Annual Edibles, Mainly Vegetables

Giant Russian Cucumbers can be very productive in our climate.

 In this climate annual vegetables that flourish in a colder climate's Spring and Summer are often best planted in our cold season. Coriander and Brassicas prefer our cold season.

Kent Pumpkin sometimes grows on throughout our 'Winter'.

Kent Pumpkins grow well in our climate. They can tolerate a fair amount of our abundant Summer humidity without dying of mould. Once the humidity abates in Autumn they seem to burst into growth and fruit.

Lemon Basil with Perpetual Silver Beet

For some reason Lemon Basil thrives when Sweet Basil struggles. It seems to tolerate the heat and humidity better. The Perpetual Spinach growing near the Basil also tolerates our climate better than Silverbeet (Chard).

Chard

Amaranth and Kale

This is not our photo but Amaranth and Kale thrive in our climate although Kale prefers the cooler season when White Cabbage Moth is scarce. Dipel does control White Cabbage Moth.

New Guinea Bean flower

New Guinea Bean (Lagenaria siceraria) marrows serve as a substitute for Zucchini is this climate where fungal diseases attack cucurbits.Eat them small. The smell of the raw marrow disappears during cooking.

Parsley

 You can never have enough Parsley and this Italian Parsley self seeds in our vegetable garden.

Discovered growing in a sandy, dry spot containing a little sand this Purslane made a lemony, tasty salad. It has survived the worst of Winter in this pot but it is an annual.

I keep track of Purslane, also a summer weed, by growing it in a pot. Its lemony flavour makes it an excellent salad addition.

Coriander

 Growing in the green trough is regular Coriander and a small Sawtooth Coriander (Eryngium foetidum).  It is useless trying to grow Coriander in our summer so grow it in winter. The Sawtooth Coriander will grow and even self seed in a shady, damp spot but unfortunately it is not very prolific.

Cherry Tomato

 Our Cherry Tomatoes survive our summer but prefer our Autumn and Spring but some grow on during Summer when most other Tomatoes succumb to heat and Fruit Fly.

Bunching Shallots

I grow Bunching Shallots in pots where they won't be swamped by any lush growth. They also like the drainage. Harvest with a knife and leave the root to regrow.

Allium chinense (Chinese Onion)

 We are also trying Allium Chinense a bunching onion, again in pots that can be managed and moved into sun.

Broad Beans

 Our Broad Beans were planted late so I hope they will fruit in Spring, otherwise we will eat the greens tips and dig in the plant for green manure.

Mizuna

Mizuna is easily grown in this climate.

Golden Egg Plant

 The seeds came from Italy. I am hoping this Golden Egg Plant will fruit better in its second year. Caterpillars have had a feed but that doesn't matter.

Snow Peas are always worth growing. I hope I planted these early enough because Beans will be planted here in mid August.

Snow Peas

The left Pot has Edible Chrysanthemum. The middle pot has Radishes. The pot on the right has Chives.

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Rosella Hibiscus (Hibiscus sabdariffa) provides edible leaves and flowers but also fat red calyxes for jam making.