A while back I got a small lime tree thing, which I keep on my verandah. While it is yet to deploy any limes, I like having it there, because it is an excellent outlet for my "waste" water that would otherwise go down the sink.

However, it turns out that I really have more "waste" water than I can use on that one plant. Given the water restrictions and my increased consciousness about such things, I've decided that it would be good to get a few new plants and use the excess water on them.

I was wondering if anyone had any good suggestions for little plants that would be happy on a verandah which doesn't get a lot of sun. I'm leaning towards food-related ones because then I can actually use them on the rare occasion that I cook or whatever.

^ and here I am thinking I was the biggest 'greenie' on qgl

I grow herbs out the back, like basil, continental parsley, oregano, thyme, and rosemary. They all like water, and they don't need very much sun at all. They're great if you like to make lots of Italian food like I do.

Potatoes

Lots of Herbs would be a big plus.

Buy a chilli plant trog, I bought a little Habanero plant for like $3 and it's given me like 50 chilli's and still going strong.

Plus they are f***ing blistering hot :D

you can't eat a herb or a chilli by itself, but you can make a whole meal out of potatoes

think about all the wedges, hash browns, and potato bake you could have

you can say to your guests "here have some chips... which I GREW myself!". You can't be offering your guests a f***ing twig of basil and a chilli pepper.

the decision is easy

last edited by Idol at 16:18:56 26/Apr/08

Corn, or as the Indians call it, 'Maize'.

http://shop.grasscity.com/images/articles/marijuana-mar-com-1.jpg

You can't be offering your guests a f***ing twig of basil and a chilli pepper.

No, but you could make a curry from herbs and spices you grew yourself. Much more impressive than a plate of chips.

Not that potatoes are bad, they're a good choice too, just don't go hating on the herbs.

Potatoes

boil em, mash em, stick em in a stew!

herb garden is the way to go - parsley - mint - chives - basil

you could get a dwarf lemon tree to go with the lime tree. I've had one for about a month and it seems to be going ok with about 3-4 hours of sun a day.

grow pot

Nah chillies look s*** and their use is seasonal. Get herbs, mint is really easy to grow though it will dominate any ground surface area it can. Basil is good because you can use it in everything. I'd recommend a few staple herbs - basil, thyme, mint, rosemary though you can probably gauge what you use the most

Set up an ice lab on your veranda to compliment your weed plantation.

Wouldn't you need like a truck load of soil to grow a significant number of potatoes?

I say go the herbs as fresh herbs in cooking is the win.

Nah chillies look s*** and their use is seasonal.

The one chili plant I've seen looked awesome. Mint is definitely on my list (for mojitos).

you could get a dwarf lemon tree to go with the lime tree.

oh yeh that'd be pretty cool. My lime tree is yet to dish out any fruit but its growing pretty well (or at least, it's not dead and it's not shrinking).

Wouldn't you need like a truck load of soil to grow a significant number of potatoes?

Yeh, that's what I would have thought too

oh what, bugger.

check out http://backyardaquaponics.com.au/

Farmer Trog

as gimpy said - grow tomatoes, make t shirts out of the fibre :P


using grey water on vegetables and other edibles is (usually) okay when they're off the ground. try and avoid herbs and veges that physically grow in the ground if you're using waste water. veges/fruit/herbs that grow from the vine are cool.


you've prolly googled that by now anyway :/

yeh its not grey water; its like when I turn the hot water on and waiting for it to heat up - I catch all the cold water and save it.

The only way we're going to come up with real solutions to water shortages is if you stop being such a pansy and let a couple of drops go down the sink every now and then.

go with Midda & superform suggestions
all can be grown in small planter boxes

good old parsley likes shade + try some garlic chives they are great...

Has a lot to do with the amount of sun you get.

But strawberries and herbs (including mint) are all pretty easy.

Also I love chillies. Hardy as, look cool. Can pick the chillies and store in freezer. Also work in vinegar or oil (flavours them).

Basil can needs loads of sun and water and attracts grasshoppers like crazy. And can grow like crazy (it beat all the weeds in our tomato patch)

Citrus take years and need big (40cm) pots to produce fruit.

You know the urine makes citrus plants grow really well.

Yeh I get pretty much f*** all sun so that's a concern

+1 lime tree and herbs.

My lime tree was infested with ants though so i cut it right back and started again, shes cooking with gas now though.

On a slightly related note... walked through the Roma street parklands today, went through the "Spectacle Garden", there's a section there with f***off massive herb + chilli plants, like ridiculous amounts.

Got a massive handfuls of basil, parsley, jalapeno and heaps of other s***.

SCORE!

awesome! next time go back with even more pockets and really clean up lol!

yeh its not grey water; its like when I turn the hot water on and waiting for it to heat up - I catch all the cold water and save it.

That's an unreasonable amount of effort you're putting into society Trog.

I simply run the water until it is satisfactory, THEN I begin counting my shower time. If it takes 2 minutes for the water to heat up - that's not my problem, it's a problem with water pressure, the council, the a******s that built the hot water system, people in society, your mum, you, etc... and so the rest of society should f***ing pay for it, or suck it up and invent a f***ing proper water delivery system for my home.

awesome! next time go back with even more pockets and really clean up lol!

Good idea...

Though really, I got like $50 worth of produce and probably dinted the garden like 0.1%.

You can't beat that.

wow man thats some real urban commando s*** right there did u freefall in patrick swayze styles and 'parkour' outta there?

maybe one day they'll invent something called a hydrosave eh infi
maybe for now you could just have navy showers

so when you get stopped by the cops and they ask what do you have in your pockets sir.. do you answer in a southern hick accent - i gots me some basil up in der

or suck it up and invent a f***ing proper water delivery system for my home.

it already exists.

why don't you install it already?