In this June edition of E-News you can catch up on whats reopening at the Farm as Covid-19 restrictions continue to ease and check out a couple of new developments.
Read HERE.
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By Ronni Martin. NSCF Education & Support Team Manager
Bring colour and interest to your garden and plate by growing edible flowers. Edible flowers can create a colourful show in your front garden. Or they can be distributed through your vegetable beds or around fruit trees where their other uses in attracting beneficial insects and pollinators will be appreciated. You can even grow some edible flowers in containers on your deck or balcony where they are close to the kitchen.
Edible flowers can be used to garnish sweet or savoury dishes, as well as in flower butters, oils or liqueurs. They make great decorations on cakes or desserts, either fresh or candied. Zucchini and daylily flowers can be stuffed with tasty fillings and steamed or baked. However, most flowers are served fresh, not cooked, so that they keep their colour and texture.
You are already eating some edible flowers as the common ‘vegetables’ broccoli, cauliflower, and artichokes are all flowers. The spice saffron is the stamen from the crocus flower, while cloves are flower buds. Capers are the unopened flower buds of a bush native in the Mediterranean.
Flowers are part of the traditional cuisine around the world. In the Middle East, Eastern Europe and India, floral waters such as rosewater and orange flower water are used to flavour sweets, meats and beverages. The French mixture known as “Herbes de Provence” has dried lavender flowers in it, while the liqueur Chartreuse contains carnation flowers.
Stuffed nasturtium
Artichoke
Nasturtium, pineapple sage and feijoa saladSome flowers are poisonous so always identify flowers accurately before eating them. And use flowers as a garnish, so you eat them in moderation.
Some common garden flowers to be avoided (but not a complete list) are: arum, azalea, crocus, daffodil, foxglove, hydrangea, iris, oleander, lilies, lily of the valley, lobelia, and wisteria.
Only the petals of composite flowers (daisy-like flowers) are edible. The pollen of composite flowers is allergenic and may cause reactions in sensitive people. Sufferers of asthma and hay-fever should not consume composite flowers, and may have extreme allergies to ingesting any flowers at all. If you have any allergies, consult your doctor before consuming edible flowers.
There are a few cautions to remember before harvesting any flowers:
*= Composite flowers. Only the petals of composite flowers (daisy-like flowers) are edible.
Alyssum
Angelica
Anise Hyssop
Apple Blossom
Artichoke
Banana
Basils
Bergamot
Borage
Burnet
*Calendula
Caper
Carnation
* Chamomile
*Chicory
Chives (garden & garlic)
Cilantro / Coriander
Citrus
Clover
*Cornflower
*Cosmos
*Dandelion
Dahlia
Daylily
Dianthus
Dill
Elderberry
*English Daisy
Fennel
Freesia
Fuchsia
Gardenia
Garlic
Geraniums
Gladiolus
Hibiscus
Honeysuckle
Hollyhock
Hyssop
Iceland Poppy
Impatiens / Busy lizzie
Jasmine (Arabian)
Johnny Jump Up (Heartsease)
Lavender
Lemon Verbena
Lilac
Mallow
Marjoram
Mints
Mustard
Nasturtium
Oregano
Okra
Onion
Pansy
Passionflower
Pea
Peony
Pineapple guava / Feijoa
Pineapple Sage
Primrose
Radish
Red Clover
Rocket
Rose
Rosemary
Rose of Sharon
Runner Bean
Sage
Scented Geranium
Snapdragon
Society Garlic
Squash Blossom
Summer Savory
*Sunflower
Sweet William
Thyme
Viola
Violet
Winter Savory
Zucchini
Pumpkin
Scented Geranium
Hibiscus
Pick your flowers in the morning when their water content is at its highest. Then wash the flowers gently in salt-water and immediately drop them in cold water for 1 minute. Dry on a tea towel. Then separate the petals, remove the stamens and stems as they are often woody or bitter. Use your flower petals immediately, or store the whole flower in a glass of water in the refrigerator overnight.
Growing Edible Flowers
The first task when planning to grow flowers is to find out the growing conditions the different types need. Seed packets or plant labels will tell you their soil, light and temperature requirements.
Most flowers thrive in well-drained, fertile soil enriched with compost. However, go easy on high-Nitrogen soil amendments as they will increase leaf growth at the expense of flowering. A layer of mulch around the plants will help to keep the soil cool in summer, retain moisture, and feed soil micro-organisms.
