This really works! As a kid we went to strawberry farms which had huge rows of black plastic with strawberries planted along them, and it always seemed a bit mean to the plants to have them almost smothered, but it really works for growing strawberries in the home garden too.
Read MoreCategory: Fruit
Acerola
This sweet little tree has just started to rain ripe fruit on our driveway. The acerola is one of those fruits like loquats and cape gooseberries that is suited to eating as you walk past the tree, rather than picking for later. The acerola, Malphigia emarginata, is also called various types of cherry, and I think around here is often called a brazilian cherry. The fruit is juicy and the skin is so thin you don’t need to peel them, making a quick bite a treat The flavour is sweet, aromatic, sharp, and…
Read MoreLocal fruit: Black apple, Planchonella australis
These were a complete surprise to me, but it was nice to discover a native fruit tree, the black apple, in the forest here. I discovered them by chance after following the dog when she took off into the forest.
Read MorePlanting citrus for Spring
We were in at Tweed Heads (our closest city, on the Gold Coast) on Sunday, and bought six citrus saplings to plant for Spring. They were reasonably priced, come from a local nursery, and most importantly looked healthy. In Spring here citrus have a big flush of new leaves and flowers, and it is important to catch the growth spurt to get the most out of the season. I have a lot to learn yet about citrus care in the subtropics, but I’m giving it a go. Looking around at properties here you…
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