Chilli lovers around Melbourne will be happy to learn that we now have a good number of chilli varieties in our store available right now. Below you can find a list with the names and short description. Unfortunately Naga Chillies are not yet ready and will be available in about  a month from publication of this post. I’ll post a photo below to indicate their current relative size. Interested parties can contact me for more details

Without some good, long sunny days they just do not want to grow. With the long term forecast predicting hotter weather, I’m betting they will reach saleable size within a month.

As for our other available varieties, here is a list:

Chilli Inferno

INFERNO CHILLI:  A hotter than usual variety of birdeye, about 7/10, with its own distinct flavour. Growing to about 40-45cms. long on a metre+ tall and bushy plant. Plant bears good numbers of chillies continuously from summer until mid-winter. Protection from cold winds and frost can keep plant alive for about 5 years.

Thai Kracka

KRACKA THAI:  A wonderfully tasting Thai chilli variety that produces chillies galore on a bushy plant which grows to about a metre. Deliciously hot and useful in numerous South East Asian style cuisine. Peppers are chunky and tapered, reaching about 30-35 cms. in size.

‘PIRI PIRI’ BIRDEYE: An original and all time favourite in Indian, Vietnamese, Malaysian and Singaporean cuisine, to mention just a few. This small, upright pointing pepper packs a punch for its size. Grows on a neat, attractive bush and can have a 5 year life span with some extra winter care. Chillies can be dried and used throughout the year to  spice meals.

Espelette

ESPELETTE:  For tender palates, the Espelette is the ideal chilli, having just a mild level of heat. About 2 to 3 out of 10, this chilli may be low on the heat scale but is extremely flavoursome.  One of France’s more popular chilli types, the Espelette is an essential ingredient in many Basque recipes. It grows to a fair height, sometimes up to 1.5 metres. Loves Melbourne climate and a chilli definitely worth cultivating.

Rocoto/Manzana

ROCOTO/MANZANA: Not enough can be said about this little beauty. If you love hot chillies and you live in Melbourne, then a Manzana is a must have. It produces chillies nearly all year round, does mind extreme weather conditions or sudden climactic changes (Melbourne to a Tee!), lives for about 10 years and eventually grows into a 2.5 to 3 metre tree! Other unusal traits of the Rocoto/Manzana are: purple flowers and black seeds.

Tiny Samoa

TINY SAMOA: A very small, powerfully hot chilli. It is perhaps the rarest of all pepper plants and just beginning to make a name for itself in Melbourne. Growing to about 40 cms., this small cplant can easily be grown in a pot. It produces prolific numbers of tiny 5-6 cm,, peppers on a disease resistant bush.

Kashmiri

KASHMIRI CHILLI: This chilli plant produces masses of medium sized, meaty peppers with a mild level of heat. It ripens to a very rich, deep red/maroon colour which is used not only to flavour Indian cuisine, but to also add colour. About 3-4/10 this pepper is suited to just about any chilli lovers taste. Plant grows quite large, to about 1.5 metres and has distinctly extra large leaves.

Basket of Fire

BASKET OF FIRE: Definately the most ornamental of chillies. This great tasting pepper can be grown in a hanging basket for wonderful results. It grows and spreads in all directions with masses upon masses of flowers and chillies in all colours. Great tasting and about 6-7 out of 10 on the hotness scale.

Naga Jolokia

NAGA JOLOKIA: Last but not least, one of the hottest chillies around. I mean, you need a good life insurance policy before trying this little baby. The Bic lighter indicates the relative size of the plant, as these need a long summer to truly grow t0 size. But even at this stage, they are a strong healthy plant having spent some time out of the hothouse to harden off. For those of you who don’t know, the Naga grows to about 60 cms. to 80 cms., is rather bushy, and produces masses of globuluar fruit that literally takes your breath away. With protection can last up to 4-5 years.

This is a quick post to all our valued customers who have been waiting for chillies to become available in our store in Melbourne. We have started the first early wave with Jalapenos and Cayenne chillies, with the first lots of these now available in punnets of six or more.  We also have established Rocoto Chillies (hot as!), with chillies growing on them. Visit our store in Preston Markets, Preston for more info or to obtain chilli seedlings.