Grow plants with similar light and water requirements together to make it easier to give them the conditions they need. Most plants will flower better in full sun, but in the subtropics they will do just as well in part-shade, especially shade from the summer afternoon sun.
Give plants at least one good watering a week but more often in hot summers. Container grown flowers may need daily watering.
To ensure the edible flowers look their best, give them some shelter from strong winds. Even a few taller plants in the main wind direction will help to shelter smaller plants behind them.
‘Deadheading’, removing flowers once they drop their petals, extends the flowering time by encouraging the plant to create more flowers. However, you can collect your own seed if you leave some flowers on selected plants to set seed.
My ‘Top 10’ edible flowers for the subtropics, in alphabetical order, are:
Borage (Borago officinalis)
Sow seed spring to summer. Sun to part shade. Grows to 90cm. Bee attracting blue flowers, edible leaves.
Calendula (Calendula officinalis)
Sow seed autumn to spring. Sunny position. Fertile soil. Collect seed and deadhead regularly. Orange to yellow flowers.
Cornflower (Centaurea cyanea)
Sow seed autumn to winter. Sun to part shade. Fertile soil. Grows to 60cm. Blue (pink to mauve) flowers.
Cosmos (Cosmos bipinnatus, C.sulphureus)
Sow seed in late winter to spring. Sun to part shade. Drought tolerant.
C. bipinnatus: pink to red flowers, up to 1.5m tall.
C. sulphurea: orange to yellow flowers, 45 – 50cm tall
Daylily (Hemerocallis fulva and cultivars)
Propagate by division. Full sun. drought tolerant. Strappy leaves form a clump to 50cm. Botanically it is not a Lily, so the flowers are edible. Numerous colours and cultivars.
Dianthus (Dianthus spp)
Propagate from cuttings. Biennial. Full sun. Drought tolerant, needs good drainage. In acid soils, add lime. Deadhead regularly. Pinks to reds. 10 to 50cm. Pinks, Carnations and Sweet Williams are all species of Dianthus.
Hibiscus (Hibiscus rosa-sinensis, H. acetosella, H.sabdariffa, H. tiliaceus)
Propagate from cuttings or seed. Full sun. There are many species of hibiscus, all with edible flowers.
H. rosa-sinensis – ‘hawaiian hibiscus’ – small trees or shrubs. Many cultivars with flowers from pink to yellow, red and white.
H. acetosella – cranberry hibiscus. –small shrub to 2m. Deep pink flowers and red leaves are edible.
H. sabdariffa – roselle. Swollen calyxes are used to make jam or drinks.
H. tiliaceus -native hibiscus. This tree is too big for most backyards, but the flower is edible if you spot a tree in flower somewhere.
Nasturtium (Tropaeolum majus)
Sow seed direct, in spring to autumn. Sun to part shade Poor soil increases flower production. Drought tolerant. Orange to yellow flowers, edible leaves. Groundcover.
Pineapple Sage (Salvia elegans)
Propagate by cuttings. Sun to part shade.. Red flowers and pineapple-scented leaves are edible. Small shrub to 1.5m.
Viola (Viola spp)
Sow seed summer to winter. Fertile soil, mulch to protect surface roots. Keep moist. Deadhead regularly. Purples, yellows, whites. Viola, pansy, heartsease, and Johnny Jump Up are all species of Viola.
By Michael Wardle, NSCF Adult Education Co-ordinator
One of the things when having your own garden is the ability to keep it going through sowing your own seeds. While some seeds benefit from a direct sow into the garden bed, many survive and thrive when they are planted in seedling trays first.
While you can spend a lot of money on seed raising mix, it is much easier and cheaper to be able to do it yourself. Typically, this can be done at home using things that we already have available to us and more so if you have your own compost and worm farm.
Below is a variant of a recipe I was introduced to years ago, which I use today. It is based on what I have in my local community that is readily available
3 parts sifted worm castings
2 parts copra
1 part river sand
Mix well.
First off, I sift my worm castings (vermicompost) so that they have an excellent tilth and remove any of the large chunks. While worms can have a simple diet and survive, to get the best vermicompost to use for seed raising mix or even in your garden, the more varied and diverse their diet the better.
I do not have a commercial sieve, but I built my own out of an old casement window frame and some fine chicken mesh. I tend to do batches of sieved vermicompost, so I have bins with lids to store it until it is needed.
