Giant Granadilla – “A Watermelon Size Passionfruit”

This fascinating plant produces the largest fruit in the Passionfruit family. They can grow to the size of an Aussie rules football and while they have the very thick rind – up to 2 or 3 cm – there is still a huge amount of edible pulp in the centre. The pulp is not as full flavoured as the purple passionfruit, however, it is still a very delightful fruit and one of great interest. The thick rind is also edible and can be eaten out of hand like a melon, or cut and be added to fruit salads. The under ripe green fruit can be boiled and treated as a vegetable. The Giant Granadilla is an oddity, its fun to grow and show off. To serve, the fruit is actually cut into thick slices and a dollop of cream or ice cream is dropped on top. The flavour of the pulp is improved with a light sprinkle of powered coriander or fresh lime juice. It’s not hard to imagine the look of your dinner guests faces when you present them with this fascinating feast.

Climatic Requirements

Giant Granadilla is a real tropical vine. It requires a very sunny planting position, protection from strong drying winds and very heavy frequent summer watering to keep the humidity high. It is important to plant Giant Granadilla in warm to hot weather, so it can establish itself quickly before the onset of winter.

Trellising

With fruits that weigh up to two kilograms each, this vine needs a very strong support. It can be grown very successfully over an arbour a pergola or a fence

Pollination and Fruit Set

High humidity is required for successful pollination. You can increase humidity during our hot dry summer by irrigating the plants during the day with an overhead sprinkler and by applying a thick mulch of organic material such as well rotted chicken or cow manure. It is worth hand pollinating the flowers of the Giant Granadilla to improve fruit set. This is a fairly easy process. In the centre of the flower, pictured above, there are five anthers or stamens covered in golden grains of pollen. These need to be transferred to the stickly female reproductive organs, of which there are three, right in the centre of the flower, by means of a soft paint brush.

Here is a recipe to get you started with your first crop of Giant Granadillas.

Granadilla Mouse Supreme

Ingredients:

½ tlbs gelatine

2 tlbs cold water

3 tlbs boiling water

1 ¼ cups of Granadilla pulp 1 cup of whipping cream

Soak gelatine in cold water. Add boiling water and heat until the gelatine is dissolved. Whip the cream until its stiff. Combine the gelatine and the Granadilla fruit pulp together – fold this mix into the freshly whipped cream, then freeze.

Happy fruitful gardening.

Feijoa

The pineapple guava has long been grown in Perth gardens for its considerable ornamental value. Some of these plants have failed to produce good eating fruits – others have produced no fruit at all. Recent importation of high quality fruit from New Zealand has prompted renewed interest. A number of com­mercial plantings are now being planned for Western Australia.

Feijoa – The Ornamental Shrub

Growing to maximum height of 4 metres, pineapple guava can be contained by pruning or growing in a tub. The glossy grey green leaves have a silver underside. Flowers are most attractive with white petals shading to purple, contrasting with the bright red stamens.

The Fruit

Green, oblong fruits have a rich fragrance when ripe. Thin inedible green skin surrounds creamy white flesh that is slightly grainy in texture. In the centre is a translucent jelly like pulp containing 30 – 40 very small seeds. Both the flesh and pulp are very well flavoured – like a blend of strawberry and pineapple  –  sweet and appealing. Feijoa juice is so strongly flavoured that it is best mixed with other juices. A very tasty and delicious jelly can be made from the pure juice. Also it can be made into an excellent wine – this is a joy I’ve yet to tryout for myself. Cut up fruits add an exotic taste to fruit salads. Talking fruit salads, the white thick petals of the Feijoa flower are sweet and good eating. They can be eaten with ice cream or added to fruit salads for a fascinating and different touch.

Harvesting

Like the Avocado, pineapple guava does not fully ripen on the bush. Choosing the time to pick the fruit therefore is not easy – particularly as it is green when underipe, and in full maturity. Some varieties show subtle colour changes as they approach maturity.