Both these varieties are good to go and the weather is fine enough around Melbourne to allow for planting these in garden beds, or better still, in large pots (200mm diameter or better). If planting in garden beds, just watch out for any snap frosts as these can cause plant damage. Cover plants overnight if weather reports predict extra cold or frosty mornings. If planted in pots, just move them indoors for the night.

As for our other varieties of chillies, we are hoping for quite an extensive list this year, but it’s still a way off from being available. We estimate about November onwards for more established plants, but will inform you in greater detail. Some of the chillies we are currently propagating include, Kracka Thai, Thai Chilli, African Devils, Naga Dorset and Naga Jolokia, Tiny Samoa, Long Kashmiris, Big Jims(Long Italian), Infernos, Diablos, Red Habaneros and Orange Habaneros, Espelletes, Salsa,  Mini Vietnamese and a few more. Variety wise, it’s our biggest season. We are just hoping for the weather to keep its cool, (should say hot!).

Stay tuned for more details, visit our store in Preston Markets, or email us with your particular requirements or to pre-order.

Homegrown tomatoes can be one of the tastiest things you can grow in your backyard. Growing tomatoes can also be turned into a fun hobby which the whole family can enjoy and benefit from, because the taste, nutritious value and health benefits of the simple tomato is great for the whole family.

Let me quickly list a few facts and figures about tomatoes.

• Hernando Cortez, the famous Spanish explorer, first discovered tomatoes on a trip to South America during the early 1500′s and introduced them to Europe.

• Being part of the deadly nightshade family, tomatoes were first thought to be poisonous and for many years were only grown by wealthy Europeans as an ornamental curiosity. The leaves of the tomato plant are poisonous.

• The Italians were the first to begin cultivating the tomato as an edible food product. In these early times tomatoes were nearly always small and yellow in colour. In fact the Italian word for tomato, pom odore, simply translates to “golden apple.”

• There are more than 9,800 known and classified tomato varieties available worldwide. This list keeps growing.

• Tomatoes are the world’s most cultivated crop, beating apples, bananas, oranges and grapes! Close to 70 million tons of tomatoes are grown worldwide annually. This doesn’t include home and hobby gardening!

• Tomato varieties have been bred and can be grown in every corner of the earth under nearly any conditions. • Tomatoes contain a particular alkaloid (tomatine), which is known to counteract certain skin problems. It is also a known fact that eating tomatoes regularly improves and even rejuvenates the skin. Eureka! Fountain Of Youth!

• Tomatoes also contain lycopene, a phytochemical and carotene, which is considered to prevent some cancers, in particular prostate cancer in men. Lycopene through the blood stream and is stored in the liver, testes and adrenal glands.

• Tomatoes also contain good amounts of fiber, protein, Vitamins C, A and B, phosphorous, potassium, and iron.

So why should you grow your own tomatoes? There are several reasons why you should.

As mentioned earlier, there are thousands of varieties of tomatoes out there and there is definitely one or two out here made just for you. In supermarkets and stores you can only find a limited number of varieties and these are nearly always harvested before they are ripe. The true tomato taste simply is not there. On the other hand, a good nursery will have a wide variety of tomatoes, which you can grow at home.

There are, Acid Free tomatoes for those with reflux and sensitive stomachs, the sweetest of all tomatoes and any child’s favourite, the Cherry Tomato. Then there are hundreds of varieties of Beefsteak tomatoes such as, Big Beef, Mortgage Lifter, Moneymaker, the famous, Bragger Tomato, Il Grande, Champion, Big Bite and so on.

Then you have good old rich saucing tomatoes such as, San Marzano and Roma. There are some fantastic heirloom varieties you will never see sold fresh in stores. These include, Amish Paste, a small saucing tomato and arguably the truest tasting tomato, the Wapsipinicon Peach Tomato, with apricot like fuzz, small in size and yellow/orange in colour. This variety has won many taste test awards in the United States.  Curiously patterned and coloured tomatoes such as the Green Zebra and Tigerella are all available with many others for you to grow at home.

