Gardening in Zimbabwe

Natural Flea Deterrent

2011-11-19T00:51:00.000-08:00

Natural Flea Deterrent If you have fleas in your area I have discovered Fennel is the answer. Bought for under $5 at most nurseries (or they can get it in for you). Plant it in a pot outside your dog kennel or in 500mls of hot water place about 3 generous sprigs (crushed up)and let cool strain and spray the water inside kennel, or you can pick fennel, scrunch it in your hand until the juices flow and rub it into your dogs coat (my dogs don't mind) they seem to like the aniseed flavour and the fleas hate it. If you plant it in your garden keep it away from all beans, tomatoes, kohlrabi and coriander.

National Botanical gardens in harare

2011-08-24T01:12:00.000-07:00

The 58-hectare National Botanic Gardens contain examples of the diverse plant life that thrive in Harare's pleasant climate. Most Zimbabwean species are represented, as well as specimens from Southern Africa. It's a great place to spend the day. One can walk one's dog, have a light meal in the restaurant and generally enjoy the situation. Societies such as the Tree Society and the Aloe and Cactus Society are regular visitors. It is good to know that this park is still very much in existance. There is a herbarium when specimens can be identified and a plant nursery. For anyone interested in Zimbabwe plants this is one definate place to visit.

It is summer again!

2010-12-28T23:39:00.000-08:00

At last summer is with us although, like the rest of the world our weather has changed. It is cool and wet - meaning our vegetables are suffering - what was a good vegetable garden is now producing weather damaged crops! Anyway at least we have fresh and organically grown produce.

The worst hit seem to be the marrows and squash - a pity as we love to eat them. Perhaps we will have a day of sun shortly!

Epsom Salt Fertilizer

2010-08-20T02:23:00.000-07:00

Now spring is nearly with us in Zimbabwe we are planting seeds for our veggie garden. We do not use any form of fertiliser but we do use compost and i have come across this recipe which sounds quite useful and harmless.. It is good as Houseplant food, Vegetable fertilizer and Rose fertiliser.

Mix:

•1 Tablespoon Epsom Salt

•1 gallon water

in a watering can

Use the solution to water your plants.

Repeat once a month.

Epsom salt is made up of magnesium and sulfate – both vital plant nutrients. Some magnesium-loving plants to try it on: are houseplants, roses, peppers, tomatoes and potatoes.

Good gardening!

Winter is still here

2010-07-28T03:54:00.000-07:00

Looking round the garden this morning it is very evident that winter is still here. The dry season has caused brown patches in lawn. Plants have died back and even having a bore hole has not saved us from lack of rain. This year has been cold but no frost has settled - thank goodness. Although one knows that as soon as the rains return we will get green grass again it is still sad to see so little colour.

What colour there is comes from the aloes with their lovely yellow, orange or pink flowers - much loved by the sun birds.

We have been against watering anything but what we need to water in the garden - letting it rest during winter and conserving the underground water supply. So many people water their garden throughout the year - even the verges outside their houses and then wonder why their bore holes dry up!

In two weeks we should be ready to start planting the seeds which need spring - and within a short time the garden will be returned to its glory.

Planting at this time of year

2010-07-14T01:11:00.000-07:00

I have been silennt for a while due to power failures, load shedding and Internet problems.

Anyway in our part of the world these are the best things to do this month in your garden:

Sow root crops in July. Sow/plant hardy spring edible flowers such as borage and violas. Mulch beds.

Harvest medicinal herbs and crops that are to be dried such as broad beans. Zap any weeds and pests that are still around.

Plan your spring garden. Water and fertilize as needed. .

Prune Roses! - this weekend is the best time!

Good gardening!

Herbal remedies for TB

2010-05-25T22:34:00.000-07:00

This shows how important it is that we grow garlic, herbs and other natural foods in our gardens. Although we have a different climate to Europe many of the herbs mentioned below can be grown hee.

Another very good source of natural antibiotic is honey - we may not grow it but the plants we do grow help the bees to make it.

Tuberculosis (TB) is an illness related to the respiratory system.
It is a disease caused by a germ mainly found in your lungs. It is a contagious disease, which means you have to take extra precaution for the safety of other people.
By continuous sneezing, talking and coughing these air-borne germs can spread to other people.
It can turn into a dangerous disease if proper care is not taken.
Due to lack of symptoms, doctors have distinguished it into TB infection and Active TB.
TB infection provides no symptoms and is not contagious.
On the other hand, Active TB can make you sick and is very contagious.
Even though we may think TB is no longer a threat, it has still taken many lives. Millions have died even though we have proper medicines to prevent it.
The need for proper care becomes very crucial for the survival of the patient. The symptoms remain dormant, which makes the situation even worse.

Home remedies for TB
l Garlic is a great remedy to prevent tuberculosis. You can have raw garlic three times a day or have garlic capsule.
l Tuberculosis patients lack silica in their bone, which is one of the most important weapons to fight diseases. To increase that resistance level you must have one tablespoon of horsetail juice three times daily.
l Nettle juice taken raw is rich in calcium. You can use it in soups and salads to add taste and health in your food. Have nettle juice with carrot to make it more appetising. Have at least one tablespoon daily to find the right changes in your body.
l Any herbal tea made by using one part each of mullein, bugleweed, knotgrass and sage, including three parts each of chamomile and horsetail, which work immensely against the coughing problem.
For daily usage use three cups of boiling water over one teaspoon of this herbal concoction and have three to four cups daily.
l Consume natural antibiotics by having horseradish, watercress and nasturtium juice. Have one tablespoon of these juices daily or have them in your salad.

l Source: http://www.healthguidance.org

The way forward

2010-05-10T22:56:00.000-07:00

Herbal Therapy Transforms Villagers Lives

Herbert Chifamba

7 May 2010

From the Herald 07 May 2010

Harare — Exactly two years ago, Ambuya Ednara Mushonga of Nyamajenjere Village in Guruve was afflicted by illnesses that saw her go through a horrendous patch, which left her incapable of performing any household chores.
She had essentially become a vegetable.

Today that "human wreck" has been miraculously revitalised and is up and about doing everything the younger generation is capable of, thanks to various herbal concoctions she took and the natural diet to which she simultaneously switched.

When The Herald visited the village recently, she was among scores of women who took to the stage gyrating energetically to the welcoming lyrics the villagers sang to receive the news crew.

"For more than a year, I suffered from swelling legs and hands, excessive weakness of the joints and excruciating pain in the kidneys, which left me unable to do anything and entirely dependent on my grandchildren.

"My situation changed for the better immediately after I started taking herbs in porridge and tea and eating purely natural foods that are not processed, a piece of advice I got from another villager," she said when the dancing team finally decided to take a break.

Ambuya Mushonga is now a member of the village Natural Health Action group that was formed at the instigation of one Bellington Nyamhondoro, who incidentally became the director of the programme that has since spread to many districts in the province and even some suburbs of Harare.

Under the programme, the villagers are in the process of establishing herbal gardens and training each other in the processing and cookery of natural foodstuffs to boost their immune systems in the face of the innumerable diseases that threaten mankind.

There are more than 10 pilot herbal gardens at the moment in Ward 5, incidentally the one under which Nyamajenjere Village falls.

"The herbs that we use here have seen people responding to treatment almost immediately and we have assisted thousands in many different parts of the country to address chronic sicknesses and other prominent diseases like cancer and asthma.

"We have also helped people who have reacted negatively to drugs for different health complaints, for instance those on anti-retroviral treatment," Nyamhondoro explained.

He said the programme began in 2005 when he was invited and trained by Environment Africa in the propagation, processing and use of herbs.

From there Nyamhondoro would go out and train communities holding workshops and it was during such exercises that he also introduced the use of the immune booster moringa tree in areas like Guruve, Zvimba, Mudzi and along the Nyamapanda border area.

"We taught the people how to process both the bark and leaves of the tree, a process that involves drying the stuff before pounding it into pulp or in some cases taking it to the grinding mill.

"Other herbs like 'gotakota', (a panacea for many diseases), 'borage' (a pain killer and blood purifier that is taken in just like tea) and 'resurrection' (an immune booster and panacea for backaches, stomach disorders and even renal problems) are among the herbs that we taught people to use," he added.

Nyamhondoro and his team of trainers also focussed on the use of other herbal remedies like makoni tea (immune booster and cure for flu and colds, remedy for swellings resulting from use of anti-retroviral drugs) and "allena" for tooth aches, oral thrush and ulcers.

"We have a combination of different drugs called 'murapa' that is used for such complaints as sore arms and legs and asthma and we work hand in hand with the University of Zimbabwe's school of medicine and do tests in their laboratories," he said.

