This is what’s ready to eat in my garden this month. The two year-old Italian flat-leaved parsley is flowering profusely, and the triple curled parsley is just beginning to flower. Despite reading that ‘Red Gauntlet’ strawberry is unsuited to the subtropics, it continues fruiting, in fact they haven’t stopped since May.

The 300 sq metre food garden is currently producing more than we can eat, and the guinea pigs can’t keep up either. Please note that many of these home grown plant products can be highly perishable – huauzontle makes a brilliant spinach, but it wilts within minutes of being picked. Some crops can be damaged by adverse weather (eg mildew on zucchini). Others may only be available in very small quantities, unless marked with an asterisk *, but they’re all handy things to have in a 24/7 organic food larder…

Edible roots
* Cocoyam, Xanthosoma saggitifolia
Ginger, Zingiber officinale
Galangal, Alpinia galanga
Turmeric, Curcuma domestica
Hamburg parsley, Petroselenium crispum var. tuberosum
Golden sweetpotato, Ipomoea batatas ‘Marguerite’
Radish, Raphanus sativus ‘French Breakfast’

Edible shoots
Choko shoot tips, 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
Welsh onion, aka spring onion, scallion, Allium fistulosum
Purslane, Portulaca oleracea
‘Golden purslane’, Portulaca oleracea
Scurvy weed, Commelina cyanea

Edible seeds
Sorghum, Sorghum bicolor ‘Milo’

Edible leaves
Huauzontle, Chenopodium berlandieri
Green amaranth, Amaranthus viridis
Love-lies-bleeding, Amaranthus caudatus
Chinese spinach, Amaranthus cruentus ‘Red Calaloo’
Chinese spinach, Amaranthus tricolor
Chinese spinach, Amaranthus tricolor ‘Flying Colours’
Chinese spinach, Amaranthus ‘Mekong Red’
Parsley, Petroselenium crispum ‘Triple Curled’
Hamburg parsley, Petroselenium crispum var. tuberosum
Native lemongrass, Cymbopogon ambiguus
Native mint, Mentha satureioides
Golden sweetpotato, Ipomoea batatas ‘Marguerite’
Curry leaf, Murraya koenigii
* False cardamom, Alpinia nutans
Moroccan mint, Mentha spicata ‘Nana’
Chives, Allium schoenoprasum
Garlic chives, Allium tuberosum
Society garlic, Tulbaghia violacea ‘Variegata’
Kaffir lime, Citrus hystrix
Radicchio, Cichorium intybus
Sweet basil, Ocimum basilicum
Dwarf Greek basil, Ocimum minimum
Sacred basil, Ocimum tenuiflorum
Perilla frutescens ‘Purpurea’
Cassava, Manihot esculentum
Variegated cassava, Manihot esculentum ‘Variegatum’
Vietnamese mint, Persicaria odorata
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’
Milk thistle, Sonchus oleraceus
Cobblers’ pegs, Bidens pilosa
Scurvy weed, Commelina cyanea
Ceylon spinach, Basella alba
Mixed loose-leaf lettuce, Lactuca sativa

Edible flowers
Society garlic, Tulbaghia violacea ‘Variegata’
Zucchini, Curcubita pepo ‘Goldrush’
Chives, Allium schoenoprasum
Aptenia cordifolia
Daylily, Hemerocallis sp.
Banana, Musa x sapientum ‘Ladyfinger’
Banana, Musa x sapientum ‘Goldfinger’
Scurvy weed, Commelina cyanea
Turmeric, Curcuma longa

Fruit
Green banana, Musa x sapientum ‘Goldfinger’
Green banana, Musa x sapientum ‘Ladyfinger’
Ripe banana, Musa x sapientum ‘Ladyfinger’
Garden strawberry, Fragaria x ananassa ‘Red Gauntlet’
Naranjilla, Solanum quitoense
Chilli, Capsicum annuum ‘Cayenne’
Chilli, Capsicum annuum ‘Banana’
Chilli, Capsicum annuum ‘Siam Gold’
Zucchini, Curcubita pepo ‘Goldrush’
Choko, Sechium edule
Okra, Abelmoschus esculentus ‘Burgundy’
Snake bean, Vigna unguicularis
Mouse melon, Melothria scabra
Eggplant, Solanum melongena ‘Early Purple’

Spice
Cinnamon, Cinnamomum verum

Medicinal
Greater celandine, Chelidonium majus
Bulbine frutescens
* Aloe vera

Jerry Coleby-Williams
1st January 2012