Innholdsfortegnelse for Autumn/Winter 2025 - April i Grow to Eat

https://www.lonehillmedia.co.za/ The Grow to Eat team is delighted to have Jane Griffiths, the guru of the food garden, join our team as contents advisor. Jane’s journey into the world of growing food started with her first book Jane’s Delicious Garden, which was first published in 2009. Since she has written four more books, does regular public speaking engagements, and garden consultations. For more information about Jane and her products, visit www.janesdeliciousshop.co.za. The gardening trends for 2025 have highlighted two qualities that gardeners need when designing and maintaining their gardens: resilience and creativity. Gardeners must be resilient to deal with climate change, unpredictable weather, seesawing costs, and reduced resources. However, this also leads to creative thinking (outside and inside the box). It’s the capacity to remain flexible and adaptable that creates…

Value R2999.99 The GARDENA Pipeline Ready-to-Go Set, which includes a pipe and oscillating sprinkler, is an underground piping system that delivers water to any point in the garden. This permanent installation provides convenient access to water anywhere. The set contains all the important components for a successful set up of the GARDENA Pipeline System: • 2 water stations• 1 x connecting point• An automatic stop valve• A drain valve for automatic drainage• A 20 m x 25 mm HDPE pipe• Oscillating sprinkler to water an area from 9 to 216 m² (360°). Get more information at www.gardena.com/za Subscribe or renew from 8 April 2025 – 2 June 2025 and you will be entered into the competition to win the prize. The winner will be contacted by telephone or email after the draw…

Nuts are on the list of essential superfoods, Chamomile that eating 8-42 grams of these nuts daily can lower total and LDL (bad) cholesterol levels by up to 10%. More good news is that macadamia trees can easily be grown in medium to large gardens, in most regions except those with very cold winters. The macadamia fits right into the trend of growing plants that are both ornamental and edible. This Australian native is an attractive evergreen tree, with a mature height of 8 m that produces its first harvest within four to five years. A single tree can yield 10-20 kg of nuts in its shell, of which the final shelled nuts (kernels) will be between 3-8 kg. Getting started Spring is the best time to plant young trees.…

Look out for 3 more colourful varieties of this common sage! If you have fallen in love with sage and find that it flourishes in your garden, look out for the three even more colourful varieties of this common sage. They, too, are low-growing perennials for edging beds in the flower or veggie garden, as well as for pots and hanging baskets. 1. Salvia ‘Icterina’, also called golden sage, is a creamy gold and green variegated sage prized for its strongly aromatic foliage. Plants grow 30 to 60 cm tall and almost as wide, and they grow best in full sun. In summer, they send up purplish blue flowers. Cut back in spring to encourage new growth. 2. Salvia ‘Purpurescens’ is a dwarf variety that produces new purple leaves that…

Where should the compost heap be? • Out of eyesight in a sunny spot of the garden.• Close to a tap.• Use large wooden crates, or build your structures from wood or poles and fencing wire. In different designs and sizes, commercial plastic composters are readily available at nurseries, home stores and on the internet – ideal for small gardens.• A compost heap placed on the ground works equally well as soil organisms like earthworms can access it and help break down the plant material quickly.• Do not stack the pile higher than 1 x 1 m as it takes too long for the material to break down. Troubleshooting compost • If a compost heap smells, it means it is too wet, has too much nitrogen, or lacks oxygen. Turn…

Give your herbs the best start Herbs thrive in a soil mix with adequate drainage and the right balance of moisture retention and air circulation in the soil to take up essential nutrients to make them flourish. This is where the Herb Mix from Bark Unlimited Organics comes in. It is prepared for you with a blend of the finest organic components, including compost, composted bark, and sand, to ensure herb roots have access to the right conditions for healthy growth. www.barkunlimited.co.za https://barkunlimited.co.za/ https://www.rototank.co.za/?_gl=1%2A16y2909%2A_up%2AMQ..%2A_gs%2AMQ..&gclid=Cj0KCQjws-S-BhD2ARIsALssG0bdk1Fikt8Sg8BW5I_UI4UmugaqIJL-N_UcXoLjRoiU1G-QaAvg3OAaAn9kEALw_wcB Smart water saving RotoTank offers premium quality water tanks designed for durability and efficiency. These tanks are perfect for storing water and hooking up to your downpipes to harvest free water from your roof. They come in a range of sizes and colours to blend into…

Almost any vegetable and herb can be grown in a container if your pots suit your veggies. Veggies like carrots have long tap roots – go for a deep container. Veggies like artichokes have giant leaves – go for a big container. Veggies like cucumbers need staking – plant them in a hanging basket and let them trail. The options are there; it’s just a matter of getting started. Let’s begin: Choosing the container The best thing to start with is choosing the veggies (herbs and fruit trees, too) you want to grow. This will determine at least the size of the container. It must be noted here that most veggies need a lot of sunlight to grow and produce. Most will not grow well indoors without direct sunlight, which…

Persimmons are one of those fruits that are not very well known, but when we see them, don’t you wonder, like me, what we can do with them? They look so shiny, orange and tasty-looking. I went to explore how to use them and how to grow them in the garden. The South African persimmon industry As it’s not a fruit that we see very often in supermarkets, is there a local farming community for persimmons? It turns out that there is and it is fairly new starting in the 1990s mainly because there was a demand for the fruit in Europe and we have ideal growing conditions in the Cape. The variety of fruit grown in South Africa is called ‘Sharon’ fruit which is a seedless astringent persimmon Diospyros…