The advantage with natural herbs is that they do not have any known side effects at the moment compared to other drugs that have chemical residues that may have the adverse effect of weakening blood cells and destroying the individual if used wrongly.

To date more than 2 000 people have benefited from use of the herbs and their various health complaints have ended while more than 5 000 country-wide have also been trained to train others in places like Guruve, Mudzi, Chitungwiza and Harare's Mabvuku, Warren Park and Highfield suburbs.

Apart from the use of herbs, Nyamhondoro and his team have also broadened their scope to the adoption of nutritional diets and natural foods.

"We have trained people on the use of natural foods as very reliable sources of nutrition and therefore key in boosting immunity of the body.

"They now know how to process mbambaira (sweet potatoes) into flour, biscuits, chips, buns, jam, meat and most interestingly, a drink that is very nutritious and almost the equivalent of orange crush," the programmes manager Privilege Muchenje explained.

Recent developments at Nyamajenjere Village explicitly testified to Muchenje's claims, as the villagers put on display different foodstuffs processed from their local agricultural produce, trees and other plants from the wild.

"We process Soya beans into milk, chunks that are meaty in taste and we can also use it for making tea with the residue left after processing usable for stock feeds.

"Hatinwe tii tsvuku muGuruve isu (we do not drink black tea in Guruve) as even those without livestock can still make milk from Soya beans," a Nyamajenjere villager, Judith Kanhanga said.

Scores of other villagers also gave testimonies of how they had been cured of different health complaints by herbs introduced by Nyamhondoro and his team before joining the Natural Health Action Programme.

By processing crop produce or wild fruit and plants into herbs and natural foods, the villagers are actually adding value to the natural resources paving the way for them to sell them at competitive prices.
The majority of the villagers have since forgotten what it is like to buy groceries from shops, as they only need things like sugar and salt only while the rest is locally produced.

"It pains me to note that we used to sell produce to cities or industry and the same produce would return processed and asking for a fortune.

"We are now doing it ourselves and getting the value of our produce at no cost at all," area co-ordinator of the programme, Chiwanza Kadamuto said.

The villagers have now focussed their sights on establishing a big communal herbal garden for the project and are appealing for well-wishers to help with funds for building infrastructure like sheds for storage and the processing of the herbs and other produce.

Elder trees

2010-05-07T01:33:00.000-07:00

We have a lovely Elder tree growing in our garden. lots of lovely white flowers loved by us and the birds.

Did you know that the flowers from elderberry trees must be cooked before eating. They can be used to flavour cooked fruit and jam and desserts. Elderflower contains natural yeast which is key to making elderflower champagne.
The flour heads can be combined with citric acid to make cordial, which in turn makes a useful ingredient for adding to sauces and jellies.

Steeped in boiling water and strained the white flowers make a good skin tonic suitable for most skins.

When I bought my tree it was very small and I had no idea how large it would grow. Perhaps our good soil and plenty of water have helped it. it is a wonderful tree for the birds who roost in in at night and are in and out of its foleage all day.

The elder tree itself has been known as the "witch's tree" and has been both seen as a protection against witchcraft and a favourite form that a witch may take. Perhaps and ideal plant for the cyberwitch's garden?

Now is the time to plant strawberries

2010-04-13T08:25:00.000-07:00

There is nothing quite like picking a few strawberries to eat there and then when you walk your garden. But time is running out. You have to plant your strawberries right now

With their low growing, creeping habit they are perhaps the easiest of all the berries to grow, and they are also the most adaptable to different growing conditions. You can grow them in beds, as borders or even in pots and hanging baskets. they flourish among your vegetables and give great satisfaction.

Give them an open, sunny position. The soil should be well composted and well drained. . Do not let the plants dry out, but beware of over watering. They can withstand light frost but if you get severe frost it pays to protect the plants.

Here in Zimbabwe they should grow well in almost any situation.

Nothing better than a good home grown strawberry that you know has no incesterside or fertiliser!

They will flowerin spring. The plants will stay productive for at least three years.

These are useful as tips on what to do in your garden this month -

2010-03-11T22:59:00.000-08:00

Theses tips come from from Di-Di Hoffman, SA's Blogging Herb Man - they are equally vaklid for Zimbabwe gardens as well. I follow these guidelines and have done so for years - and they work. remember i only use organic products and NO Chemicals even for keeping insects at bay!
Planning and Recordkeeping

□ Now is the time to think about some colour in the winter garden. Consider winter flowering bulbs and Namaqualand daisies.

□ Consider sowing Calendula officinalis for winter skin ointments.

□ Prepare strawberry beds now. They do better in a slightly acid soil. Dig in plenty of well-rotted manure and/or compost. Scatter a cupful of 3:1:5 per square meter.

□ Keep weekly gardening diary and records up to date.

□ Compare actual results and actions with plans and make notes for next year where necessary.

Herb Propagation

Maintain the succession of seed sowing of:

□ Nasturtiums

□ Flat-leaf parsley

□ Chives

Start Sowing:

□ Coriander

□ Sage

Start taking cuttings of:

□ Lavender

□ Lemon Balm

□ Mint

□ Oregano

□ Rosemary

□ Thyme

Tip: When taking cuttings select healthy growth and cut just below a node or leaf joint. Remove the lower leaves. Many cuttings root better if the ends are dipped into a root-forming hormone before inserting the cutting in a rooting medium. Your local nursery will be able to advise.

Tip: If you have perennials such as yarrow, bulbine, echinaceae and bergamot now is a good time to divide them. Water the clumps the day before dividing. After lifting, do not let the roots dry out. For replanting choose healthy young growths from the outer edge of the clump.

Veggie Propagation

Maintain the succession of seed sowing of:

□ Cabbage - last month to sow cabbage

□ Spinach

□ Swiss chard

□ Lettuce

□ Rocket

□ Carrots

□ Beetroot

□ Radishes

□ Peas

Start sowing:

□ Green Beans

Planting and Thinning Out

Tip: If you don't like propagating your own herbs you can buy all herbs on our recommended varieties list and transplant into permanent beds or bigger containers. The same goes for veggies. Buy seedlings from your local nurseries.

□ Thin out beetroots, carrots, lettuces to the desired distances.

Watering

□ Check garden and containers daily during hot spells, especially salad crops and chili bushes.

□ Supplement rainfall (in summer rainfall areas) with thorough waterings.

Fertilizing

□ Fertilize once with a liquid fertilizer like Groweasier (Available and made in Zimbabwe)

□ Containers need a diluted feeding once a week.

Pruning

□ Give hedges a final clipping.

□ Expose the fruit of tomatoes to the sun by removing the covering leaves.

□ Prune all herbs to keep them in shape.

Weeding

□ Remove weeds regularly as they appear. Don’t give them a chance to flower and seed.

Pests and Disease

□ Note the occurrence of pest and disease, measures taken (if any), and results.

□ Be on the lookout for aphids, caterpillars and red spider mite.

Harvesting

□ It is a good month to start harvesting seed. Especially coriander and dill. Cut ripe seed heads and place in brown paper bags to dry thoroughly.

□ Harvest perennials and start making oils and vinegars.

□ Harvest herbs and veggies as required for daily use.

□ Harvest annuals as soon as they come into full flower by cutting back by about two thirds. Dry, freeze or preserve in oil or vinegar for winter use.

Clean-up

□ Remove unused chili fruit and either process or discard.

□ Remove debris to the compost heap, or use as a mulch elsewhere in the garden.

□ Dispose of any insect or disease infested plant material.

Using tin cans to replenish the soil

2010-01-29T23:06:00.000-08:00

We have long been into recycling and have made our own compost for years but this is a new idea put out by Environment 2000 - if it works it gives us a better soil and stops pollution!

If one can remove the aluminium at the top of the can - the key that one has to pull to open the can -the tin can be used in pit beds in the garden as it puts the necessary nutrients back into the soil.

Vegetable gardening in Zimbabwe

2010-01-24T23:09:00.000-08:00

A lot is being written about how people in Zimbabwe are turning their gardens into vegetable plots! We are managing to produce more than we can cope with in our garden. We have a modest garden and we make sure that we only grow as much as we, and our neighbours and staff, can cope with at one time. By careful planning this is possible.

We love spinach and this time of year is when we have rain - this means the spinach droops and dies off.

We have discovered that by growing it under the eaves of the house we can keep our spinach on the go almost all year.

Another discovery this year has been that the coloured spinach called 'bright lights' (actually kale) does not mind the rain - we now have green, red and yellow spinach on our table on a regular basis!

No Fungus this year!

2010-01-21T02:40:00.000-08:00

At this time of year we usually have an abundance of fungus of many varieties.

This year - nothing!

Our rains have been good and our soil is ideal - but why no mushrooms?

Let us hope that later on in the seson we will see them.

