Today John the Farmer is pickling sweet picante peppers.

I used this recipe https://www.paticheri.com/2019/04/04/pots-of-pickled-peppadews/

Today John the farmer is tying little bags around the fruit because #organic !

Crinum moorei. Featured plant at Towerkop Nursery.

Natal Lily, with it’s lush, broad leaves loves growing in dappled shade. Flowers appear once these bulbs reach maturity after a few years and the leaves die down after flowering in drier areas.

Today John the farmer is sheet mulching his broad beans.

Sheet mulching suppresses weeds, retains soil moisture and keeps the soil warm. A blanket for the soil.

Today John the Farmer is sprouting alfalfa seeds.

Sprouting seeds is easy. Place seeds in a jar and cover with gauze.

Cover seeds with water and leave to soak overnight.

Drain water through the gauze and stand the jar in bright light. Not sun, as this will dry the seeds out.

Thereafter, simply rinse the seeds with water and drain, every 8-10 hours until the seeds germinate and sprout.

Then enjoy their nutritious goodness any way you like.

Spider lily (Hymenocallas). Flowering now at Towerkop Nursery.

White spider lilies are a perennial bulb from central america. They like moist soil and are hardy and hassle-free. Divide them every so often to keep them flowering.

Agave potatorum. Flowering now at Towerkop Nursery.

Agave potatorum

Sadly this means the Mother plant will perish after flowering but it has produced numerous pups during it’s lifetime.

I had to protect this plant from afternoon direct sun in the Karoo, but otherwise this small, compact Agave is hassle-free to grow.

Agave potatorum is used to make a mexican wine called pulque.

Syngonium doing well under light box.

Syngoniun podophyllum, Arrowhead vine.

It’s Jacaranda season !

Jacaranda mimosifolia

This exotic tree is popular in South Africa but is no longer allowed to be planted here. This one flowering in Ladismith, Little Karoo.

Karoo gold (Rhigozum) flowering now in its natural habitat.

This spiney shrub blends in with the karoo scrub until it blooms profusely in the summer with bright yellow flowers, dotting the veld like bright gold nuggets.