Fruits will fall to the ground when mature – this can lead to bruising and rapid rotting. When you suspect that maturity is near, gently handle the fruit. If ready it will come away in your hand. Fruit will need to be ripened at room temperature for 7 to 14 days. Ripening is speeded up by the presence of ethylene gas. Sealing fruit in a plastic bag together with an apple will accelerate ripening. Fruits that fall to the ground ripen quickly also and it is thought that the wound or bruising induces extra production within the fruit of this natural ripening gas. Cup the fruit in your hand and squeeze gently ­if it yields slightly then it’s ripe and ready for eating. Feijoa pulp freezes very well.

Varieties

The present Feijoa industry in New Zealand is based on seedling plants. Selection of superior varieties is proceeding at a rapid rate. Seedlings vary greatly in fruit quality and pollination requirements. Some seedlings are self fruitful – others need a second bush to pollinate their flowers. I recommend planting 2 or 3 seedling Feijoas to ensure cropping. The best named varieties are grafted to ensure the continuity of their desirable features. They are “Mammoth” – large oval fruits ripening mid-April and “Triumph” ­a heavy bearing bush with large smooth skinned fruits. Varieties “Large Oval” and “E4″ show promise but are yet to be fully evaluated under our conditions.

While these grafted types are self fruitful it is still recommended that you plant 2 differ­ent varieties to increase yield and ensure full sized fruits. A~ with most fruiting plants, grafted or budded specimens are worth seeking out and paying extra for – they crop earlier – more reliably – and the fruit is considerably better eating.

Growing Conditions

Feijoa is probably the hardiest of the sub-tropical fruits. It’s drought resistant and will tolerate frosts down to minus 9 degrees centigrade. Best results will be achieved in areas within 30 – 40 kilometres of the coast from Geraldton to Esperance. Free draining soils, rich in organic material, full sun locations and wind protection are essential. While it can survive drought, Feijoa needs as much summer moisture as citrus for optimum cropping. Mulching is strongly recommended.

Pest Problems

The major pests of Feijoa in Western Australia are firstly fruit fly – secondly scale insects. Regular cover spraying with Hebaycid is the most effective control of the former.  Malascale spray applied 2 or 3 times after an infestation is sighted will clear up scale insects.

Feijoa is particularly well suited to home garden growing with its exotic fruit, attractive appearance and its climatic tolerances. It , ease in growing make it an ideal starter crop for new fruit gardeners.

Custard Apples

Taste of these Apples lingers on

Custard apples are an unusual fruit, which once tasted will always be pleasantly remembered. The large green skinned fruit, about the size of a grapefruit, looks anything but appealing. However, any initial disappointment is quickly forgotten when you dip into the fine custard-like sweet flesh. The fruit is virtually unknown on Perth markets, most people who have tried it have done so on trips through South-East Asia. Commercial plantings of Custard Apples have now taken place in Queensland, Northern NSW and Carnarvon in WA.

The suitability of the Perth Climate

Custard Apples originated in the cool mountainous areas of South America and are now grown throughout the tropical areas of the world. They can succeed very well in the metropolitan area where a fairly controlled micro-climate exists.  In particular they need to be protected from drying easterly winds, probably the greatest requirement for growth and fruit set. They enjoy a high level of humidity and this can be achieved in a small garden with plenty of summer moisture, especially from overhead sprinklers and heavy mulching with organic material. Custard Apples also need protection from frosts, particularly while they are young.  Mature trees can stand temperatures down to around minus 3c but a heavy frost can kill a young tree.

I’ve seen a young four metre high tree in the Perth suburb of Kensington with a crop of about 30 fruits. Custard apples are normally semi-deciduous, meaning that they lose their foliage in early spring before flowering. In cooler situations, in certain backyards they can lose all their leaves throughout winter.

