Food from trees - The Kei Apple

(Dovyalis caffra)

A bountiful crop of roundish, velvety, bright yellow fruits with thick succulent flesh carpeted the ground beneath a tree in the grounds of a hospital on the Cape Flats in the Western Province this past autumn. Unusual in this part of the world, the Kei-apple tree had done itself proud, yet no humans had discovered this rich source of food on their doorsteps.

It was there for the taking by the birds and, what they did not eat, fell to the ground to ferment, attracted fruit flies and rotted down, returning nutrients to the soil.

The tree, a Kei-apple, Dovyalis caffra, is well known all over the eastern parts of the country, common in open bush and wooded grassland, and often near termite mounds. It belongs to a cosmopolitan family, the Flacourtiaceae, which are all good, fruit-bearing shrubs or trees, very often armed with vicious spines, and its name derives from the Kei River where it grows in abundance as a thick, shiny, spiny shrub up to three metres in height. The branches are armed with straight, robust spines up to 7 cm long.

This year my trees also bore an abundance of fruit for the first time ever and I ascribe this to the fact that we get heavy frost here in Tarlton (South Africa). It has taken almost seven years for my trees to reach just over three meters tall and I was absolutely thrilled to have the fruit. Of course I had to try them but they really are too acidic, with a slight hint of sweetness, to enjoy on a full-time basis. And I'm therefore also not surprised at all that Torti, my Leopard Tortoise, did not touch any that had fallen on the floor. But they look really beautiful displayed in a dish!

Image credit - Tatters, Flickr

Some trees may grow to nine metres with a thick crown of green foliage; these large specimens are often less spiny as the tree has put its energy into its bulk, rather than into thorn production. The tree is known by a variety of other names: Dingaan’s apricot, wild apricot, wilde-appelkoos, appelkoosdoring, um- Qokolo (Xhosa and Zulu) amongst others. Although it is indigenous to warmer areas, it will survive mild frost, and long periods of drought. It grows well in poor soils. The Kei-apple makes a worthwhile addition to your garden as it serves a multitude of purposes, not least of which as a source of food for humans and animals alike.

Fresh, ripe fruits are rich in Vitamin C and pectin and, following the example of the Pedi people who squeeze the juice onto their pap, they would make an excellent addition to a fruit salad and to muesli and yoghurt. Nature seems to know best when to give us the right foods to boost our immune systems in preparation for the onslaught of winter colds and ‘flu.

In addition, Egyptian scientists have also reportedly identified 15 different amino acids (the building blocks of proteins) in the fruit. Monkeys and baboons, antelope and birds recognise their health-giving qualities and devour them voraciously in the wild! Most people, however, consider the fruit too acid for eating out-of-hand, even when fully ripe.

So, cut the fruits in half, remove the peel and two rings of hairy seeds. Sprinkle with sugar and leave them to sit for a few hours before serving as a dessert, or adding to a fruit salad. The fruits can be cooked, but take only a few minutes of cooking before they turn into a sauce. Thicken this with a little crème fraiche and serve it over ice cream. Kei apples are more usually made into delicious jams and jellies or, when unripe, into pickles.

Kei-apple Jam

Because of the apples’ high level of acidity, no lemon juice need be added to the jam.

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• 450 g Kei apples, halved, peeled, de-seeded and thinly sliced

• 450 g white sugar

• Grated zest of one lemon (be careful not to include the bitter white pith)

• 1 teaspoon ground (or 1 large stick) cinnamon

• 1 tablespoon raisins, a bay leaf, 2 cloves – optional extras

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Pack the sliced fruit into a jar, stand it in a saucepan of boiling water and let the apples stew for about 15 minutes, or until they start to become tender. Put the apples into a clean, heavy-bottomed pot, add the sugar and the grated lemon zest. Do not add the cinnamon if using ground cinnamon, because it will tend to become viscous when boiled.

Hardiness: A subtropical shrub or tree, capable of surviving temperatures to 20F.

Growing Environment: Kei apple's are both drought and salt tolerant and are often used as coastal landscaping shrubs.

Propagation: Usually by seed.

Plants bear in 4-5 years from seed.

Uses: Fruits are often sprinkled with sugar and eaten fresh. They can also be used in a variety of desserts.

Native Range: Native to the Kei River region of Southwest Africa. The Kei Apple has adapted to subtropical regions throughout the world and is sometimes planted for ornamental purposes in Florida, California, and Southern Europe.

Source: Biophile Magazine, Issue 17

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New life

 

Even in mid-winter - New life…

each frond

leaf

petal

just filled

with potential

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June inspiration - Nature's beauty

All my life through, the new sights of Nature made me rejoice like a child. 

