Seeds, Indoor Plants and Mint with Celery

We’re talking about why some seeds fail in the Plant Doctor segment, growing a different type of celery; in Vegetable Heroes. Mint is good for you in plant of the week and getting back into indoor plants in design elements.

Plant Doctor

Why Seeds Fail.

Some say that rules are meant to be broken but in the instance of seed sowing, I say these rules are meant to be adhered to.

Seeds photo M Cammpm

Are you the type of gardener that breaks rules such as the first rule?
The first rule when it comes to sowing seed, is to sow at the correct times of the year for your district.
But there are plenty of other reasons why seeds fail.
Let’s find out why? I'm talking with Steve Falcioni from www.ecoorganicgarden.com.au

There are quite a few good reasons why seeds can fail for example, some seeds are more sensitive to temperatures and refuse to budge if it’s not within their preferred range. 

Seeds that are old or have been stored incorrectly, say in your garden shed which heats up to over 30 Celsius in summer. 

Seeds drying out if planted too shallowly, or running out of energy because they’re planted to deeply.
Some seeds need darkness to germinate, like pansies, but others need light to germinate. Lettuce need light, for success with these seeds, just press the seeds into the soil surface.
Good drainage for great success, eg cactus and lithop seeds need excellent drainage.

This can mean if they’re sitting in the soil longer, there’s more chance of them rotting off.
So apart from old seeds, the main reasons belong in the environmental category.
If you have any questions for me or for Steve email us at realworldgardener@gmail.com.

VEGETABLE HEROES

Celery Leaf is botanically-(Apium graveolens var. secalinum).

Herb-Celery Leaf , Leaf Celery or Chinese Celery.

• Did you think there was only the celery with the stalks?
• Maybe you’ve heard of Celeriac, well that’s a type of Celery too, but instead of stalks, it’s a bulbous root.

Well, there’s also a type of Celery that’s all leaf and nothing much else.

• Before you say, I chuck the leaves away from the stalk celery, I say, hang on, this one tastes a bit better than those.
• Celery Leaf looks a bit like parsley but tastes similar but slightly better than regular stalk celery!
• Some say it tastes a little stronger than stalk celery or celeriac.

Leaf Celery has been around for a long time and was in fact used by the ancient Romans as a medicinal herb.

Supposedly, Celery seed has been used for around 3000 years as a seasoning for food.

• Did you know that crushed celery seeds are steam distilled to make celery oil?
• This oil is used for flavouring sauces, meats, liqueurs, perfumes, cosmetics and soaps.

Some gardeners have run out of room in their veggie bed already-full of tomatoes, Basil and whatnot.

Never fear, Leaf Celery will grow in pots because it’s a compact plant that only gets to around 20 – 25 cm.

Leaf Celery

If you live in a cool temperate district, container veggies can be moved under cover during winter.

Leaf Celery is a darker green with thin stalks and leaves that look like a cross between the Italian Parsley and the Curley Parsley.

• Celery leaf is perfect for container gardens because it’s a cut and come again plant and is great used as a herb in stews, dressings and salads.

When To Plant

In cool temperate districts, Spring and Summer are your sowing times.

In temperate and sub-tropical zones, you have from Spring right through to Autumn, in arid areas, the only time you can’t really sow it is in summer, and tropical districts win the jackpot, because they can sow it all year round.

How to grow:

• From putting the seed into the ground or pot, it’ll take around 2-3 months.
• Like most veggies, Leaf Celery needs full sun but can do alright in part shade in soil that’s not too dry.
• You can start them off in punnets if you like because they don’t mind being transplanted.
• Keep in mind, Leaf Celery isn’t frost tolerant.
• Sow the very fine seeds thinly, and only 5mm (1/4”) deep.
• Be careful not to cover the fine seeds too much because they need light to germinate.
• For fine seeds I tend to use a light cover of vermiculite which I then mist to make moist.

They can be slow to germinate taking up to 21 days at 10⁰C-18⁰C, so be patient.

In warmer areas, seedlings should emerge in 1-2 weeks.

Once the seeds have germinated it’s a good idea to thin them out around 30cm (12”) apart.

TIP: number 1: Don’t let them dry out.

TIP: number 2:-If you believe in companion planting, then leaf Celery is supposed to be an insect repellent for cabbage white butterfly.

