A Hot Sauce Recipe?

A hot sauce recipe works as a sure-fire approach to win over our friends in any celebration or get-together. So what more appropriate a gesture to display your friendship than by setting his or her face on fire with a mouth watering concoction of spices?

The heat acquired in a hot sauce recipe comes predominantly out of chili pepper, and that, of course, contains the ingediant capsaicin, an irritant which manufactures a burning feeling to any person/pet tissue with which it comes in contact. In severe cases, capsaicin is used to manufacture pepper spray for protection. Needless to say, hot foods have in it lesser quantities.

Some die- hard spice- eaters postulate that the painful sensation that comes with ingesting hot foods releases endorphins within the body, creating a natural euphoric state. Accepting most of their recommendations, listed here are a few of the most searched for- after recipe for your convenience.

The essential hot sauce recipe is pretty straightforward. The ingredients consist of:

3 cups of distilled white vinegar
2 lbs of cayenne/jalapenos seeded and chopped
2 teaspoons of salt

Start by simmering vinegar, salt as well as peppers not less than 5 minutes, afterward process the mix in a blender. Afterwards, preserve sauce in a glass bottle and then place it in a dark cabinet. Allow this to age not less than three months. Strain it once it’s ready to use. Even though this requires patience and time, the result is really a scrumptious encounter in do-it-yourself hot sauce recipes.

Keep in mind, jalapenos and cayenne peppers score pretty mild relating to the Scoville Scale, which measures a food’s hotness. For those searching for a little more punch to his or her sauce, consider adding a few hananeros, which are among examples of the hottest chili peppers on the planet! One more favorite is a habanero scorching hot sauce recipe which is certain to ignite a fire beneath each and every seat at the social gathering.

Your habanero hot sauce recipe require doing business directly with the intimidating chili peppers, as a result always wash your hands thoroughly after handling them. Accidentally touching your eyes afterwards could result in agony!

Ingredients include:
3 plum tomatoes
1/4 cup water
Fresh habanero chilies(1 to 3)
2 Garlic cloves unpeeled
Juice of one orange and one grapefruit
Salt and ground- pepper to taste

Begin by heating a cast iron skillet over medium- low heat. Add tomatoes, chilies and garlic. Pan roast until tender and brown on all sides, turning frequently, for about 20 minutes. Transfer tomatoes to blender and add chilies to blender after removing the seeds/stems. Peel the garlic and add it to the blender as well. Add water, orange juice and grapefruit juice. Puree until smooth. Season to taste with salt and pepper, then serve it at room temperature.

For those who aren’t looking for an extremely hot sauce recipe, there’s always salsa picante. This is a delicious, mild blend of vegetables that compliments seafood.

For salsa picante, you need:
1/2 cup finely chopped onions
1/4 cup olive oil
1/4 cup distilled white vinegar
1/2 cup finely chopped shallots
1 fresh red or green hot chili, about 3 inches long, stemmed, seeded, and cut crosswise into paper- thin slices

In a mixing bowl, combine the olive oil and vinegar, and beat them together with a whisk or fork, then stir in all the other vegetables. Let the sauce rest at room temperature for one hour to let the flavor sink in.

How to Make Vinegar: A Simple Recipe

Although wine making can be a tricky process, using grapes or other fruits to make vinegar is actually pretty easy, as this article by Kristie Leong points out. As long as you can obtain some kind of unpasteurized vinegar solution to use as a starter culture, a suitable container, some fruit juice, and any other ingredients you might want to add for flavoring, you’re good to go.
The only difficult part might be the waiting time required to allow the vinegar to oxidize to the desired strength, but you can compensate for this by making larger quantities to store for later use. Meanwhile, the chemical formula and molecular bonding structure for acetic acid, the active ingredient in vinegar, can be found in the upper left corner of the post.

