Planted parsnips today

Yes it took a while to prepare the ground. Have put in rock dust, powdered seaweed and blood and bone, not to mention a bit of lime. Fortunately had the iphone playing new tunes all the time so managed to get the ground fairly fine. Then I planted the soaked seeds and put on some sacks.

Must keep it well watered and take the sacks off the moment they germinate.

The tiny celeriac plants I grew from seed have also been planted but the cat dug it up. I also sprinkled some celeriac seed around. My word it is so tiny. My sister Lesley in Christchurch said she grew her plants in trays last June!

And I have taken off the netting from the strawberries, which have been so wonderful. The pine needles mulch has been a great success. The strawberries are now having babies and I am not sure what I will do with them. I got mine from Christabel Jackson in March and maybe I will keep them for others.

The beans are flowering and the tomatoes are setting. The peas are nearly finished though another lot is coming up. I have just bought some wallflowers to plant tomorrow.

Carrots, snow peas, tomatoes, broad beans, corn and beans

Yes I have actually learned how to grow carrots, Also grown some beetroot and plenty of peas. Trying to tell the difference between snow peas and snap peas, not succeeded yet.

But a shocking spell of weather after Christmas. in fact Otaki has hardly had any summer yet.

My huge numbers of tomates turned out to be in the wrong place with too much shade in the morning. Funny, cos that site is fine in the winter for sun. Anyway I have no fruit on the tomatoes out the back. Not the same for the ones in front the garage where the sun really shines. They are all in pots but at least we can see the fruit forming there. Then I have a couple in the garden proper out the front and the Sweet 100 has such a strong stem, I must have put a lot of wood ash there. It is thriving. And they are getting urine and sawdust as a mulch, which is turning out well.

Beans I have planted everywhere but the structure they climb up is not really high enough, will fix that next year. Corn is looking good because I put it in a sunny spot and fed it well. Not high but looks fruitful.

Earlier we had heaps of broad beans and they are not finished, and I am getting the bed ready for a next crop. Have put in lime, and blood and bone and hope to buy some late summer veges.

I have had a couple of courgettes, which I am growing near the kiwifruit but have had to water them heaps and feed them heavily.

The strawberries have been terrific. Four or five a day for six weeks now. Delicious. I thought I would be growing them but it turns out a success. Better than buying a punnet once a week and tastier.

As for potatoes, I will grow them closer to the house next year as only the big red ones thrived. Will grow more of those next year. See photo of last years spuds.