Try planting some around your Brassicas like Broccoli, Cauli, and Cabbage.

TIP: number 3 and now for the Celery Seed.

If you leave your Celery leaf over winter, the plant will bolt to seed in Spring.

What can you do with that?

Apart from replanting fresh seed, the seeds are actually edible.

Ever heard of Celery salt?

What you can also do is grind it up in your mortar and pestle with a little sea salt. Better than from the supermarket shelf.

Plus you can enjoy the dainty white umbels of flowers.

After a couple of months, pick leaves as you need them to put in soups, stews, stocks and sauces.

A few leaves go well in salads with a strong blue cheese or some or cured meats.

Why is it good for you?

The leaves are brimming with five times more magnesium and calcium than the stalks. They're also a rich source of vitamin C and antioxidant’

The good thing is Leaf Celery is low in carbs, and has even a small amount of fibre

THAT WAS OUR VEGETABLE HERO SEGMENT FOR TODAY!

PLANT OF THE WEEK

Mint:Piperita officinalis-Peppermint: Mentha spicata-Common Mint or Spearmint

Even non gardeners would be familiar with the mint herb and many would have imbibed peppermint tea, and perhaps even eaten after dinner mints.
But which mint helps you sleep and which mint helps with a sore stomach?
Let’s find out
I'm talking with was Simone Jefferies, naturopath and herbalist of www.simonejeffriesnaturopath.com.au 

A herb that grows well where it is a bit damp and shady.

Simone says, "mint has a sense of humour, because in Simone's garden, it pops up almost anywhere, including cracks in the pavement. "

Peppermint tea

You can easily buy peppermint plants as well as the many other different varieties of mint.

There are many types of mint: eau de cologne mint, mojito mint, ginger mint, and banana mint.

Banana mint sounded quite delicious and may be an ideal addition to ice cold water on a warm summer’s day.

Benefits of Mint

Peppermint Mint is a calming and soothing herb that has been used for thousands of years to aid with upset stomach or indigestion.

Mint is a mild sedative and can be used just before going to sleep as a calmative.

Cooking with Mint

Mint Sauce-handful of mint, add some sugar, vinegar and boiling water.

Add to steamed peas.

Tabbouleh: 1/3 mint; 2/3 parsley, cracked wheat, spring onions, cucumber  (if desired.)
If you have any questions for me or for Simone, please write in to realworldgardener@gmail.com

PLANT OF THE WEEK;

Indoor Plants:  Introduction

Did you know that NASA has carried out a Clean air Study to figure out which plants help to clean the air in our homes and offices?

Selection of indoor plants about to be potted up. photo: M Cannon

These plants are best at cleaning the air to eliminate toxins.
Toxins like benzene, formaldehyde, carbon monoxide and xylene.
So let’s find out more in this new series on indoor plants.

I'm talking with Julia Levitt, Landscape Designer and Director of www.sticksandstonesld.com.au

Indoor plants not only look attractive, brighten up gloomy areas and generally improve our moods, but they also have an added benefit of cleaning the air.
Those chemicals that I mentioned are all common volatile organic compounds (VOCs) that are emitted into the air in our homes by everyday items such as furniture, carpets and common household appliances as well as air fresheners, hair products and nail polish. Wow!
If you have any questions about indoor plants why not email us realworldgardener@gmail.com or write in to 2RRR PO Box 644 Gladesville NSW 1675

Lilies That Are Pineapple and Sage That Is Just Sage

Introducing a new contributor who has some sage advice in plant of the Week, a crunchy but sweet root veggie in vegetable heroes, No shade for outside dining in Design Elements plus Talking Flowers is back with pineapple lily flowers to delight.

PLANT OF THE WEEK

Sage as Herbal

Herbs are great plants to grow in the garden because they’re so useful in cooking.
But perhaps you’re not using your herbs to fullest?

Even if you just made a tea, you’re expanding the usefulness of that herb.
But what kind of benefits would you get from just drinking a freshly made herbal tea?
Let’s find out … I'm talking to new contributor Simone Jeffries, a naturopath, nutritionist and herbalist. www.simonejeffriesnaturopath.com.au

Sage is Salvia officinalis which you may already know, means it’s the one for medicinal use.
There’s no point buying a Pineapple sage plant and using it’s leaves, it just has to be the medicinal sage which is also the culinary sage. 
There are heaps of benefits of drinking Sage tea but Sage tea is an acquired taste.