As well as eating tomatoes fresh in salads and sandwiches, they are also great when preserved. This versatile fruit can be dried, juiced, sauced, pasted, pickled, roasted, boiled, and snap frozen. Try doing this with a banana!

Visit our store, The Plant Whiz, in Preston Markets, Preston and be in awe with our varieties of tomato. During the season we like to think we are the tomato specialists, ensuring that we have large numbers and a good, healthy range of tomato varieties, along with dozens of other vegetables and flowers for you to grow at home.

Visit us in person or click this link for more detailed contact information.

Tomatoes need warmth and some reasonable protection in order to grow and fruit. They are, after all, a tropical/sub-tropical plant. Tomato gardeners like to grow them early because they want tomatoes as early as possible in order to beat the high prices fruit shops charge during the off-season.  Also, by starting as early as possible you can stagger several crops and secure a high yielding tomato supply right up until winter.

If you wish to start an early crop of tomatoes,  then follow the tips and tricks in this article to get your first seedlings up and running.

1) Plant and grow tomatoes  in pots with a quality, premium grade potting mix. As already mentioned, the ground is too cold. By growing tomatoes in pots you can at least bring their root temperature up by a couple degrees. Potting mix is slightly warmer than the earth. If you have garage window or a spare room facing the sun, all the better.

2) As an added benefit, you can prepare a plastic cover to protect tomatoes from the cold mornings. A plastic soft drink bottle cut in half is perfect for the job. Just perforate the bottom half of the bottle and set it on top of your potted tomato plant.  The key point is to cover tomatoes and create a miniature greenhouse.   After two to three weeks you can plant them out in the garden once the weather warms. By doing this you can be assured of a first crop of tomatoes well before Christmas.

Another great tip you can use is to line the bottom of each pot with some grass clippings before adding potting mix. As the clippings begin to breakdown, they release methane which warms the roots and promotes growth. Only use about an inch or two of compressed clippings, otherwise you may create more heat than the plant desires!

The Plant Whiz stocks many varieties of tomatoes and right now you can find,  Apollo, Il Grande, Big Beef, Beefsteak, Grosse Lisse, Champion, Mighty Red, Burke’s Backyard, to name just a few.  In fact, over the years our selection has grown to include about 40 to 50 tomato types. These can be found in our store at Preston Markets, Preston where we like to boast we have a tomato for everyone.

Here is some further info on 3 of our best selling tomatoes:

• Rouge de Marmande (Adelaide or Italian tomato)  - This variety is actually one of of the earliest fruiting tomato varieties and has a higher tolerance to cold. It is one of the best salad tomatoes.

• Apollo Tomato -  A medium sized tomato, round in shape with a hard skin. Great storing qualities, perfect size for sandwiches.

• Moonshot Tomato - Here’s a tomato with a real cult following. Many who cultivate Moonshot tomatoes refuse to place any other tomato in their garden, such is the popularity of this variety. Large and firm, this tomato is suited to early cultivation and has the reputation of being one of the most prolific producers of any early variety of tomatoes.

 The Plant Whiz is happy to answer your gardening questions.  Effectively, that’s what this site is about. Drop us a line or visit our store at Preston Markets, Preston. (Directly opposite the Preston Railway station) We can help you with all your gardening needs, from products to valuable advice.

We would like to announce the inclusion to our stock of the, Upside Down Tomato planter and we have pre-packaged kits, ready to get you up and going right away.  Visit our store or contact us to obtain mail-order details for anywhere within Australia.  Contact us for more details!

FOR OUR CONTACT DETAILS, CLICK HERE

Over the years I have noticed that many first time fruit tree planters make the common mistake of buying and planting a fruit tree that also requires a second companion tree as a pollinator.  In order for many types of fruit trees to actually produce fruit, they must have a corresponding cross pollinator. I am hoping that the tips and information I offer in this article will assist people in choosing their fruit trees wisely.

