coolname Posted May 19, 2013 and i know its not a vegetable, but i think everyone should have atleast a couple of pawpaw trees in their yard. They take up hardly any space and produce heaps of delicious fruit nearly all year round 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
nothinghead Posted May 19, 2013 I agree with more beans. Yellow peas are a nice easy one that you don't see too often on the lists here. Capsicums and chillis usually give me good fruit production for the space. Kale is tasty and can be harvested for greens pretty much daily once they're established, if you plant a few. You probably already know about this thread http://www.shaman-australis.com/forum/index.php?showtopic=28431 where survival crops are discussed. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
gtarman Posted May 19, 2013 (edited) ^^ lol, it's my fave thread. But yeah now I've had a look into it...I think I'm just gonna go with container gardening. The whole lead contamination thing seems to be serious business, and I don't really have $100+ to fork out on soil testing. I do however have access to many old pots and containers, some of them being quite large. So I think I'll do that instead, even if it isn't quite as much fun or quite as productive. Edited May 19, 2013 by gtarman Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
nothinghead Posted May 19, 2013 ugh what a shame to have to do container gardening when you have yard space. still, it'll give you good practice in case you ever need to move to an apartment, and is a better option that eating lead. 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
bullit Posted May 20, 2013 sum of my trees nanas, macnut,guava 2 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
planthelper Posted May 20, 2013 in the subtropics, many vegies grow better over the cold season. if we talk, small space, and maximum return, I would go for herb plants or salad type plants which you eat raw. rocket, is my fav backyard veg, than all basils, parsley, everything green, you can eat raw. I think it's paramount to eat a little bit of ultra fresh greens everyday. I believe, some health giving compounds in vegies, decay extremely fast, say within 30 min....after picking. for a small space, it's more about flavour, than producing. 4 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
gtarman Posted May 20, 2013 (edited) Definitely agree - the difference between greens straight off the plant, and the limp nonsense you get in plastic bags from the supermarket is like night and day, both in how they taste and in how much better you feel after eating the fresh ones. I actually do have a fair bit of space, but I'm going with the container thing now so I probably won't be able to produce quite as much as I'd like. Edited May 20, 2013 by gtarman Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
migraineur Posted May 20, 2013 What about eggplant? Also, if you graft them then you can make an "eggplant tree". They're awesome in curries. 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
bullit Posted May 20, 2013 u can get shit loads from containers or raised beds !! layer old tyres 4 spuds/tubers . pots with chookwire for climbers, beans/peaz etc and the new skool dwarf citrus r awesum in pots!! and now with the cooler weather lettus, cabbage sum herbs etc have small root systems sooo perfect for pots!!!! 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
gtarman Posted May 20, 2013 ^^ yeah I reckon I'll still get a pretty hefty harvest. Only thing is I'd steer clear of the tyres for potatoes thing - I hear that leaches toxic shit into your taters. 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
bullit Posted May 20, 2013 yeah heard that too but havnt read [sorry have read bout this lol] havnt seen any research on this??? anywho hope i helped ya with that crazy soil tests 4 tha metal shit !! spuds r cheap as shit anywho !! 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Stillman Posted May 20, 2013 try not to eat potatoes, they aren't that great for us anyway. Stick with other tubers if you can. 2 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Darklight Posted May 20, 2013 Sweet potatoes. For sure. For simplicity and yield. For storage. Buy sweet potato at supermarket- the orange ones not the wimpy white ones. Stick in ground. Water. Wait til leaves die in autumn. Harvest. Save one to grow next year. Easy But the one veg I can't live without- rocket. Like someone above said, the stuff you get in the supermarkets is much poorer quality. Plus you have to go to a supermarket to get it. Having it at home means I get to eat fresh rocket for breakfast. 2 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
shortly Posted May 20, 2013 Dont pick on the wimpy white ones Darklight. I recon the important thing is not to grow just one variety, thats a recipe for disaster. Grow white ones, the orange ones, the purple ones, the golden ones & the red ones if you can find them. Grow as many as you can squeeze in your gardens. 3 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
