gtarman Posted May 18, 2013 What would you say are the best food plants to grow that will give you the most food per square (metre, before you say it depends on the size of the square )? Climate is humid and subtropical. I'm trying to grow as much of my own food as I can...I do have a reasonable-sized yard to play with, but I'm trying to get the most bang for my buck as far as space is concerned. Things I have or am considering at the moment: Sweet potato Jerusalem artichoke Cow peas/black eyed beans Zucchini Pumpkin Cassava Yams ....whatcha reckon? 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
mutant Posted May 18, 2013 couple quick ideas, but not really FOOD strawberries , and various other berries at least one lemon tree [essential to southern greek kitchen] Louisa + lemons for making your own drink chives , estragon, hot chilli all perennial and easy, food additives/flavourings. Of course garlic onions and whatever from this family amazing food and also medicine at the same time, same goes for lemon 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
gtarman Posted May 18, 2013 Cheers. But yeah looking more for the stuff that'll fill the belly out nice and proper, substantial stuff like pumpkin potato etc. The flavour stuff is easy enough with a few window boxes and strategically placed pots. Should also have mentioned it's rented, so trees are pretty much outta the question. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
bullit Posted May 18, 2013 fuk zucchinis in our humidity full of probs, pumkins too much room. try butter beans, green beens .climbing beans along a fence. cabbage red and green, garlic ,onions, basil, ummmmm well thats what i am growing @ the moment !!! 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
bullit Posted May 18, 2013 http://www.providorsonline.com.au/index.php?page=16 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
gtarman Posted May 18, 2013 Yeah apparently zucchinis are only good round this time of year then they die off. I used to live near a Greek guy a few suburbs over who had massive healthy zucchini vines with some huge-ass zucchini on it, so I reckon it can be done, but only for a couple months. I've got some anasazi beans on the way but I'll look into the others too! Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
gilligan Posted May 18, 2013 Jerusalem artichoke kick arse. One plant in a big pot gave me a 10l bucket of tubers, and another 2l to replant... Awesome yield. I have pumpkins and heaps of them, but haven't had success with them setting fruit for some reason. Sweet potato as well, only a few tubers here and there, but the plant takes up Half the yard! Any hints on these welcomed... Spring onions and leeks are awesome, carrots as well, and very easy. Beetroot, parsnip are good and easy too. 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
shortly Posted May 18, 2013 Cocoyam Xanthosoma spp And banana's are always a must. Drumstick tree but i guess you already knew that. And if you have lots of water, taro or lotus. As well as all the semiaquatic herbs like ricepaddy herb, water cress, water chestnut etc etc 2 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Anodyne Posted May 18, 2013 Sweet potato as well, only a few tubers here and there, but the plant takes up Half the yard! Any hints on these welcomed... Eat the leaves! They can be used pretty much like English spinach, and taste very similar. They need a few seconds' cooking to neutralise the sappy-ness, but can stand being cooked for hours in stews, palak paneer etc as well, and do not go bitter. Can also use the crunchy shoot-tips in stir-fries, etc. One vine keeps me supplied with greens for 9 or 10 months of the year. I pick about 10 metres of vine every week and I swear it only makes it bigger! But if you want more roots, I believe you need to starve the plant of nitrogen - if it has access to high levels it will put all its energy into making leaves. 3 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
gtarman Posted May 18, 2013 (edited) I've been thinking of doing a couple of potato cages now the weather has cooled down a bit...everyone was telling me they don't do very well up here, but a woman I know reckons if you do 'em right you get a good crop with caging this time of year...only thing is chicken wire is so bloody expensive I would literally spend 20-30 times the money on the wire than if I just went out and bought a few sacks of potatoes Edited May 18, 2013 by gtarman Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
bℓσωηG Posted May 18, 2013 (edited) Yep potatoes pump they especially love sandy soils, purple Congo potatoes are cool. You could grow them in old car tyres stacking up more as they grow. Edited May 18, 2013 by bℓσωηG 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