Put 6 fresh leaves in a cup of boiling water and let steep for a minimum of 5 minutes.

Somone says "Sip throughout the day for control of night sweats for post-menopausal ladies."
So, if you really want the benefits, then you’ve just got to drink it as Simone says, maybe add a dash of honey.
For sore throats: Make a strong tea and lemon juice and honey and gargle it.

If you have any questions either for me or Simone why not write in to realworldgardener@gmail.com

VEGETABLE HEROES

Yacon is in the Daisy or Asteraceae family.

Scientifically speaking: Smallanthus sonchifolius (syn Polymnia sonchifolia)

Yacon is sometimes called, Peruvian ground apple, strawberry jicama, Bolivian sunroot, llacon, ground-pear, and pear of the earth.

We’ll stick to Yacon-which is the name this vegetable mostly goes by

Yacon is native to the Andes- Colombia and Ecuador but did you know that until as recently as the early 2000s, yacón was hardly known outside of South America?

You probably won’t see it any time soon in your veggie shop but you can buy Yacon tea or Yacon syrup.

So what does this plant look like and which part do you eat?

Yacon is a hardy, attractive herbaceous perennial from which you get quite a few tubers.

The plant grows to 1.5 to 2 m tall with light green angular leaves that look a bit like a milk thistle’s leaves or even a Jerusalem artichoke.

When it flowers, you’ll have male and female daisy-like yellow to orange flowers that are pollinated by insects.

Each plant forms a underground clump of 4 to 20 fleshy large tuberous roots.

The plant itself is extremely hardy tolerating hot summers, drought and poor soils.

The part that you eat is underground.

Yacon tubers look a bit like sweet potatoes, but they have a much sweeter taste and crunchy flesh.

The tubers are very sweet, juicy and almost calorie free but more on that later.

I would say that the tubers taste like a cross between apple and watermelon, but with more sweetness.

Generally it’s a bit tricky describing the taste of a new food, but everyone agrees on the crunchiness.

If you can grow Jerusalem artichokes or Parsnips, you can grow Yacon.

PLANTING DETAILS

Yacon has a long growing season-up to 7 months so generally suits temperate to tropical areas.

But you can grow it in cooler districts.

Yacon can be planted all year round in frost-free areas as it is day-length neutral.

In tropical areas grow Yacon during the dry season before the wet sets in.

It appears to be drought tolerant compared to other vegetable crops and so far, pest-free.

Planting in Cool Climates

• For cold areas of Australia the rhizomes can be started in styrofoam boxes in a greenhouse or on a warm verandah, usually in spring, and planted out when frost is past.
• Split the tubers into individual shoots with their tubers attached and plant into smaller pots.
• Yacon plants are quite sensitive to temperature, so plant them out when you would tomatoes.
• Normally you plant the large tubers into large pots and wait for shoots to start growing from each smaller tuber.

Two Types of Tubers

Yacon actually produces two types of underground tubers, reddish rhizomes directly at the base of the stem that can be eaten but are a bit stringy and tough so they’re mainly used for propagation.

Then there’s the larger brown or purple tubers-these are the ones you eat.

Prepare the soil by loosening well with a fork and working in compost.

To plant, cover a large rhizome/tuber which has several sprouts, with soil to a depth of 3 cm.  Space them 0.5m apart.

But you might just want to start with one plant which you can buy online or some garden centres.

Mulch well because yacon will grow up through the mulch, just like potatoes.

The stems of this plant are brittle so if you haven’t got a wind break tip prune the stems to make the plant lower and more bush.

Because this plant creates dense shade when it grows you probably won’t have to do any weeding. Bonus!

TIP: Yacon grows fast even in poor soils but gives you much bigger tubers in rich, friable, well-drained soil.

So when do you pick this strange vegetable?