2010-01-05T23:15:00.000-08:00

The toad tree is so called as it's seed pods resemble a toad in shape and colour. this tree was grown from seed from the Chiredzi area. It is about four years old and has yet to produce seed - however it is a lovely tree in any garden

A new addition to the garden

2009-12-15T01:59:00.001-08:00

This is a new stapelia in our garden.

It is Obea variegata. The very attractive flowers do not smell nearly as bad as the other varieties we have growing in our rockery.

The plany originated in the cape region of South Africa.

This variety has a flower that is yellow and reddish brown but the flowers, even on the same plant can develop differently.

When to Water Your Food Garden

2009-10-22T00:40:00.001-07:00

These tips come from Timeless Herb Secrets and they are correct for our climate here in Zimbabwe:

Drying out of the soil (or water loss) begins at the top of the soil and works its way down. Because you cannot see inside the soil, you need to test your soil to see how wet or dry it is. This will tell you whether your plants need water or not.

Before you apply water, test how dry or wet your soil is by doing the 'knuckle test':
Press your finger (up to the first joint) into the soil. If you are checking a seedling tray, scratch the soil in the tray.
If your soil is dry at this level, the plants have used up all the available water, so you need to water.
If your soil is moist (damp) at this level, your plants are getting enough water and you are watering correctly.
If your soil is soggy at this level, your plants are in danger of 'drowning', and depending on weather conditions and other factors, you can miss a watering session or delay it till later in the day.

With experience you will be able to check whether your plants need water or not, just by looking at them and your soil. Whenever you are in doubt, do the knuckle test as described above.
Remember: your plants need to dry out slightly between watering sessions. Just like humans, plants do not like to have feet that are constantly wet.
Make checking the water condition of the soil part of your morning routine. When possible, water plants in the cool of the early morning because less water is lost to evaporation and this will give you the peace of mind that your crops are supplied with this vital nutrient for the day.
In very dry hot spells recheck the watering needs once more during the day. Water at any time of the day when plants show a need for it. Don't wait till the morning.

Herbs are back in fashion!

2009-10-21T01:33:00.000-07:00

Chinese herbal group sets roots in Zimbabwe
Business Reporter
One of the world’s leading suppliers of Traditional Chinese Medicine and nutritional herbal supplements, Tasly Group, is steadily making inroads into the Zimbabwean market.Tasly Group now has four distributor shops and almost six hundred individual distributors in Zimbabwe under the title Tasly World Zimbabwe and is geared to grow its distributorship over the coming year.The Tasly products were endorsed and certified by the Medicines Control Authority of Zimbabwe. The Authority’s Registration Committee agreed that the Tasly Group could market its products locally pending a listing exercise of herbal medicines.Tasly Group Chairman and President, Dr Xijun Yan said they derived confidence in their products on the back of the testimonies from users of the products around the globe."These products bring forth results that people are looking for. They are the result of modern technology applied to ancient Traditional Chinese Medicine Philosophy and are the perfect marriage of the modern and the time-honoured."Many people today are in search of superior nutritional herbal supplements and feel a strong desire to enjoy personal financial freedom . . . Our world class product and equally superior compensation plan demonstrate our commitment to both," said Dr Yan.The distributor shops and individual distributors are found in Harare, Gweru, Bulawayo and Plumtree and all major towns in Zimbabwe and the Tasly Marketing Plan has ensured that they now are proud owners of thriving businesses. Under the plan one pays R237 to become a distributor and they receive a business manual, product manual, a Tasly Bag, Danshen Pill — an all-use pill which is effective in improving blood circulation and hailed as the best killer of cardiovascular diseases.They also receive a badge and distributor card which can be used in any Tasly Shop around the world. Once one becomes a distributor they can now sell up to 34 Tasly products, mainly capsules and teas to individuals and pharmacies. The products include those effective for healing Alimentary Tract, cardiovascular, central nervous system, dermatology, endocrine system, genitor-urinary system, muscular skeletal system, respiratory and sensory systems. The products’ prices range from R9 to R462.The Tasly Group takes the Pan-Health industry as its orientation and the TCM as its core business. It has a portfolio of business in plantation, healthcare products, health drinking and new package industries. It grew from scratch into an international Group of companies by upholding the corporate philosophy of "Harmonising Human and Nature, Improving the Quality of Life" and adhering to the mission of modernisation and globalisation of TCM.Tasly World Zimbabwe was established in August 2006 through its first distributor Mrs Jester Makopola who has been influential in the setting up of the other three distributorships. The Harare distributorship is run by Mrs Viola Mbengwa who launched it in March this year having been introduced to it in September last year.Mrs Mbengwa said she is now able to fulfill her financial dreams thanks to the innovative Tasly marketing plan which enriches every one who registers to become a distributor.Under the plan distributors enjoy retail profit, direct bonus, indirect bonus, leadership bonus, fast developing award and honourable award.All these accolades are there to ensure that distributors play a pivotal role in pushing volumes of products for the Tasly group and in return the distributors stand to win anything between 20 percent retail profit and or tours, brand new motor vehicles or villas.Apart from Zimbabwe, The Tasly Group enjoys a presence in South Africa, Botswana, Mozambique, Zambia, Ghana, Nigeria, Swaziland, Kenya, Cote D’Voire Egypt and Uganda. Globally it has business in all five continents.

2009-09-18T02:19:00.000-07:00

Summer is here! We have a new gardener and almost from the moment he started the garden started to flourish again. Plants are aware of people - I am certain.

Our last garden helpers planted far too many onions - but can you have too many onions? I actually don't think so!

Maxwell knows how to look after and produce large onions so we are taking his advice.

Eggplant are on the way - we have so many avocados we virtually live on them, our tomatoes are great too - avocado and tomato salad is on the menu every day - we collect about 7 a day and they keep falling out of the tree - we have to get to them before the dogs - but as we have so many why not let the dogs eat them as well!

Strawberries have been good this year already and the raspberries are starting to come up - this year we have many more shoots from the canes and our crop should be good.

The dusty berry bushes are also looking good and now with the facility to water we should get good crops of all our berries!

The National Herbarium of Zimbabwe

2009-09-10T01:38:00.000-07:00

The National Herbarium is an important regional herbarium housing approximately 500,000 specimens. It is the largest herbarium in the Flora Zambesiaca region and in southern Africa it ties in second place with the Compton Herbarium at Kirstenbosch, the largest herbarium being Pretoria.

The dried plant collections are subject to attack by a variety of pests and some insect damage has already occurred. Fumigation is essential at regular intervals and the latest scheduled event is now overdue.

Like most other institutions in Zimbabwe, the National Herbarium is suffering from financial difficulties at present.

In order to prevent irreparable damage to this important collection, and as the Tree Society and some of its members make use of this valuable resource, we have agreed to raise money towards covering this cost.

The (one-time) cost of the fumigation is US$ 350. Donations amounting to US$ 70 have already been received, so the outstanding amount is currently US$ 280.

Anyone wishing to donate should give such donation to the Tree Society; specifically to the Treasurer, Mr Terry Fallon (74, Lamenier Village, 4 Ridgeway North, Chisipite; tel: 481076; email: terfall@mango.zw) or to the Chairman, Mark Hyde (29, Harry Pichanick Drive, Alexandra Park, Harare; tel: Harare 745263; email: mahyde@gmail.com) or to any Tree Society Committee member.

Any overseas person wishing to donate should contact me directly to discuss how this could be done.

Receipts will be issued if requested.

May I urge everyone to make a contribution, however small, to this important matter.

Please forward this email to anyone who might be interested in helping to fund this important project.

If anyone has any questions or thoughts about this, please get in touch with me.