Why settle for store bought vinegar when you can make it fresh in your own home? The chemical reaction needed to make vinegar is the oxidation of an alcohol (oxidation is simply the addition of oxygen to a chemical group). The simplest way to do this is to convert a sugar into alcohol and then oxidize the alcohol to create vinegar. One of the easiest sources of sugar to use for the fermentation process is fruit juice. Here are easy instructions on how to make vinegar in your own kitchen at home:
Things You’ll Need:

1.A large glass container with a wide mouth. Don’t use metal or plastic as the acid can interact with these materials and ruin your vinegar.

2.Fresh fruit juice. The fruit juice you select should be free of additives or preservatives. Fresh apple or grape juice are good choices.

3.A bottle of unfiltered vinegar. (You can purchase this at a health food store.) This is a source of bacteria for the fermentation process.

How to Make:
•Lay your clean, glass container on the table.

•Pour about a quart of the unpasteurized, unfiltered vinegar into the glass jar.

•Add an equal amount of your chosen fresh fruit juice.

•Mix the two ingredients thoroughly and place the container into a warm, dark place.
The temperature should be between 75 and 85 degrees in the storage area.

•Taste your vinegar periodically until it’s the appropriate strength for your particular taste. This process may take up to 4-6 months to be complete, but remember to check it periodically to assess its taste.

•Once the appropriate vinegar strength is achieved, you can package it into bottles.
What could be easier than this? Plus, you’ll have the thrill of knowing you made it yourself.

What kind of fruit juice works best for making vinegar? This depends on the type of flavor you want your vinegar to have. By using grapes or grape juice, you create wine vinegar. If you use apple juice, you’ll end up with cider vinegar.
Once you know how to make basic vinegar, you can take it a step further and create delicious gourmet vinegars using a variety of herbs, spices, and fruits. These gourmet vinegars add delicious flavors to foods without adding a significant quantity of calories or fat. Plus, they make wonderful hostess gifts or Christmas gifts.

Once you get started making gourmet vinegars, you won’t be able to stop! Plus, these vinegars really transform the taste of your salads and fresh vegetable dishes. It’s a great way to motivate yourself to eat more salad!
Now that you know how to make vinegar, why not try your hand at it in your own home? It’ll taste delicious on your next salad!

Making compost

Want to do something good for the world and save money, too? Then stop buying fertiliser and make compost instead, says Geoffrey Burnie.

In the world's wild places no-one improves the soil or spreads fertiliser, yet they are packed with plants. It's one of the amazing things about plants and soils – they're in perfect balance. Plants grow by extracting nutrients from the soil and the soil is replenished with material that falls from plants. Fallen leaves, bark, twigs, fruit and branches all rot back into the soil, breaking down into the original nutrients the plant took up in the first place.

You can encourage this natural cycle in your own garden by minimising the amount of plant matter you discard, returning it instead to the soil. The more compost you can add to your soil over time, the more fertile and well-structured it will become, and the less fertiliser you will need to apply.

Sweep & spread
Some material can be swept up and spread on the ground between plants – fallen leaves and small twigs, for example. Even leafy hedge clippings can be raked up and spread thinly around the place. Lawn clippings can be disposed of this way too, as long as you spread them thinly so they don't form a thick, dry mass.

Larger pieces of plant material, such as woody branches take too long to rot as they are and may look unsightly if just stuffed between plants. They need to be shredded or chipped into smaller pieces first. Additionally, fallen fruit will smell as it ferments if spread in large quantities. It needs to be composted first.

If you don't like the idea or look of raw material, no matter what it is, then everything can be composted first. Some people argue that placing raw material on the soil leads to nitrogen deficiencies in plants (nitrogen is consumed by the rotting process and can be drawn from the soil) but I have not experienced this with my regular, thin spreadings of small amounts of garden waste.

How to compost
Composting is the process of decomposition, which turns plant matter into a soil-like substance that's nutritious for plants and soil organisms and good for the structure of the soil itself. You don't need any equipment other than a garden fork and a tarp, although you can buy various bins which minimise the space needed for composting. You may think they look nicer than a heap, too.

