We harvested the last of our vegetables from our no-dig garden today - much cooler day and conducive to gardening - we've missed it!
You can see our budding gardener, Alfie, is already quite confident and may well be a vegetable connoisseur by the looks.
Beetroot and carrots turned out well in the end, although some are a little bitter, probably from being in the ground for a while and perhaps the irregular watering?
Anyway, looks like we'll be feasting tonight!
I just love the harvest it's such fun and even better is the anticipation of what's new - we're already thinking about what to sow next!
Oh, and we beat the rats in the end by 3 corn cobs! 3 to the rats and 6 to us in the end! :o)
Happy gardening!
Showing posts with label summer. Show all posts
Showing posts with label summer. Show all posts
Saturday, February 4, 2012
Thursday, January 26, 2012
The great corn race
Our corn has come good! However, we are racing aginst some hungry rats too!
The score so far: Rats: 3, Us: 4
Happy gardening!
The score so far: Rats: 3, Us: 4
Happy gardening!
Monday, January 9, 2012
Children in the garden
Well, Christmas has come and gone and our two weeks holiday already seems a distant memory (but memorable to say the least!).
The extra time we could spend in the garden has meant Simon and his Dad could get the mulch in on the kids' playground area at the back of the garden - and it's looking a treat!
More mulch to go in of course, but the space is much more inviting already. Check with your local council to see if they offer a free mulch service, otherwise you can expect to pay about $60 (or more!) for a trailer load. I want to get more trees in pots around the area, including some fruit trees, plus some herbs for that extra sensory element. :o)
Unfortunately our grapes, while producing a large amount of yummy looking bunches, was struck by powdery mildew. Sulphur doses came too late I'm afraid and we had to remove all of the crop. Better luck (and preparation) next year. The vine provides lovely shade over the sandpit as anticipated and the lattice fence some extra shad on the area in general.
I hope you had a relaxing Christmas in the garden and here's to a productive 2012! Happy gardening!
The extra time we could spend in the garden has meant Simon and his Dad could get the mulch in on the kids' playground area at the back of the garden - and it's looking a treat!
 |
| Simon raking mulch over a cardboard barrier. |
 |
| Work in progress with trees, pond 'to-be' and mulch. |
More mulch to go in of course, but the space is much more inviting already. Check with your local council to see if they offer a free mulch service, otherwise you can expect to pay about $60 (or more!) for a trailer load. I want to get more trees in pots around the area, including some fruit trees, plus some herbs for that extra sensory element. :o)
Unfortunately our grapes, while producing a large amount of yummy looking bunches, was struck by powdery mildew. Sulphur doses came too late I'm afraid and we had to remove all of the crop. Better luck (and preparation) next year. The vine provides lovely shade over the sandpit as anticipated and the lattice fence some extra shad on the area in general.
I hope you had a relaxing Christmas in the garden and here's to a productive 2012! Happy gardening!
Saturday, December 17, 2011
TLC for our tomatoes
We look like having a bumper crop of tomatoes this year, starting with our Beefsteak variety. Also growing are Romas and Gross Lisse varities plus numerous compost-derived specimens - all doing fabulously!
However, we've had a lot of blossom end rot plus fruit worm through them - the Romas have taken the biggest hit by the looks. Given their hybrid background the compost tomatoes are the least affected. We've done a big clean out and given the toms a dose of calcium nitrate in liquid form, hoping to remedy the remainder of the crop, which is looking decidedly healthier after two weeks of TLC! :o) Next year we will need to dose the soil more with gardening lime I think - not enough in ourno-dig bed it seems. Might also be worth tracking down some powdered or pulverised rock minerals to provide more trace elements.
In the other bed, our second planting of dwarf beans and the purple king beans are coming to an end - the warmer drier weather has meant a smaller crop, but my affection for them has not diminished in the slightest!
The cucumbers are flowering with little cucumbers on the way as well. Our corn is growing taller everyday too - we love corn, but again will need to keep an eye out for fruitworm as I've heard they love corn.
The Perth weather is surely getting hotter and the days longer, so we are being more rigorous with watering and regularity is the key. A regular dose of liquid seaweed (or fish) emulsion seems to push the vegies along nicely too. A dose every fortnight seems to be having a positive effect.
So, bring on Summer and happy gardening!
However, we've had a lot of blossom end rot plus fruit worm through them - the Romas have taken the biggest hit by the looks. Given their hybrid background the compost tomatoes are the least affected. We've done a big clean out and given the toms a dose of calcium nitrate in liquid form, hoping to remedy the remainder of the crop, which is looking decidedly healthier after two weeks of TLC! :o) Next year we will need to dose the soil more with gardening lime I think - not enough in ourno-dig bed it seems. Might also be worth tracking down some powdered or pulverised rock minerals to provide more trace elements.
 |
| Beefsteak tomatoes with fruitworm. |
In the other bed, our second planting of dwarf beans and the purple king beans are coming to an end - the warmer drier weather has meant a smaller crop, but my affection for them has not diminished in the slightest!
 |
| Purple King Beans in flower. |
The cucumbers are flowering with little cucumbers on the way as well. Our corn is growing taller everyday too - we love corn, but again will need to keep an eye out for fruitworm as I've heard they love corn.
 |
| Burpless cucumber in flower. |
The Perth weather is surely getting hotter and the days longer, so we are being more rigorous with watering and regularity is the key. A regular dose of liquid seaweed (or fish) emulsion seems to push the vegies along nicely too. A dose every fortnight seems to be having a positive effect.
So, bring on Summer and happy gardening!
Sunday, December 4, 2011
Universal playground, Mueller Park Subiaco
We recently visited the new universal playground developed at Mueller Park in Subi. It's a wonderful play space for all ages and abilities! We've been filing away ideas for kids areas in our garden and just loved hanging out in this space.
The water feature was a hit with Clancy (plus a few bees vying for a drink) where she dropped leaves into the "stream" and watched them travel into the "puddle". Other kids were dressed for the water action too!
The other aspect I really liked was the contoured sandpits which enabled all to enter them for a play - there were crawling babies dipping in and out - the level of the sandpit was below the walkways, making it really easy for them to get into and out of it!
There were some musical pieces too - drums and hollow tubes linked underground across the playground - kind of like submarine walkie-talkies. Very cool!
The area is planted with native shrubs and trees and some grasses. Would also be nice to see some aromatic plants - herbs for kids to pick and taste for example.
A great space for kids parties too I reckon. We'll certainly be back for more of a play here!
The water feature was a hit with Clancy (plus a few bees vying for a drink) where she dropped leaves into the "stream" and watched them travel into the "puddle". Other kids were dressed for the water action too!
The other aspect I really liked was the contoured sandpits which enabled all to enter them for a play - there were crawling babies dipping in and out - the level of the sandpit was below the walkways, making it really easy for them to get into and out of it!
There were some musical pieces too - drums and hollow tubes linked underground across the playground - kind of like submarine walkie-talkies. Very cool!
The area is planted with native shrubs and trees and some grasses. Would also be nice to see some aromatic plants - herbs for kids to pick and taste for example.
A great space for kids parties too I reckon. We'll certainly be back for more of a play here!
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)