Oh dear, I hope I'm in time for the #gardenjournal challenge! Kinda got so busy I always forgot about it. Naaah, just kidding. How can you forget the challenge? And have you been threading on Leo Threads with the #gardenjournal #hivegarden tag yet?
First of all, beware artichokes. They'll steal your sunglasses when you aren't looking. Seriously, I'd been looking for them for ages and there they were.
Question is, do I look better in them or does the artichoke? I got a new hat from the Vic Market by the way. Cheap at half the price. It certainly keep the sun off whilst gardening this weekend - it was SO hot!
Sooo... best thing that happened today is the single red apple that was growing on a new apple tree just plonked off right in front of me , as if to say: 'would you like a fresh apple with almond butter?'. Seriously, yes please. I've been intermittent fasting and I find an apple and some nuts or yoghurt good for lunch. This was downright spectacular.
I have plenty more apples, don't worry. Just that red one (damn, what was the variety??) was special.
I'm sooo into these strawflowers. They just keep on coming. The rate they are dropping their seeds, I'll have three million of them next year.
I decided to grow seeds inside this year. People assume as we're headed toward Autumn and Winter, we won't be growing, but we live in temperature southern Australia and we can grow broccoli, kale, a lot of root vegetables, onions, garlic, leeks, etc etc. I've had a bit of a problem with the blackbirds ripping things out of the pots so I thought it'd be safer growing them indoors. Two days and they are already breaking soil.
The greenhouse is producing some tomatoes, capsicum, chilli and a few varieties of basil. The tomatoes haven't done that great in the rest of the garden due to wierd weather but I'm getting a few ripe ones now.
The turmeric is going great guns in the pots. In fact, most things are doing better in tubs. I think it's because next door's pine roots are getting in and drying out the soil. I think I might just get wicking pots and pots for plants in there now. The curry plant is happy too I think. So is the thai basil. Yum. Jalapenos have been wierd - in fact, last year's hot jalapenos are now not hot at all. How does that happen?
The hops is almost ready to pick. Brewer mates are waiting. Plus, a tincture - Jamie loves it in his herbal tea at night.
The big job this weekend was weeding around the gazebo area, cleaning up a lot of fallen bark and leaves, pruning excess branches and cleaning out the pond. It's a bit of a mess, and we're trying to figure out how we can make it inviting to sit under but haven't found a solution yet.
I think the pond has sprung a slow leak. Still there's enough water to keep the bees and birds happy. I like cleaning it out once a year, and move the water to the veggie patch as it's so rich with nutrients from rotting plant matter.
There's lots of things to talk about but I don't want to bore you. I'm closing off some beds and mulching them because I dont want to maintain them or have anyone else have to when we go to Europe in 2024. Oh, by the way, if anyone wants a cheap rental for a year and look after the garden too, get in touch.
The choko hasn't born fruit yet - it did bear two the first year but I dont know why I have none now. There's pumpkins everywhere but no fruit yet either. The bees are around, no problem there.
I've had ashwagandwa self seed everywhere which is cool. The rabbits don't eat it, but as I transplanted it where I wanted it, the chooks had to be kept off it. One chicken is in the bad books at the moment because she leapt up on and stole Jamie's scrambled eggs on toast RIGHT OUT OF HIS LAP! What the.. he nearly cried. But I do make amazing scrambled eggs. The trick is garlic chives and a good whack of butter.
The wild dagga is stunning at this time of year, and huge. We just dug up a rabbit warren under there. I love the bright flowers as a backdrop in the garden.
Still lots and lots of Autumn pruning to be done, and then it'll be pulling out the pumpkin vines etc etc. I dont think I'll grow garlic this year - I'll leave a bed fallow I think. Kinda no point as we'll be away in 2024, hopefully. Due to this year's rust I'm not keen on it anyway. I've been growing garlic consistantly for fifteen years so this was a strange decision to make.
Hope your garden is growing well!
With Love,
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