Let the worms in
Whether you buy a bin or just pile up the material, make compost on the ground so that soil organisms, which help in the rotting process, can enter.

Fine rots fastest
Add material to the compost heap or bin as it becomes available. The finer the material you add the more quickly it will turn into usable compost. Break up twigs or run them over with the lawnmower before adding. If you have a mulcher, pass branches through the mulcher first. There's no point adding thick woody pieces as they will take years to rot.

Balance of ingredients
Good compost is produced by blending leafy 'green' matter with harder 'brown' matter. 'Green' matter includes grass clippings, vegetable scraps, and soft green prunings. 'Brown' matter is shredded woody branches, dried leaves, straw and shredded newspaper.

Try to add brown and green matter in layers, not making any layer too thick. If you put in too much green matter, the compost may go sludgy and smelly. Too much brown matter and it won't break down quickly. With a good balance of the two, composting will proceed quickly.

Too much waste
One problem many gardeners face in making compost is that they generate too much of one material. Lawn clippings are a good example as they often make up the bulk of waste generated in a garden. If you just pour them into the compost bin they often do not compost properly and if you don't have enough balancing 'dry' matter, you cannot layer the clippings as you should.

Compost tumblers were designed primarily for grass clippings as the tumbling action aerates the grass and assists in its rapid decomposition. If you don't have one, either spread the clippings thinly over garden beds or pile them up separately, moistening them down between each grass-catcher load. Cover the moistened heap.
Excessive fallen fruit can be another disposal problem. Its moisture content will make compost bins sludgy if it is all tipped in so use some in the compost bin (preferably with other materials) and bury the rest in holes in the garden.

What not to add
Don't add meat or fish scraps, or prawn or crab shells (dig a deep hole and bury them instead – they're great for the soil). Likewise, dog or cat poo, or weeds with seeds attached to them should not go in. If you see flower heads either on the grass or on lawn weeds when you cut the grass, don't add that lot to the compost or you'll spread the seeds around the garden. Only add vegie scraps that do not include seeds.

Cover heaps
If you have a compost heap, cover it with a tarp to stop it becoming too wet with rain. In dry times, you may need to wet layers down as you add them as the heap needs moisture to work properly. As the heap grows, turn it periodically so that the outside matter is transferred to the centre.

The composting process
Both bins and heaps soon become alive with worms and many other creepy crawlies. By feeding on the material, these critters are helping to break it down into compost. They're completely normal and useful. As the material you add rots, its bulk reduces dramatically making room for more. Only when the rotted material fills the bin or the heap can be made no bigger should you consider using the compost.
When fully decomposed the compost will have a pleasant earthy smell and you will see little or nothing of the original ingredients.

How to use
You can spread compost onto any garden bed as a thin mulch (about 5cm deep is ideal). Organisms in the soil will begin to feed on it and in doing so will drag it beneath the surface where it will eventually form humus, the vital ingredient of all fertile soils.

Fallen leaves
If your biggest 'waste' problem is leaves falling from deciduous trees, you can do several things with them. You can add them to a compost heap or bin as 'brown' matter. You can spread them directly onto the garden as a mulch (though they might blow around if the wind gets up), or you can stuff them tightly into big plastic bags, which can be piled up in an out-of-the-way spot. Make sure the leaves are moist when you put them in the bags and punch two to three holes in each bag to let air in. By spring, the leaves will have partly decomposed into leaf mould, an excellent mulch and soil additive.

Make Your Own Bug Sprays

Alcohol Sprays
The idea of using rubbing alcohol as a spray for plants pests has been around for years. Can cause leaf damage on African Violets, and Apple trees.

Protection offered: Alcohol sprays work on aphids, mealybugs, scale insects, thrips and whiteflies. Alcohol sprays have been used successfully on houseplants and tropical foliage plants. Most of these have heavy, waxy cuticles that are not easily burned.

How to Make: Use only 70% isopropyl alcohol(rubbing alcohol): mix 1 to 2 cups alcohol per quart of water. Using undiluted alcohol as a spray is very risky for plants. You can also mix up an insecticidal soap spray according to the dilution on the label but substitute alcohol for half of the water required.