Copra is the dried ground kernel of the coconut. You can purchase it at most produce stores. It is typically used to supplement the feed of animals, but due to its protein content it is also an excellent supplement for the microbes in the soil (which is fantastic for seed raising mix, which in turn ends up in our gardens). You can use coir instead of copra if you prefer.
I use river sand as it’s grains are large enough to help stop compacting in the mix and it allows the water to flow so that the seedlings do not become waterlogged.
Once the vermicompost is ready I use a large measuring cup and take 3 parts of worm castings, 2 parts copra and 1-part river sand and place them in a large bucket.
Mix well. Then mix well again. Then mix well again.
The idea is that each of the three ingredients is evenly distributed across the mix.
From there it is a simple step of filling the seedling trays, add the seed, and then I sieve a small amount of the seed raising mix on top to cover the seeds, then it all gets a good misting.
All that’s left to do is to care for the seedlings and plant them out when they are ready.
I have found this mix relatively inexpensive and has excellent results. So, start where you are, use what you have and get into it!
Earth Kids is about supporting children to become ‘nature smart’ – to have the knowledge, understandings and skills to engage in creating a more sustainable world – in a fun and interactive way.
This is an experiential week of outdoor discovery in which kids will learn about the animals and plants at the Farm through observation and supported questioning, explore Indigenous knowledge, experiment with Earth Arts and bushcraft skills, and put permaculture into practice.
The program is for children aged 7 to 12 years of age, and goes from Tuesday to Thursday from 9am to 3pm each day (drop off from 8.30am and pick up until 3.15pm).
The parents handbook and enrollment form can be found at: http://www.nscf.org.au/home/learn/youth-education/holiday-programs/
For any enquiries, please email: Emma at education@nscf.org.au.
Each program differs according to the seasons and to include a diversity of activities. Some of the activities will be:
PRICING:
Health Care Card Holder/ Low income
$200 / $170 for additional children
General
$270 / $240 for additional children
Four part-scholarship places available at $140 (GST inclusive) per child for parents with Health Care Cards. There are also limited volunteer places for parents, with their child/ren’s attendance discounted. Contact Emma at education@nscf.org.au if you are interested in these options.
The Tree Care Group of volunteers have been renewing the plantings in the various orchards and forest gardens around our site over the last couple of years. These gardens are along the Northey Street boundary and to the west of the allotment garden area.
So, what is a forest garden and how does it work?
An interconnected system
A forest garden is a polyculture or mix of different perennial plants that aims to produce food without needing a lot of added fertiliser or water, by mimicking the processes of a natural ecosystem. Mutually beneficial plants are grouped together to form an interactive community called a guild. The plants are all chosen to do well in our subtropical climate.
Layers
In a forest garden, there are groundcovers, herbs, shrubs, vines, small trees and larger trees, all arranged to capture the sun’s energy while also providing shade for those plants that need it.
Interplanted
Between the larger fruit and nut trees are smaller plants that support their growth and productivity:
Productive and resilient
Many of these support plants also produce food while other smaller perennial food plants add to the food yield as well.
A number of the support plants are local native plants that support a greater number and diversity of insects, lizards and birds than exotic plants. They help control any population explosions of ‘pest’ insects that could threaten the food plants.
Always changing
The forest garden changes over time, as faster growing fruit trees such as bananas and pawpaws mature and produce food and then die back to let the slower growing trees, like citrus and avocado, emerge.
How does it work?
A forest garden achieves its aims by:
Adding local bush foods to your garden can add new flavours to your diet while sustaining wildlife as well. There is a native plant to fill almost every purpose from food to fiber to timber, and they come in all growth forms from vines to giant trees. The lists below will help you to find a useful local plant suited to our climate and landscape.
There are many reasons to include bush foods in your garden design. Local native plants are easier to look after than exotic plants as they are well adapted to local conditions of climate and soil. They’re also less susceptible to pests and diseases and can assist with pest control as they provide habitat for native insects and birds that feed on pests. Growing native plants attracts wildlife to your garden which gives you an added connection with your natural environment and helps to increase biodiversity. Bush foods can also be included in bush regeneration plantings to increase the productivity of native plantings on site.
