It’s been a hot, dry, sunny, windy month. The celery and celeriac have only survived as a result of getting two drinks a day…

It seems like my 300 square metre productive garden is growing a long list of edibles. Main crops are indicated by an asterisk *. However, it doesn’t take very long, or much effort, to establish a diverse larder like this.

The trick is to allow volunteer seedlings to fill gaps in under used spaces…

Volunteer seedlings or ‘self-seeded seedlings’ are young plants seeded naturally by parent plants. In food growing, progeny of hybrids do not resemble their parents, and are therefore unsuitable for volunteer gardening. Open-pollinated (aka ‘old-fashioned’, ‘traditional’ or ‘heirloom’) cultivars do reproduce successfully and their progeny are ‘true to type’, that is, they closely resemble their parents. Open-pollinated cultivars are excellent for home food production.

Apart from producing food for free and little or no effort, volunteers also tend to germinate when climatic conditions are suitable, and may even grow more robustly than intentionally sown seed or transplanted seedlings….

Edible roots
* Cocoyam, Xanthosoma saggitifolia
Ginger, Zingiber officinale
Galangal, Alpinia galanga
Turmeric, Curcuma domestica

Edible shoots
Choko, Sechium edule
Warrigal greens, aka N. Zealand spinach, Tetragonia tetragonioides

Edible shoots and leaves
Celery stem taro, aka Tahitian spinach, Alocasia esculenta
Celery, Apium graveolens
Chinese celery, aka smallage, Apium graveolens
Chinese spinach, Amaranthus cruentus ‘Red Calaloo’
Chinese spinach, Amaranthus ‘Mekong Red’
Welsh onion, aka spring onion, scallion, Allium fistulosum
Purslane, Portulaca oleracea
Golden purslane, Portulaca oleracea
Scurvy weed, Commelina cyanea

Edible seeds
Mustard seed, Brassica juncea ‘Osaka Purple’
Corn, Zea mays ‘Supersweet’

Edible leaves
Huauzontle, Chenopodium berlandieri
Love-lies-bleeding, Amaranthus caudatus
* Parsley, Petroselenium crispum ‘Triple Curled’
Parsley, Petroselenium crispum ‘Giant Italian Flat-leaved’
Hamburg parsley, Petroselenium crispum Radicosum Group
Native lemongrass, Cymbopogon ambiguus
Native mint, Mentha satureioides
* Golden sweetpotato, Ipomoea batatas ‘Marguerite’
* Curry leaf, Murraya koenigii
Swinecress, Coronopus didymus
* False cardamom, Alpinia nutans
* Moroccan mint, Mentha spicata ‘Nana’
Chives, Allium schoenoprasum
Garlic chives, Allium tuberosum
Multiplier leek, Allium ampeloprasum var porrum
Wild leek, aka elephant garlic, Allium ampeloprasum var. ampeloprasum
Multiplier spring onion or scallion, Allium fistulosum
Society garlic, Tulbaghia violacea ‘Variegata’
Society garlic, T. violacea ‘Fairy Stars’
Kaffir lime, Citrus hystrix
Nasturtium, Tropaeolum majus
Radicchio, Cichorium intybus
Endive, Cichorium endivia ‘Green Bowl’
Queensland arrowroot, Canna edulis
Sweet basil, Ocimum basilicum
Cassava, Manihot esculentum
Variegated cassava, Manihot esculentum ‘Variegatum’
Dill, Anethum graveolens
Ethiopian cabbage, Brassica sp. ‘Old Women Meet & Gossip’
Caraway, Carum carvi
Vietnamese mint, Persicaria odorata
Hamburg parsley, Petroselenium crispum var. tuberosum
Lettuce, Lactuca sativa ‘First Fleet’
Variegated four seasons herb, Plectranthus amboinicus ‘Variegatus’
Lemongrass, Cymbopogon flexuosus
Lovage, Levisticum officinale
Phillip Island hibiscus, Hibiscus insularis
* Aloe vera
Aptenia cordifolia
Chaplu, Piper sarmentosum
Dwarf rosemary, Rosmarinus officinalis ‘Benenden Blue’
Fastigiate rosemary, Rosmarinus officinalis ‘Miss Jessopp’
Shallot, Allium cepa var. aggregatum
Green amaranth, Amaranthus viridis
Milk thistle, Sonchus oleraceus
Cobblers’ pegs, Bidens pilosa
Scurvy weed, Commelina cyanea

Edible flowers
Mustard, Brassica juncea var. foliosa ‘Giant Red’
False cardamom, Alpinia nutans
Native ginger, Alpinia arundelliana
Nasturtium, Tropaeolum majus
Zucchini, Curcubita pepo ‘Goldrush’
Orchid, Coelogyne cristata
Chives, Allium schoenoprasum
Multiplier leek, Allium ampeloprasum var porrum
Wild leek, aka elephant garlic, Allium ampeloprasum var. ampeloprasum
Multiplier spring onion or scallion, Allium fistulosum
Society garlic, Tulbaghia violacea ‘Variegata’
Society garlic, T. violacea ‘Fairy Stars’
Aptenia cordifolia
Daylily, Hemerocallis sp.
Dill, Anethum graveolens
Johnny-jump-up, Viola tricolor
Banana, Musa x sapientum ‘Ladyfinger’
Banana, Musa x sapientum ‘Goldfinger’
Marigold, Tagetes patula
Wild leek, aka elephant garlic, Allium ampeloprasum var. ampeloprasum
Scurvy weed, Commelina cyanea
Alyssum, Lobularia maritima

Fruit
Green banana, Musa x sapientum ‘Goldfinger’
Green banana, Musa x sapientum ‘Ladyfinger’
Garden strawberry, Fragaria x ananassa ‘Red Gauntlet’
Naranjilla, Solanum quitoense
Chilli, Capsicum annuum ‘Cayenne’
Chilli, C. annuum ‘Thai Gold’
Chilli, C. annuum ‘Banana’

Spices
Cinnamon, Cinnamomum verum (pictured)
Mustard seed, Brassica juncea ‘Osaka Purple’

Medicinal
Greater celandine, Chelidonium majus
Bulbine frutescens
* Aloe vera

Jerry Coleby-Williams
26th November 2011