How to Use: Since alcohol can damage plants always test your spray mix on a few leaves or plants first. Tests results should show up within 2 or 3 days.
...
Tomatoe Leaf
Nightshade family plants, such as tomatoes, potatoes and tobacco, have toxic compounds called alkaloids in their leaves. These toxins are water soluble and can be soaked from chopped leaves and made into home-made sprays. These sprays also work by attracting natural pest enemies. The good bugs follow the smell of the spray in looking for prey.

Protection Offered: Tomatoe leaf sprays have been used to protect plants from aphids. Also, spraying tomatoe leaf spray on corn may reduce corn earworm damage. The corn earworm is also called the tomatoe fruitworm, as it also attacks tomatoe plants. A scientific study has shown that corn plants sprayed with tomatoe leaf spray attracted significantly more Trichogramma wasps to parasitize the corn earworm eggs than the unsprayed did.

How to Make: Soak 1 to 2 cups of chopped or mashed tomatoe leaves in 2 cups of water overnight. Strain through cheescloth or fine mesh, add about 2 more cups of water to the strained liquid, and spray. For aphid control, be sure to thoroughly cover the leaf undersides, especially of lower leaves and growing tips of plants where aphids congregate.

How to Use: Spray plants thoroughly, particularly undersides of lower leaves and growing tips where aphids congregate. while this spray is not poisonous to humans on contact, use care in handling, especially if you are allergic to the nightshade family.
...
Garlic Oil Sprays:
Organic gardeners have long been familiar with the repellent or toxic affect of garlic oil on pests. when it is combined with mineral oil and pure soap,as it is in the recipe that follows, devised at the Henry Doubleday Research Association in England, it becomes an effective insecticide. Some studies also suggest that a garlic oil spray has fungicidal properties.

Protection Offered: Good results, with quick kill, have been noted against aphids, cabbage loopers, earwigs, June bugs, leafhoppers, sqaush bugs and whiteflies. The spray does not appear to harm adult lady beetles, and some gardeners have found that is does'nt work against the Colorado potaoe beetles, grape leaf skeletonizers, grasshoppers, red ants, or sowbugs.

How to Make: Soak 3 ounces of finely minced garlic cloves in 2 teaspoons of mineral oil for at least 24 hours. Slowly add 1 pint of water that has 1/4 ounce liquid soap or commercial insecticide soap mixed into it. Stir thoroughly and strain into a glass jar for storage. use at a rate of 1 to 2 Tablespoons of mixture to a pint of water. If this is effective, try a more dilute solution in order to use as little as possible.

How to Use: Spray plants carefully to ensure thorough coverage. To check for possible leaf damage to sensitive ornamentals from the oil and soap in the spray, do a test spray on a few leaces or plants first. If no leaf damage occurs in 2 or 3 days, go ahead and spray more.
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Herbal Sprays
Many organic farmers are familiar with using sprays made from aromatic herbs to repel pests from the garden plants. Several recent studies confirm the repellent effect of such sprays. The essential oil of Sage and Thyme and the alcohol extracts such as Hyssop, Rosemary, Sage, Thyme, and White Clover can be used in this manner. They have been shown to reduce the number of eggs laid and the amount of feeding damage to cabbage by caterpillars of Diamond back moths and large white butterflies. Sprays made from Tansy have demonstrated a repellent effect on imported cabbageworm on cabbage, reducing the number of eggs laid on the plants. Teas made from Wormwood or Nasturtiums are reputed to repel aphids from fruit trees, and sprays made from ground or blended Catnip, Chives, Feverfew, Marigolds, or Rue have also been used by gardeners against pests that feed on leaves.

Protection Offered: Try herbal sprays against any leaf-eating pests and make note of what works for future reference.

