Dont Panic Just Plant It

by Spencer Shaw, Forest Heart ecoNursery

As the Covid 19 lockdown restrictions ease and life returnsto some degree of normality (for now) I’m heartened that many of us turned toour gardens (if we’re lucky enough to have them) for emotional and physical sustenancein these trying times that we find ourselves in. For me backyards and gardensare our own little bit of the natural world that we can for example - grow ourown food, share with the local wildlife, preserve endangered species, enjoy thebeauty of Australian native plants and last but not least gardening itself isgood for us physically, mentally and spiritually.

For now, let’s focus on what an abundant garden you can begrowing for yourself by growing your own bush foods, fruit trees, vegetablesand herbs. Harvesting your own produce is fun, healthy and convenient. There’snothing quite like popping out into the backyard to harvest some fresh produce.For example grab a fresh lime and add tang to a salad or fish. Harvest freshfrom your trees the fruit of Blueberry, Grumichama, Jaboticaba, Pomegranate,Oranges, Mandarin, Lemons, Carambola, Figs, Pawpaw, Tamarillo, Avocado orChocolate Sapote, to name just a few. Closer to ground level you could plant anever-growing range of herbs and vegetable seedlings that we are now stocking atForest Heart ecoNursery.

Back to bush Foods and the bounty of this land isconsiderable. Bush food must haves that you should plant in your yard include:Midyim (Austromyrtus dulcis) a great low growing shrub/groundcover withattractive weeping foliage and tasty white berries, fresh from the bush – kidslove them; Lillypilly’s (Syzygium spp.) are edible all edible, if you arehungry enough, but from our local ones the Riberry S. Luehmannii, is not onlybountiful, but tastes good raw and even glaced in a sugar syrup; Davidson Plums(Davidsonia spp.) although not strictly local, are spectacular foliagespecimens with their large leaves and large beautiful looking plum like fruit.However they are a tad sour, but nothing that a few spoons of sugar can’t fixto make a great jam or syrup; Plum Pine (Podocarpus elatus) also produce ajuicy succulent, plum like fruit with a pleasant pine taste and again,fantastic for jams and syrups. Native Tamarinds (Diploglottis spp. and Mischaryteralautereriana) are sour but tasty delights that make great syrups, cordials,jellies etc...Native herbs we stock include Native Celery (Apium prostratum),Pig Face (Carpobrotus glaucescens) , Native Mint (Mentha satureioides)  and Holy Basil (Ocimum tenuiflorum).

There’s never been a better time to plant out and manage your garden for food and for fun, so remember Don’t Panic, Just Plant It!

ps. check out our great range of vegetable seedlings available from .50c each for 4 or more!