Few food plants will grow without adequate moisture. If subjected to prolonged periods of dryness or irregular watering, they will bolt, tend to be tough and taste bitter. Prevent fast evaporation • Use your grass clippings as a mulch around individual plants in a layer no thicker than 7,5 cm. Mix with dried leaves to prevent them from becoming a soggy mass.• After pruning aromatic herbs like lavenders and rosemary, shred the clippings and use them as a mulch. Ants aid and abet aphids, but don’t like the strong aromas these herbs release and will be repelled.• Use weed control matting around plants. This horticultural fabric allows water to pass through into the ground but prevents it from escaping too fast again. It also helps with weed control, smothering germinating…

Use a window sill A warm window sill (not in direct sunlight) can be used to germinate veggie seeds. You can: Use clear containers with plastic lids (the type used to pack supermarket fruit) as miniature hothouses to germinate seeds. If they don’t already have holes in the bottom, poke a few for drainage before filling them with seedling medium. Sow your seeds, water gently, close the lids and wait for germination. As soon as this happens, open the lids to allow the seedlings to grow stronger before thinning them out. Make a mini-hothouse by placing a sheet of glass over seedling trays. Good tip The best instructions for growing seeds are on the packets they come in. Be sure to read them thoroughly. Plant something new Try to get…

Nestled in the heart of the Franschhoek-Paarl valley, Angala, a 5-star boutique hotel known for its serene luxury, has added yet another gem to its crown: a half-hectare herb, vegetable, fruit, and cut flower garden that is as beautiful as it is bountiful. This lush oasis, designed by renowned landscaper Leon Kluge, offers an enchanting blend of practicality and aesthetic delight. But the story of its transformation from a neglected patch of veld to a thriving sanctuary is worth savouring. The vision takes root When Leon first saw the space, it was just an open, disturbed scrap of veld on a slope where vineyards once grew. Kikuyu grass dominated the area, and the land was crying out to add value to its surroundings. The hotel owners wanted more than a…

There are many ways to use herbs effectively to treat common winter ailments. They are inexpensive and easily available – especially when you grow them yourself. Even in a small garden, most of these herbs can be grown in containers. DRAGON BREATH TINCTURE This effective tincture is so-named because if it doesn’t kill the germs on the way in – the breath will kill them on the way out! When taking, let the dragon breath swirl around your tonsils and throat before swallowing. Improve the flavour by adding honey or fruit juice. 1 litre vodka5 large cloves of garlic, finely chopped5 cm piece of ginger, finely chopped¼ cup each of fresh thyme, oregano and cancer bush leaves1 hot chilli pepper, finely chopped2 tablespoons echinacea root2 tablespoons dried elder flowers2 tablespoons…

Citrus peels – like those from oranges, naartjies and lemons – are packed with skin-loving nutrients and antioxidants. These peels fight free radicals, reducing blemishes and enhancing skin radiance. And we all know that our skin needs a little extra help to stay healthy in winter. Here are two easy ways to keep your skin glowing this season. What you will need • Dried citrus peels• Fine pink Himalayan salt• Coarse pink Himalayan salt• 2 glass jars with lids Drying your peels 1. Store the citrus peels in a Zip-lock bag in the fridge until you have enough peels to dry. You will need the peels of five citrus fruits of your choice. You can mix it up.2. Tear the peels into smaller pieces – the size of a tablespoon.3.…

There are two ways to look at fennel. One is as a perennial plant grown for its leaves and seeds, which have a subtle anise flavour, and the other is as an annual for its bulbous base, which is used in the kitchen as a vegetable. Fennel for herbs Foeniculum vulgare, or sweet fennel, has hollow stems that can reach 2.5 m tall. This perennial has feathery leaves and clusters of bright yellow flowers in summer. In autumn, the seed is collected and stored for use in breads and pastries. The rest of the year, the stems, lacy leaves, and flowers can be used in salads or to flavour fish, meat, egg, and cheese dishes. It is best eaten fresh, as the flavour does not carry well when dried. Fennel…

Sustainable gardening is something we all strive to achieve, and within this space, the spotlight is increasingly turning towards the benefits of supporting perennials. From offering natural windbreaks and nutrient-rich fertilisers to fostering biodiversity and promoting efficient water use, supporting perennials plays a huge role in permaculture gardening. The permaculture approach Permaculture gardens are designed with a holistic and ecological mindset, aiming to create self-sustaining and resilient ecosystems that benefit both the environment and the people who tend to Chamomile them. The overall goal is to work with nature rather than against it, promoting sustainability, biodiversity, and long-term viability. Why use supporting perennials? Perennial plants live for more than two years, persisting through multiple growing seasons. Their properties are ideal for a permaculture-type garden for several reasons – think longevity,…

Good weed control Do not dig. Constant deep cultivation brings dormant weed seeds to the surface, where light, oxygen, and water encourage them to grow. Only disturbing the surface of the soil will eventually deplete the store of weed seeds. To get on top of weeds you need two weeding tools: A cultivator is a three-pronged hoe drawn between the vegetable rows. It loosens the soil and dislodges many weed seedlings that have just germinated, leaving them with exposed roots, and they will die. This tool should not be used in wet weather as rain will replant the weeds if not collected and disposed of immediately. A Dutch hoe or push plate is the perfect tool for keeping a veggie patch free of weeds. It is pulled towards the gardener in…

Garden hacks to save you money In the age of the internet, gardening has witnessed a digital bloom. From social media platforms to informative websites, a plethora of gardening hacks claim to revolutionise the way we cultivate our favourite fruits and vegetables. Not all of them work, but here are our favourites that do. 1. Eggshell seed starters The Hack: Use broken eggshells as natural containers to start your seeds. Why It Works: Eggshells are biodegradable and rich in calcium, which can benefit certain plants. As the seedlings grow, the eggshell breaks down, offering a nutrient boost to the soil over time. 2. Regrowing green onions from scraps The Hack: Instead of discarding the white roots of green onions, place them in a glass with water, ensuring the roots are…