UTAS Sustainability Everyday Edibles Planting Guide

UNIVERSITY OF TASMANIA, SUSTAINABILITY

TASMANIAN PLANTING GUIDE

SUSTAINABILITY AT THE UNIVERSITY OF TASMANIA

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utas.edu.au/infrastructure-services-development/sustainability

Publication content: Thi Kim Anh Nguyen, SIPS Intern. Under the supervision of Sustainability team member Dr Catherine Elliott, Infrastructure Services & Development.

Publication design: Grace Johnston, Design and Communications, Infrastructure Services & Development.

Get grOWING! FOR YOURSELF & YOUR COMMUNITY

As we experience this unprecedented time, it can be hard to hear the news both from overseas and locally. There are things we can do during this time to take care of ourselves and contribute to the communities around us.

One way to do this is to get outside into the garden...

Everyday Edibles, is a place-based easy to follow planting and food storage guide, adapted from Food Gardens on UTAS campuses *, showing common foods you can grow at different times of the year as well as tips for storing your food for longer. Getting our hands in the soil has many benefits for our health and wellbeing. Improving our soil through composting and growing foods that we can share with others around us are important ways we can be active in our community. Food waste takes up a significant portion of our landfill bins and we can all take part in reducing the food waste to landfill by using what we have and learning how to store food to reduce waste. Imagine the impact on our landfill sites across our island if all staff and students started composting at home!

* Project by Thi Kim Anh Nguyen, under the supervision of Dr Catherine Elliott as part of the University of Tasmania, Sustainability Integration Program for Students.

1

VEGETABLES / PLANTING TIMETABLE AND POST-HARVEST STORAGE METHODS

Summer

Autum

Winter

Spring

Storage for food waste reduction

JAN FEB MAR APR MAY JUN JUL AUG SEP OCT NOV DEC

COMMON STORAGE SPECIFIC CONDITION STORAGE LIFE

Broccoli

5-7 days

Brussels sprouts

3-5 days

Cabbage

1-2 weeks

Capsicums

1-2 weeks

Carrot

2 weeks

Cauliflower

1 week

Corn

3 days

Cucumber

1 week

Eggplant

3 days

Green beans

3-5 days

Leek

1-2 weeks

Lettuce

1 week

Pak Choi Parsnip Potato Pumpkin

3-5 days

2 weeks

Dark & cool place

1-2 weeks

Whole pumpkin

1 month

Silver beet

2 weeks

Spinach Tomato Zucchini

1 week

4-6 days

4-6 days

= Room Temperature = Refridgerator

TABLE KEY

Data throughout: Based on Cundall (2018), FAO (1989), Gardenate (2019), Growing Interactive Ltd (2019), IANR (2019), Milne (2010) and advice from Nha Huynh 2

VEGETABLES / RECOMMENDATIONS FROM EXPERTS

Recommended

Special requirements / Specific characteristics

Caleb

Paddy

Broccoli

 

Requires spraying otherwise too many pest problems and inedible Requires spraying otherwise too many pest problems and inedible Requires spraying otherwise too many pest problems and inedible

Brussels sprouts

Cabbage

Capsicums

 

Easy to grow, expensive to buy

Carrot

Cauliflower

Requires spraying otherwise too many pest problems and inedible

Corn

     

Cucumber

Eggplant

Requires rotation to avoid diseases shared with tomatoes

Green beans

Disease resistant, easy to grow and productive

Leek

Lettuce

Pak Choi Parsnip Potato Pumpkin

       

Usually bolts; Requires spraying and steady watering; Usually fails

Too long cycles for crop rotation

  

It would be better if the good raised beds could be for other more valuable crops.

Silver beet

Easy to grow Usually bolts

Spinach Tomato Zucchini

 

Requires rotation to avoid diseases

Recommendations: Based on the advice from Professor Caleb Gardner at IMAS Taroona campus and Patrick Barbour (Paddy) former head of Sandy Bay student accommodation, who have extensive experience with all the above listed types of plants and trees.

3

HERBS / PLANTING TIMETABLE AND POST-HARVEST STORAGE METHODS

Summer

Autum

Winter

Spring

Storage for food waste reduction

JAN FEB MAR APR MAY JUN JUL AUG SEP OCT NOV DEC

COMMON STORAGE SPECIFIC CONDITION STORAGE LIFE

Basil Chilli

In a glass of water

7-10 days

1 week

Wrapped in damp paper Wrapped in damp paper

Chives

1 week

Coriander

1-2 weeks

Dill

1-2 weeks

Well-ventilated place

Garlic

1 month

Wrapped in damp paper In a glass of water Wrapped in damp paper

Lemongrass

1-2 weeks

Mint

2-3 weeks

Parsley Shallot

1-2 weeks

Well-ventilated place Dry condition

1 month

Rosemary

1 week

Spring Onion

In a glass of water Continue to grow

Thyme

Dry condition 1 week = Room Temperature = Refridgerator

TABLE KEY

STORAGE LIFE FACTS The approximate storage life of vegetables will be affected by several factors, including mechanical damage and decay in storage. Damage caused during harvesting and transportation will increase the vulnerability of produce to decay organisms and hence reduce the produce’s storage life. Moreover, mould and decay in the storage are infectious, therefore, cleaning the storage regularly and removing suspected mouldy produce will help in maintaining the veggies’ health. Different varieties of vegetables/ fruits will have different storage life periods.

