Last weekend we pulled the Little Sweety Tomatoes out of the vegetable garden and seriously pruned back all the herbs. We then added lots of compost and cow manure to prepare it for planting. So this weekend we planted lots of green Asian vegies, tomatoes, cucumbers, kale (pictured above) and brocolli. The eggplant is still in the garden from last year and has started to fruit already.

All the vegies have a sugarcane mulch blanket on to keep them warm and hydrated. The excitement of spring and watching our food grow has begun.

The eggplant is already starting to grow fruit. Depending on where you are reading this, you may refer to this vegetable as aubergine. Although we treat eggplant like a vegetable in the kitchen and cook it, it is indeed a fruit.

A new addition to our green salad leaves selection is mizuna. It adds a nice gentle flavour tang and visual interest to a salad dish.

A chili plant should be part of every garden since they provide so many health benefits when used in our food. They also make great companion plants in the vegetable garden to deter pest insects. Chilies are a great addition to chicken water to keep away bugs in their guts. You can also use chilies to make a pest spray simply by fermenting a few chilies in a spray bottle filled with water. They are a simple, versatile plant that prolifically give produce with minimum effort.

To read more about my backyard farming experiences click the link.