Happenings at the Garden

With the wet season well and truly upon us, there was not too much happening at the gardens.

Plenty of weeding was carried out. These plants (weeds, guinea grass etc) love the rain and they have been flourishing beautifully. Yuk! It has been a full-time job trying to contain them. Plenty of chop and drop. A lot more work is to be done. More hands would be so helpful.

Mung beans were sowed in one bed and then chopped and dropped in the bed for composting. Then beds have been layered up with fertiliser, moist newspaper, compost, soil and finally Sugar Cane Mulch ready for sowing/planting for this season.

In January, we were donated Dragonfruit cuttings. We have placed some around the Garden Waste fencing and in Zone 2 support pole.

Future Plans

Plan for one bed will be for Leafy Greens such as Rocket, Silverbeet, Spinach etc.

It is hopeful that we can get some trees lopped/pruned and woodchipped for future use at the gardens. At this stage obtaining a quote is frustrating. Everyone must be too busy. Will keep persevering as the gardens are in need. It will help with the health of the tree and allow light to reach the plants underneath.

Airlie Health Hub – Sponsors

This season there should be more produce to share. Again, hopefully the rain subsides a little to allow fruit and vegetables to flourish and ripen.
A few Lemonade Lemons were available the first week of March. They are sweet, almost orange like. More to come as they ripen.
Speaking of oranges, the tree has a great crop on at the moment. Hopefully we will be able to share if the Cockatoos stay away. Last season they destroyed the whole crop.
Limes, Bananas, Red Pawpaw and Soursops are developing as well.

FEATURED PLANT

Lemonade Lemon (Citrus Limon x reticulata)

Recently, I discovered the yummy flavour of the Lemonade Lemon. The Lemon tree is in Zone 2 of the gardens. I thought it was a normal lemon tree. Upon tasting the fruit, I was pleasantly surprised with the flavour. It is sweeter than a lemon. They are not quite ready for harvest. They need more colour on them. I did a little research on this fruit which I have included for your information.

Originally discovered in the 1980’s in New Zealand, (this fact is different in other searches. Others say it was developed in Australia) the Lemonade may look a bit round like a lemon, but it has sweet, tangy flavour. It is believed to be a natural hybrid between a Mandarin and Lemon (this too is disputed in other searches. Others say it is a cross between an Orange and a Meyer Lemon.) hence the sweet flavour with low acid content, easy peel and segments. The fruit contains few seeds.

When young the rind is dark green, ripening to a bright yellow with maturity which is when they are at their sweetest. Underneath the surface, there is a thin layer of semi-sweet, white, spongy pith. The flesh is soft, and golden yellow divided into segments, like a mandarin.

Lemonade is a hardy, evergreen vigorous tree which produces a medium-sized round yellow-fruit with juicy, greening yellow flesh and few seeds all year round. The sweetness of the fruit increases the longer the fruit remains on the tree. Tip-prune regularly to keep new growth coming and the tree will produce fruit all year.

Nutrition Facts

Lemonade fruits are a good source of vitamin C to strengthen the immune system and potassium to balance fluid levels within the body. They also contain calcium to strengthen bones and provide lower amounts of fibre and folate.

To store:

Lemonade fruit stores well at room temperature out of direct sunlight for up to a week, but will store much longer in the fridge.

How to use them

Lemonade fruits can be enjoyed raw, juiced and drank lemonade style as a delicious juice, or used in any way you would use a lemon or lime – they are particularly great in cocktails! Mmmmm

Whip up jars of marmalade or jam. Cooked in jellies and curds, simmered into syrups, or preserved for extended use. In short – lemonades are extremely versatile and can add a new twist on your favourite recipes.