- Marie Curie 

Nature's beauty can be easily missed - Reading about nature is fine, but if a person walks in the woods and listens carefully, he can learn more than what is in books. John Muir said, "Climb the mountains and get their good tidings. Nature’s peace will flow into you as sunshine flows into trees. The winds will blow their own freshness into you and the storms their energy, while cares will drop off like autumn leaves."

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Olea Africana – Wild Olive

My Wild Olive (Olienhout in Afrikaans), planted in 2006 in my pond area, has suprised me with the most gorgeous little "olives" this year. The branches were so heavy that they looked like they were going to buckle under the weight of all the fruit! For weeks on end, this side of the garden was alive with the chatter and whistle of all the birds that flocked here to enjoy this bounty.

I also had a go at the fruit, why not? What's good enough for the birds, is good enough for me, right? It was mostly quite sweet with a slight acidic (sour) flavour and a tiny pip inside. I wonder how many new little Olive trees will be growing everywhere from the birds dispersing the seeds?

Sprays of tiny, lightly scented white to greenish flowers (October to February) are followed (March to July) by small, spherical, thinly fleshy fruits (either sweet or sour) which ripen purple-black.

This berry fruit is a favorite for fruit-eating birds, so look out for the Grey Lourie, Speckled and Red-faced Mousebirds, Redwinged and Pied Starlings, Rameron, African Green Pigeon and the Blackeyed Bulbul. Leaves are browsed by game and stock. This tree is an asset on farms and game farms, especially in very dry areas because it is extremely hardy and is an excellent fodder tree.

Olive leaf and olive leaf extracts (OLE), have anti-aging, immunostimulator, and antibiotic properties. A tea can be made from the leaves and I'm still scouring the internet to see if I can find a recipe. 

 Planted in 2006, my Wild Olive has grown to about 4m tall and 4m wide.

This tree is found in a variety of habitats, mostly on the southern slopes of the Magaliesberg mountain range from the rocky areas exposed to all the weather elements, in the kloofs, right down to the river bank areas of the Magalies River but is widespread in Africa.

Olea europaea subsp. africana is a neatly shaped evergreen tree with a dense spreading crown (9 x 12m) of glossy grey-green to dark-green foliage. Leaves are grey-green to dark-green above and greyish below. The rough, grey bark sometimes peels off in strips. 
Propagate it from seed or from hardwood cuttings. Sow fresh seed in river sand. Treat cuttings with a rooting hormone. The slow-growing frost, drought and wind-resistant wild olive makes a good shade or screen plant in the home garden.

 HOW TO PLANT 
- Dig a hole slightly wider and deeper than the roots. (The bigger the better). The extra space below and at the sides will be in-filled; but, having been loosened, will help yhr roots establish.
- Square holes are better than round ones as the roots can go round in circles if unable to break out of a round hole (yes, seriously!)
- As it has an aggressive root system don’t plant near your house, a pool or other buildings.
- Although this step is not essential, it will grow better if you mix some compost and bone meal with the soil taken out of the hole. Also it would be a good idea to fill the hole a little so that the plant will be exactly the same height in the ground as it was at the nursery.
- If it is am planted too deep, the stem may rot; too shallow and the roots above ground will die.
- Before planting, remove from the plastic bag! lol!
- Put the tree in the hole and replace the soil, compost and bone meal mixture, firming it down all around. The roots must be immobilized, so it’s essential that it is not loose in the ground.
- Use the heel of your boot to firm the soil as you back-fill, but do not compact the soil so that it is like concrete, as this prevents water and air circulation, causing roots to die.
- Water and cover the soil with a good heap of mulch.

CARING FOR YOUR WILD OLIVE
- After planting, it is important to water at least once a week.
- It is better to give one good watering once a week rather than a little bit every day.
- Monitor to see if your tree looks thirsty (sagging limp leaves) and water if needed.
- Once planted, you can apply a general fertilizer around the base. (Culterra 5:1:5 is a good option).
- As your tree grows, it will require staking and pruning. Stake it against a straight wooden stick or pole, taking the strongest shoot up and pruning the bottom branches off.

Relax and watch your beautiful Olive grow approximately 800mm each year!

 ི♥ྀ *˚*¨*•.¸¸♥¸¸.•*¨*• ི♥ྀ •*

Dear Miss Peachy... (a letter to my Peach Tree)

Dear Miss Peachy,
I think you are highly confused or there is wishful thinking on your part. We're heading into the cold of winter and there are still autumn leaves clinging to your branches and you are already shooting out new buds! This spells disaster as I've seen it before - a couple of years ago you did the same thing, resulting in no fruit that season. 