shortly Posted May 18, 2013 You can play around with spuds if you like but they are erratic at best in brizzy, They just aren't suited to the brisbane climate. Jerry Coleby-Williams said this was the reason he shifted to growing sweet potato, coco yam, papaya, yams & banana as substitutes for spuds. If you are looking for cheap materials for the garden either keep an eye on freecycle (personally i'm a bit dubious about freecycle, somethings are taken before they are offered so i suspect the mod's may be cherry picking?) or the dump shops around town often have all manner of goodies cheap. 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
bullit Posted May 18, 2013 ya renting yeah so nanas and trees no go? can u dig up the ground for tubers?? have ya had your soil tested for heavy metals or ya raising your beds?? Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Stillman Posted May 18, 2013 (edited) Not all sweet potato have massive vines. This variety would make a good spinach/ greens substitute too. Edited May 18, 2013 by Stillman 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
shortly Posted May 18, 2013 Is that the clumping white or justthe shortish internode one Stillman? Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
bullit Posted May 18, 2013 (edited) my patch<> getting it ready 4 winter now!! edit sorry pic small had to crop it coz of other edibles Edited May 18, 2013 by bullit 2 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Stillman Posted May 18, 2013 (edited) this is the clumping short node white. Theres also the white that has a very similar leaf to the purple skin white but this produced a much longer vine. Even though they are producing smallish tubers they are easily the best producer even better then the commercial orange. They are really sweet and roast well. I'd love to get a nutritional break down on them, say in comparison to an orange or a Hawaiian. Edited May 18, 2013 by Stillman Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
shortly Posted May 18, 2013 Remind me & i'll give you the shortish internode one for comparison, it has maybe 1"- 1 1/2 between nodes. It seems to have fewer but MUCH larger tubers. My mob still aren't fussed on them, they prefer the purple & orange ones. Hey does anyone have any of the red fleshed sweet potato variety's ? 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
bullit Posted May 18, 2013 . And if you have lots of water, taro or lotus. As well as all the semiaquatic herbs like ricepaddy herb, water cress, water chestnut etc etc yeah my kids wont eat any off them or tubers... its all good to grow for ya self but Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
gtarman Posted May 19, 2013 (edited) ya renting yeah so nanas and trees no go? can u dig up the ground for tubers?? have ya had your soil tested for heavy metals or ya raising your beds?? I haven't really thought about getting the soil tested for heavy metals...that sounds like it would be expensive, and I don't think most veggie gardeners worry about it do they? It's just a quiet old house, and it's been a residential area ever since it was settled (aka taken from the aboriginals)...it's never seen any sort of industrial activity, and it's not too close to any major roads. Edited May 19, 2013 by gtarman 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
bullit Posted May 19, 2013 I haven't really thought about getting the soil tested for heavy metals...that sounds like it would be expensive, and I don't think most veggie gardeners worry about it do they? It's just a quiet old house, and it's been a residential area ever since it was settled (aka taken from the aboriginals)...it's never seen any sort of industrial activity, and it's not too close to any major roads. in the inner cities and towns built on landfill it would b a big problem cant remenber what show it was mayb gardening australia? the dude grew silverbeet 4 an experiment to c what metals showed up and yeah its was fuked and the soil test was full of all sorts of nastiez!! Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
LokStok Posted May 19, 2013 Choko, or Chayote (Sechium edule) are probably the highest yielding vege ive grown. Even got away into my neighbours tree! Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Stillman Posted May 19, 2013 I pulled these for the photo lol. They haven't been in the ground long at all and do get a touch bigger. These remind me of Kipflers in appearance and actually bake beautifully. But the leaf would be an idea spinach or salad green so good all rounder. 2 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
coolname Posted May 19, 2013 im growing some italian snake beans on a little frame i made in my vege garden. they take up hardly any space because they grow up the frame and produce heaps of tasty beans over a foot long. I only have less than 10 vines growing in a line maybe 1.5 meters long and for maybe the last month have been picking somewhere between 5 and 20 of them every day. I can probably send you some seeds in a few more weeks when the ones i am leaving to harvest for seed are ready to be picked if you want to give them a try 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