Rgds
Mark Hyde - mahyde@pentact.co.zw
Chairman, Tree Society of Zimbabwe

Gardener’s guide to selecting non-invasive alien plants

2009-09-10T01:09:00.000-07:00

Reproduced from the Tress Society of Zimbabwe - September Newsletter:

Do you want to make an environmentally responsible choice of plants for ornament, hedging, landscaping etc? Then consider the following guidelines in selecting species:
• DON’T select known alien species e.g. lantana (Lantana camara hort.).
• AVOID alien species that are similar to known invasive species—e.g. treat ALL species of alien acacias, inkberries (Cestrum spp.), cotoneasters, firethorns (Pyracantha spp.), lantanas etc. as potentially invasive. Substitution of a known invader with another plant having similar attributes will negate efforts to prevent further invasions.
• AVOID alien species that have fleshy fruits—many of the most troublesome invaders are spread by frugivorous birds, bats and other animals e.g. lantana, mulberry, guavas, privets, bugweed, syringa, prickly pears, queen of the night cactus, firethorns, cotoneasters, eglantine rose, brambles, ginger-lilies. Australian brush-cherry (Syzygium paniculatum is often sold as a ’good bird plant’ - and is on its way to becoming invasive!)
• AVOID alien aquatic species—all alien species that are climatically adapted have the potential to become invasive, e.g. sword plant (Echinodorus spp.)
• AVOID alien grasses—which are among the most invasive species in the world. Many spread prolifically from seed, underground stems (rhizomes) and runners (stolons). Fountain grass (Pennisteum setaceum), for example, is becoming increasingly invasive.
• AVOID alien climbers—which have a devastating effect by smothering the native vegetation; they are extremely difficult to control. English Ivy (Hedera helix) provides one good example. Cat’s claw (Macfadyena unguis-cati) is another.
• Avoid alien succulents—some of which have become the most costly and troublesome invasive species in the region, e.g. sour prickly pear (Opuntia stricta). Cacti are ALL alien in southern Africa (with the exception of a single small epiphytic forest species of Rhipsalis). The alien cacti are often confused with the indigenous euphorbias—don’t be fooled into purchasing a cactus that has been incorrectly labelled as euphorbia. Cacti have spines arising from specialized structures called areoles and the spines usually occur in clusters; they do not have a milky latex like the euphorbias. Agaves or American “aloes” with their tall flowering poles should not be confused with indigenous Aloe species with their showy, orange, red or yellow flowers.
Common misconceptions: cultivars and sterile plants
• Cultivars are OK because they can only be reproduced by cuttings, tissue culture etc. WRONG!—many cultivars e.g. variegated forms are able to reproduce by seed and their progeny revert to the original form, e.g. Chinese wax-leaved privet (Ligustrum lucidum) (there are two forms: normal and variegated). Queen of the night (Cereus jamacaru) has a monstrous form that sets seed which develops into the normal form.
• “Sterile” plants are OK because they do not reproduce from seed. WRONG!—some so-called “sterile” plants, e.g. pure yellow–and pure white-flowered, bushy lantana (Lantana camara hort.) produce fertile pollen that can cross-pollinate the normal fertile plants, as well as fertile embryo sacs that occasionally produce seed.
• The creeping, yellow Lantana cultivar Sundancer is marketed as “Lantana montevidensis”, “sterile” and “non-invasive”, however studies in South Africa and Australia indicate that it is partly L. camara, only sterile if planted in isolation, and inter-fertile with L. camara. Research in America indicates that a very similar cultivar, Goldrush, is probably a hybrid derived from the invasive Lantana camara complex and North American Lantana depressa. While there is no evidence that Sundancer and other yellow-flowered creeping lantanas are invasive, they are probably harmful in a much more subtle way—by swapping genes with the invasive lantana and adding the genes of L. depressa and possibly other Lantana species to the gene pool of the invasive, alien lantana complex, almost certainly increasing its genetic heterogeneity, hybrid vigour, resistance to biocontrol agents, invasiveness and suppression of indigenous biodiversity.
• Many sterile plants can reproduce vegetatively—from plant fragments e.g. jointed cactus, weeping willow, salvinia; others reproduce by suckering from the roots e.g. white and grey poplars; others from underground stems or rhizomes, e.g. giant reed, and from aerial tubers, e.g Madeira vine (Anredera cordifolia)
• Plants with only one sex present are OK because they can’t produce seed. WRONG! — purple pampas grass (Cortaderia jubata), for example, can produce seed without pollination (apomictic reproduction)

Reproduced (with minor editing) in the interests of science from SAPIA NEWS No. 10, January 2009.
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2009-08-22T23:24:00.000-07:00

Celery is one of my favourite plants - a herb and a vegetable in one.

Although our winter is not cold we still manage to produce a good crop in the garden.

Did you know that to grow longer stems you should put newspaper around the lower stems?

I use celery in everything I can - and if you get a large plant with a good bulb - it makes a wonderful dish using a cheese sauce over it.

It is detoxifier, antiseptic, a diuretic, a sedative and a general cleanser for the body.

Once it has become to old and tough to use as a culinary herb - it makes excellent compost

Growing Herbs in Zimbabwe

2009-08-17T23:18:00.000-07:00

Growing herbs for culinary and/or medicinal use is only a pleasure - once established they need little attention - except to be watered.

Buy good quality seedlings as they are quicker and easier to handle than producing your own seedlings direct from seed. Never buy just one plant - three is a good number and then you will have a reasonable crop as well as filling up your herb garden quickly.

I like to grown herbs so that they form a mass of colour and aroma - i plant wild flowers among them to add interest.

If you follow these guide lines you will have little trouble in establishing a good supply all year round!

You should prepare the ground well in advance and remove weeds (they compete with herbs - after all a weed is only a herb no one has found a use for!), add compost, and rake the soil so that the bed is level. Herbs do not need large amounts of manure or fertiliser and excessive use will only produce soft growth.

Before transplanting your herbs out of their sleeves into the ground, water the plants well because a dry ball of roots is difficult to wet thoroughly once it is in the ground.

Because sleeves are small, herbs tend to become root bound. To encourage new root growth gently loosen the root ball before planting in the ground. Pinch out the tips of shrubby herbs, like thyme, to encourage bushy growth. Add some bone meal or fish meal at the bottom of each planting hole.

If you have designed a herb garden , first set the herbs in their positions. you may find your original plan does not quite appeal to you. It is easier to move them around while they are still in their sleeves, rather than having to transplant them later. Space them according to their expected height and spread so they have room to develop.

After planting, firm the soil gently around the plant and water thoroughly to settle the soil and give the herb a good start.

Some herbs, like the mints and thyme can be invasive. You can restrict their spread by planting them in sunken containers. Remove any spreading material immediately. unless you wish them to cover an area of soil or grow into the grass or path at the edge.

Good herb planting!

The Pool

2009-08-15T23:53:00.000-07:00

In Zimbabwe a pool is very much an essential part of the garden. ours sits outside the outdoor living area and bar. it is lovely to look at - good for swimming in (some people come during the summer to bathe in the pool as they have no water at home!) but a magnet for leaves from the trees. As we have over 60 trees - all indigenous - we have many leaves falling into the pool and it has to be cleaned twice a day - a chore my husband is always complaining about - but we are grateful for the pool - it provides us with water when we have a power cut and cannot use our bore hole, and during summer is a haven against the sweltering sun!

The Wild Herb Garden

2009-08-13T01:23:00.000-07:00

This shows what is becoming our wild herb garden. We have just started clearing and planting. In the front bed are thymes, mints chamomile etc and behind we have bulbanella, wile als and the two trees are tamarind and elder.

Quite a mixture!

Rose, lemon and oak geranium, and Rosella with lavender and a mixture of wild flowers are making up the rest of the garden. Whatever will look good here will go in and I am still collecting!

Euphorbias

2009-08-12T00:26:00.000-07:00

This Euphorbia was found on a hillside at a place in South Africa called Fort Mistake. It has flourished in our garden for over twenty years. The hill side was very barren and very windy.

This plant is in a rockery and only gets water when the rains come.

It has a small yellow flower.

Aloe Arborescens

2009-08-11T00:34:00.000-07:00

Although one of the most common Zimbabwe aloes it is also one of the most beautiful. Its lovely red flowers (some times one finds a yellow variety) are abundant in the Winter.

It has medicinal properties as well - cur early in the morning and pulverised with honey and whisky it makes a liquid which is a protection against cancer.

This plant is many years old and was replanted having been rescued from a friends garden when the left.

The herb garden

2009-08-03T23:27:00.000-07:00

The herb gardens are now well on their way - this is the garden outside my dining room and kitchen - mainly culinary herbs - it is starting to take shape! I am still looking for more herbs and for herb seed and would like to be back to having a large number of unusual varieties!

Any idea what these are?

2009-08-03T07:12:00.000-07:00

At about 2 pm today we noticed a swarm of insects on our rockery.

Going over to investigate we saw small wasp/bee like creatures swarming around a baobab tree.

They were non aggressive and we were able to get close to them. They did fly around us and our dogs but did not stinging anyone.

Does anyone know what they might be?

And you thought you had a weed in your garden!

2009-07-30T03:13:00.000-07:00

EUPHORBIA PEPLIS

This interesting little plant grows in almost every garden - it is a common weed and many people consider it a menace as it grows in every crook and cranny. It has shiny green leaves and small white and yellow flowers. It originated in Australia. It is, however now a common Zimbabwe plant.

As it matures it appears like a small leafy umbrella.
It is an excellent treatment for skin cancer. i was taught how to use it by a farmer's wife.

One breaks off a section of the stem of the plant.

A white latex will be seen and this should be applied to the area that requires treatment.

Let the latex dry on the area to which it has been applied. One will often experience a taste of pepper in the mouth - this is normal.
The treated area will form a scab - this will heal and fall off leaving almost no scarring.

