Around the Yard

These lovely tete a tete mini daffies are out all the way now since taking this pic!

I have managed to stir myself and do several days of garden/yard work here and there. Every little patch helps in the overall goal

I purchased some new strawberry plants from the local beach market and popped them in to the bed that I cleared a while back. I basically made little straw nests and filled with some compost and cow poo.

They are sitting up nicely… although they are getting POURED on right now. Very soggy night tonight!

I made a start on the second side of the back veranda garden. It mostly entailed pulling out the cape gooseberry plants.
I am a bit sad about that really… but they are too big and wild for this garden.

Small Rainbow-Appreciation-Break

I reckon a trillion cape gooseberry seedlings will pop up. Vague plans to pot some up to give away/sell and also replant somewhere where they can go mad and give me tasty fruit

Nice big pile of stuff to add to bonfire.

This is pretty much as far as I got. And still haven’t gotten back to it but happy with what I cleared out.

State of hothouse reminder…

While the suckers of the passionfruit vine are very artistic and all that… it all had to go

Pulled almost everything out.
It will need a top up of soil before planting but I love the look of this space when its cleared. It kind of signals spring planting (even if the weather I am listening to doesn’t)

I also optimistically planted some seeds. Celery, lettuce, some flowers (Portulaca and snap dragon)
My friend Jaana gave me a parsel plant (cross between parsley and celery) and Jude gave me this lovely polyanthus – both which are now repotted

Another plant which I am bracing myself for an onslaught of is marigolds….
After pulling out the gigantic plants, I noted a billion-squillion seeds left behind.

I’ve also planted a tray of snap pea seeds – they are currently outside getting drowned. Hmmm. Not that keen to go out and move them so with luck they will survive the night. (Before I covered them clearly)

What next?
More wood moving.
Awesome Cousin Jeff found another lot of dry (just soggy) wood for us so I got that under cover

Now has a chance to dry out and also periodically will leave some inside next to fire in the basket to dry quicker.
Did I mention my folks are booked to come down for a weeks visit at the end of the month?
Looking forward to that a lot… but very relieved to have more wood on hand as we were so close to out. Dont want to freeze the parents!!

Jude and her husband Mark are on board with helping too… while I’ve been helping clear some bush areas, instead of putting some stuff on bonfires, its gone into the back of the Triton!

Mark cut up some of the bigger bits and we’ve a small pile to cut down.
And also right now there is another pile from yesterdays work efforts that Mark cut up tonight so I’ll go pick that up tomorrow if all goes to plan. (Pity its getting drowned right now)

Every little bit helps!!

I’ll get to the above sticks in the nearish future.

My two new apple trees, courtesy of Jude, got planted. I plan to espalier them but right now they are very young so nothing to tie up yet.
I’ve whacked some steel droppers in as markers to where the future poles and lines will be placed. Our last apple tree is all but dead and needs to come out. This new spot is away from the old one so the codlin moth cant infest new trees and this spot seems optimal for what I want to do. (Plus Jude told me too and who am I to second guess good experience??)

Self seeded rocket that I raid almost daily for salads

and still getting outrageously large carrots

Enjoyed setting fire to things

The chooks can only come up the house side of the yard under supervision now. (Because the little darlings make bee lines for new gardens and dig them up. I and not keen to replant the strawberries etc)
And banned from hothouse.
They are a bit put out about that

They have such fun in ‘new’ areas

Often all you see is a fluffy butt as they search for bugs and dig up my gardens

Herding them back!!

An afterthought garden project I tacked on at the end of one of my days… I’d forgotten to go back to one of the macrocarpa tree stumps as I wanted to plant them out with pretty flowers.
Seems the chives survived …. and weeds.

So… dug it all up and added compost, marigold seeds (because I have some to spare) some pansy (like) seedings and some basil-mint (I like living on the edge)

Then Jeff, in a very timely manner, arrived home from his massage with Jaana bearing a tray of violets!! Fabulous!

Hopefully they are all hanging on right now!
Anyway, thats a bit of a look at garden progress.
Spring is definitely early with daffies and blossoms everywhere!
Pretty pretty
xx