Lemongrass

                           Lemongrass:

(Cymbopogon Citratus)

My lemongrass

DESCRIPTION:

Lemongrass is a tall perennial grass that grows in dense clumps that erupt from a tough bulbous base. It can spread up to a metre wide and can grow over a metre in height. It has bright green leaves with sharp edges and looks similar to grass. It has a subtle citrus flavour and can be dried and powdered or used fresh. It is widely used in Asian cooking as is native to India and tropical Asia.

HOW TO GROW:

Lemon grass is an easy herb to grow and will flourish in fertile sandy soils that have a tropical climate and a heavy rainfall.

You can start growing lemongrass by seed but that is a fairly long process and there is a quicker way!!

If you don't want to buy one in a nursery find a friend that has a lemongrass plant and grab a piece of the stalk close to the root and pull gently, you may find that the stalk comes away complete with some roots, if so you have a head start in the process, if not do not worry you can still grow some roots. Alternately buy a stalk from the supermarket, make sure you have a good one, there should be signs of life in the stalks still for you to be successful in propagation. Whether you have bought a cutting or got one from a friend the next process is the same, trim the tops away and any dead parts. Place the trimmed grass in a clear jar with about 2-3 cm of water in the bottom. Place the jar in a window that gets a bit of sun, it is very important that the grass does not dry out. Keep the bottom portion in water at all times. After a while they will grow a root system, be patient, it may take a while! The grass may start to grow before the roots are ready. This is normal. Wait until the roots are at least a few inches long and then plant into pots or into your garden. Use an organic potting mix if planting in pots and make sure that your lemongrass gets plenty of sunshine and water. If you live in a cold climate they need to be protected from the cold.

Medicinal uses:

Lemongrass is a herb that has an abundance of uses. It has antimicrobial (kills or inhibits the growth of microorganisms eg. fungi), analgesic (pain killing), antipyretic (fever reducing), antioxident and anti-fungal properties. It is said to be helpful in reducing cholesterol levels and is an effective insect repellant and fungicide.

Lemongrass leaves and stems are very high in folic acid. (important in cell division and DNA synthesis).

It is also rich in many essential vitamins such as Vitamin B5, B6 and B1. The fresh herb also contains small amounts of Vitamin C and A.

Lemongrass is also a rich source of minerals like potassium, zinc, calcium, iron, manganes, copper and magnesium.

MAKE YOUR OWN TEA:
I usually find that my lemongrass needs cutting back regularly to keep it in control. I hated throwing the leaf part of the grass away, so I dry it out and use it as a tea.

Cut the leaf about half way down the plant and tie into small bunches. You might want to wear some gloves when cutting back as the lemongrass has very sharp edges.Hang in a warm dry spot but avoid direct sunlight. When lemongrass is dry, cut and put into air tight containers. I have found that the easiest way to cut it is just with a decent pair of scissors. It is important that the herb is fully dried before you store it.

Lemongrass tea can be prepared by steeping 1-2 teaspoons of the herb, fresh or dried in hot water.

Drink 1 -4 cups per day to relieve congestion, coughing, bladder disorders, headaches, fever, stomach aches, digestive problems, diarrhoea, gas, bowel spasms, vomiting, flu symptoms, as a mild sedative and a possible cholesterol lowering agent.

Plus it also tastes good!!!

Small bunches of Lemongrass hanging to dry in my kitchen

Dragon Fruit - How to grow

DRAGON FRUIT (PITAYA)

Hylocereus undatus

DESCRIPTION:

Dragon fruit is a tropical cactus originally from the rainforests of Central and South America and also from Mexico. It is a member of the plant family Cactaceae (same as the cactus).

It is easily recognised by its triangular cross section of stem and it's minimal spines and is grown for ornamental purposes as well as for fruiting crops.

The plant has large flowers that are white and around 30cm or more long, they have sweet fragrance when in bloom. The flowers bloom for one night only and require cross pollination during this time from moths, bats or by hand. By morning, the flowers begin to wither and die with the rising heat. When the flowers die by the mid morning the fruit begins to grow. They can have between 4 – 6 fruit cycles in a year.

The Fruit is either bright pink or yellow skinned with green spines, it is oval shaped and the flesh of the fruit is either with or red with small black seeds dotted through it.

The fruit comes in three types:

Hylocereus Undatus - (Red Pitaya) Has red skinned fruit with white flesh.

Hylocereus costaricensis - (Costa Rica Pitaya, often called H. Polurhizus) Has red skinned fruit with red flesh.

Hylocereus Megalanthus – (Yellow Pitaya) Has yellow skinned fruit with a white flesh.

HOW TO GROW:

Dragon Fruit can be grown from seeds or by a cutting from a mature plant.

By seeds:

Look online for seeds. If you can't find them go to your local farmers market and buy a Dragon Fruit. Cut the fruit in half and scoop out some of the pulp making sure you have some of the black seeds. Mash the pulp in a small amount of water to separated the seeds. Wash the pulp from the seeds. You won't need many seeds as the germination rate is high. Fill a shallow container made from equal parts of organic seed raising mixture and sand.(Dragon fruit seeds like a loose soil and generally straight seed raising mix is too dense). Moisten the soil and sprinkle the seeds on top, cover lightly with a thin layer of the soil mixture. Place container in a plastic bag or cover with glad wrap to retain moisture. Put in a warm well lit spot. Check the seeds daily, seeds start to germinate anywhere from 1 to 14 days after planting. The seedlings will first appear with 2 germination leaves, much like a bean seedling. These are the first and last leaves to develop. As the seedlings develop the angular spiny stem grows in the central growing point between the two leaves. The stem thickens and elongates and eventually the two initial leaves will fall off. After several months of growth the seedlings can be potted into into individual pots and will hopefully grow big and produce lots of fruit!

By cuttings:

Find a friend with an established plant. Carefully slice of a section of the Dragon Fruits new growth using a sharp knife. Make the cut at a 45 degree angle through the stem connecting the two sections together. It is suggested that you coat the cut end of the stem with a fungicidal powder after cutting, I have found however that this is not always necessary. After removing the cutting from the plant and coating or not coating in fungicidal powder leave the cutting in a well-ventilated, shady area for one to two weeks to 'cure' the cutting. When 'cured' plant the cutting into an organic potting mixture, it should be only be planted about one inch deep. The cutting will require shade and minimal water until the roots have developed. Once the roots are established new vines will start sprouting from the cutting.

Harvesting of the fruit is around 28-30 days after flowering.