Custard Apple Varieties

Seedling Custard Apples do not produce satisfactory fruit and take many years to produce any fruit at all. As such they are an unreliable proposition for the home gardener and the commercial grower. Grafted trees bear within about three years from planting and the fruit is much superior to that of the seedlings. There are two main varieties – African Pride and Pinks Mammoth. African Pride is a compact tree, will bear in its third year after planting and is more tolerant of the cold and crops on Autumn. Pinks Mammoth is a big open tree and takes up to six or seven years to produce a full fruit set. The fruits are bigger and more irregular in shape than African Pride and the quality is clearly superior.

Planting

Position is most important. Custard apples need to be planted in a sheltered position facing north to north-west to maximise winter sunshine. You can plant your tree near a cluster of other trees for protection, not only from wind but also frost. Soil preparation is essential, particularly for our sandy soils. Custard Apple trees need plenty of well-rotted animal manure such as chicken, cow or sheep incorporated into the planting hole. Mulching is essential,  to not only improve the humidity situation, but also to insulate the plant from rapid changes in moisture and root temperature. Irrigation in summer is particularly critical. The trees should never dry out and need to be watered even when established, at least twice a week. During very hot

Weather, when the temperature reaches 40c they need watering daily.

Fertilising

It is recommended that you don’t apply any fertilisers to your new plant till it shows signs of a successful take. This usually occurs two to three weeks after planting, depending on the season. The recommended feeding is at six to eight week intervals during the growing season ‘from September to April with Nurserymen’s Brand General Purpose Garden Fertiliser or NPK Blue – both have a balance of major nutrients required for growing and successful fruiting.

After Care

It is important to prune young Custard Apple trees to form a vase shape. Their natural tendency is to produce a strong leader and a conical shape. When buying your custard apple choose a plant with two strong shoots. Once these have reached 60 to 70cm in length take out the tip of each shoot with a pair of secateurs. Continue to take out these tips on subsequent growths when they reach that size. This will result in an open, spreading frame for your tree, enable it to support a big crop and allow light into mature the fruit. Mature trees should be pruned lightly in December .to promote young flower growth. Custard apples will fruit on old as well as new wood.

Harvesting

Fruits take up to six months to mature on the tree after setting. Choosing the correct moment to harvest the fruits requires same experience. However, one thing to look for is the skin between the main segments of the fruit, which changes from a green to a cream colour. Cut the fruit stem with a pair of secateurs, leaving a 3 to 5cm stub of stem on the fruit. This helps to prevent the entry of disease spores. The fruit now needs to be left for a couple of days at room temperature to soften before it is ready to eat

What can go wrong

1)         A LOW FRUIT SET ON HOT DRY CONDITIONS – you can overcome this problem by hand pollinating individual blooms. Use a small paint brush to transfer the golden grains of pollen from the male part of the flower to the sticky receptive female parts of the flower.

2)         SCALE INSECT INFESTATION – this is quickly picked up by the presence of a black sooty mould on your tree. This particular mould is attracted by the exudation of the scale insect. Spray your plant on a cool day with Malascale which is a mixture of malathion and white oil. It is important to follow up this initial spray ten days later with a second application.

3)        COLLAR ROT – it is important to avoid this problem early by planting your Custard Apple at the same height in its new soil as it was in the pot. Burying it deeper can cause a ring of bark around the bottom of the trunk to set off rot. It is also recommended that you keep mulch away from the trunk.

The Carob Bean Tree or “Wilderness Fruit”

The Carob Bean Tree or “Wilderness Fruit” is thought to have been the locust that John the Baptist fed on while in the desert. This explains another common name St. John the Baptists’ Bread.

4,000 years ago the surprisingly uniform seeds of the Carob, called Keration in Greek, were used to measure the weight of gold. The word carat is derived from this function.

The Pod is the edible part and it is highly nutritious, leathery and sweet, something like a dry date. The flavour is of honey and chocolate. While many sweet toothed folks like eating the fresh pods the main commercial interest is as a substitute for chocolate and cocoa. At its peak of production Cypress exported $80 million worth of Carob to the U.S.A. Most of these pods are used in the production of health food shop items.

