Month: September 2017

Hello! Nothing new to report from Tasmania weather-wise! The last two days have continued in exactly the same way with the icy cold temperatures & raining in patches all day. Today the wind picked up too!

We have been watching the monster, Irma, carve a path of destruction through the Caribbean – devastating. All those of you in the path, please stay safe. I am sure you are doing everything practical to keep out of harms way – but go the extra mile with caution and make it through safe and sound.

We did a lot in our library yesterday, but today I did more in the kitchen.
I made some rissoles (hamburger patties) which turned out pretty great, also made some raspberry ice cream and now have some bread baking.

The bursts of sun throughout the day ensure the hothouse is a comfortable temperature. My lettuce is ready for transplanting but I heard we have another week of this uncomfortable cold. So I will wait a while longer.

The marigolds that popped up are looking sturdy!

And I was so pleased to see some more sprouts breaking through the soil… even if you do need a magnifying glass to spot them! Above is Thyme.

One reluctant sunflower that has been in this position for a couple of days! (Not keen to come out from under the blankets and I so very much understand!)

The rocket is looking good. Not having grown it before I am not sure at what stage it can be planted out. As with the lettuce though – still too cold out there for it.

I also pulled up a few oregano plants to see if I can get them going. I’d like to do a good number more and put them on my stall. They came out of the ground complete with roots so I think they have a good chance to go well.

I was most excited to see leaves on the raspberry canes! I have yet to prune out the second row and rewire the area, but so happy to see them starting!

I went into the main vegetable patch – no beans showing yet. But lots of the snow peas have popped up through the soil!

The duck yard snow peas are going along pretty well despite the weather

I did lay down a little snail bait here as I noticed that they were being chewed a bit. And really – I try to keep things pretty much organic, but my one concession is snail bait occasionally. I have zero desire to go outside in the dark right now to hand pick off pests – and there are too many seedlings to practically cover each one.

Of course the minute I am fussing about in the garden there are at least a couple of stickybeaks coming over to see what I am up to!

The fruit trees are showing signs of new growth!

I nearly have a tulip!

It was nice to get out in between the rain squalls to find signs of new growth – spring is here somewhere!

Clearly I wasn’t successful digging up all the onion weed! Oh well… the white looks pretty with the yellow

Lots of liliums are starting to grow

And a few forget-me-nots are appearing!

Of course our beautiful plum blossoms are still dominating the yard with the white flowers… and the petals on the ground look like snow! (or is that real snow???)

We are a day away from the weekend again!
I hope everyone has had a great & safe week…

Cheers!

Hello! Second day of spring and its continuing its gloomy mood – right now its raining quite heavily.
Was a good day to get into the hothouse and plant some more seeds (After a quick trip to the nursery to get my tomatoes!)

I enjoy looking at possibilities in the nurseries, but I settled on two heirloom Black Russian tomatoes and a punnet of capsicum (Large Red I think)

I am very excited to have my first tomatoes in – hopefully I will be able to grow more of these from their laterals. Of course I have some seeds planted and I am sure a ton of self seeding plants will pop up all over the place!

I was unsure how my collected seed capsicum would go – last year they were quite small. Thought some new stock wouldn’t be a bad thing. Three in the hothouse and the other three I have put into slightly larger pots so they can grow happily until the weather turns the corner and they can go outside.
Damn… just remembered I wanted to go cover them with containers in case a hungry slug took a fancy to them! BRB…

Well that was annoying! haha. I got a little soggy but its not too cold out there and happily nothing was eating my new seedlings.

I’d picked up some cheap potting mix – just something that was on sale at the supermarket- and did a half and half mixture with the mushroom compost.

I think these were the butternut pumpkin. I think 19 should be enough…

I planted a number of punnets of snow peas and runner beans. I may get a chance to sell them.

Anyway, I planted more zucchini, basil, marigolds & heirloom beefsteak tomatoes

Also planted fennel, silverbeet (rainbow chard) cucumber (both burpless & apple), portulaca & rock melon. Thats about all I can remember!

Its great seeing the hothouse filled with pots again!

The hothouse also has a few rogue strawberries, fennel & parsley

Once done, the rain eased so I took the opportunity to scramble over the back fence into the paddocks.

I had my eye on all the daffodils!

On a gloomy day they really brighten everything up!

I am going to ring the fellow that manages the paddocks and see if he minds me picking heaps of these to sell out the front! He has had no objections in the past, but its good form to ask again!

Pretty sure he wouldn’t mind me grabbing a bunch for the house anyway!

Hope your weekend is fabulous (and less soggy than mine!)
Cheers!

Hello! How is everyone? Friday is done and the weekend is here! (and its raining LOL)
I went over to Ruby’s this afternoon with Jeff and weeded/dug her potato patch. I failed to take my camera!!!
Then I was lucky enough tonight to be taken out by Fiona to a presentation by an amazing group of women. It was part fashion show, part story telling. All were refugees from a variety of countries around the world, now settled in Hobart. Sometimes you don’t know how lucky you are until you meet someone face to face that has lived and survived through the unthinkable. We got to meet and chat after the show with all the ladies and organisers and they were beautiful people – so happy we came to see & listen to them. (And you know I am not a clothes person, but wow!! Gorgeous outfits!!)

So – since that means I have no photos or a plan for tonights blog, I thought I would browse through my photos from September three years ago to see what we were doing then!

Strawberries and celery!!!

Looking at this well established little tomato plant in my hothouse I am now super keen to dash out to the nursery first thing tomorrow to get my tomato plants for the hothouse!

Recall the Pelargonium’s that I gave a severe trimming to two days back? Well… this is them three years ago as cuttings!

Three years ago we made and filled our first raised garden beds!

Our crazy apple tree prunings bean arch – that I just took down! I suppose three years use out of it wasn’t bad!

Pip as resident snoopervisor – things not changed there

Selfies with Fiona and Ruby on Ruby’s birthday!

Fancy outings with family – scones & tea!

We woodchipped the front garden path (my it looks so scruffy now in comparison!! eep)

I was knitting a lot of bears – some for Jeff at the hospital & some for the shoeboxes which I was also doing at the time.

That was also when I learned to crochet

The beginnings of the Nanna-Knee-Rug that Pip & I now snuggle under!

This is what the garden looked like:

And this is what the hothouse was doing towards the end of September:

Its interesting to me to compare seasons to see how advanced (or not) they are. Last season was pretty bad, so I have high hopes this year!
And now that I have looked at how great the garden was looking in September three years back I am feeling a little behind the 8-ball!!

I hope everyone has a super weekend planned!
Cheers!