One should try and treat the area three times a day - the latex is harmless except to cancer growths on the skin.

Walbergia salutaris

2009-07-14T00:35:00.000-07:00

The plant shown on the left is Walbergia salutaris. Although it grows in South Africa and through to east Africa - when it is known as the Peper bark tree - this plant as shown here is probably the only existing Zimbabwe plant - all the rest have been taken for 'muti' or medicine by the local people.

i outline below the interesting facts about the plant which grows in our garden:

C BOTANICAL NAME: Warburgia Salutaris
C ENGLISH NAME: Warburgia
C FAMILY: Canellaceae
C COMMON NAME: Pepper-Bark Tree, fever tree
! SHONA NAME: muranga
C COATES PALGRAVE NUMBER 720
DESCRIPTION
A slender tree or round bush normally 5 to 10 meters in height with rough rich brown bark and glossy dark green, elliptic leaves which are paler green and dull on the under surface.
Flowers are white to greenish up to 7mm in diameter on their own or in a tight few flowered head.
The fruit is a berry up to 4cm in diameter - black when mature and leathery - usually appear in October/November.
The heartwood is pale green, oily and aromatic when first cut - drying darker when exposed to the air and loosing its aromatic properties.
It is not a enduring wood and therefore is not cut for any purpose other than medicine.
Its natural habitat is the Chipinge area of Zimbabwe, and to countries north of Zambia and Malawi. It also occurs in the very north east of South Africa and in Zululand. In Zimbabwe there are now no examples of this tree growing in its natural locality - one example is found in the Ruwa area and another - taken as a cutting from this tree - in Harare. The National Botanical Gardens in Harare have imported a few seedlings in hope of growing these to maturity.
MEDICINAL USES IN ZIMBABWE
This plant has been used medicinally from early times.
PARTS OF THE PLANT AND USAGES
The red peppery, bitter inner bark is used for:

A treatment for colds.
Dried and ground to snuff it is used to clear the sinuses.
It is chewed or smoke from the burning bark inhaled for chest complaints.
Boiled in water with the roots it is considered effective against malaria.
Abdominal pains.( Bark - decoction or powder taken in porridge)
Increase in blood. (A fungus that grows on the bark is swallowed in rare cases.)
Relief of headaches - use rare. (Powder applied to cuts or nyora made on temples.)
As a universal remedy (Panacea). (Decoction taken by mouth.)
A cure for mouth sores. (Powdered and mixed with water.)
Treatment for venereal disease. (Bark decoction of bark taken in porridge.)
To cause an abortion (Decoction taken by mouth - rarely used.)

It is also given magical properties and is used in:
Divination. (The bark is boiled together with hakata and the bark chewed and spat upon the hakata.)
The bark used as incense.

The leaves are used to flavour curries and can be easily identified by their burning peppery taste. Although this usage is East African it is interesting to note that the tree can easily be identified by this particular quality.
THE GROWING OF WARBURGIA SALUTARIS
Little attempt has been made to grow this tree under controlled conditions and as it now faces extinction it could be too later.
Cutting have been taken from the specimen in Harare and some small plants have been grown by Mr. John Cotteril in Bindura from these cuttings. A nursery in the area has also taken a selection of cuttings and we understand that these have also survived.
Further work will be done this year to propagate from cuttings and it is hoped to be able to return specimens to the wild within a few years.
COPYRIGHT O. LIND 12 October 1995 (no update except that there are no other plants growing at this date - 2009)

Succulents in Zimbabwe

2009-06-16T04:24:00.000-07:00

Succulent gardens grace Zimbabwe - from the North to the South. Almost all varieties of succulents flourish well the picture here is a perfect example.

One has to be careful about watering - too much water can destroy some species completely - but once on has the hang of it the garden is a joy to look at and easy to maintain.

One of our Great Gardeners in Zimbabwe

2009-06-11T01:07:00.000-07:00

On 29 march this year Voytek Popiel was savagely bludgeoned to death in his home in Sentosa, Harare, Zimbabwe. His beautiful garden was a show place for succulents. He had been ill for some time and it was particularly tragic that he knew when this photograph was taken, the day before his murder, that he did not have very long to live anyway.

He planned, with his wife, his memorial service - which was to be, and tragically did take place, on 31 May 2009. It was a meeting of the Aloe and Cactus Society - with his friends present.

His wife Dorothy had slaved to make sure not a plant was out of place - that all the plants were labeled and not a weed showed.

After tea and a simple ceremony where friends spoke of him and his devotion to plants and his work we walked round the garden where he had spent his last day - sad that it was overshadowed by the house in which he was killed.

It was the right way to celebrate the life of a wonderful and gentle man.

Not much work done

2009-05-12T00:02:00.000-07:00

My poor husband has had to revert to doing the gardening as our dysfunctional family who should be doing it are not putting in the work required.

They get free accommodation, free water and power plus they are using furniture we have in excess to our needs but they do not want to put even an hour a day into the garden! Our agreement was that they run the garden and get our facilities free plus as many vegetables etc that they need.

If they have work - landscaping etc - they are up and out by 7 in the morning - if they have nothing to do except help us out they don't get up before 10 - it is very frustrating as weeds are now sprouting up everywhere and what was starting to look like a well run garden is reverting to a wilderness!

I hope we can get some work done as I have spent a lot of time and money on obtaining plants which now sit in sleeves waiting for planting.

Oh the joys of living in Africa!

Tomatoes and African Cucumbers

2009-05-08T23:27:00.000-07:00

We have harvested our first good tomatoes and some African cucumbers - spiky to look at and sweet to eat. So salad is on the menu again as our lettuce is also big enough to pick. Good red and variegated lettuce that tastes like butter.

Starting the new herb garden

2009-05-04T02:03:00.000-07:00

Herbs have always been my passion and some years ago I had 173 varieties.

The Vumba Botanical gardens took plants from me for their herb garden.

With draught and lack of time and staff the herb garden was no more but now i am starting it up again!

Here a bed is being cleared - we had day lilies and roses in the bed - now we have herbs - lavender among the roses and a selection of culinary herbs as seen in the

second photograph below.

The dining room and outside dining area look over the bed and so I have placed mainly culinary herbs here - it is also near to the kitchen for ease of picking what I need for my meals. This is just the start - 30 more seedlings have been obtained and are now ready to be planted. What a joy to have a really good selection of herbs again!

I managed to get hold of four Wilde Als plants to replace my old plant that was being eaten by white ants. One will go in this bed - close by the kitchen for easy of cutting and making herbal tea - the other three will go in a wild garden which will be where the original herb garden was situated.

Wild Basil

2009-04-18T04:20:00.000-07:00

In the midst of re-making my herbs gardens I realise that
i can do nothing but leave my wild basil where it is for now.
The clump of bushes - originally planted from seed found on the Zambezi flood plane at RIFA has taken hold in a bed with indigenous trees and acts as a good cover for the bore hole. It always seems to be green and can be used as either a culinary herb or a medicinal herb.
Used in casseroles and stews it is slightly stronger than most forms of culinary basil. it has fury leaves and the seeds are brown and dry very quickly. They fall and reseed the bed naturally and need no care except for a little water during the dry season.

The branches can be thrown under tables to make a natural fly and mosquito repellent at a luncheon or supper outdoors party.

The seeds can be taken in the hands - rubbed to release their aroma and are a welcome relief to someone suffering hay fever when out on a bush walk.

This variety is Zulu Basil.

Vegetables here we go!

2009-04-15T00:08:00.000-07:00

The vegetable garden is now in full operation with an abundant amount of plants to feed us and our gardeners. It took time but is worth it with everything coming up well and weeds having been banished.

We have started on the herb garden and I will be posting some before and after pictures - when I power comes back on. no Internet for over a week and now no power - again!

Seedlings and herbs galore!

2009-03-26T00:20:00.000-07:00

Yesterday went and bought a mass of vegetable seedlings, seed, and herb plants. It looks like the vegetable garden is getting into full swing.

I am redesigning my herb garden and have most of the basics I need to get it started again. i fancy an informal design to fit with the rest of our garden

And we are holding a course on making compost and another on herb gardening - so this will really give the garden a boost! We are growing both traditional and indigenous herbs and teaching people how to plant them and where - as well as how to use them.

Rain and rain and rain!

2009-03-18T02:42:00.000-07:00

The rain has put a stop to almost all our gardening - it has been pelting down almost everyday making weeding and mowing a nightmare.

There seems a bit of sun today so we might have some luck again!

Beds are cleared

2009-02-27T01:50:00.000-08:00

The beds are being cleared and next the planting - you can only imagine what a mess the garden was in! The thought of all those wonderful organic vegetables is worth all the hard work. We use only compost and it works so well one wonders why people bother with fertilisers. The taste of an organically grown vegetable straight out of the garden is something that no shop bought produce can compare to or equal.

