Growing the exotic in your own garden

When one thinks of the average Randfontein garden, fruits and vegetables such as granadillas, rhubarb and shallots hardly come to mind.

But one Randfontein gardener, Annetjie van Wyngaard, a stay-at-home mom, describes herself as a garden-wife instead of a housewife. Annetjie has brought exotic fruits and vegetables to her garden and regularly reaps the fruits of her labours.

She builds her own garden from the ground up, including the brick garden beds and the luxurious lawns.

In her garden she has golden oldies such as tomatoes, green peppers, spinach and mealies, among other things. Although these plants look like something from a well-run farm, they are certainly not her garden’s main attraction.

Her garden is home to granadillas which grow as high as her roof. In addition to this exotic fruit, she also grows rhubarb and shallots and many others.

Annetjie got her large granadilla vine through her husband who got it for her while at work. It started from a seedling and has grown into a thick-stemmed bush-like tree.

Her tip for growing the delicious fruit is to keep it in partial sunlight or the leaves burn. In addition, she said the plant is not as thirsty as one may think and only needs watering twice a week.

Regarding her rhubarb, which is an ancient plant, it has fittingly been in their garden for over 30 years and was found on the property when they moved in. It may not be as big as her other exotic plants but it does the trick for the family who use the plant for its health benefits.

Her shallots are some of the mightiest-looking plants in the garden and have thick green leaves which are harvested regularly to spice up their meals. Shallots are usually planted as sets of immature bulbs and are grown in full sunlight. Annetjie grew hers from seed three years ago and they’ve been in her garden ever since.

In addition to shallots, she also grows garlic which she planted one day on a whim when she had left-over garlic cloves in the kitchen.

The garlic has been in her garden for the past three years and enjoys having an even level of moisture in the soil. In fact, gardeners are warned not over-water garlic, as this shortens the life of the bulbs.

This is especially true during the winter, when it is suggested that you stop watering and harvest soon rather than trying to get the last bit of size out of the bulb.

Annetjie said she is not a fan of housework and will give it up for garden work any day of the week. In doing so, she has brought the exotic to her very own garden.

Do you perhaps have more information pertaining to this story? Email us at randfonteinherald@caxton.co.za (remember to include your contact details) or phone us on 011 693 3671.

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