How to Make: In General, herbal sprays are made by mashing or blending 1 to 2 cups of fresh leaves with 2 to 4 cups of water and leaving them to soak overnight. Or you can make a herbal tea by pouring the same amount of boiling water over 2 to 4 cups fresh or 1 to 2 cups dry leaves and leaving them to steep until cool. Strain the water through a cheesecloth before spraying and dilute further with 2 to 4 cups water. Add a very small amount of nondetergent liquid soap (1/4 teaspoon in 1 to 2 quarts of water) to help spray stick to leaves and spread better. You can also buy commercial essential herbal oils and dilute with water to make a spray. Experiment with proportions, starting with a few drops of oil per cup of water.

How to Use: Spray plants thoroughly, especially undersides of leaves, and repeat at weekly intervals if neccessary.
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"Hot" Dusts
Black pepper, chili pepper, dill, ginger, paprika, and red pepper all contain capsaicin, a compound shown to repel insects. Synthetic capsaicin is also available for feild use. Researchers have found that as little as 1/25 ounce of capsaicin sprinkled around an onion plant reduced the number of onion maggot eggs laid around the plant by 75%, compared to a control plant.

Protection Offered: Capsaicin-containing dusts repel onion maggots from seedlings, as well as other root maggot flies from cabbage family plants and carrots. Pepper dusts around the base of the plants help repel ants, which is desirable in a garden where ants often protect and maintain aphid colonies on plants.

How To Make: It can be rather expensive to buy enough packaged pepper dusts to sprinkle throughout your garden. However, if you grow and dry your own red peppers, chili peppers, or dill, you can make lots of dust at low cost. Use a mortar and pestle to grind the peppers, or dill, including the seeds, to dust. Be careful handling the hot peppers because they irritate sensitive skin.

How to Use: Sprinkle along seeded rows of onions, cabbage, or carrots, in a band at least 6 inches wider than the row or planting bed. A fine sprinkling will suffice, but the more dust you use, the better the effect. Renew after a heavy rain or irragation. To protect plants from ants, sprinkle around the base of plants in an area as wide as the widest leaves.
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Pyrethrin
The dried, powdered flowers of the pyrethrum daisy, Tanacetum cinerarifolium, were used as early as 1880 to control mosquitoes. The popularity of pyrethrum insecticides waned when synthetic insecticides were introduced, but they are now enjoying a commercial comeback. Many new products formulated with natural pyrethrums are available. Pyrethrins are the insecticidal chemicals extracted from the pyrethrum daisy. Do not confuse them with pyrethroids, the term for a new class of synthetic pesticides. Pyrethrums, which are mainly concentrated in the seeds of the flower head, are a contact insecticide, meaning the insect only has to touch the substance to be affected. Pyrthrins have a quick knockdown effect on insects: Flying insects are paralyzed. pyrethrins can be applied up to one day before harvest because they are quickly destroyed by light and heat and are not persistent in the environment. Pyrthrins will kill lady beetes but do not appear to be harmful to bees. They are toxic to fish and to the aqautic insects and other small animals that fish eat. Pyrethrins do not seem to be toxic to birds or mammals.

Protection Offered: Pyrethrins are registered for flowers, fruits, and vegetables, including greenhouse crops. they are effective on many chewing and sucking insects, including most aphids, cabbage loopers, celery leaftiers, codling moth, Colarado potaotoe beetles, leafhoppers, Mexican bean beetles, spider mites, stink bugs, several species of thrips, tomato pinworms, and whiteflies. they are especially good against flies, gnats, mosquitoes, and stored products pests. Flea beetles are not affected, nor are imported cabbageworms, diamondback moths, pear psylla, and tarnished plant bugs.

How to Make: If you grow your own pyrethrum daisies, you'll have the main ingredient for a make-it-yourself spray. The concentration of pyrethrums is at its peak when the flowers are in full bloom, from the time the first row of florets open on the central disk opens too the time all the florets are open. pick flowers in full bloom and hang them in a sheltered, dark spot to dry. Once the flowers have dried thoroughly, grind them to afine powder, using a mortar and pestle, old blender or small hammer mill. Mix with water and add a few drops of liquid soap. Store in a glass jar and keep the lid tightly closed, because the mixture looses activity if left open. You'll have to experiment with the amount of water to add, because the concentration of pyrethins in the flowers is an unknown variable. If the spray you make does not seem to kill insects, use less water the next time you make the concentrated spray. Also keep in mind whole flower heads stay potent longer so do not grind until ready to use.