Oh where do we start!!!!!

2009-02-22T23:22:00.000-08:00

Well here we have three willing gardeners surveying the mess. It is hard to decide where to start. The beds must be cleared and the mass of vegetation removed before planting can start. Fruit trees have to be trimmed and pruned. however we will get there soon.

Thank goodness my computer and the power is back and I can look on the Internet for tips I might need. We were without both for 12 days!

2009-02-20T00:29:00.000-08:00

Our once pristine vegetable garden is now a mass of weeds. With no one to help an achre and a bit of garden can be too much to cope with.
However help is now at hand - we have allowed an old friend to take over our domestic quarters, which we are no longer using, in exchange for helping us out in the garden.
he held a vegetable gardening course a week back and we now have the start of a vegetable garden again!

Day Lilies

2009-01-29T00:00:00.000-08:00

The Day Lily is not indigenous but grows prolifically in Zimbabwe gardens.

My dear friend Lynda Sandercock bred them at her nursery in Borrowdale. She had the most wonderful selection of colours and i bought everyone she had - they now give us wonderful colour almost all year round - from yellow to orange to dark red and maroon.

A Fairy Garden

2009-01-25T23:11:00.000-08:00

With the rain comes a mass of growth in the garden. As we have no gardener much of the garden has become overgrown - I like it that way - natural and one never knows what one will come across as one wanders about looking in the crooks and crannies.

this is what i came across yesterday - flame lilies climbing into our wild gardenia and growing among a mass of 'Mother in Laws Tongues'. We have never seem this display before - perhaps because our gardeners have always - kept the place tidy!!!!!!!

I really think I prefer the garden untidy!

Dorset mega

2009-01-23T03:28:00.000-08:00

This little chilli plant looks Innocent. Don't believe it!!!!

We planted the seed - which came from England in July - everyone said far too early - anyway it has thrived and we harvested our first chilli two days ago.

I thought I was used to hot chillies - this one tops the scale - I took a bite of the bottom of the fruit and mentioned that it was not hot at all what was all the fuss! Then I bit further into the flesh - not taking any seeds. I have never tasted anything so hot - it has no flavour just heat that bi=urns. My husband had the same experience.

We went and opened a container of ready made custard - something I never eat as i have a reaction to milk products - well I downed two plates and never had a reaction. i could still feel a slight burning sensation yesterday.

Just beware if you plant this chillie it is really hot!

Cycads in our garden

2009-01-12T03:02:00.000-08:00

The cycad is a prehistoric dinosaur of the plant world. We are lucky to have a number in our garden and this time of year they are producing the cones which give us the seeds. We have so many seeds that they fall on the ground around the plants and start to shoot - every year we give away cycad seedlings to anyone who wants them. Many people have to have their plants fertilized artificially but ours just reproduce on their own!

Flame lilies at the end of a year.

2008-12-30T22:37:00.000-08:00

It is the end of the year and our rains have transformed the dry dust bowl of a garden to a lush green haven that requires constant mowing. In among the green lush grass and cycads are growing a selection of out Christmas flowers. the national flower - the Flame Lily. Happy new year to everyone and may 2009 be better!

The rains have come!

2008-12-20T00:40:00.000-08:00

The rain has come at last. A pleasant change to the dry and dusty season we have just been through! With the rains cvome the weeds and with no gardener we spend our time weeding the vegetable garden and trying to keep the garden tidy.

This year we will plant vegetables in pots to save the extra work!

Hidden away

2008-12-01T23:01:00.000-08:00

I am always amazed as I walk around the garden what I find in hidden away. This little orchid was attached to a tree and flowering away quite happily with no care at all - except for perhaps a spray of water every now and again.

Walking around our garden is always a pleasure as one comes across the unexpected almost everyday.

This lovely lily came from the Zambezi Valley but seems to like our rockery.

Ground Orchids

2008-11-23T00:36:00.001-08:00

This orchid grows on our rockery. We give it no attention whatsoever but it flowers each year at this time - a great addition to the garden.

Ammocharis coranica

2008-11-09T22:30:00.000-08:00

This member of the Amaryllidaceae family normally grows in open areas in Acacia or mopane woodland on silty or alluvial soils and on flat ground. Here it grows in our rockery and seems completely at home. It can be found in both Zimbabwe and South Africa and usually grow in colonies - this one is one its own!

In Swaziland the charred bulbs are made into a tar like paste which is used for making head rings for Chiefs. and the paste is used in the north-eastern Transvaal for water proofing earthenware.

Surprising enough there are still a number around!

The flowers last for about three to four days and become pinker as time goes on. The outer flowers come out first and then the centre flowers so one gets a lovely bouquet by the second day - by the third the flowers are dying off.

Hypoxis

2008-11-07T04:36:00.001-08:00

This grows everywhere in our garden. it has been used by the indigenous people as a cure for cancer and for AIDS. It is a lovely plant - so very green and with wonderful bright yellow flowers. there are a number of varieties and it is sometimes called the African potato

Scadoxus multiflora

2008-11-03T01:17:00.000-08:00

Known as the 'common fireball' this lovely plant flowers in October through to December. We are lucky enough to have this specimen in our garden.

Although widely spread throughout Africa it is usually only encountered in the wild.

It can be seen on the outcrops above the Victoria Falls.

We planted this specimen last year and it appears to like its spot on the rockery.

This one appears to have a good inflorescence - some plants only have about ten flowers in each clump.

The name is derived from Greek and means 'sharp umbel'.

Lilies in the garden

2008-10-28T02:48:00.000-07:00

There are beautiful indegenous lilies Zimbabwe. The one shown here we are yet to name. Fearing we might loose it we have planted in a pot and hope it will seed. Indigenous lilies grow well in the open ground so if this one survves we willplant it out and plant the seeds in the open grond. This is how it looks at this time.

Tree Wisteria

2008-10-25T02:34:00.000-07:00

This beautiful tree has just finished flowering in our garden.

Bolusanthus speciosus is graceful and grows to 7 metres in height. When the flowers fall they form a carpet of purple on the grass below.

This tree was planted about 15 years ago from seed and has almost grown to its full height.

So much for indigenous trees being slow growing.

Dry gardens

2008-10-23T06:15:00.001-07:00

Well ------ this is about it at the moment! We are waiting for the October/November rains. Not wanting to deplete the underground water we do not water the grass. It means more dust - but, hey, grass dies down in winter anyway - so why make it grow! It needs a rest!

Our vegetables have taken the brunt of the weather - but still produce a few tomatoes, peppers and the spinach, rhubarb and strawberries are fine. Dusty berries are coming on, as are raspberries. Our crop of guavas should be good and the mango trees are flowering - whether or not we will get any that ripen properly is yet to be seen however none will go to waste as I will stew them with some specially saved sugar and make puree for the coming year.

A lot of our vegetables will be planted in pots this year as we have no one to help in on our acre plus garden.

Seed is impossible to obtain but Alex has posted us some from SA - hope it arrives!

Gardenia spatulifolia in flower!

2008-10-16T01:29:00.000-07:00

Although spring as such does not exist in Zimbabwe - the transiton from cold to hot happening almost overnight - this time of year is full of flowering trees and shrubs.

One of my favourite trees is Gardenia spatulifolia - giving us an abundance of white waxy flowers that turn to yellow . The flowers are highly perfumed and the perfume can be sensed over the whole garden. The tree is this picture was planted by us about 12 years ago.

September

2008-09-12T23:37:00.000-07:00

September is here and with it have come winds - not yet the heat we expect for this time of year. One wonders if the rainy season will appear on schedule but there was no rain around show time at the end of August and this is not a good sign.

Lack of water means that the vegetable garden is slow and not as productive as it should be. With constant power cuts and water cuts (no municipal water for three weeks and the borehole only operates when we have power!) water is almost out and we must wait for the rains to replant our lettuces and other vegetables.

Chillies and peppers have been planted but the germination rate has not been good.

Our avocado tree is producing well and mulberries and strawberries provide us with fruit. Our raspberries look like they may give us a good crop and the dusty berries are already starting to produce.

September is a slow month in our garden but we still mange to provide ourselves with something for the table.

Planting Your Vegetables

2008-08-23T00:40:00.001-07:00

The end of August beginning of September is the time to plant vegetables.

One should remember that almost anytime in Southern Africa is the time to start a garden and flowers and vegetables flourish throughout the year.

In Zimbabwe one cannot divide the year into four seasons. The division is often indistinct between one season and another. There is the winter or cold season from mid-May to early August - the summer then takes us to November and the normal wet warm season from mid-November to early May.

July is here!

2008-07-15T07:00:00.001-07:00

I have been very silent due to massive power cuts (yesterday 20 hours) and internet failure.

