Water Plants in Tropical Permaculture
We have three water plants at Rancho Delicioso, all of which are considered invasive species and are illegal in places like Florida, because they can grow out of control, blocking waterways, covering ponds and lakes, etc. As with so many things in nature, they also have their benefits, so I wanted to discuss some of […]
We Grew Guinness Record Breaking Soursop
According to the Guinness Book of World Records, the largest Soursop (Guanabana) ever grown was a measly 8.14 pounds (3.69 kg) so ours was nearly double the weight! Ours weighed 16 pounds (7.26 Kilos)! Check out the old record on the Guinness website here: http://www.guinnessworldrecords.com/world-records/heaviest-soursop. And you can see a photo of it here to […]
Tropical Seeds for Making Jewelry
For 11 years I was half owner of a jewelry company called Seventh Sense, and we scoured the planet looking for exotic beads and materials of all types to make our jewelry. Although I’ve left that business far behind, I still love the idea of making jewelry, and am always keeping my eye open for […]
Insect Pests and Solutions
There are thousands of insects in the jungle here, and several of them like to feast on our plants. We’re going to try to catalog as many of them as possible to help our friends and neighbors in the area recognize them and know what to do. Aphids Every gardener and farmer hates aphids. They […]
Edible Nuts and Seeds that Grow in the Tropics
Surprisingly, there aren’t many familiar nuts and seeds that grow in the tropics. We have many varieties of fruit, veggies, and greens that grow here, but it’s a challenge to find edibles that give us a good sources of protein and oil. Nuts and seeds are also important to add variety in cooking, and are […]
Permaculture Plant Nerd Quiz
Here are photos of ten EDIBLE tropical plants. So for all you tropical garden geeks and permaculture geniuses, the challenge is to name them all. Leave your answers at the bottom in the comments section if you like… For the answers to what these plants are, click here: Plant Quiz Answers
Growing Gallery
Here at Rancho Delicioso, we now have well over 100 edible plants growing here. Below are a set of photos taken over a two-week period in March, 2014.
Toxic Edible Plants
It may sound like an oxymoron, but many plants that we have growing at the farm are highly toxic if the wrong part is eaten, if they’re eaten before they’re ripe, or uncooked, etc. When giving tours of the farm, the guests sometimes freak me out by eating random stuff they find growing there! Let’s […]
Edible Flowers at the Farm
Many people have wanted to know which flowers you can eat, and which are poisonous or inedible due to other reasons, such as being dry, rough or tasteless. Edible flowers can be used for many purposes, such as decorating a plate, floating in a soup, or adding to a salad. The possibilities are endless. Here’s […]
Herbs and Plants for Personal Hygiene Products
A friend of mine, Kelly Perkins, visited the farm a few days ago, and she was curious as to what we have growing here that could be used for personal hygiene products such as lotions, scrubs, soaps, shampoos, insect repellents, and other face and skincare products. She was asking about this because she has a […]
