Collecting seed - Rocket

How to collect Rocket seed (tips by organic garden designer: SDC)

1.     Once the plant has ‘gone to flower’ (flowered) it will produce long seed pods.

2.     Let the seed pods mature on the plant and then pick them.

3.     Place them on a plate or aluminum baking dish away from direct sunlight to dry out

4.     Once they have dried out, crunch the dried pods in your hands to separate the seeds which can be sifted into a colander to separate seed pods

5.     Place the seeds in a paper bag or envelope, label, date and store in a dark dry place, ready to be used again.

NOTES:

·      Rocket seed scan be sewn and grown regularly through most seasons is Australia (Southern parts avoid summer).

·      Best to collect seed from you best producing plant(s)

.     Refer to our blog on seed raising guide

Garden produce quick meals

The advantages of a raised garden bed means a quick pick meal full of health and vitality after a long day at work...a taste sensation; chilli, panfried zucchini and flowers, fennel, carrots, purple basil, spanish onion, salad leaves of beetroot, rocket, english spinach, curled lettuce, mustard lettuce, pursplane topped with finely grated mature swiss gruyere cheese from the markets - YUMO

Lilly Pillies

Selecting multi functional plants is practical - in this case, The Lilly Pilly; a native food source for insects and birds, a screening plant, decorative flowers, edible parts, scented pleasure, botanical dyes, aesthetic it goes on.

Raised Garden Beds

Guide to raised garden bed planting

Click on link for our planting guide....

Seed Raising 101

For those of you who are keen to grow some of your own food, GO FOR IT! Whether it's a balcony garden, a few pots, some raised garden beds or your entire backyard, nothing beats the joy of seed raising, germination and growing food. Here are some handy tips:

• If you are new to gardening and growing food, I encourage you to read some books on Permaculture or to join your local permaculture group which is not only wonderful for networking but your knowledge will increase at a very fast rate. 

• There is a great book called the Seed Savers Handbook - this will teach you how to collect your seeds once your plants surpass their food supply and 'go to seed';  you can save money from purchasing future seeds by collecting your own (or better still swap seeds or supply organic seed suppliers).  

• Seeds come in ALL SORTS OF SIZES. For large seeds for example, peas, beans or sunflowers, it's very easy to plant them directly into healthy compost soil and add a little mulch. You can certainly grow smaller seeds this way but some people prefer to 'raise' them firstly in small containers with finely sifted soil and nurture them for a few weeks until they grow into small tube stock plant. These are then transplanted into your garden. It's best to use a fine spray nozzle setting on your hose (or a water bottle with a spray mist) to water your seedlings so as not to drown them. Protect them from harsh drying sun and wind. Sometimes indoors near a window with good natural light is ideal. Or a shade house on your balcony with some indirect sun. 

• Seed raising containers - make your own from recycled cans, plastic yoghurt jars etc - be innovative!!!! Of all the tools and supplies you can purchase (from cocopeat pots etc), one of the best tools I have experienced is the NewsPaper Pot Maker - available from suppliers such as Green Harvest . If you have access to newspapers from recycle bins this is a great project for kids to make up some biodegradable pots that you can plant directly in the soil with your seedling. 

Alternatively, you can make your own Origami Seed pots via quick tutorials like this one:

PLEASE NOTE: Not to use Cardboard which has Boron in it which is not a good chemical to ingest.

SOURCING SEEDS:

• Today there are many wonderful organic seed suppliers. Some of my usual suspects are Eden Seeds and Green Harvest. On the Eden Seed website they offer handy seed varieties 'By Season' so that you select seeds for the right time of year. Even in Winter, we can grow some excellent staples for delicious soups etc. 

Treating Marek's Disease

Link info on Mareks Disease

Click on the above link for some handy information on Marek's Disease - should your chook be looking and acting ill, this is a common disease.

St Johns Wort as treatment
Click the above link for handy treatment tip using St Johns Wort (I purchased liquid drops from a herbalist in Mona Vale, diluted in the drinking water for a week - which worked wonders).

Designing for wildlife

 

Why not allocate some of your garden space to provide food to your local threatened fauna? Your local council will have a list of threatened plants and native animals to your area. No matter how small your garden, there will be something you can grow to shelter or feed a smaller bird, provide beneficial insect attractants or join forces to  plant threatened native species...if they are under threat, what animals are also under threat? As Sydney's population growth is estimated to add 1.1million people by 2031 and housing development must sustain this growth it is important for home owners to plan for Natural corridors, wherever we can. 

Koala habitat - natural resource management information note »

Presence of Koala Food Trees. The draft State Koala Recovery Plan. (NPWS 2003) includes a list of Koala food trees in NSW.

Also visit the Save the Koala Foundation at http://www.savethekoalashop.com/