Unlike chocolate Carob contains no caffeine. Ground up pods are used in biscuits and confectionary manufacture. Cough linctus is also produced. Other medicinal products are obtained from the bark and roots. An average nutritional analysis shows 46 – 50% carbohydrate, 10% crude fibre and 6% protein.

Carob can be utilized in the home to make a pleasant substitute drink for hot chocolate as well as a flavouring for ice cream and a dessert slice.

The Tree

One of natures survivors the Carob originated in the Eastern Mediterranean. Deep roots enable it to survive drought for many years. An evergreen, it can be contained within a small suburban garden as a multistemed 3 metre shrub, or let grow to its full potential as a single trunked tree to 12 metres high. In country areas it’s useful as stock fodder supply, the leaves, pods and seeds are all valuable food during hard seasons

The Carob is a most handsome plant with shiny blue-green foliage and bronzy new growth. The natural clean shape makes it an attractive landscape feature tree, or it can be clipped to create a small formal shape a shrub or a screening hedge. Multiplanted, Carobs make an excellent windbreak for more sensitive fruit crops. Used as a street tree in California it requires annual root pruning and regular deep watering to prevent path buckling. The only other bad habit I can think of is that if you don’t enjoy and hence pick the pods, they will fall, creating considerable litter.

Pollination is not straight forward. Some trees can be self fertile, others need a partner to achieve pollination. I recommend planting 3 trees. After 3 – 4 years you will observe the first flowering Hemaphodite trees (possessing both sexes) have green/yellow flowers where as male only flowers are red. After sexing your trees excess males can be removed. Carob trees commence bearing usually in their fourth year, a 12 year old tree can produce 40 kilograms of pods.

Fertilizers are not generally needed. Carob is a leguminous plant and produces most of its own nitrogen requirement with the help of soil borne bacteria.

The tree is able to withstand moderate frost down to minus 2 or 3 centigrade. The pods require hot summer conditions to ripen to a dark brown maturity. Carob grows well in the metropolitan area from near coastal areas to the hills and also into adjacent inland regions. It is tolerant of lime, sandy and clay soils.

Home Recipes – Carob Powder

Carob powder is a cocoa substitute. Pressure cook pods with water for 20 minutes. Cooking softens the pod, aiding seed removal. Discard seeds and cut pod into small pieces then dry. As required, place in a blender and ground into a powder.

Sweet Carob Cubes

Ingredients:

2 cups sugar

¼  cup butter

¾ cup ground Carob

2/3 cup milk

1 teaspoon of vanilla essence

Pinch of salt.

Place all ingredients except vanilla in a heavy saucepan and bring to the boil stirring constantly, simmer until liquid reaches the soft boil stage, remove from heat and add vanilla, beat the mixture until it is really thick. Pour into a buttered tray or dish and allow to cool, cut into cubes.

Capulin Cherry or Tropical Cherry

The Capulin or Tropical Cherry as it is known in Perth originates from South and Central America, it also occurs in Mexico. It is from the true cherry genus – Prunus Salicifolia.

A versatile fruit the Capulin Cherry can be preserved, made into jelly or jam, baked into muffins, cakes and pancakes.  It is best of all when eaten fresh off the tree.

The fruit is slightly smaller than a traditional European Cherry but very similar in appearance.  The skin of the fruit is a bright shiny red and the interior flesh is a fresh green colour.  The flesh is firm and juicy with a sweet tang.

The tree itself is visually quite stunning, both when in bloom, covered with masses of flowers and after fruit-set when the tree is loaded with green, light red and deep red ripening fruit.  Two trees are recommended to gain maximum cropping.  Growing to around 6 metres in height it is an excellent windbreak or screening tree and has a very quick growth rate.

When planting, incorporate plenty of groganic into the planting hole and water in well.  Regular feeding using Nurserymen’s Brand All Purpose plant food will provide you with more cherries than you can eat.

The Surprising Capulin Cherry is truly a rewarding tree !!