How to Use: Pyrethrins are more effective at lower temperatures, so for best results, apply in early evening when temperatures are lower. Spray both the upper and lower surfaces of the leaves, because spray must directly contact the insects such as thrips that hide in leaf sheaths and crevices. The first spray will excite them and bring them out of hiding, the second will kill them. Never use pyrethrin products around waterways and ponds.
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Nicotine
One of the top three insecticides in the 1880s, nicotine in several forms is still widely used. Nicotine comes from the tobacco plant and is extremely toxic to insects. The great advantage of home-made nicotine tea is that it is very short ived, retaining its toxicity for only a few hours after spraying. It is relatively nonhazardous to bees and lady beetles because of its short persistence.

Protection Offered: Nicotine is effective against ground and soil pests, especially root aphids and fungus gnats, and on many leaf-chewing insects, such as aphids, immature scales, leafhoppers, thrips, leafminers, pear psylla, and asparagus beetle larvae.

How To Make: You can brew your own batch of nicotine tea by soaking tobacco leaves or cigarette butts in water to make a spray. Soak 1 cup of dried, crushed tobacco leaves, or an equivalent amount of cigarette butts, in one gallon of warm water with 1/4 teaspoon pure soap added. Strain the mixture through cheesecloth after it has soaked for 1/2 hour. The solution will keep for several weeks if stored in a tightly closed container.

How to Use: For soil pests, pour the spray mixture onto the soil in the area of the stem base and root zone. for leaf pests, spray leaves thoroughly, especially the undersides. Nicotine can be absorbed by plant leaves and remain there for several weeks. to be safe, use nicotine only on young plants and only up to one month before harvest. It's probably safest not to spray nicotine on eggplant, peppers or tomatoes. While most tobacco cultivars now grown are resistant to tobacco mosaic virus, nicotine sprays could contain the pathogen, which will infect nightshade family crops.

Companion Planting

A couple of general plants that make great companions for some good reasons!

Basil helps repel flies and mosquitoes.
Borage in the strawberry patch will increase the yield.
Catnip repels fleas, ants and rodents.
Caraway helps breakdown heavy soils.
Chamomile deters flies and mosquitoes and gives strength to any plant growing nearby.
Chives grown beneath apple trees will help to prevent apple scab; beneath roses will keep away aphids and blackspot.
Elderberry a general insecticide, the leaves encourage compost fermentation, the flowers and berries make lovely wine!
Fennel (not F. vulgare or F.officionale) repels flies, fleas and ants.
French Marigold root secretions kill nematodes in the soil. Will repel white fly amongst tomatoes.
Garlic helps keep aphids away from roses.
Hyssop attracts cabbage white moth keeping brassicas free from infestation.
Mint repels cabbage white moth. Dried and placed with clothes will repel clothes moth.
Nasturtium secrete a mustard oil, which many insects find attractive and will seek out, particularly the cabbage white moth. Alternatively, the flowers repel aphids and the cucumber beetle. The climbing variety grown up apple trees will repel codling moth.
Pyrethrum will repel bugs if grown around the vegetable garden.
Rosemary repels carrot fly.
Rue (Rutus, not Peganum) keeps cats and dogs off garden beds if planted round the borders.
Sage protects cabbages from cabbage white moth.
Tansy (Tanacetum, not Senecio) repels moths, flies and ants. Plant beneath peach trees to repel harmful flying insects. Tansy leaves assist compost fermentation.
Wormwood (Artemesia, not Ambrosia) although it can inhibit the growth of plants near it, wormwood does repel moths, flies and fleas and keeps animals off the garden.