winter gardening begins

April 30, 2012

20120430-220341.jpg

Have already had our first frost. The days are drawing longer.

Seeds in the second garden bed have all germinated. The beets were the last to raise their heads.

Broadbeans are growing like crazy. Up to about 5 leaves each plant.

The seeds in the larger garden bed weren’t so successful. Kale and purple sprouting have only come up with a few each. Wondering if the snails got to them? Or was it just too cold too soon?

Have planted some seeds in my seed propagator. Ran out of kale & broccoli so going with radicchio treviso, rocket & cavalo nero. Hopefully will have more luck this year.

Need to remember to order more seeds when I get the spuds!

yay for the Easter long weekend!

April 8, 2012

MASSIVE gardening weekend…

spud patch
Returned all soil to the tub. Sprayed with EM-1 solution (effective microbes) in the 1:10 dilution rate. Planted broadbean seeds. Also planted some green feast pests which are frost sensitive so will be interesting to see if they germinate.

small veg bed
Dug in a few handfuls of blood and bone. Dug up as much as I could. Lots of worm activity!

Planted seeds all direct sown. Following from closest to the spud patch:
Beets
Endive
Collard greens
Peas
Rocket

Also dug up some garlic shoots. Finely chopped and added to my beef ragu. Sprayed over EM-1 solution in the 1:100 dilution.

compost
Added 1:10 solution of EM-1. They say it takes 6 weeks. Look forward to seeing how it works.

Bulbs ready for spring
Planted tulip and daffodil bulbs into pots. Looking forward to seeing them in Spring.

sage
Transplanted half the sage to the front garden. Added lots of fresh potting mix to the remainder.

Mint
Repotted the mint in a larger pot with fresh potting mix. Very root bound!

oregano
Planted out my little oregano cutting that had sprouted heaps of roots in water. So hope it makes it!

elderflower
Growing way too big in front of the kitchen window. So transplanted it where the dead ring barked shrub was. Looking very wilted and struggling the next day so loads of and pruned all the major branches. Fingers crossed it lasts.

autumn strawbs
Enjoying the crop of autumn strawbs. Nowhere near as prolific as the the spring but still super flavoursome.

indoor.
Couldn’t resist a small white cyclamen for $7 from mitre 10. the lady said to water from the roots only so it doesnt rot. Also that they love the cold. Looks super pretty. Let’s just hope I can keep it alive.

microbes
Dad would be really proud! Ordered some effective microbes (EM) online. If they do even a quarter of the promises the label makes, I’ll be a very happy girl. Don’t tell anyone but I also sprayed them in the shower to help with the sometimes smelly drain.

Very bug hopes for composting this way.

seasol.
Gave all pots a microbe and seasol feed. Then followed up with power feed dose to the lawns and veggie garden.

bay leaf & bedside reading

April 1, 2012

Gardening was cut short today due to thunderstorms. Did manage to uncover a nest of snails. Wasn’t exactly fun destroying them but quietly satisfying. at least 100 snails died today. Repotted my 18 year old bay leaf tree into an old half wine barrel. Very excited about it finally having a growth spurt. Bedside reading [...]

Read the full article →

annual spud harvest!

March 25, 2012

Very exciting day with all hands on deck for the 2nd Annual Monaro Avenue potato harvest. Seems that the long wet summer was ideal for snails and spuds! the close planting of 2 different varieties : sebago and pink fir apple seems to have worked well. Mostly large spuds (especially the sebagos). And only one [...]

Read the full article →

blackberry taste

February 26, 2012

We have exactly 7 blackberries on the bush. Actually now there are only 5 because GB and I tasted them together last night. Hoping this time next year we are overloaded. Snails everywhere! It seems the more I kill, the more appear. Need to discover the ‘truth about snails’. Had a wonderful tomato, bocconcini & [...]

Read the full article →

the best tomato, ever

February 5, 2012

the tomato report Finally got to an oxheart before the snails! And ohh what a beauty. Let her ripen in the kitchen for a few days before making the most divine tomato on toast. Ever. Cherry toms are super sweet. Still just eating them straight from the vine. And all set for a bumper crop [...]

Read the full article →

a Sunday tidy-up

January 31, 2012

After being away for a week it was awesome to come home to massive growth in all parts of the garden. The sea sol made a massive difference! Basil in pots was much greener & healthier and the elderflower seems to have almost doubled in size. Warrigal greens are finally looking healthy as are all [...]

Read the full article →

sea sol & zucchini

January 15, 2012

first zucchini Made an amazing salad on Friday night with the first zucchini of the season. About 12cm long with their flowers still attached. Finely sliced 4 zucchini with a veg peeler and layered on a plate. Drizzled with top shelf oilo. Scattered over the sliced flowers. Topped with 2 large handfuls of mint leaves [...]

Read the full article →

Sunday gardening

November 20, 2011

After the excitement of picking and eating the first strawberries (shortcakes with double cream) and broadbeans (with chilli oil & parmesan) last night, today’s garden action was quite dull. Transplanted GB’s basil seedlings into bigger pots. Planted more lettuce mesculin mix seeds in the ‘propomatic’. Fertilised everything with seasol from the watering can..2 watering cans [...]

Read the full article →

first strawbs of the season… June would be proud

November 20, 2011
Read the full article →

← Previous Entries