The rose is called Old Port Mackati and has a wonderful scent. As the the sweet peas, they bring back childhood memories because they really smell like sweet peas. They are a heritage seeds from Niche seeds.
Friday, November 20, 2009
Sweet peas smell wonderful and how about this rose?
The rose is called Old Port Mackati and has a wonderful scent. As the the sweet peas, they bring back childhood memories because they really smell like sweet peas. They are a heritage seeds from Niche seeds.
More planting and hope the lousy weather is nearly over
A rotten spring, cold and windy and early November was no exception. Will summer ever arrive?
I am glad I planted Russian tomatoes, they are doing quite well in this climate. While the east of NZ swelters and South Australia is on burn alert, we continue with mild temperatures. But we had a good rain and the day after I spent four hours in the garden.
Today need to plant two blueberries but I really should plant them in peat and I haven't any.
We are eating broad beans and we pick four or five declicious strawberries every day. I must say they make the bought ones seem like cardboard. I have 28 tomato plants in, mostly heritage and of course I have lost half their labels, what with putting the glasshouse ones out in the wind to water them. Darn. Jaune flame, a beefsteak called Marmande, Oregon Spring, Abraham Lincoln, one Sweet 100, one Moneymaker.
Have been given some red currants by a guy at bridge, and I bought a couple of raspberry cuttings at a stall. They are planted but I am not sure if they are in the right place. Trying to imitate a food forest to eliminate work..
Corn is in, have three lots of peas going, all staked and have constructed structure for the beans to climb up. We took out a paving stone and put in a grape which may climb onto the wires between big posts out the back.
It is a pleasure turning the compost and I have put compost round all the fruit trees.
Most of the apples I grafted have taken and I have bought 1000 labels (for sale 100 labels for $5, I don't need them all) and finally I am using the correct waterproof pen.
Big mistake was not to take out the forget me nots. Yuk they now have burrs and I get them all over my clothes.
The damson plum has about 30 fruit on it. boysenberry is spreading as are the two thornless blackberries. One apple badly needs espaliering and I have no idea what to do and keep forgetting to organise it.
Sunday, November 1, 2009
Still planting and bringing in new patches of garden
Fortunately the spring has been cool and wet, so I can still plant fruit trees. Perhaps today was the last one planted for the winter, a second mountain pawpaw tree. They apparently need two to pollinate. Hope they grow well. Have mulched up some and need to mulch the rest before the dry sets in.
With all the shredding of silver birches that Malcolm has done, there is a heap of mulch ready to use and half rotted. Today I moved three or four barrowloads over to the southern boundary, put some compost on, and planted pumpkin seeds I bought from the soil and health meeting today, together with a cucumber. Then sunflowers. And nearer the house I dragged some wet cardboard from the bottom of the compost heap and spread it on the grass. Then I covered it with half rotted mulch and compost and planted some corn and some cosmos plants.
So the vege garden has spread. And today I had the mower man deliver grass clippings so that should grow good tomatoes. Have been putting wood ash on the tomatoes.
We have the following heritage tomatoes growing: Russian Silvery Fir, Abraham Lincoln, Jaune Flamee, Marmande, Matts Wild cherry and Oregon Spring. All grown lovingly from seed by moi.
Couldn't resist buying some raspberry plants, a whole heap for $5 at the Soil and Health meeting. Heaven knows where we will put them. Already we need a structure for the two kiwifruit built, and I need a place to grow beans. Everything else is in, but the kumeras look a bit sad after the cold. Hope they perk up.
And today we had our first two strawberries! I made a structure to keep birds away. Couldn't wait for Malcolm to do it, so I got some bricks with holes in, laid them round the edge. Then I found the number eight wire, struggled with wire cutters unsuccessfully so ended up bending it in hoops and draping netting over it all. Seems to work well. Found the cat under it the first day.. But strawberries are finally ripening. Feeding them worm wee.
With all the shredding of silver birches that Malcolm has done, there is a heap of mulch ready to use and half rotted. Today I moved three or four barrowloads over to the southern boundary, put some compost on, and planted pumpkin seeds I bought from the soil and health meeting today, together with a cucumber. Then sunflowers. And nearer the house I dragged some wet cardboard from the bottom of the compost heap and spread it on the grass. Then I covered it with half rotted mulch and compost and planted some corn and some cosmos plants.
So the vege garden has spread. And today I had the mower man deliver grass clippings so that should grow good tomatoes. Have been putting wood ash on the tomatoes.
We have the following heritage tomatoes growing: Russian Silvery Fir, Abraham Lincoln, Jaune Flamee, Marmande, Matts Wild cherry and Oregon Spring. All grown lovingly from seed by moi.
Couldn't resist buying some raspberry plants, a whole heap for $5 at the Soil and Health meeting. Heaven knows where we will put them. Already we need a structure for the two kiwifruit built, and I need a place to grow beans. Everything else is in, but the kumeras look a bit sad after the cold. Hope they perk up.
And today we had our first two strawberries! I made a structure to keep birds away. Couldn't wait for Malcolm to do it, so I got some bricks with holes in, laid them round the edge. Then I found the number eight wire, struggled with wire cutters unsuccessfully so ended up bending it in hoops and draping netting over it all. Seems to work well. Found the cat under it the first day.. But strawberries are finally ripening. Feeding them worm wee.
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