Before writing out this chart, I just like to mention that often times you may not need to buy a second tree as a pollinator. Cross pollination can actually occur within a one kilometer radius. This means that within that radius there just may be another home actually growing a tree which can pollinate the tree you choose to plant. If you are prepared to wait a year, then just see what happens when your tree flowers in spring. If it drops the flowers, chances are it needs a pollinator. If it sets fruit, then your problem is solved. Somewhere out there a pollinator exists for your tree.

I can tell you that around Melbourne, peaches, apples, nectarines, plums, prunes, apricots, almonds, pears and cherries are really quite common.  It is likely that cross pollinators are already around for these varieties. Perhaps not so common would be, mangoes, avocados, and kiwi-fruit. Although some varieties of these trees can be grown in Melbourne, they are not too common.

In any case, here is the cross pollination chart for the most popular varieties of fruit trees. For ease of reference, I have placed the trees in their respective pollination groups.   For example,  Apples in group 1 all flower at virtually the same time and so are suitable for pollinating one and other.

APPLES:

Group One

Abas, Bonza, Red Delicious, Golden Delicious, Granny Smith, Jonathan, Lady William, Red Fuji

Group Two

Cox’s Orange Pippin, Five Crown, Granny Smith, Jonathan, Lady William, Rome Beauty, Stayman’s Winesap, Pink Lady, Gala

Group Three

Cox’s Orange Pippin, Red Delicious, Golden Delicious, Granny Smith, Gravenstein, Pomme De Neige, Pink Lady, Gala

PEARS

Group One

Josephine De Malines, Packhams, Winter Cole, Winter Nellis

Group Two

Beurre Bosce, Kosui, Nijisseki, Williams Bon Cretien

Group Three

Chojura, Hosui, Nijisseki, Shinsui, Tsu Li

CHERRIES

Group One

Burgsdorf, Chapman, Early Rivers, Ron’s Seedling

Group Two

Bedfords, Burgsdorf, Chapman, Early Lyons, Moss Early, Ron’s Seedling

Group Three

Bing, Black Boy, Florence, Napoleon, Van

Group Four

Lambert, Napoleon, St. Margaret, Williams Favourite

(Stella, Lappins, Sunburst are self-fertile)

ALMONDS

Group One

Brandis Jordan, Chellaston

Group Two

Chellaston, IXL, Johnston’s Prolific, Ne Plus Ultra

Group Three

Ne Plus Ultra, Papershell

EUROPEAN PLUMS

Group One

Angelina, Diamond, President, King Billy

Group Two

Early Orleans, Grand Duke, President

Group Three

Coes Golden Drop, Greengage, Prune D’Agen, Robe De Sergeant,

JAPANESE PLUMS

Group One

Queen Rosa, Satsuma, Santa Rosa, Ruby Blood, Elephant Heart

Group Two

Burbank, Wickson

Group Three

Mariposa, Narrabeen, Salad

Other types of fruit trees such as most peaches, apricots, quinces and nectarines are self fertile and thus do not require a pollinator to produce. This list does not encompass every variety of fruit out there, but instead covers the range you are most likely to find available in nurseries throughout Melbourne

Cardinal Grape

The best time to plant and begin growing grape vines around Melbourne is during winter. In fact, most preparatory work to vines is done during this time. This includes, pruning vines, removing unwanted canes and deadwood and training of canes on a trellis, pergola or similar support setup.

While thousands of varieties of grapes exist worldwide, they are usually divided into two categories – wine grapes and table grapes. Wine grapes are perhaps the biggest family of grapes and the most widely cultivated. Wine making is big business!  I will discuss table grapes in this article and I will list and describe a few of the most popular varieties of grapes to grow in Melbourne.

Growing grapes in Melbourne is not so hard provided you select suitable varieties. Listed below are some of the types you will find growing here and there in backyards all around the suburbs and surrounding areas of Melbourne

Sultana- Most common and well known of grape varieties. The sultana has a small, seedless berry which is green to yellow in colour. It is easily grown in most parts of Australia, including Melbourne.

