American Ground Nuts are tubers on stringy roots, produced from a climbing legume. They thrive in wet, poorly drained soils. They are slightly nutty and sweet at the same time, slightly drier than potatoes. I thoroughly recommend them #apiosamericana #hopniss #nativeamericanfood #nativeplantsofnorthamerica #tubers #naturalcarbs #legumes #perennialedibles #novelcrops #panc #riparianplants #easytogrow

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These Malabar Gourds are alarmingly heavy! The vines survive and even thrive through winter and are used as rootstock for greenhouse cucumbers because they’re indestructible; I’ve eaten them when they’re young and they were delicious as were the shoots - these monsters will end up in student cooking prac where we may take to them with an axe as recommended by @erictoensmeier in Perennial Vegetables! #curcubitaficifolia #malabargourd #perennialvegetables #novelcrops #panc #burnleyhorticulturalcollege #heavylifting #bigveggies

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Sunday morning non-plant life forms in the garden. I’m still reading Darwin’s 1881 pioneering (slim volume) work on earthworms but currently stuck on detailed observations of which way worms like to drag leaves down their burrows- petiole first or not ?🤔Still, now I’m watching worms more closely than ever and in any season they seem to love living under wet newspaper! As for fungi I’m colossally ignorant; reptiles I’m much better at although I’m still not sure whether this gecko is native or a cargo ship escapee; the worm certainly isn’t but can possibly claim convict heritage going back to 1788... #thingsinthegarden #earthworm #fungi #reptiles #gecko #kingdomsoflife #urbanecology #novelecosystem #firstfleeter #mildwinterday #nomorefrost #imcallingit

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“Whaddya reckon Pat? Is it ready to pick and sell @melbournefarmersmarkets” “Let’s do it Charlotte!” Despite hardcore attacks from Wood Ducks students from @burnleymarketgarden have nurtured some beautiful winter produce to maturity: kale, cauliflower, Yacon and Oca coming to a Farmers’ market near you soon! #burnleyfieldstation #studentproject #winterproduce #brassica #cauliflower #urbanagriculture #farmersmarkets #locallygrown #persistencepaysoff #accuratequote

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Everyone wants to know, or should know, the difference between a spade and a shovel! The Famous Final Five are back (with special guest @bulbus_bulbvarian ) for Vegetation Establishment and Maintenance, getting the low down on horticultural tools from Andrew Smith who has 30 years experience working in and managing the Burnley Gardens; then off to the veggie plots to be blasted by Antarctic winds, harvest a few carrots and select some seed potatoes for spring planting #burnleygardens #burnleyfieldstation #gardeningtools #spadeshovel #headgardener #toolshed #depot #semesterhasbegun #winterveggiegarden #harvestingcarrots #chillfactor #thiswillbeonthetest

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I’m going to eat Rhubarb flowers for the first time, like bizarro broccoli... #rhubarbflowers #tryingsomethingnew #rheumrhabarbarum #polygonaceae #perennialvegetables #redstalks

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Burnley’s Banana bunches surviving winter well - it’s a pity looking at tropical plants can’t warm you up when it’s 9 degrees Celsius at midday #bananasinmelbourne #burnleyfieldstation #musaceae #winterwhinge #undertendegrees #itsnotthatbad #denial

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Three leaves and Onion Weed on the menu for winter soup - New Zealand Spinach/Warrigal Greens, Perennial Nettle and Okinawa Spinach (this last one still growing despite many cold nights!) #alliumtriquetrum #edibleweeds #urticadioca #tetragoniatetragonioides #nativespinach #okinawaspinach #gynuracrepioides #tropicalplantsinmelbourne #eattheweeds #stingingnettle #ouch #weargloves

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Now is the Melbourne winter of discontent made kind of easy by tracery of bare plum tree branches, soul saving scent on Luculia and darkness smashing Kniphofia #winterflowers #kniphofia #luculiagrandifolia #scentedflowers #deciduoustrees #leaflessbranches #sunnywinterday #melbournewinter #richardthethird

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When your Anglo-Celtic genes fail you and you’re a hot sweaty mess in tropical Cuba, afflicted by a week long bout of diarrhoea, do the following: meet a Peruvian born Cuban surgeon at a conference who takes you to his spacious apartment to meet his completely charming wife; then find that he starts digging around for ‘blocking’ medication for your impending long haul flight, then shows you his father’s private photos of Fidel Castro; finally have dinner together where you all discuss Cuba’s future and its need to fend off corporate neoliberalism while still opening its economy and government. Mucha(s) gracia(s) Sergio y Roma! #hotandsweaty #toomuchinformation #bodilyfunctions #solucky #imustlearnspanish #angloceltic #vivalarevolucion #fidelcastro #neoliberalismsucks #firstworldproblems

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Storm clouds last night in old Havana before an hour long drenching - the city feels cool and fresh this morning #oldhavana #cuba #stormclouds #oldcities #narrowstreets #neighbourhood

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Medicinal herbs for sale on a busy Saturday morning in old Havana. My colleague bought something for his upset stomach. From what I can gather most of these plants are foraged in Havana’s largest urban park, equivalent to say Yarra Bend in Melbourne...hoping to get out there next week #streetseller #pavementseller #medicinalherbs #medicinalplants #weedforaging #cuba #havana #dodgystomach

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