 

Besides your regular watering you receive, we have had good rains this past summer and you were heavily laden with fruit. I think you just want to impress me again with your abundant offerings, but you do not realise the price you are going to have to pay when the first frost appears. 

Oh dear Miss Peachy, please know that I will still love you during your bare-branches-of-winter period and I hope you have a nice, well-deserved rest during the cold spell!

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Late-Autumn Portrait

Soft golden browns foretell 

the aging of the year.

Leafless branches curve their shapes

against the autumn sky.

In their naked majesty 

trees proclaim their individuality.

These muted colors, not the pastel of spring

but the palette of autumn

echo the early twilights, 

the cloudy dawns. Rain

dampens and drowns, 

pressing leaves against the frozen ground.

One morning, winter's white sheets

will wrap the earth

preparing it for its seasonal burial.

Now fall fades to sleep

stirring restlessly 

as it turns its way to slumber.

by Pujakins

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Caring for your Leopard Tortoise

Torti
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 It's a late-Autumn afternoon and the day is balmy. It's just after 3pm and in a couple of hours it will be cold, that nip that is not yet icy yet but cold enough to send my tortoise, her name is Torti and she's a Leopard Tortoise, scuttling for some shelter. And she doesn't surface until late the next morning, weather permitting and if there's lots of sunshine. Hibernation is close for her and soon she will only venture out for short periods during the next couple of winter months. 

Whilst tortoises in our climate here in South Africa do not strictly "hibernate", they do go through a "slowdown" of all activity. They will sleep more and eat less and generally just "park off" each day. Some will dig themselves into a "burrow" and remain there for long periods. Besides cover that I offer, Torti has several places in her enclosure where she prefers to spend the colder days. Other than a general health check every now and again, I leave her alone but do check daily to see if she might have come out and then offer her some food. 

One of Torti's hide-outs 

 Another one of Torti's hide-outs

Torti was rescued from certain death, as she was destined for the pot, having been caught by some locals, who also use certain body parts of tortoises for "muti". (Muti is a term for traditional medicine in Southern Africa as far north as Lake Tanganyika. The word muti is derived from the Zulu word for tree, of which the root is -thi. In Southern Africa, the word muti is in widespread use in most indigenous African languages, as well as in South African English and Afrikaans where it is sometimes used as a slang word for medicine in general.) 

She arrived scarcely bigger than my hand and in the 7 years she has been with me, has grown to a fair size.

Besides the fact that I enjoy her company, the only reason she is still with me is the fact that I'm afraid she will be caught again as well as the raging veld fires we have every winter, which almost certainly means death for any tortoises in its path. 

Torti's enclosure - 28m x 10m
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If you are considering keeping a tortoise, these large tortoises need a large area if confined in an enclosure, though it is preferable to give them the run of your garden if possible. If you cannot do this (which I couldn't, nothing was safe from Torti's voracious appetite, especially the Echeverias!) and have to construct an enclosure, work on a minimum of a 6m x 4m area for two tortoises.

Tortoises are wanderers and in the wild occupy a home range of from 1 to 3 square kilometres. Few sights are more pathetic than seeing one trudge endlessly around the perimeter of its pen in either dust or mud, compliments of the weather. 

 Torti's enclosure last summer - lots of indigenous grasses to feed on as well is Kikuyu

The area should be sunny, and well planted with different grasses and plants for natural feeding. A lack of exercise leads to muscular problems and should be avoided. An arid grassy area is much preferred, with dry sandy areas for sunbathing. This tortoise requires large amounts of grasses in its diet, and it is a common mistake in captivity to feed exclusively on 'wet' kitchen food. On the correct diet their droppings should be well formed and fibrous.

Just a short note on safety - please check your enclosure regularly for any bits of plastic, plastic bags, bits of string or any other harmful objects that might somehow end up in the enclosure that could harm your tortoise.

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 A thatched umbrella in Torti's enclosure offers me a space where I can sit and enjoy Torti's antics, do a couple of sketches and Torti often utilises the shade here during the hottest summer days.

Some Leopard tortoises will utilize a sleeping area constructed out of poles with a roof, or a drum on its side, but many, like Torti, prefer to creep under large grassy plants such as Pampas grass, where they are sheltered from any adverse weather. However, she is often found in her Zulu hut, above, either sheltering from the sun or on very cold days.