Cardinal - These grapes are rather large with a deep purple colour. They are sweet and seeded. Can be grown in full sun position in Melbourne and like most grape vines, can be trained to grow well over a pergola.

Flame Seedless – A vigourous plant, the Flame Seedless berries are medium to large and bright red in colour. As the name suggests, these are seedless.

Red Globe -A rather extra large red grape, the Red Globe needs  warmer weather to reach its best. Can be grown in Melbourne, but way not reach a high sugar content. A crisp grape and seedy.

Crimson Seedless - The most popular of red table grapes, the Crimson Seedless has a longer shelf life than other varieties. Dark red in colour with a crisp but juicy, sweet flavour. Can grow in Melbourne.

M1 Sultana (Menindee Seedless) Now here’s a grape which can grow just about anywhere. Similar to a sultana grape but with a slightly larger berry,  the Menindee fruits earlier than other varieties and has less heat or sun requirements than others. Absolutely ideal for Melbourne.

These are just a few of the more popular varieties of table grapes you can grow around Melbourne. The time to plant vines is throughout the winter season and these can either be purchased as bare-rooted plants or potted.

For more information on grape growing in Melbourne, please visit us in person at Preston Markets, Preston or drop us a line via phone or email. Visit our Contact Page for more details.

If you really want a quick course on grape growing with a bountiful supply of reference material, grape variety identification, trellis making,  etc.,  then check out this once in a lifetime offer. This offer is only available through this website, so it’s worth checking out. 

Selecting the right olive varieties to grow in Melbourne and other surrounding parts of Victoria is important.  There are different types of olive trees for different areas and it is crucial that you select the right kind of tree before deciding to grow your own olives.

Olives are grown for several different purposes. They are wonderful as a long lived ornamental and require little maintenance.  Certain varieties are used both commercially and as a hobby to produce olive oil, while other types, table olives, are grown in order to harvest and produce  larger olives which are then  pickled and used for eating.

Straight off the tree, the olive fruit is bitter,  harsh to the palate and needs curing and pickling before it is edible. For details on how you can pickle your own olives please click this link for my articles on pickling olives. “How To Pickle Your Own Olives” or  “Growing And Pickling Your Own Olives In Melbourne.” Growing your own olive trees at home is a great way to ensure a regular supply of olives. Olives are easy to grow and usually do not suffer the same kinds of disease and pest problems as do other fruit trees. Not even birds attack olive trees.

Some of the main varieties of olive trees you can find growing in and around Melbourne are as follows:

Manzanillo - Originating in the Southern regions of Spain, this plump egg shaped fruit, quite large and small seeded. Excellent eating quality and grows well around Melbourne and other cooler/temperate climate areas. Heavy producer of fruit, this olive pickles and preserves very well.

Verdale Very large, oval fruit which can weigh in at anywhere up to 10 grams. Originating in France, the Verdale quickly became a main export to the rest of the world because of its fine pickling qualities and great taste. These can be pickled green, black or anywhere in between. The are also great when pitted and stuffed with riccotta cheese or capsicum.

Frantoio- Perhaps the sweetest and heaviest tasting of all olives,  this variety is popular for  the superb quality of olive oil it produces. One of the most popular of all Italian oil producing olives, it has grown in popularity and spread around the world as a fine base for quality olive oils.

Paragon - Similar to the Frantoio, but with a nutty flavour.

Kalamata - Typically a popular Greek olive, this variety is generally allowed to ripen to black before harvesting and pickling. A  large, elongated fruit with a subtle flavour and firm texture.  This olive is nearly always used as a table olive.

Jumbo (Mammoth) – This variety is extremely sought after in Melbourne because of its huge size. One olive can weigh anywhere up to 18 grams! Although popular, it does not tolerate cooler climates well and can have difficulty fruiting in and around Melbourne or in climates with similar weather patterns.

Sevillano (Spanish Queen) – Second only in size to the Jumbo, the Sevillano can weigh up to 12gms.   A great flesh to pit ratio means that you get more fruit than seed. . Oval to round in shape, this type of olive is used only as a table olive because of its high water, low oil content.

