Author: noonegetstoomuchlight

Native bees in the Megachile genus roosting on our native berry saltbush (atriplex semibaccata), available on our store. By planting native vegetation, especially that which is native to your region, we provide food and habitat to native animals. Whilst a bobtail lizard enjoys the odd strawberry, many native animals are highly reliant on native vegetation that is disappearing in our suburbs, and cannot be replaced with imported species. They are relying on us to keep them around!

The ‘natives’ section on our site is looking a bit thin at the moment but I promise we have exciting things in the works. Habitat plants come in shapes and sizes for all gardens, from trees and shrubs to flowers, groundcovers, and native grasses. As an added bonus, many of the species we are cultivating can be eaten by humans as well! Our native trees and plants are being started in species – appropriate medium that incorporates Aussie made biochar and symbiotic fungi,  and when they are  ready to go they will have a healthy, air – pruned root system ready to shoot out into their native soil.

(It will get there)

We are adding several new plants to our site but Cardoons are an unusual vegetable in Australia so they deserve some introduction.

A close relative of the artichoke, Cardoons also produce edible flower buds but they are cultivated primarily for their edible stems. These vigorous perennial’s leaves can grow two meters long and are often spiny, but the white giant is a relatively spineless variety.

Like celery, the plant is often ‘blanched’ by excluding sunlight from the base of the stalks, either with soil or by wrapping the base of the plant in cardboard, to achieve a milder flavour and more tender texture. In a commercial setting, it is most commonly grown as an annual with the whole plant being blanched and then harvested, but it can be grown as a perennial and the stalks either harvested unblanched, or the whole plant can be blanched and then only the outer stalks can be harvested. Stalks must be cooked and there are a variety of ways to prepare this extremely productive vegetable.

Cardoons are available on our website at https://aussiesoilblocks.com/ and we will have them with us tomorrow morning at the Belmont Rotamart along with our other new arrivals.

Jerusalem artichokes and seven – year – beans are on special until the end of the year (or until stocks run out!)

Jerusalem artichokes are an incredibly productive, vigorous, perennial member of the Sunflower family. Like Sunflowers, they produce bright yellow flowers on stems that can easily grow 3 – 5 meters tall. In WA they have a long growing season, producing a crop of dozens of tubers that are ready to harvest once the stems die back in Autumn / Winter. Also like sunflowers, the unopened buds can be eaten cooked, similarly to Artichoke, and taste similar to squash. Their vigorous growth makes them perfect for providing Summer shade in a garden, and I have successfully grown these in the same bed as beans and cucumbers, which use the Sunchokes as a trellis. To grow next year, simply leave some tubers in the ground and watch them come up again in Spring. Once harvested, they do not store as long as potatoes, and are best kept in the fridge.

Seven year beans are a vigorous climbing variety with a hidden special feature – they produce an underground tuber! Whilst the tuber is edible, most people prefer to leave it in the ground and once again the plants re – emerge the following year. This variety boasts a long growing season and large, stringless pods which can be eaten raw or cooked.