Boysenberry

The Boysen Berry has a dusty purple coloured fruit measuring approximately 35mm long and from 20-25mm in width.  The growing habit is that of a trailing vine.  These vines measure up to 6-7 metres in length on a well established bush.  They do not crop quite as heavily as the youngberry, although this fact is compensated by the larger sized fruit.

Growing Times

Boysenberry leaves start appearing early in September, it flowers in mid October and the fruit ripens in mid December and continues into January.  The fruit needs to be picked every four to five days.  New canes appearing in mid October grow vigorously and should be pegged out of the way so they will not be trampled on.  After harvest allow them to grow freely.

Boysenberries have been grown in Victoria for over thirty years, the commercial area is declining rapidly owing to the somewhat time consuming taking of “putting up” the canes

Preparation of Soil

Start preparing the soil in January with a good dressing of about 2kg per square metre of fowl or animal manure, then work this well into the soil.  In February apply a dressing of artificial fertiliser such as N.P.K. 8-11-10 or N.P.K. 12-5-15 at the rate of 100gms per 1 square metre.  Care should be taken to keep the area free of weeds, particularly perennials such as couch grass.

Planting Time and Spacing

June and July are the ideal months to plant.  Plants should be spaced out at 2.5 metre intervals in  a straight row.  The plants look rather small and thin when you buy them, but they will grow vigorously.  It is preferable to use black plastic sheeting along the row to control weeds.  Cut small holes of 10 x 10 cm in the plastic sheet and dig holes about 15cm deep in which to plant the canes.  This is most important in the period from February to April so that canes do not have to compete for survival with the fast growing weeds.

Manuring and Cultivation

In early September of the first season of growth apply another light sprinkling, about 200gms, of N.P.K   12-5-15 around the bush, ensuring that manure is not placed on any new cane shoots.  In the second and following years apply 400-500gms of N.P.K. 12-5-15.  Further dressings of organic manure should be made each July/August with monthly cultivation.  Use a sharp hoe to keep large weeds down to a minimum.  If the rows are on plastic sheet, keep weeds down around the base of the plant by removing by hand.

Pruning and Trellising

Trellis erection should be made at the end of the first season around May or June.  The boysenberry has no support in itself and therefore needs a strong trellis to take the weight of the fruit bearing canes.

Treated pine posts 15cm x 2 metres are ideal.  Dig holes 70cm deep to hold the most securely, place a 2cm steel post at 4 metre intervals along the row, hammer these down about 40-50cm then attach wires and pull tightly.  In June/July the “putting up” operation commences.  Using heavy leather or rubber gauntlet gloves, begin by straightening out the canes which spread all around the bush and lay them in one direction.  Be very careful not to snap any canes.  Standing close to the wire, gather the canes up together and thread them over the wire.  Wind the canes around and along the wire generally about three times.  Hang the last 20cm of cane down so that it can be pruned off.  Tie the canes down to the wire with heavy string or binder twine in at least three or four positions.  The next season these canes should be cut as close to the ground as possible and strings and canes removed together with wires.  Repeat the “putting up” process with new canes.

During late November and early December new canes will be growing quickly from the base of the plant.  In order to prevent any damage to these canes aging the pickling season they should be placed along under the bush and held back with stakes.  Alternatively the canes could be tied together from each side with bindertwine.

Watering

Depending on the area, watering may be needed from late October through until March.  In Victoria, for most seasons, conditions are reasonably moist up until December, when weekly watering may be necessary.  After New Year, in the drier period, weekly watering are a must, in order to keep the new canes strong and healthy even though the crop will have finished.  Both overhead and trickle irrigation systems are ideal for boysenberry cultivation.

If in December when your fruit is cropping and temperatures are approximately 33^?C it is a good idea to water with overhead sprinklers for an hour or so to cool down the atmosphere and to prevent sun scorch on the berries

Spraying

When the canes are tied up in July, spray Bordeaux mixture (copper sulphate and limil) at the rate of 1.5gms per litre of water.  After leaf burst and before flowering, apply Thiram at the rate of 1.5gms per 1 litre of water every four weeks.  This will check canespot and anthracnose diseases.  When flowers appear look for thrips.  Breathe gently over the flowers to cause the thrips to become more active (look at identification).  If they are present spray with Rogor or Malathion sprays carefully, spray only if they are present.