Interesting Facts About Olives

• An olive tree can live from anywhere between 800 to 1,500 years. Carbon dating on an olive tree found in Portugal showed it to be over 2,000 years old!

• The smaller the olive, the higher the oil content. Smaller olives are generally used in oil production, but also taste best when dried or pickled.

• Olives originated in Africa and later spread to the Mediterranean and are today a staple in both diet and industry in many Southern European and Middle Eastern countries.

• Olives have been mentioned in famous writings worldwide. From Homer’s”Odysseus”, in both the Old Testament and the New Testament, the Koran, and Roman poet and scholar Horace, wrote of its importance in his own diet.

• It is purported that olive cultivation was the key source of wealth to the Minoan Civilization, more than 4,000 years ago.

Because many people in and around Melbourne have a limited garden space, they find it difficult to grow and maintain a good selection of herbs and vegetables. The feedback we get is that many of our customers have small to tiny yards and cannot plant as many herbs and vegetables as they would like.
This issue has led me to do some research on how to maximize the production of herbs and vegetables in limited spaces. Most of us have family and children and the more we can save on food the better, but our “shoebox” living arrangements often restricts our ability to grow the amount of produce we need.

I have always had my doubts about the true benefits of supplying my family with store bought produce. In my experience, the more food you can produce at home the more certain you can be that what you are eating is actually doing you good.

Have you seen the story of the exploding watermelons?  Here is a Herald/Sun link to that story: Click Here. Without trying to be a panic merchant, I just wish to make a simple statement about all this. Farmers worldwide grow crops to make money. If there is a chemical, pesticide, hormone or whatever, available that assures they can increase their income, you can bet they are going to use it.  As consumers we purchase and eat produce without actually knowing what went into producing it.

Before we go any further, just ask yourself the following questions:

If you answered yes to these questions, then  you should try growing as much of your own produce as possible. In order to help you utilize your garden space to the max, I would suggest you get hold of of a book titled, “How To Grow Herbs And Vegetables In Limited Spaces,”by Australian horticulturalist, John Bee.

Now John Bee is no newcomer to the world of horticulture. John has written several books and garden magazine articles about the benefits and methods of home gardening. This latest publication is certain to become a best seller. It explains everything the home-gardener needs to create a lush, productive garden in the most limited of space. What’s more, you can slash thousands of dollars off your yearly food bill by doing so.

What is especially great about John’s latest book is that anyone can start immediately after reading the first chapter. He will explain,

Imagine having instant access to herbs and vegetables without have to spend fuel and time running to the market. Recipe requires a sprig of parsley, a clove of garlic? There it is!  Right there in your own yard, fresh, healthy and ready to use.

Don’t waste time procrastinating, spending money on food products you can grow yourself at home for a fraction of the cost. Click on this link and go to John’s page where he can tell you more about this special offer. You won’t regret it!

Most garden soils in and around Melbourne, Victoria are simply so poor in quality, they suck.  The clay and rock ridden garden beds throughout the Melbourne suburbs and outlying areas limit your growing options. Yet this can easily be remedied and only relies on letting nature take her course with a kick start from you, the gardener. The key word here is, vermiculture or worm farming.

Creating a worm farm is not so hard and there are several ways you can do this. You can use a, “hole in the ground”, system where  you dig a trench sized whole in which to dispose of you your leftovers and other compostable materials. You can use large wooden boxes, or for those who can afford it, you can buy your own, pre-designed composting bin. If you really want an A to Z course on worm farming, perhaps you should visit this link: CLICK HERE.

Following are some great reasons why you should have a worm farm.

1) Cut Down On Excess Waste. As humans, we produce more waste than we can cope with. The planet Earth has become the universe’s dumping ground. If each household could use vermicomposting to break down most of this waste and return it to the earth as a reusable commodity, the world would most radically improve. Worms are capable of breaking down and composting waste about times faster than natural composting methods. A worm can eat the equivalent of  its own weight and more per day. This makes sense when you have thousands of worms working for you.