• The plant takes 6 - 7 months to reach maturity.
• You know when it’s ready when the top growth withers and dies back.
• This is when you dig up the tuber.
• The tubers look a bit like dahlia or sweet potato tubers, and on average should weigh about 300 g but can weigh up to 2 kg.
• The tubers continue to sweeten as the plant dies back so the main harvest should only take place once all the top growth is dead.
• If you planted your tubers in November they’ll be usually be ready by the end of May.
• Don't leave it too long though, especially in areas that have mild winters, as the plant will start to shoot again as the weather warms up and the days get longer.
• When digging them up, separate the reddish rhizomes from the tubers and wash off any soil, taking care not to break the skin.
• The reddish rhizomes are kept out of the sun and covered with slightly damp sand, sawdust or coco-peat to stop them drying out and put aside for replanting in a dark, dry place.
• These offsets are then replanted for the next season.
• The plant needs to be dug carefully to avoid damage to the crisp tubers. After separation from the central stem undamaged tubers can be stored in a cool, dark and dry place with good air circulation for some months.

If your plant flowers don’t bother with any seeds you might bet because they’re mostly un-viable.

Yacon is almost always propagated from cuttings or tubers.

Why the tubers keep sweetening during storage is because of starch conversion.

You can put them in the sun for a couple of weeks to speed up the sweetening process.

The tubers can be eaten raw as a refreshing treat on their own, finely sliced and mixed into salads, boiled or baked, fried as chips or prepared as a pickle.

There’s plenty of eating tips, too many to mention, but I’ll post them on the website. For those without a computer, write in to me and I’ll send you a fact sheet.

EATING TIPS:

First remove the outer brown skin and inner white skin by peeling with a knife as the skin has a resinous taste.

Inside is amber coloured sweet crunchy flesh.

Like all tubers there are no seeds to remove, so it is quick and easy to prepare.

Chop the tuber into chunks and add it to green salads where they impart a great flavour and texture. I

When cut into long strips, they make an interesting addition to a plate of raw vegetable crudites for dipping into your favourite guacamole or cream cheese dip.

It can also be boiled, steamed or baked with other vegies. In cooking they stay sweet and slightly crisp.

If boiled 'in the jacket' the skin separates from the flesh and can be peeled off like a boiled egg.

Yacon can also be used in a dessert crumble or pie with apples, pears or choko.

In the Andes, they are grated and squeezed through a cloth to yield a sweet refreshing drink. The juice can also be boiled down to produce a syrup. In South America the juice is concentrated to form dark brown blocks of sugar called chancaca. The young stem can be used as a cooked vegetable.

Why is it good for you?

Nutritionally yacon is low in calories but it is said to be high in potassium.

Yacon tubers store carbohydrate in the form of inulin, a type of fructose, which is a suitable food for type II diabetics.

Plants with the sugar inulin such as Jerusalem artichokes and yacon can be useful additions to diet of people with type II diabetes.

AND THAT WAS OUR VEGETABLE HERO SEGMENT FOR TODAY!

TALKING FLOWERS

Pineapple Lily: Eucomis comosa

Grows in the wettest parts of South Africa where it orginates.

Member of the Asparagaceae family.

Pineapple lily is a bulbous perennial with a basal rosette of lime-green leaves.

Mercedes will say, Mr Pineapple Lily, because it starts from a bulb.

The thick stem  carries hundreds of small star-shaped flowers with a tuft of green bracts at the top.

This sort of looks like a pineapple top, hence it's common name.
The Pineapple Lily as a cut flower will last for several weeks in the vase.
Cut the stem straight across, because the flower arises from a plant with a bulb, therefore Mr Pineapple Lily.
Remember to always use filtered water.

I'm talking with Mercedes Sarmini of www.flowersbymercedes.com.au

Video was recorded live during the broadcast of Real World Gardener at 2rrr 88.5 fm radio studios 

DESIGN ELEMENTS

Garden Walkways

Today’s garden challenge is for those gardeners that don’t want hard surface garden paths.
Concrete, brick or other types of paving for paths can be a bit harsh in areas where the garden is quite natural.
In this segment, garden designer Peter Nixon explores some softer alternatives.
Let’s find out…

I'm talking with Peter Nixon, garden designer.
Peter’s not a fan of pebbles on paths.

Instead why not try a combo of bark chips and shell grit, or decomposed granite, perhaps Lillydale topping and bark or woody mulch.

You would need to run the plate compactor over these surfaces to compact the path.

If you have any questions about what to do for your garden paths in your garden, or have some information to share, write in
realworldgardener@gmail.com