Botanical name: Pisum sativum var. saccharatum (Snow pea), Pisum sativum var. macrocarpon (Snap pea) Description: Both snow peas and sugar snaps are cultivars of the podded pea. They are members of the legume family. The sugar snap offer a more rounded 4 cm pod, the snow pea a 6 cm flat pod. If the pods [more]
Botanical name: Phaseolus vulgaris Description: Climbing beans are the immature 10 to 15 cm long seed pods of the common bean. They are part of the legume family. There is a wide range of cultivars of climbing beans with pods coloured green, yellow (wax beans), purple, red or streaked. There are thin beans (harricots) and [more]
Botanical name Fabaceae also known as leguminosae Features of legumes Plants in the legume family cover a wide range from big trees to shrubs from vines climbing using tendrils to small annual herbs. Most legumes fruits are pods. The pods contain the seeds. Legume fruit are very nutritious and offer a high content of protein. [more]
Take care when reaching for items in the garden that haven’t been disturbed for a while, look out for animals that may hide there. Shake out gloves before using them but always wear gloves when gardening. Warm dry places are very attractive to red back spiders. Their favourite prey, insects and slaters, is available in abundance [more]
Botanical name: Cucumis sativus Description: Cucumbers are members of the gourd family. The plant has tendrils and is a climbing vine. The leaves are palmate and up to 40 cm wide. The stems of the plant are hollow and ridged and fruit show a prickly surface. The flowers are yellow and up to 15 [more]
Botanical name: Cucurbita pepo Description: Squash is a member of the gourd family. The plant has tendrils and is a climbing vine. The vines grow up to 15 meters long, they produce anchoring roots that only root down superficially. The leaves are palmate and up to 40 cm wide. The stems of the plant are [more]
Botanical name Cucurbitaceae also known as cucurbits Features of gourds Plants of the gourd family are summer crops. They grow as vines or shrubs and have a hollow five ridged stem. Their up to 50 cm big leaves are palmate with 3 to 5 lobes. Leaves, stems, and fruit are often prickly. The stems develop [more]