2) Replenish Poor Soils The best thing about quality compost is that, over time, it blends in with clay soils and helps to create a reasonable growing medium. Obviously the more compost you add the better results you will achieve. A good soil base is the ultimate difference between a prosperous, rich crop of fruit and vegetables or a poor miserable garden which is non productive and inevitably costs you time and money. While you can create your own natural compost heap, a worm farm will create one which is much quicker and far richer in nutrient content.

3) Grow The Best Fruit And Vegetables The ultimate test comes during the time of harvest. With a healthy, friable soil which allows adequate drainage,  soft and aerated   enough to allow for strong root development and nutrient rich to provide plants with all their feeding requirements, means that it leaves you little else to do but provide your plants with water. Compost also has a higher water retention quality than most other soils which means less watering.

If you need more help or advice on getting a worm farm happening, we are more than happy to help steer you in the right direction. Feel free to contact us about this or any other garden related matter. Visit our Contact Us page anytime.

Olives are simply an amazing fruit. While there are olives and there are olives, this article will deal with the most common varieties of table olives which can be grown in Melbourne, Victoria and how you can pickle them at home.

You can pickle olives while they are green or wait until they fully ripen to black. The choice is yours. As a rule you should select olives which are nice and firm as obviously these will keep much longer.  Please follow the steps below to get your olives ready for pickling.

Selecting The Right Olives Select olives which are  firm and free of bruises and blemishes.  With a sharp knife, make a slit along one side of the olive, lengthwise, from top to bottom. Make sure the incision reaches the seed. This not only speeds up the pickling process but also makes it easier to remove the pip when eating.

How To Cure The Olives The important thing now is to cure the olives. The bitterness needs to be removed and to do this the olives need to be fully submerged and soaked for about 2 weeks. You will need a small drum or bucket big enough to hold the quantity of olives being cured and a lid to cover them. Wash the olives well and remove any contaminants such as leaves, twigs etc.
Prepare a salt water mixture to a ratio of 10:1  (1 cup salt to 10 cups water),  then use enough of this water to completely cover your olives. You will find that the olives will tend to float to the top, so you need to place a plate which fits inside the drum or bucket and weigh it down to ensure olives remain submerged.

This water should be emptied and disposed of every day or at most every second day and replaced with a fresh batch of briny water.  As a rule, this may take up to 14 days or more, but the best way is to select an olive and taste it. When you feel the bitterness has  disappeared, then the olive is ready for pickling.

Pickling Your Olives Pickling olives is the fun part and recipes for this are countless.  The fantastic thing about olives is that they accept flavouring well and can be prepared to suit all tastes.
The Spanish, Greeks, Italians, Turks, Lebanese and many other countries all have their own national or regional favourite ways of flavouring olives. My suggestion would be to divide your cured olives up and experiment with two, three, or even four olive pickling recipes. I will include one of my mothers favourite recipes for your reference, but you can easily find more.

This tasty olive recipe is based on a 10 kilo quantity of olives. Arrange and measure ingredients to coincide with the amount of olives you are using.

6 Whole dried bay leaves

4 Cloves of finely chopped garlic

8 Teaspoons of finely chopped thyme

4 Lemons cut into quarters

4 Diced sweet red capsicums (can use hot peppers if desired)

1 cup of Extra Virgin Olive Oil

1 cup of vinegar

6 Litres of water.

2 Tablespoons of salt

Boil the water and salt and allow to cool. Add all the other ingredients together and mix well with water. Set this aside. Wash the olives well and use a sterile container or containers with airtight lids. Fill these to the brim with olives, top up with herb and liquid mixture then seal tight and store away in a cupboard. Olives do not need to be stored in a refrigerator through winter. A cool, dark place is ideal.

Some Information On Pickling Olives

• Always use sterile containers and instruments.

• Green olives exposed to air will turn brown

• The taste test is best. Sample olives from time to time. If too salty, soak in fresh, clean water for a day or two. If not salty enough, add more salt.  The same goes for you pickling mixture. Combine ingredients to suit your taste.