Saturday, March 26, 2011
Hospital run
I repotted this cucumber plant with a stake for it to cling to. When I leant down to pick it up I didn't see the stake and poked my eye. We made an emergency dash to the hospital to get itchecked out. Seems to be ok but it still hurts a bit.
Weevils?
It's one thing sharing the leaves with grasshoppers and caterpillars, but this is quite another matter! Quite a few of the sweet potatoes I dig up now are infested.
Broad beans
This is one of the two bean shoots that came up. I hope I havn't jinxed it.
Grasshoppers
Finally I have caught the little grasshoppers in the act of nibbling the sweet potato leaves. Greenharvest has back orders for the garlic spray to deter them, so I've tried washing up liquid which is temporarily effective and sticky yellow cards to lure them and catch them.
View from the pool
This is what I see when I swim backstroke. It's my signal to start anticipating the wall and fling my arms back more carefully. This was a lovely overcast day.
Reaching out
The pumpkins are constantly expanding their empire. I have to let them roam at will or they don't produce female flowers.
Share the food
We seem to be sharing this plant with a lot of caterpillars. That's what I think are chomping the leaves but I never see them. I've been advised to pick them off and throw them away but I cannot see any. Maybe they live in the soil and come out at night.
Finally the plant grew a little capsicum but it dropped off soon after this photo.
Monday, March 14, 2011
Reject
Not many of my seedlings reached a stage where they looked viable for the garden. This on originally made the cut bit grew so spindly and then developed curly brown edges on the leaves. I decided, rather than nurse it through and possibly infect the soil, to remove it,
Jiffy
I'm trying a different approach to growing seeds. The jiffy bag swells in water and contains seed soil. When the seedling is big enough it can go straight into the garden and the bag will disintegrate. Hope i have better luck than usual.
Invaders
These originated next door. They grow along the fence. Elfreda used to keep them welled trimmed in the tidy manner she liked, but since she left to live in a nursing home, they have flourished. They are looking to expand their range and our garden is the natural place. We do very little to the front garden so they are invading unchecked. We wait to see what the new owners decide to do.
Anyplace they can
They don't even need a garden bed. Weeds will grow just about anywhere they land.
Low Maintenance
The pebbles were supposed to make this a low maintenence garden, devoid of weeds. I would be free to concentrate on growing whatever took my fancy instead of toiling away removing those plants I didn't want. Unfortunately the weeds did not read the plans.
Sunday, March 6, 2011
PH
I used the ph meter for the 1st time. Most seed packets don't mention the subject. Apparently beetroot requires slightly alkaline soil, so I tested it. Fortunately it was in the correct range because I have no idea how to change the acidity level. Research will be needed when something turns up that needs something different. I suppose I'll have to put all similar plants together.
Rain Shadow
The lillipilly trees were meant as a hedge so we don't look down into our neighbours' kitchen window. Unfortunately they've grown extremely well and have created a bit of a rain shadow for garden bed#1.
More Spiders
What is it?
I found this growing in the pinebark. I was intrigued because it has two completely different types of leaves. I'll put it in a pot and watch to see what it becomes.
A New Pineapple Plant
This pineapple came from the markets. The grower twisted the top off, I would have cut it but apparently this is how the professionals do it. After a few days in water it has sprouted roots and is ready to plant. The pineapple was delicious, very sweet. Apparently it will take about 2 years for this one to grow a pineapple.
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