July is now cold and windy.

Our vegetable garden thrives but with over an achre and no help we are struggling. We cannot water as there is little water - sometimes at night we get a few hours - but who can get up in freezing cold weather and water?????

Our aloes look good and have flowered well desipte the adverse conditions.

Everything is very dry and brown at the moment. Hope we have more power and I can add to this blog later! Have to catch up on e-mail now!

Gardening in May

2008-05-18T01:23:00.000-07:00

The weather is getting colder and the grass is getting browner but the gardens still look good.

I am starting my herb garden again. Sadly I lost almost all of my 174 varieties due to drought and lack of care. My husband has been the gardener for a year - with no help. Keeping an acre of garden going when you have a job as well is not easy!

We now have a new gardener and already there is a difference - so the herb garden can go ahead!

What to plant? I already have a lot of the basics - a rosemary bush that has had to be pruned, parsley of course, oregano, lavender, green marjoram, rosella, black alexanders or lovage as some call it. My rocket and basil are still going strong but my sage needs replacing. I have lost all my thyme so that will have to go in. I have wild herbs as well - my favourite is wilde alse - good for flu, colds and fevers.

I will plant a half circle garden - in the middle there is already a tamerind tree and an elder tree.

There will be three rings - one for medicinal herbs, one for culinary plants and another for aromatics.

What else to plant now - well May is the month for beans, beetroot, cabbage, carrots, cress, endive, kale, kohl rabi, lettuce, mustard, onions, peas, potatoes, radishes, spinach and turnips.

Wish we could get all the seed. I have tried to obtain seed from South Africa but cannot find many South African companies that can provide the more exotic herb or vegetable seeds. Any ideas?

Hope to be able to post again soon - have had a month of 16 hour a day power cuts!

Leeks

2008-04-27T02:35:00.001-07:00

Today I am finally online again! Power shortages and internet outages are common place in Zimbabwe - the last two weeks have been very difficult.

Today we havested leeks - well worth the trouble growing your own as those bought in the supermarket are often tough and have little flavour. They are easy to grow and almost imune to pests or fungal deseases. They like rich deep soil!

Harvested,cleaned and cut I was able to vacumn pack and freeze seven packets for future use. nothing better than leek soup! The flavour and even just the smell of the home grown plant is wonderful! And don't forget the leaves.....they add flavour to soups and stews - just clean them well and chop - then freeze for instant flavour - use like chives.

Garden Jobs for April - Plant Stawberries

2008-04-10T01:50:00.000-07:00

Plant strawberries now. They flourish in Zimbabwe. Always so expensive in the shops a few plants in your garden will keep you well supplied.

Obtain runners from good quality plants and plant out in rich well-drained soil. Water them regularly and when flowers form give food in the shape of liquid manure.

Before or as the fruit forms it is a good idea to place straw under the berries to keep the fruit off the soil. This also acts as a mulch to stop the soil drying out.

Fruit will be ready to gather from about September onwards.

Cycads in a Zimbabwe Garden

2008-04-08T00:37:00.000-07:00

Cycads were once one of the major components of the world's vegetation. They were grazed by dinosaurs and are today a modern living dinosaur of the plant world. Little appears to have changed in their make-up over the centuries that they have been in existence. Cycads are of the Encephalartos family. Zimbabwe boasts three cycad species, these being Encephalartos manikensis, E. concinnus and E.chimanimaniensis. The E. chimanimaniensis colony used to lie on the border between Zimbabwe and Mozambique. However, those on the Zimbabwean side have now gone like so many indigenous plants in the area.

Cycads are poisonous to humans and livestock. Certain parts of the plant can be processed and then are edible.

Cycads are protected plants in most areas of the world and the same is true for Zimbabwe. Some years ago there was a registration process to register all cycads in private gardens - this seems to have been abandoned.

They are showy plants with on the whole, thick spiky leaves. The seeds grow in the centre of the plant in an orange cone. Very attractive!

Most cycads in gardens are hand pollinated but those in our garden have been left to their own resources and have seeded and propagated well.

Most cycads prefer full or filtered sun and well drained soils. Cycads grow well in Zimbabwe and are a great addition to your garden.

April Flowers

2008-04-05T00:18:00.001-07:00

So April is upon us and with the cooler days perhaps a bit more energy.

Planting flowers to give our gardens colour is well spent time.

during Aopril in Zimbabwe plant the floowing:
Alyssum, Anemone, Arctotis, Calendendula, Candytuft, Canna, Cineraria, Clarkia, Coreopsis, Cornflower, Delphinium, Dimorphotheca, Eschscholtzia, Foxglove, Fuchsia, Gaillardia, Geum, Gypsophila, Helichrysum, Heuchera, Hunnemannia, Larkspur, Leptosyne, Linaria, Linum, Lupin, Matricaria, Michaelmas Daisy, Mignonette, Myosotis, Pansy, Pentstemon, Phlox, Plyanthus, Poppy, Pyrethrum, Ranunculus, Scabious, Schizanthus, Statice, Stocks, Sweet Pea, Sweet Pea, Viola, Violet.

Good planting

Vegetables for April

2008-04-03T03:05:00.000-07:00

During April you will need to transplant and thin out some of the plants in your vegetable garden. All those mentioned below can also be growen now from seed.

Broad Beans can be sown and take from 5 to 10 days to germinate
Beetroot can be growen in rows and those already in the ground thinned out
Cabbage seedlings can be Thinned out and new cabbages planted in seedbeds
Carrots can be grown and those already in the soil thinned out
Transplant your endive, kale and kohl rabi
Transplant or thin out lettuce
Broadcast mustard seed
Transplant onions
Thin out parsnips
Plant peas in rows
Plant potatoes
Plant radishes and remember they only take about 4 weeks to mature so don't plant too many at once
Spinich can be thinned or transplanted now
Thin out turnips

The Use of Water in Your Garden

2008-03-27T00:30:00.000-07:00

So we have had a good rainy season....so what? This will now be followed by months of no or little rain leaving our gardens dry and parched.

Use of Municipal water is limited and often rationed and even with a borehole to rely upon one has to be careful.

I always feel that watering the verges outside ones house is a waste - as is watering large areas of grass inside one's property. Grass needs to die down naturally and be given a rest.

The most important things are to keep the vegetable garden going and save the most vulnerable of plants.

Watering with a hose pipe is wasteful and very hit and miss with some plants not getting enough water and others being drowned!

Sprays are the best method of getting water evenly distributed. Sink drums under stand pipes and collect water in watering cans for those small patches of flowers or other plants.

Plan your watering so each part of the garden gets its share.

Make small holes in the bottom of a plastic juice bottle and plant this with the neck protruding from the soil, near to bushes and plants that need water on a constant basis. Fill the bottle as needed and your plant will get the water it requires.

What Fungus is this?

2008-03-24T02:07:00.000-07:00

Every morning for the last week we have woken up to a display of these mushrooms on our front lawn. Mysteriously by 9 am they are gone!

I have identified it as Coprinus plicatilis or the Japanese umbrella. It is edible but the fungus is so delicate and there are so few of them appearing at a time that eating them would not be an option!

Flowers to Plant During March

2008-03-24T01:21:00.000-07:00

Every garden should have some colour and planting a few flower beds will be most rewarding.

These flowers can be planted in Zimbabwe during March:
Alyssum, Anemone, Antirrhinum, Blue lace, Browallia, Calendula, Campanula, Candytuft, Canna, Cineraria, Clarkia, Coreopsis, Cornflower, Delphinium, Dianthus, Eschscholtzia, Foxglove, Fushia, Gaillardia, Geum, Gypsophila, Helichrysum, Heuchera, Hunnemannia, Larkspur, Leptosyne, Linum, Lupin, Matricaria, Michaelmas daisey, Mignonette,Mina Lobata, Myosotis, Nemophilia, Pansy, Pentstemon, Phlox, Polyanthus, Poppy, Pyrethrum, Ranunculus, Scabious, Schizanthus, Statice, Stocks, Sweet pea, Sweet Sultan, Viola, Violet, White Lace.

With a list this long i am sure you will find something to suit your garden theme.

good planting!

Vegetables to Plant in March

2008-03-13T05:32:00.000-07:00

We are back on the vegetables! The following is a list of vegetables you can plant in Zimbabwe during March. It is important to stagger your plantings so that you do not have a glut of any one vegetable at a time but have variety throughout the year.

So in March plant:
Broad beans, Dwarf beans, Runner beans, Beetroot, Broccoli, Brussels sprouts, Cabbage, Carrots, Cauliflower, Cress, Endive, Kale, Kohl Rabi, Leeks, Lettuce, Mustard, Onions, Parsley, Parsnip, Peas, Potatoes, Radish, Shallots, Spinach, Tomatoes, Turnips.