Number of Plants Required

By the third season boysenberry plants should be in full production.  Yielding up to 1500-2000gms per bush, five to six plans should be adequate for most familie

Blueberry “Glamour Crop”

Blueberry “Glamour Crop”

The Blueberry has proved to be a ‘Glamour Crop’ in Europe, the United States of America and the Middle East. Few West Australians have tasted fresh Blueberries. They make a wonderful ingredient of Pies, Muffins, Icecream and Yoghurt. The fruit can be eaten fresh or frozen for future use. Blueberries make a delightful jam.’

New Varieties

New varieties that favour warmer climates have recently become available and this has extended the growing areas so that people in Perth can now grow the Blueberry.

The commercial potential looks excellent,  Australian Growers have the opportunity of not only supplying the local market with this exciting fruit but also exporting to Northern Hemisphere countries in the ‘off season’. There is a seven million dollar growing venture set to go at Bullsbrook in Western Australia.

The Home Garden Prospects

Blueberries make a wonderful addition to the home garden, they are easy to grow and are very ornamental with their pretty ‘Lilly of the Valley’ like blooms through Spring and early Summer. These are followed by the berries which start out a green colour and mature to a deep purple, black. The foliage colours up vividly during the Autumn with dashes of Red, Orange and Purple before going into its deciduous phase. The plant makes an attractive shrub for the garden and unlike a lot of other berry shrubs does not sucker up all over the garden. It is easy to care for and doesn’t overtake the garden, only growing to about 2 metres in height.

Planting Distance:                  1 metre to 1.5 metres

Bearing Age:                            3 to 4 years

Life Expectancy:                     Indefinite

Height:                                      At maturity – unpruned 2.5 metres, pruned 2 metres

Spread:                                     2.5 metres

How to grow Blueberries at home

The major requirement is that the crop has an acid soil, this can be achieved by adding copious quantities of· local compeat or Organic to sandy soils. Although Blueberries will crow in the full sun they can be planted in a position that will receive light shade in the afternoon and they will still succeed.

One of the great secrets of success for shrubs like these, with fairly shallow roots, is a thick mulch of organic material such as well rotted animal manure or matured lawn clippings. Watering is critical during the summer months as Blueberries must be kept moist. It is important to keep the plants moving with regular applications of Nurserymens General Purpose garden fertilizer. Ideally they should be fed every 6 to 7 weeks through the growing season which extends from September to May.

Pollination

It is very important to plant two different varieties of Blueberry to achieve best pollination. Single plants will not produce a reliable crop.

Pruning

It is recommended that in the first three years the plants be stripped of flowers and fruit in order to maximise growth. After the third year you should commence in the middle of winter to remove old, unthrifty canes to promote new flowering growth in the spring.

Harvesting

Plants will reach full production in 6 to 10 years. Berries ripen over a period of 7 weeks, not all berries within

a cluster will ripen at the same time. Select only the ripe berries and leave the otters to ripen for later picking. Ripe berries will hold on a bush for about a week without deteriorating or dropping. Berries are very tender so handle them carefully. Blueberries can be successfully frozen.

Bananas

Bananas

This delicious fruit is much loved by Australians and the demand for good quality Bananas in fruit shops often has to be satisfied by bringing in fruit from Queensland.

While Perth is considering a marginal growing area for commercial plantings the microclimate created in many suburban backyards makes home grown Bananas an attractive alternative crop.

Unlike most other fruiting plants Bananas are considered to be herbs as they have no woody tissue in their trunk. The plants are largely supported by the water that fills up the large cells in the trunk. Moisture is therefore the key to successful growing and cropping.

Ornamental as well as productive the Banana plant really adds a. tropical atmosphere to your garden or pools side area. It can be grown successfully in large tubs.