4

HERBS / RECOMMENDATIONS FROM EXPERTS

Recommended

Special requirements / Specific characteristics

Caleb

Paddy

Basil Chilli

  

           

Chives

Coriander

Usually bolts; Requires regular replanting Usually bolts; Requires regular replanting

Dill

Garlic

 

Easy to grow

Lemongrass

Does not like Tasmanian cold weather

Mint

Sometimes mint is loved to be included in the gardens, but it is not often harvested

Parsley Shallot

    

Rosemary

Spring Onion

Easy to grow

Thyme

HEALTH BENEFITS OF CHILLI Fight inflammation: Chilli peppers contain a substance called capsaicin, which gives peppers their characteristic pungency, producing mild to intense spice when eaten. Capsaicin is being studied as an effective treatment for sensory nerve fibre disorders, including pain associated with arthritis, psoriasis, and diabetic neuropathy.

YOU CAN EAT MORE THAN JUST THE GARLIC CLOVE When you think “garlic,” you inevitably picture garlic cloves, but despite the ubiquity of that particular image of the plant, it’s not the only part you can eat. Hard-neck varieties of garlic produce “scapes,” green shoots that can be especially delicious and tender when they’re young. They also make a wonderful addition to pestos, soups, and butters.

JANUARY / FEBRUARY Recommendations: Based on the advice from Professor Caleb Gardner at IMAS Taroona campus and Patrick Barbour (Paddy) former head of Sandy Bay student accommodation, who have extensive experience with all the above listed types of plants and trees.

5

FRUIT TREES / PLANTING TIMETABLE AND POST-HARVEST STORAGE METHODS

Summer

Autum

Winter

Spring

Storage for food waste reduction

JAN FEB MAR APR MAY JUN JUL AUG SEP OCT NOV DEC

COMMON STORAGE SPECIFIC CONDITION STORAGE LIFE

Apple

1 month

Apricot

7-10 days

Blueberry

1-2 weeks

Fig

2 days

Lemon

2-3 weeks

Lime

2-3 weeks

Mulberry

2-3 days

Olive

5-10 � C

3-6 weeks

Refrigerated when ripen

Pear

2 weeks

Raspberry Strawberry

2-3 days

2-3 days

= Room Temperature = Refridgerator

TABLE KEY

TOP TIP Processing some fruits and vegetables, such as making jam from apples, apricots & berries, is a method to avoid waste.

6

FRUIT TREES / RECOMMENDATIONS FROM EXPERTS

Recommended

Special requirements / Specific characteristics

Caleb

Paddy

Apple

    

Apricot

Blueberry

Less maintenance; Provides valuable crop

Fig

Lemon

 

Lime

Requires sheltered spots, otherwise usually fails in Tasmania

Mulberry

 

Olive

   

Provides food from poor soil

Pear

Raspberry Strawberry

Primocane-fruiting varieties are encouraged to be grown, pruning floticane-fruiting varieties can be difficult

Sometimes does not get eaten due to decay

LEMON FACTS 1. Sprinkling the juice on other fruits can prevent them turning brown. 2. Lemon juice and hot water is good for a sore throat as it is anti-bacterial. 3. A great source of vitamin C and fiber, lemons contain many plant compounds, minerals, and essential oils. 4. Lemon tree leaves can be used to make tea. 5. Citric acid. The most abundant organic acid in lemons, may help prevent the formation of kidney stones.

IS A BLUEBERRY NATURALLY BLUE? The blueberry is one of the only foods that is truly naturally blue in colour. The pigment that gives blueberries their distinctive colour—called anthocyanin—is the same compound that provides the blueberry’s amazing health benefits. One large handful (1/2 a cup) of juicy blueberries contains just 44 calories but has 2 grams of dietary fibre and 10% of your daily recommended vitamin C content.

JANUARY / FEBRUARY Recommendations: Based on the advice from Professor Caleb Gardner at IMAS Taroona campus and Patrick Barbour (Paddy) former head of Sandy Bay student accommodation, who have extensive experience with all the above listed types of plants and trees.

7

HERE ARE SOME GREAT RESOURCES YOU CAN FIND ONLINE WITH TIPS AND ADVICE ABOUT GETTING STARTED IN THE GARDEN Gardening Australia has a wide range of articles and DIY videos www.abc.net.au/gardening/ Goodlife Permaculture has new crisis gardening videos and tips https://goodlifepermaculture.com.au Milkwood Permaculture has gardening tips and more www.milkwood.net Southern Harvest, vegetable seeds posted to your door www.southernharvest.com.au Culture Club has videos and online tips for fermenting food at home www.facebook.com/cultureclubtasmania Source Co-op has gardening inspiration (coming soon) www.facebook.com/sourcewholefoods Hobart Herbalists Without Borders has tips and videos www.facebook.com/hobartherbalistswithoutborders

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