Garden Wisdom Blog

3 red onions, quartered and sliced 4 plum tomatoes, quartered 4-6 garlic clove, peeled and left whole 1 aubergine, thickly sliced extra virgin olive oil 2 tsp finely chopped rosemary leaves 2 tsp chopped thyme 400g canned chick peas, drained and rinsed 1 tbsp Balsamic vinegar 175g Feta cheese, crumbled freshly ground salt and black pepper Chop together fresh ingredients sprinkle over baby leaf salad lettuce, rinsed and dried, and drizzle dressing atop the salad to taste. Sprinkle some salt and pepper and serve!

Club root is the thickening and distortion of the roots of Brassicas by the soil fungus Plasmodiophora brassicae. Roots are distended and swollen and may appear to be shaped like fingers or tumors. Infected plants will exhibit day wilting (wilting during the day, recovering at night), and general poor production. Root Brassicas like radishes and turnips may show black lesions. All Brassicas are prone to this fungal disease: arugula, bok choy, broccoli, Brussels sprouts, cabbage, canola, cauliflower, ching chiang, collards, cress, daikon, gai lan, horseradish, joi choi, kale, kohlrabi, mustards, pac choi, radish, rape, rutabaga, tatsoi, toy choy, turnip, wasabi,...

The Carrot Rust Fly [CRF] is a weak flying insect pest that feeds its young on 107 different plants in the carrot family, including carrots, celery, parsnips, celeriac, parsley, and dill. The insect (Psila rosae) earned its common name due to the rusty coloured scarring left by its larvae as they feed on carrots, rendering them unmarketable. The adult female CRF deposits her eggs in the soil near the base of the base of the carrot, and about one week later the larva hatches and begins to feed on the carrot root. Eventually the larva pupates (forms a cocoon) in...

It’s Winter Solstice, the shortest day of the year. We wake up to the dark; we drive home in the dark. We have vanquished the autumn leaves, laid to rest the garden beds, and wait for the seed catalogue to arrive. There is little else to do. We welcome the shortest day of the year-winter solstice-one that goes largely unnoticed by most. However, for us gardeners it is a pivotal day of the year. We have surrendered completely to the ways of nature. We understand that many plants will not bloom unless triggered by a stretch of longer nights. We...

The days are getting shorter, and your commute’s done in the dark mornings and evenings. Yes, it’s November, and that means cold, dark days. While there are still many seasonal greens that you can grow in cold frames in your garden, in November thoughts tend to turn indoors. Thankfully, it’s easy to grow fresh, healthy food inside your home as well, for green winter salads. In November and throughout the coming winter season, sprouts and microgreens are the ideal complement to the other local vegetables and preserved foods on your menu. Why grow microgreens and sprouts? Nutritionally, they’re powerhouses: as...