GROWING REQUIREMENTS

Choose a full sun position preferably North facing to maximize winter sun hours. Wind plays havoc with the tender leaves and the shallow growing roots. Either choose a wind protected site or create a windbreak with fast growing bushy plants or shade cloth. Our sandy soils are not ideal, however with the addition of considerable quantities of compeat and well matured animal manure – be it cow, sheep, horse or chicken you can create a superb growing medium. Work on the proportion of three parts organic material to one part original sand.

A high level of moisture during the warm months is essential either by trickle or sprinkler irrigation. Mulching with organic material such as peat, matured sawdust or animal manure or with black mulching plastic will help to retain soil moisture and increase humidity. Regular and heavy feeding will promote rapid growth and an early onset of fruiting. Recommended fertiliser is N.P.K. Blue, applied at the rate of ½ cup every six weeks from September to March. Planting close to other trees will help to ward off most frost damage in susceptible areas.

The large flowers either yellow-orange or bright red are very showy. Fruit is usually ripe 13 to 15 months after planting. I recommend that you cover the fruit with a large plastic sleeve such as a green garbage bag with the base cut away, once you see it beginning to form. This accelerates ripening.

The main variety available for planting in Perth is Golden Gross. This is the principal commercial variety from Carnarvon. While most Bananas are eaten fresh try this cooked concoction for a deliciously different dessert.

BANANA SURPRISE

For four serves you will need:

4 ripe bananas peeled and sliced longwise then chopped into 3 sections

1 Tablespoon of Brown Sugar

1 Tablespoon of Butter or Margarine 1 Tablespoon of Lemon Juice

1 ½ Tablespoons of either Sweet Sherry, Grand Marnier or Contreau

In a shallow frying pan over medium heat melt butter then add sugar and lemon juice. Let bubble for a minute then add Banana sections. Pour over liquor and shake pan to cover fruit evenly. Fry for two more minutes then serve immediately with lashings of ice cream. I’ve found this to be an easy dessert, quick to prepare and even quicker to be eaten.

Babaco

A few Babaco fruits imported from New Zealand under the label, Kiwi Star Fruit are now appearing in some Fruit Stores. Weighing up to 2 kilograms it can cost around $8 – $10 per fruit. The appeal comes from the bright translucent yellow skin, the fascinating flavour which seems to combine Passionfruit, Pineapple and Paw Paw and the unusual shape with ‘ribs’ running along the fruit.

These fruits can be grown in the Metropolitan Area. While related to the Paw Paw they are more cold tolerant than their cousin and are able to withstand light frost.

You could say that Babaco is a freak of nature – it is a Hybrid producing no seed. Only the intervention of man using laboratory techniques has enabled the reproduction of the, variety. Being self fruitful only one plant is required to produce fruit.

VITAL STATISTICS.

Height – 2 m

Width – 1 m

Planting Distance – 2 m

Fruiting – Starts 1 year after planting

Fruit Ripens – October to December (Perth)

Fruit Weight – up to 2 kgs

Life Expectancy – up to 8 years

Number of Fruit Per Plant – Up to 30

Planting Time – Ideally October – March, when soil is moist and warm. (Perth)

Modern Asparagus has been derived from Asparagus Officinalis

Modern Asparagus has been derived from Asparagus Officinalis which is native to Europe.

It originally grew in coastal sand dunes. Today Asparagus Is grown In a wide variety of soil types and climatic conditions. In Western Australia Asparagus is grown from Albany to Kununarra. in sand and Karri loam. The one common factor in all locations is the soil MUST be well drained.

Asparagus is unique amongst vegetables in,that it is a true perennial cropping for up to 20 years from a single planting.  A wide range of soils are suitable for the crop,but it does best in deep well drained loams. Ample water is required in sandy soils, but in other types water is not a major problem. Heavy poorly drained clay soils are not considered suitable for the crop.

As the crop is such a long term prospect, thorough preparation is both important and sensible. Ensure that perennial weeds like couch, sorell, nut grass, oxalis and docks etc are totally removed.