Many local native plants have the bonus that they add different, interesting foods to your diet. Bush foods include spices like native pepper, vegetables like warrigal greens, fruit like native raspberry and nuts like macadamia. Learning about local bush foods acknowledges the way indigenous people lived in the environment, and this understanding promotes respect for the land.
On larger Permaculture properties bush foods have potential for being grown commercially. There is increasing demand for bush foods, with industry associations that are working to build markets for their products. Lemon myrtle, Davidson’s plum, macadamia nuts, and native limes are all grown in commercial quantities. Rosella and other bush food jams are often available at Farmers Markets.
Growing Requirements
Most of the plants listed below are rainforest species. They require well drained soil, with high levels of organic matter and will not tolerate long periods without moisture. Most will tolerate shade, but require sun for the best fruit or seed production.
| Common Name | Botanical Name | Growth Form | Uses |
| Flax lily | Dianella caerula | Hardy plant with strappy leaves, attractive flowers and fruits | Edible blue fruits |
| Native raspberry* | Rubus rosifolius var rosifolius | Prickly canes, suckers readily, full sun | fruit eaten fresh or in jam |
| Native Turmeric (Cape York Lily) | Curcuma australasica | Ginger-like plant, large leaves, attractive flowers | Rhizomes used like turmeric |
| Native violet | Viola hederacea | Low groundcover | Flowers and leaves edible |
| Nyullee (pigface) | Carpobrotus glaucesens | Succulent groundcover, full sun | ‘Salty strawberry’ fruit |
| Rosella | Hibiscus sabdariffa | Annual shrub | Red calyx used in jams, teas, chutney |
| Scrambling lily | Geitonoplesium cymosum | Small vine, likes shade | Shoot eaten raw |
| Scurvy Weed | Commelina cyanea | Perennial prostrate herb with blue flowers | Leaves eaten raw or cooked |
| Spike rush (water chestnut) | Eleocharis dulcis | water rush that grows in water or boggy ground | Edible corms |
| Warrigal greens* | Tetragonia tetragonioides | annual groundcover, salt tolerant, sun or partial shade | Edible leaf (must be boiled first), used as a spinach |
| Aniseed myrtle* | Backhousia anisata | small to medium tree | aromatic leaves with aniseed flavour, used in teas |
| Bolwarra | Eupomatia laurina | Shrub | Edible fruit |
| Blue tongue | Melastoma affine | Shrub with mauve flowers | Grainy purple fruit |
| Burdekin plum* | Pleiogynum timorense | medium tree | Purple fruit in winter, eaten fresh or used in jams |
| Cedar Bay cherry* | Eugenia reinwardtiana | shrub, full sun | sweet, pink-red fruit eaten raw |
| Cinnamon myrtle* | Backhousia myrtifolia | shrub with white flowers | aromatic leaves for tea, spice |
| Davidson’s plum* | Davidsonia pruriens | small tree | Sour fruit used in jams, wine |
| Finger lime* | Citrus australasica | small tree, best in partial shade | small fruit (red, purple or green) used in drinks, marmalades, |
| Lemon aspen, common aspen* | Achronychia acidula | medium trees
|
lemon flavoured fruit, use in sauces, drinks |
| Lemon myrtle* | Backhousia citriodora | medium tree, hardy | aromatic leaves contain ‘citral’, used in teas, sauces, cosmetics |
| Lilli pillies | Syzygium spp. | small – medium trees | fruit used in jams, drinks, sauces |
| Lime berry | Glycosmis trifoliata | Shrub | small juicy pink fruits eaten fresh |
| Macadamia* | Macadamia integrifolia | Medium/large tree | edible nuts with high oil content |
| Midyim berry | Austromyrtis dulcis | low shrub, ground cover | small, speckled edible fruit |
| Millaa millaa vine | Eleagnus triflora | clumping vine | Small, tasty fruit, high in lycopene |
| Native ginger | Alpinia caerulea | attractive understorey shrub | spicy seeds, shoots edible, leaves used to wrap fish in coals |
| Native pepper* | Tasmannia lanceolata | shrub for cool, moist areas, with purple or white berries | dried leaves and seeds used as pepper |
| Native tamarind* | Diploglottis australis | Tall slender tree | Sour yellow fruit used for jams, drinks |
| Peanut tree | Sterculia quadrifida | small-medium tree, deciduous | Edible black seed in a decorative red pod |
| Riberry* | Syzygium luehmannii | small – medium tree, pink new foliage, white flowers, red fruit | fruit used in jams, drinks, sauces |
| Round lime* | Citrus australis | small to medium tree | round green fruit used in jams, drinks |
| Sandpaper fig | Ficus coronata | small trees | fleshy purple fruit, edible raw or in jams |
| Small leaved tamarind* | Diploglottis campbellii | medium tree, hardy,
glossy green foliage |
fruit with red, edible aril, used in jams, drinks |
| Walking stick palm | Linospadix monostachya | attractive understorey shrub | refreshing small red fruit |
| Zig zag vine | Melodorum leichhardtii | vine | Tangy ‘orange sherbet’ fruit |
*Species marked with an asterisk in the lists above and below have commercial potential.