bullit Posted May 20, 2013 try not to eat potatoes, they aren't that great for us anyway. Stick with other tubers if you can. yeah its hard when the lil ones love mash aye! my kids wont eat stir frys[ sum times] LOL and i have read shit loads bout all niteshades r bad for us to eat but i have also read that cheese twisties give ya cancer dont believe all that ya read 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
shortly Posted May 20, 2013 You can mash sweetpotato & cassava if its mash they love, cassava mash is called foo foo among other things. Not quite the same i know but hey who knows they may take to it. 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
bullit Posted May 20, 2013 You can mash sweetpotato & cassava if its mash they love, cassava mash is called foo foo among other things. Not quite the same i know but hey who knows they may take to it. tried it dude<<> they r not too keen aye.. i have been addin a lil sweet and pumkin in and yeah its slowly workin mayb cause its covered in gravy hahaha Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Darklight Posted May 20, 2013 I recon the important thing is not to grow just one variety, thats a recipe for disaster. Grow white ones, the orange ones, the purple ones, the golden ones & the red ones if you can find them. Grow as many as you can squeeze in your gardens. Spot on. My bad. I was focussing on lazy gardening, but you are right. It doesn't take more effort to plant or care for a few different types Hey have you tried that tuber doing the rounds up in NNSW? My mates claims it is the creamiest one ever. Think it's a Taro, she called it Japanese Yam but it does have Taro like leaves. I've got a few going and will be harvesting next year when I have numbers spare to eat. Might be good in a mash for kids 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
gilligan Posted May 20, 2013 Stillman... Spuds not good for us? Whaddya mean? I lurve spuds, Devo! 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
shortly Posted May 21, 2013 Hey have you tried that tuber doing the rounds up in NNSW? My mates claims it is the creamiest one ever. Think it's a Taro, she called it Japanese Yam but it does have Taro like leaves. I've got a few going and will be harvesting next year when I have numbers spare to eat. Might be good in a mash for kids Mayyyyyyybe? I'm seen a few different things doing the rounds down there that could fit the bill, not that i get down there all that often. I've tried a couple of different Taro cultivars out of the hundreds (probably thousands) that exist, same go's for cocoyam. I've also seen Dioscorea opposita sold as japanese yam and it is very creamy. Even though it has a hastate leaf shape its much smaller than a taro leaf. Plus D opposita is a vine. Dont you love common names I'd be pretty keen on a trade once you have spares DL. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Stillman Posted May 21, 2013 Theres a heap of studies about potatoes not being the best choice of tuber for us. partly due to as Bullit said being in the family solanaceae with the potential for various tropanes and other nasties building up in the system. But one of the most important issues is how much lower these other tubers such as sweet potato and taro are on the glycemic index. First world diseases like diabetes etc I believe its just not an ideal starch in large amounts. Again balanced and varied diet is the key. 2 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
bullit Posted May 21, 2013 (edited) the old skool aussie crew was all bout mash and meat <.> it was a lil more simple back in the day but hey i dont think any1 would eat again knowing the pesticiides, fungicides etc the farmers spray.. NAR 4 real i have work all my life 4 fruit/veg farmers and its crazy .. they swear [ all of them] it doesnt harm the fruit for eating but hey we cant all have the space 4 our own to grow or the coin to spent 2 to 3 times the amount 4 organics it pisses me off big time @ a avo farm i work on they spray sumthing called ''evergreen'' which makes all the trees and fruit look greener anywho sorry of the track abit edit bullit<>. i still buy supamarket veg/fruit coz i run a family of 6 and coin is hard @ the best of times!!! p.s i eat the avos, strawberriez, macnuts, custapples,lycheees from the farmz coz its free i know shit aye Edited May 21, 2013 by bullit 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
gtarman Posted May 21, 2013 potatoes are definitely not the healthiest...but cooked in the right way, they can be very good for the soul 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
bullit Posted May 21, 2013 (edited) like cheeze twisties??? hahaha shit they came in a pack ready Edited May 21, 2013 by bullit 2 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
bullit Posted May 21, 2013 (edited) STILLMAN<> these other tubers such as sweet potato and taro are on the glycemic index. First world diseases like diabetes etc I believe its just not an ideal starch in large amounts. Again balanced and varied diet is the key. BULLIT>>varied diet aye beer, vodka,cider,wine,beer,chips,wine,ummm chips o yeah beer , chips.. what tha fuk is that ? sweet spud dip?? fuk it i will give it ago well not to bad 4 fuk sake i need a beer jokes Edited May 21, 2013 by bullit 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