Good vegetable gardening!

Growing Bananas

2008-03-06T02:56:00.000-08:00

A small grove of banana trees will provide you with fruit for your family with very little work.

There are a number of varieties to choose from so ask your local nursery what they have in stock. I prefer the lady fingers and musa paradisica or plantain.

Place your plants in a frost free area of your garden and out of the prevailing wind. Bananas prefer well drained soils although rich humus loam is better than a lighter sandy soil. Suckers of 60 to 90 cm can be removed from mature plants and replanted.

The average banana reaches full maturity in 3 to 4 years. Bananas flourish best in conditions that are allow large amounts of nutrients. This enables the plant to produce maximum yields.

Allow a continual mulch around the plants and cut the stems at the base as soon as the bunches have been harvested - use them to mulch the plants.

The life of a banana tree is 5 to 7 years after which new planting should be made in most cases.

Avacado Pear Trees

2008-02-29T06:34:00.000-08:00

An Avocado Tree in your garden will provide you with fruit year after year.

The tree can be started from a seed which is sprouted or a seedling can be bought from a nursery.

The trees prefer phosphates and potash - but a good organic compost will do just as well.
Cropping ususally occures in the third or fourth year after planting. but can take up to seven years!

Avocados like well drained loamy soils and do not do so well in clay or heavy soils.
Root rot can start even after ten years if the soil conditions are not liked by your tree. This is shown by the dying back of branches.

When plating make sure your hole is at least 120 cm square by 120 cm deep. Fill with goodd garden soil and compost. Water every three or four days until established and then water weekly.

Cover in mid may against possible frost in September or october the tree will start to grow very rapidly.

Orchids in Zimbabwe

2008-02-25T04:07:00.000-08:00

There are indigenous orchids in Zimbabwe and some of them in this web album are indigenous - some are not. They are however magnificent and I wanted to share them with you.

Orchids in Bloom in Harare

Roses do grow in Zimbabwe!

2008-02-25T02:51:00.000-08:00

Even an almost indigenous garden needs some roses! I would be lost without mine - almost always in flower and blooms available for cutting. I always find that home grown roses last longer when cut than the bought ones!

During February one should water the roses as necessary - even if we have had above normal rainfall this year once the rain stops the roses need their moisture!

A thick mulch of well decayed animal manure ( your home made compost will do ) should be applied. Keep away from the plant stems.

This is the time to spray or dust, if you must, against blackspot.

Lightly dig in any old mulch if it has been compacted by the heavy rain.

Cut off any dead heads or dead wood to encourage new growth - happy rose growing!

Organic Gardening

2008-02-22T00:46:00.000-08:00

Organic or not organic? How difficult is to make your garden an organic one? Not that difficult.

We started organic gardening some years ago and produce a mass of vegetables and garden plants with no fertilizers or insect sprays.

As long as one uses every bit of organic matter at hand from vegetable peelings to grass cuttings and other garden waste one can build up a compost pile in very little time - helped out by horse and other animal manures a rich natural substance is produced that can be forked around your plants. The taste of your vegetables and their size will reward you for all your efforts. By using your kitchen waste on the compost heap you do not have masses of smelly rubbish each week and you are using every bit of your vegetables by plowing back the parts you do not eat into the soil.

I will talk about companion planting to get rid of garden pests in another post.

Stapelias in Our Garden

2008-02-20T01:41:00.000-08:00

Stapelias are small perennial leafless succulents. They are know commonly as the Carrion Plant due to the bad smelling flowers. They aattract blue bottles and can be seem buzzing around the open flowers. Gigantea - shown here - is the largest of the species and one of the largest flowers in the plant kingdom.

Despite the smell of the flowers this is an ideal rockery plant as they spread quickly and give colour in January and February in what can otherwise be a colourless season. Although not known to like water - we never water ours during the dry season - they seem to have taken to our heavy rains this year - so much so that we are having to thin them out!

Barberton Daisies

2008-02-19T05:03:00.000-08:00

Think of Barberton Daisies in Zimbabwe and think of Brian Terry whose magnificent plants have given pleasure to many Zimbabwean gardeners. His new varieties have always been colourful and hardy.

This is an easily grown, easily cultivated and prolific flower. Gerbera Jamesonii were originally all one shade - terracotta or bright brick. Today they have been breed and can be found as doubles and singles and are in many tones and colours from yellow to wine and even white. There are bi-colours and multi-colours.

They like a loose, open, gritty soil which should be well drained.

They can be grown from seed but the best and easiest method of propagation is root division.

It is wise to break them up every 18 months or so as the clumps become unmanageable and take too much out of the soil.

The leaves should be pinched off and a dressing of well rotted manure should be forked around the plants. Nip of any spent blooms to keep the plants healthy and flowering.

Space given in your garden to this hardy perennial will give you pleasure from the wonderful blooms that they produce.

Flame Lilies

2008-02-18T01:53:00.000-08:00

The Flame lily or Gloriosa Superba and Gloriosa Virescens is the national flower of Zimbabwe. It is a brilliant addition to our gardens and comes in a variety of colours - there being over 52 classified varieties.

It muliplies slowly in its natural state and propigation is quite tricky. Now the last of the blooms will have died off and one must know how to look after the plants so that the plants will multiply and ensure blooms in the coming year.

Do not over water the plants! This is the best way to destroy them!

Flame Lilies can be propigated from seed but although this will produce a large number of plants it is a slow process.

Propigation by tuber is the best method as one tuber will produce one stem and two tubers per year.

The plants like partial shade. It will tolerate early morning and late afternoon sun. Filtered sunlight will produce good blooms and string stem structure.

If strong plants are required - water no more than once a week.
Once the plant has died down apply compost and continue to apply water once a week until the leaves and stems turn brown. Transplant between end July and beginning of November. Dig a hole 23 cm deep and place the tuber flat on the bottom of the hole. Add bone meal to the soil from the hole and fill the whole with this (75gr of bone meal should be enough). Level the soil.

Water once a week during the dry period. When a shoot appears as compost and work into the soil and then water once every three or four days until the plant appears to be well established.

Tubers may be left in the ground for up to eight years. Then lift and thin out or re position. New plants tend to come up each year about 30cm from the original planting position.

Plant for Winter

2008-02-12T23:24:00.001-08:00

February is the latest for planting new citrus trees. What garden and household does not benifit from a lemon, orange or grapefruit tree? Citrus provides a valuable source of vitamin C and lemon and orange juice can be made easily at home from the fresh fruit.

Roses should also be planted at this time - again really the last month that is acceptable to enable them to flourish.

This is the time to plant potatoes and strawberries and that new avocado tree you want to put in the garden.

Dahlias will start to bloom and should be fed and staked.

If you are lucky enough to have bulbs to plant this is the time to do it.

hope you winter planting is a success!

Flowers to Plant in February

2008-02-10T23:41:00.000-08:00

A show of colourful flowers is always appreciated. If one does not have an indigenous garden then flowers from other parts of the world will probably be suitable. the following are suitable to plant in February:
Alyssum, Anemone, Antirrhinum, Browallia,Calendula, Campanula, Candytuft, canna, Cineraria, Clarkia, Coreopsis, Cornflower, Delphinium, Dianthus, Eschscholtzia, Fozglove, Fushia, Gaillardia, Geum, Gypsophila, Helichrysum, hunnemannia, Larkspur, Leptosyne, Lupin, Matricaria, Michaelmas daisey, Mignonette, Mina Lobata, Myosotis, Nemophila, Pansy, Pentstemon, Phlox, Polyanthus, Poppy, Pyrethrum, Ranunculus, Scabious, Schizanthus, Statice, Stocvks, Sweet pea, Sweet Sultan, Viola, Violet, Wallflower.

Happy planting!

Vegetables in February - or how to beat the supermarket blues!

2008-02-07T03:42:00.001-08:00

Planting Vegetables in February

With so little produce on the shelves we need to think about a vegetable garden to feed our family with good fresh produce throughout the year.

The following vegetables should be planted in february:
Asparagus, Broad Beans, Dwarf Beans, Runner Beans, Beetroot, Broccoli, Brussels Sprouts, Cabbage, Carrots, Cauliflower, Clery, Cress, Endive, Kale or Spinach, Leeks, Lettuce, Mustard, Onions, Parsley, Parnip, Peas, Potatoes, Radish, Salsify, Shallots, Tomatoes.

Remember if you cannot get fertiliser - use compost - we only use compost and never chemicals on our vegetables.

All you need to do is to collect all your organic waste and set aside a place in the garden to make your compost with it. Anything from grass cuttings to vegetable peel will do. in no time at all your will be producing your own compost and growing an organic garden!

Till next time.