Steve’s little burb’s patch

Steve S · **Posted:** Mon Feb 21, 2011 10:48 pm

Last Saturday I came back from nursery with a Carob tree,
A grafted self pollinating, not exactly cheep at $55 and still don’t know where to put it and what to do with it.
But with about 50% sugar content husks, it’s bound to be good for something.

Getting plenty of cucumbers and toms but the cuc’s vines are already looking tired.

Steve S · **Posted:** Sun Mar 06, 2011 11:53 pm

Cuc and tom vines look far from best but still picking fair bit from them.
I did clear one cuc bed and replanted with supermarket bought shallots.
Some of the mini lebanese eggplants are doing quite well.

earthbound · **Posted:** Mon Mar 07, 2011 12:58 pm

Is that an avocado tree I see in that first pic?

Your place is just so productive Steve.. :clap:

Do you bring a lot into the yard in the way of compost, manure, straw etc?

Simo · **Posted:** Mon Mar 07, 2011 3:12 pm

Eggplants look great, how do you know when to pick them? not matter how long I leave mine foir the always seem to be green inside and very bitter :yuck:

Any secrets?

Steve S · **Posted:** Mon Mar 07, 2011 10:31 pm

earthbound wrote:

Is that an avocado tree I see in that first pic?

Your place is just so productive Steve.. :clap:

Do you bring a lot into the yard in the way of compost, manure, straw etc?

Not really EB
The “Potting mix” in the barrels is mushroom compost mixed with chunky cocopeat and in the garden just lot of compost
and some poultry manure when needed.

The leaves do look similar to avocado (on the pic) but it’s “King White” Mulberry (White Shahtoot), in pot,
waiting for my SIL to find time and a place to plant it.

Steve S · **Posted:** Mon Mar 07, 2011 10:38 pm

Simo wrote:

Eggplants look great, how do you know when to pick them? not matter how long I leave mine foir the always seem to be green inside and very bitter :yuck:

Any secrets?

Pick them while still firm, I’ll just wait till there’s enough of them to pick.
Salting the eggplants takes the bitterness out of them.

Last year I dried all the eggplants but have to be boiled and squeezed dry first before using them in egg omelette.
That’s too much hassle.

Now I will bottle them in oil as per “Preserving the Italian Way” recipe for the small Lebanese eggplants.

Ingredients: Salt, Chilli flakes, Mint, Olive oil, Garlic

(Verbatim)
1. Slice small eggplants and place under a liberal layer of salt
2. Place a weight on them and leave 24 hours
3. Drain the brine, wash off the excess salt and squeeze dry
4. Mix with garlic, chilli flakes and mint and place in a jar
5. Cover in oil. Mix well at first in the jar to ensure that the oil is thoroughly mixed
and then place a weight on the eggplant to ensure that they stay under oil.
6. Leave under oil until you need to use them

Does not specify quantities but one of similar recipes for 4 kg eggplants:
5 cloves of garlic
7 hot chillies
15 leaves of basil
1 tsp of oregano
handful of fresh mint
fresh wild fennel (seeds and stalks)

I would put first some oil in the jar and then add the eggplant mix in by small layers pressing firmly
and topping with the oil to prevent air bubbles getting trapped.

Steve S · **Posted:** Tue Mar 22, 2011 11:11 pm

Ripped out all cuc vines and replanted beds with garlic and shallots.
Most of the toms are binned as well, only a couple left for show and tell,
if they will last till the weekend.

Have lost the battle with aphids on the tamarillos.
First only the yellow fruited was infected, then the purple one as well and even the “Rocoto” chilli bush behind them.

Sprays were useless, because of the rains we had so chopped both down.
I’m familiar with the purple one but really wanted to try the yellow.
Have another variety of the yellow tamarillo, still in a pot, it has very thick leaves,
totally ignored by any pest, so far.

Already picking ripe figs.
Last year we had lot of “Fuyu” persimmons (for the tree size) but this year it was a disaster.
Pretty wet summer with some scorching days caused the fruit drop (if that was the cause), and burn the new growth.

No pics, the PC is ignoring my camera and wants to formate its SD card if put into the reader.
Not for the first time but now it persists.

earthbound · **Posted:** Thu Mar 24, 2011 4:44 pm

I've been keeping an eye out for that book on ebay, no luck so far.....

Steve S · **Posted:** Thu Mar 24, 2011 7:32 pm

I ordered it directly from http://www.preservingtheitalianway.com.au/

Food&Fish · **Posted:** Thu Mar 24, 2011 7:56 pm

I have one i often refer to it

earthbound · **Posted:** Sat Mar 26, 2011 5:16 pm

Just ordered 2 copies, thanks for that.... :clap:

Food&Fish · **Posted:** Sun Mar 27, 2011 5:25 pm

earthbound wrote:

Just ordered 2 copies, thanks for that.... :clap:

So you are going to use it twice as much :joy:

Steve S · **Posted:** Fri Apr 08, 2011 9:49 pm

Nearly all toms are gone, have moved one wicking bed from the shady corner into the open and made another two.

Bishops Crown chilli looks better adorned than xmas tree.

Two (different) lots of shallots bought from greengrocer are coming up nicely.
Last year I lost one lot that didn’t come up, most probably treated to prevent sprouting.

Behind them shows one of two Naranjillas and Rocoto de san Isidro chilli.
It was picked over recently so only two chillies are showing their true color.
They’re too meaty to dry so halved and cleaned went into the freezer.

Steve S · **Posted:** Fri Apr 08, 2011 10:01 pm

Another use for the Bracing Angle Bar – A drying rail with hooks, holding Ashwagandha (Withania somnifera)
and a small drying rack with some chillies in it.

Big_Dave · **Posted:** Sat Apr 09, 2011 1:57 pm

Nice one steve, Your Bishop is looking abit like my Orange Hab - Going off it's head!

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