All the species listed above can be used, plus those in the table below.
All the species listed above plus those in the table below.
| Acacias (wattles)* | Acacia spp | fast-growing pioneers, small to large trees, add nitrogen to the soil | many have seed that is edible after roasting and grinding, used for coffee substitute, and in desserts |
| Black apple | Planchonella australis | large tree | edible fruit |
| Blue quandong | Elaeocarpus grandis | large tree | fruit used for drinks |
| Brown pine plum* | Podocarpus elatus | large tree | fruit used for jams, sauces |
| Bunya pine* | Araucaria bidwilli | large tree | edible nuts, boiled, roasted, dried, ground for flour |
| Cockspur vine | Maclura cochinchinensis | clumping, thorny vine | edible yellow or orange fruit |
| Kangaroo apple | Solanum aviculare | pioneer shrub | fruits edible in small amounts when completely ripe |
| Native grapes | Cissus antartica | vines | some have edible fruit |
| Native hibiscus | Hibiscus tiliaceus | pioneer, small flowering tree | flowers edible in salads or jam, leaves edible when boiled |
| Native mulberry | Pipturis argenteus | pioneer small tree | fruits edible |
| Native tamarind* | Diploglottis australis | medium-large tree | fruit with yellow aril used for jams, drinks |
Further Reading
Tim Low (1988) Wild Food Plants of Australia, Angus and Robertson, Sydney
Cribb, AB & JW. (1974) Wild Food in Australia, Fontana Collins, Sydney
Online
Australian Native Foods and Botanicals – www.anfab.org.au
By Lydia Blocksidge, City Farm Nursery Co-ordinator
Have you heard the term garden guild or guilding before? If you have, it’s probably been used in the context of agro-forestry and forest gardening, as this is where the concept is most commonly applied. Guilding is a Permaculture technique that recognizes the relationships in nature, especially in a forest system, and applies it to productive garden and orchard spaces.
When I was living and working at Rancho Mastatal, a Sustainability Education Centre and operating permaculture farm in rural Costa Rica, we established and maintained planting guilds throughout our agro-forestry orchards. But don’t be mistaken, you don’t need acres of land to use guilding, it is an incredibly adaptive and useful tool to use anywhere, in any productive garden setting.
In simple terms, a planting guild or garden guild is a harmonious collection of plants comprising two things, primary crop species and secondary support species. The primary species are commonly the food producing plants and the secondary species have functions to support the healthy growth and abundance of the primary food crops. These functions can include pollinator and good bug attracting species such as marigolds and other flowering plants, nitrogen-fixing species such as pigeon pea and pinto peanut, fungal deterrent species such as turmeric and ginger, pest deterrent species such as citronella, erosion control such as vetiver grass and chop and drop species for mulching such as arrowroot.
Guilds can be established in two main ways, either by guilding each single plant in your garden or by guilding the garden as a whole. If guilding each plant individually the primary crop species is usually in the middle of a guilding circle or half circle, with the support species around it. At Rancho Mastatal this method was used in the orchards around young tropical fruit and nut trees. Many of these trees take 10-15 years to start producing food so a healthy start in life is crucial for them. This was a useful method of planting because not only did the guiding circles help to locate the tree seedlings, it was also easy to manage them, with all the materials for healthy growth in one place.
If the entire garden is established as a whole guild, primary crop species are planted throughout the space and support species are interspersed between them. This is a great way to plan the urban garden. Whichever method you choose, the main thing to remember when establishing a guild in your garden is that all you need to do is define two things, your primary crop species and then decide which secondary species are going to support your primary crop. If you have separate garden beds you could choose to grow different primary species in each and different secondary species to support them.
Below are a few examples of urban garden guilds you could use at home.
