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Babaco — bit like a pawpaw but not quite

Photos and story by Russ Grayson Easy to grow, likes water but not too much, tasty. Common name: BabacoBotanical name: Carica pentagona Growth form/conditions: A slender, uptight plant of compact growth form like pawpaw. Single, softwood trunk patterned with leaf scars. Seldom grows more than two metres in height. A plant of the tropics, subtropics that […]

Pawpaw — another fast fruit

Photos and story by Russ Grayson Common name: Pawpaw, papayaBotanical name: Carica papaya Growth form: A small, usually single-stem tree between 3-10 m of tropical, subtropical climates. The tree will grow in coastal warm temperate climates. Large, lobed, palmate-shaped leaves grow from the crown to around 50–70 cm in length. The fruit grows from the crown. Reproduction: Seed.Centre of diversity: Central/northern South America. […]

Black sapote — chocolate pudding fruit

Photo and story by Russ Grayson IT IS SOFT, black and gooey. It looks past its prime. It is all these things and it is delicious. I am talking about black sapote, a tree fruit seen more often now than in the past though it is far from common. Not the thing you will find […]

Bananas

Story and photos by Russ Grayson, October 2018. Common name: Banana.Scientific name: Musa spp; many species. Growth form: Single stem herbivorous flowering plant of tropics to cool temperate of variable height with large, broad leaves radiating from the crown. Bananas develop on stems that grow from the crown and that end in a single, large, cone-shaped […]

Jerusalem artichoke

Jerusalum artichoke has a similar growth form to sunflower. It can grow in excess of two metres.

French sorrel

Photo and story by Russ Grayson Common name: French sorrel. Botanical name: Rumex acetosa Growth form: Perennial, clumping, leafy vegetable of temperate regions with long, lanceolate-shaped leaves. Grows to around 60cm high with deep roots and small whorls of reddish flowers. Propagation: From seed.Centre of diversity: Europe to Central Asia.Edible part: Leaf.Uses: Vegetable, cooked. Uses […]

Purslane

Story and photos by Russ Grayson Common name: PurslaneBotanical name: Portulaca oleracea, family Portulacaceae.Growth form: Reproduction: From seed.Centre of diversity: Australasia, North Africa, Middle East, Indian subcontinent. Uses: Eaten as a leaf vegetable fresh in a salad; stir-fried; cooked like spinach; because of its mucilaginous quality it also is suitable for soups and stews:Australian Aborigines use […]

Edible roots

Photos and story by Russ Grayson Root crops are a concentrated source of dietary carbohydrates and proteins. They are among humanity’s oldest crops. Edible roots are suitable in community gardens in: Root crops come in both annual and perennial forms (perennials are those taking longer than two years to produce a crop).For community gardeners, the […]

Fast fruits

Story and photos by Russ Grayson FAST, TASTY, ABUNDANT — the fast fruits are suitable for even small community gardens. Fast fruits are suitable for the community garden because they: For community gardeners, the fast fruits offer: Where to plant your fruit or nut trees and shrubs Before you plant your fruit trees: Plant your […]

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