They are commonly kept as pets and adapt well to captivity in most areas barring coastal Natal where the humidity affects them adversely. But it is of the utmost importance that you pay close attention to their diet and keep it as natural as possible. It is a common mistake in captivity to feed exclusively on 'wet' kitchen food. Too much kitchen food leads to diarrhoea and other digestive problems and should be avoided. On no account should dog/cat food be provided - these are high in protein which results in shell deformities and in the long term, in kidney disease. In the veld, the leopard tortoise will stuff its huge body with just about anything it comes across, be it grasses, succulents, aloes, fungi, wild fruits and berries, millipedes, snails, faeces (especially an hyena’s), reptile and birds’ eggs and the corpses of small animals such as frogs and mice. 

 Torti having breakfast under the thatch umbrella

There is a lot of diet information for your tortoise on the internet, but a diet that has served me well for the past 7 years that Torti has been with me, is as follows : 

Lettuce - 

although the general consensus is to NOT feed lettuce, lettuce is high in nitrates and is converted in the mouth into compounds that produce nitric oxide - a potent antibacterial chemical. The "disinfectant" effect of this chemical was tested and salivary production was high enough to kill even E.coli 0157 (the deadly bacterium that is so often responsible for outbreaks of food poisoning). Along with a good balanced diet it can actually be beneficial in small portions. What is NOT recommended is a diet of lettuce alone as this will not provide all the nutrients your tortoise needs. 

Celery - both the stalks and the leaves 

Carrots 

Baby Marrow 

Apple - in small amounts as it is considered a "soft" food 

Chopped cooked chicken - I have heard that you can give them the bones, but I don't, too scared they might get stuck in her throat, especially chicken bones

Sliced cucumber 

Sliced butternut/pumpkin 

2 or 3 Echeveria elegans leaves 

Kalanchoe 

Geranium leaves 

Raw egg and some egg shell 

 

Not all of this is offered in one go - I take turns using 5 or 6 of the ingredients for one meal, which is normally served early in the morning. 

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 Indigenous grasses
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In addition, she has access to various grasses in her enclosure, including Kikiyu grass (Pennisetum clandestinum), Dew grass (Eragrostis pseudo-obtusa), Beesgras (Urochloa pantcoides) and Veld grass (Ehrhartacalycina).

 Dandelion

 Salsify

Weeds like Taraxacum officinale (Dandelion), Tribulis terrestris (common dubbeltjie), Salsify and Galinsoga parviflora (Small flowered quickweed) is also available in her enclosure. 

A further variety of foods includes a variety of leafy greens such as collard greens, mustard greens, red leaf lettuce, green leaf lettuce, romaine lettuce, dandelion greens, hibiscus leaves and flowers, green onions, spinach, green beans, zucchini, frozen mixed vegetables, timothy hay, and alfalfa. They can also be fed almost any other vegetables. Fruits should only make up about 10% of their diet. 

 The pond has is very shallow on all sides, offering rocks and logs to make climbing out easily in case of an emergency and gradually deepens towards the centre.

Leopard tortoises readily drink standing water. A shallow water dish may be provided, but check it daily, and clean it as required. The size of the water dish doesn’t really matter, however it shouldn’t be too deep where the tortoise could get stuck in the dish. Torti has access to fresh water in a dish as well as the pond which is situated in her enclosure. Leopard tortoises love to swim and, judging by the length of time Torti often spends in the water, she loves it! 

 Torti basking on a sunny sand spot

Leopard tortoises (Geochelone pardalis pardalis) live between 50 and 100 years in the wild and can weigh as much as 100 pounds (about 45kgs) and measure 26 inches (68cm) front to back. The difference between a male and female tortoise is the male has a cup-like depression toward the forward half of the plastron (the bottom shell or "stomache"). It's there so he can mount the female without having to stand on his tail to fertilize her. The female's plastron, like Torti's, is flat.

 Torti also shares here enclosure with a frequent visitor - Molly, the Mole Snake. She is extremely welcome as we have a real problem with rats. After Molly's stay of a couple of days, there is nary a rat to be seen anywhere!

In late Autumn and winter, the indigenous grasses offer Torti lots of shelter from the elements. Only the Kikuyu grass is mowed, the rest is allowed to grow wild.
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It is of course against the law to keep reptiles in captivity without a permit and in happier instances the owner of a newly acquired tortoise will apply for one. An official from Nature Conservation will then make sure that the facilities in which the reptile is to be kept are adequate and that the captive will be fed a proper diet. 

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Attracting birds to your garden

Black-headed Oriole enjoying an orange at one of my feeders

We all love to hear the sound of birds in the garden and the sight  of butterflies, but few of us design a garden that attracts them. The good news is that you don't have to dig out all your roses or  other exotic plants in favour of indigenous plants. Just ensure that at least  a portion of the garden contains plants and other facilities to encourage  urban "wildlife" into the garden.