Primary crop species: Tomatoes
Support species: Beans, Corn and Nasturtium.
Why it works: Tomatoes are heavy nitrogen feeders and beans fix nitrogen in the soil. Nasturtiums attract bees and other beneficial insects and also add color to the garden, as well as creating a ground cover for the soil. And corn provides a natural, food-producing trellis system for the tomatoes and beans, as well as mulch from the husks.
Primary crop species: Leafy greens
Support species: Oregano, Marigolds, and Carrots
Why it works: Oregano has a strong scent that helps to deter garden pests. It also forms a thick ground cover for the soil. Marigolds provide color and attract pollinators and beneficial insects. And carrots aerate the soil and provide a root crop, utilizing the space more efficiently.
Primary crop species: Broccoli, cabbage, cauliflower and other brassicas
Support species: Land cress, thyme, and garlic
Why it works: Land cress is extremely attractive to common chewing garden pests but it’s also highly toxic to them. So it does two things, keeps chewing pests off your primary crop and naturally eradicates the pests from your garden. It’s also a delicious peppery addition in salads. Thyme attracts pollinators to your garden with its beautiful flowers and it’s a tasty culinary herb. And garlic produces a supplementary crop that uses minimal space while also helping to keep pests out of your garden with its scent.
Guilding your home garden is an extremely effective method to maximize your yield outputs and minimize your labor inputs. It is important to remember when establishing guilds which plants grow well together in terms of water, soil, sunlight and so on. Companion planting guides are a great place to start. From there, consider what you want your primary crop species to be and then decide what support species are going to benefit the primary species, and you, most efficiently.
I always use the permaculture principle every element has multiple functions to determine my support species. For example, nasturtium in example 1 above, provides ground cover for the soil, it attracts pollinators, it’s beautiful and it can be used in the kitchen. Land cress can be used in the kitchen, it eradicates chewing pests and it can form a ground cover over the soil. If you can come up with at least three uses/reasons why you’ve selected the support plants you have, then you’re on the right track!
So who’s ready to start their urban garden guild? The City Farm Nursery has everything to help get you started!
Summer means Brisbane gardeners have to be creative with their salads. Lettuce, english spinach and other greens are hard to grow. Take a look at leafy greens.
Darker leafed lettuces, and open hearted ‘cut and come again’ varieties will last a lot longer than cos or iceberg types.
We can also use perennial leafy vegetables, chopped herbs, sprouts, and edible flowers during the hotter months.
A fresh alternative to lettuce is lebanese cress. It is a delicate looking plant that likes to grow in damp places.
Kang kong, or water spinach, will grow happily in a well watered pot, or small water feature. The leaves are a great substitute for baby spinach.
Mushroom plant is another green that likes a sheltered spot. The leaves are high in protein and iron, and taste slightly of mushroom.
Visit our City Farm Nursery for all your summer plants and seeds
During the cool season, Brisbane gardeners can grow silverbeet, kale and cabbages. However, there are a myriad of subtropical leafy greens to turn to when the weather is too hot for these winter annuals.
Surinam spinach is a crunchy and tangy, drought hardy plant. It is very ornamental, with clusters of small pink flowers.
Brazilian spinach is a tasty, nutritious substitute for silver-beet. It is perfect in frittatas, or quiche.
Ceylon spinach is a beautiful clambering vine with delicate pink flowers and dark red berries. The leaves only need a light steam, so add them right at the end of cooking.
Sambung nyawa is a perennial leafy green that tastes like a cross between beans and spinach. It is drought hardy and has orange, butterfly attracting flowers.
For all your plant and seeds visit City Farm Nursery
To keep your worms happy, you can buy a commercial worm farm, or make one from recycled materials.
The container needs to be pest proof. It needs to have drainage and air holes. Bedding material can be shredded paper and cardboard (not coloured or glossy), cocofibre, dried leaves, or dried grass clippings.
Worms can eat most fruits and vegetables, they really seem to like bananas and melons. Do not feed worms citrus, onions, or garlic. Don’t put meat, bones, or dog and cat poo in the farm.
Composting worms can eat at least half their weight every day. 1000 worms will eat 125g of food scraps. Happy worms can lay enough eggs to double their numbers every 8 weeks.
The farm should be situated in a protected spot, kept between 15C and 25C.
For all your composting needs visit City Farm Nursery
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