General: Asparagus is a herbaceous perennial plant in the south west the foliage dies down whilst the crown and root system survive until the warmer weather retums. The shoots (spears) are produced from the underground section called the crown. This is supported by a mass of fleshy storage roots. These roots are attached to the crown which is made up of many buds. when dormancy is broken (soil Temperature 8-10 C )spears grow from the buds. if allowed to develop the spears develop into tall attractive fern like fronds. The ferns produce carbohydrates which are stored in the fleshy roots, this in turn provides the substrate to produce the new seasons spears. The greater the root reserve the more spears can be harvested.

Site and Soil: The prime requirement for Asparagus cultivation is to have well drained soil. Asparagus respond well to soil structure being enhanced with application of organic matter. animal manure mixed with straw or sawdust is most beneficial. The pH level of the soil is best at a range of 6 to 6.7 especially in sandy soils. Asparagus are partially tolerant of salini1y in soil and irrigation water.

Asparagus are not as affected by wind as other vegetables but it is desirable to provide wind protection for the early spring winds which could damage newly emerged spears.

The best position for the Asparagus Plot is in a sunny well drained posit as crops in shaded sites begin cropping late in the season.  Selecting a site which will increase the soil temperature early in spring will produce earlier crops.

Planting:     Planting can be done from July to September. however the eartier the better.

The preferred method for the home garden is to prepare a trench 30 to 35 cm deep and 30 cm wide. Lay 10 to 15 cm well rotted manure or compost in the bottom of the trench. Add a complete vegetable fertiliser to the trench (if needed) and cover with 8 cm of good top soil to cover the fertitiser and manure. Mound the soil along the centre of the trench. Place the Asparagus crowns over the mound spreading the roots either side of the mound. Plant the crowns 35 to 45 cm apart. If more than one bed is made they should be 1.2 to 1.5 m apart. Fill in the trenches to ground level. Mulch over the Asparagus rows will help increase soil temperature and retail soil moisture.

Care: Asparagus should be fertilised with a high nitrogen fertitiser in spring prior to spear emergence and again at the end of harvest. Spear production will be promoted if the beds are kept weed free. At the end of the season cut and remove the old dead ferns. Asparagus beds should be kept moist from the first appearance of spears until the ferns have browned off.

Pests: There are a number of pests that attack Asparagus. These include

Brown headed weevil larva
African black beetle
White-headed weevil larva
Garden weevil
Wireworm larva
White fringed weevil
Redlegged earth mite
Snails and slugs
Control measures are similar to other garden vegetables.

Harvest:  Do not cut any spears in the first, year after planting from any variety. In the second year only take the first 2 or 3 spears from Mary Washington, but if the UC 157 Hybrid variety is used up to 6 orB spears can be taken. From the third year onwards all spears can be taken until mid December, when all cutting should cease, to allow top growth to replenish the ,crowns for the following season. 

Spears may require cutting every second day in warm conditions, but not as frequently when conditions are cooler. Cut the spears off below soil level, usually when the spears are around 15 to 20 cm. long, but before the tips start to open up.

The tops that deveiop after cutting ceases should be allowed to remain until it turns yellow in late autumn,when it should be cut down and removed. At this stage the bed should be cleaned up and fertilised for the next season.

In subsequent years you can cut most of the spears but make sure you leave ferns to develop late in the season to ensure the crown is built up for the next season.

Eating: Asparagus looses quality very quickly. it is very important to cool spears to 1 C as quickly as possible. Asparagus will keep longer if kept moist at 1 C. Asparagus is best if eaten soon after harvest.

Tips: Try asparagus raw it is delicious or alternatively cook it for a very short time. enough only to heat it either in a microwave or steamer. 

Varieties: MARY WASHINGTON 500. A reliable rust resistant variety that has been the main commercial and home garden variety for the past 30 or more years. I, is resistant to Asparagus Rust.
DC 157 Hybrid. A very vigorous hybrid variety that comes into full production a year or more earlier than older types. Rust resistant. Rapidly becoming the main variety grown.

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