Establishing a mini sanctuary in your back-garden will attract a plethora of birdlife for your viewing pleasure and is a relatively simple task. The task comprises of supplying the birds with three basic requirements for survival: food, water and cover.

Birds will visit your garden if there’s plenty of food available, so the first thing to do is get your seed and peanut feeders up and running. Then you need to work on providing natural food, cover and even nesting sites.

Suet feeder - a fatty snack loved by most birds

The best feeding programme for birds is to plant shrubs and trees which offer nature's menu. Aloes, watsonias, lion’s ear (Leonotis spp.), red-hot pokers ( spp.) and wachendorfias will attract nectar feeding birds such as the sunbird. Seed eating birds are attracted to the seed heads of grasses and grains.  Plant patches of mixed bird seed and you'll be fascinated to see the response from local birds.

The key thing is to ensure that you meet the needs of your birds all year round, and that you accommodate the changing requirements of both residents and seasonal visitors. While planting bushes with berries is good for thrushes in the autumn, they will soon strip the crop. So think laterally – if you live near a wholesale fruit market, buy trays of substandard apples for them to feed on when the berries have gone. Fat blocks are important in the winter and will attract flocks of starlings.

To birds, the typical suburban landscape resembles an inhospitable and hostile place with cropped lawns, sheared foundation shrubs, and deadheaded flowers mean no place to nest, no food to eat, and nowhere to hide. To produce a landscape that supplies birds with a year-round food supply, you need to plant an assortment of plant species that provide food throughout the year, such as seeds, berries, nuts. Plant an abundance of grasses and consider letting your garden go to seed rather than dead-heading flowers and removing spent plants. Indigenous plants are ideal choices as they are familiar and accepted as food sources, shelter, and nest sites by the indigenous birdlife.

Established trees will naturally provide a source of shelter and roosting spots for many birds and a garden which is well planted with indigenous trees will attract numerous birds throughout the year. Good roosting sites are provided by the Henkel's yellowwood (Podocarpus henkelii), fever tree (Acacia xanthophloea), karee (Searsia lancea), sweet thorn (Acacia karroo) or buffalo thorn (Ziziphus mucronata.

Buy bird food from reputable sources. This ensures that the seeds can provide the required levels of energy and have been grown with the environment in mind. Experiment with different sorts of feeders and seed mixes. For example, greenfinches adore sunflower feeders whilst goldfinches prefer niger seeds.

You might not think so, but security for your garden birds is also of high importance. Reduce the opportunities for predators like cats and sparrow hawks by placing feeders where the birds can spot danger easily. Avoid using garden netting, especially during the breeding season, and place feeders away from your house to minimise the risk of birds colliding with windows.

Planting indigenous trees that offers protection like thorns is a great favourite for nesting spots

Water is another essential ingredient. A shallow, rough-bottomed pool of still water with a depth between 2,5cm and 5cm is ideal. To accommodate smaller birds, it is advisable to add a few stones that stick out of the water for them to land on. To guarantee birds a sure footing, the texture of the birdbath ought to be rough, ideally achieved by including sand, stones, pebbles or concrete.

Organic gardening is another essential ingredient in any landscape that welcomes birds. One reason is that organic gardens are teeming with insects and other organisms that birds enjoy. Birds will help control garden pests and insects, such as gnats and mosquitoes. Don't rake up all your leaves, but rather leave them where they are. They make great compost and the Thrushes love scratching through them for a tit-bit. Instead of waging war against pests and diseases with an arsenal of chemicals, organic gardening nudges the ecosystem into a healthy balance.

Supplemental bird feeding will guarantee year-round bird watching enjoyment. Here are some ideas of what to provide for your garden birds:

·      Oranges (for nectar-eating birds)

·      Bananas, apples and pears (for fruit-eating birds)

·      Left-overs from dinner (for various types of birds)

·      Bread and seed mix (for seed-eating birds)

·      Bone-meal, suet, mealworms and minced meat (for meat-eating birds)

White-browed Sparrow Weaver enjoying the selections of seeds on offer

Interesting birds can appear and disappear frustratingly quickly, so have a pair of binoculars or your camera to hand so you can grab them easily when you spot something. And remember your sketch-book!

 Bigger birds like thrushes and Starlings don't mind a pool that is a bit deeper. But be sure to place some pebbles at the bottom for a better grip. If not cleaned regularly, bathing spots can build up algae and be quite slippery.

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