Mid Winter Update - Garden Journal
It's nearly winter solstice here and I'm stilling figuring out this new climate zone. It certainly hasn't got as cold as my old place and we are yet to have a frost.
The bees are loving the scant flowers I've managed, particuarly the scarlet broad beans which I plant for the flower and the soil.
I'm learning there is less sun on the backgarden than I'd like, though there's more than enough in summer. Remains to be seen how the garlic grows in these conditions - anyone know how much sun time they need? IN this bed also: radish, golden beetroot, fennel, peas, leeks, spring onions.
The raised beds, however, get plenty of daylight hours. Lots of coriander, silverbeet, perpetual spinach, multi coloured carrots (I do love the fun of the cosmic purple ones) as well as broccoli, fennel, leeks, swedes.
I've taken off the netting now as the cabbage whites have slowed down. I'm out there every day picking off and squishing the blighters which seems to work. I just don't like the mess of nets and like to see it all from the back bedroom. Borage doing well, dill - @beelzael, I admit I'm converted - but the lemon and orange here are struggling and I'm still trying to figure out why.
It's all rather pleasant, this small space. I am already thinking of how to squeeze in a couple of small beds. Jamie gives me the side eye when I get out the measuring tape so I have to be wiley about it.
Here's the sky from the back deck. I truly am in heaven.
With Love,
| https://files.peakd.com/file/peakd-hive/riverflows/23vhsGjsA64tNH4YjYZmdBj4Pr98tf26RqH7Q5WhqbSbp7WybfpVNbB8QBYcbhwhncuUq.png | Hi, my name is @riverflows and I help facilitate the Hive Gardeners group here on the Hive blockchain. You can find us here. I live in a warm temperate climate near the coast in Australia. I really love growing our own food and medicinal herbs, native plants, and creating good soil for resilient plants. |
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You truly do have a wonderful looking garden. I couldn't begin to give you any advice. So nothing coming from my pie hole in that regard. What I will say is that your mention of the raised beds reminds me. The wife and I have conversed about possiblly putting together some raised beds for next year. We will have to see how it goes.
Make sure you chat to me about it first. Half filling the beds with logs and straw first is the way to go.
If we decide to go that route, I will. Thanks.
Fair play to you for fitting so much in!
Garlic does like plenty of sunshine alright.We're in the height of summer here and it's currently 14 degrees and raining, so my poor garlic is looking rather sad.
In fact, the whole summer has been a washout. The weather can't make up its mind. We've had spells of unseasonably cold weather, followed by a few days touching 30°C, and then straight back to the cold again. As a result, quite a few of my onions have bolted. Seems the veggies are as confused as I am.
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Ah see you think you're alright coz you're growing your own food, then the weather has other plans. I'm never good at onions, and this variable weather might be a reason. I'm a bit worried about the garlic, but lesson learnt for next year I suppose. They say you should observe for a year first but I tend to jump right in.
Garlic is a day sensitive allium, like most alliums. I've found the difference between one end of a 30' row that ends under the apple tree and the other end that's full sun all day can be significant. The apple tree end maybe gets 6 hours in summer.
Yeah, this bothers me. It's been growing like mad for 15 years at the old place but I'm not sure it'll do as well here. I found myself a garlic expert, but it could have been dumb luck.
With me, my husband hated seeing me bring out graph paper. It meant another project for him...
I can't believe all you have growing at nearly winter solstice...
Ha, poor blokes, they must shake in their boots...
I know, we are lucky with our climate.
I'm quite tempted to grow carrots, not sure if my bed is deep enough, might try it next season
Yeah it's interesting, but definitely go something like purple or rainbow (the mix, not a rainbow carrot haa) for the kicks.
Looks amazing! And everybody is converted to dill - they just don't know it sometimes :-D
You really made something out of that piece of land. I'm impressed by the work Jamie and you did there! Looks so different than from the first posts about it. And so green! May all the plants give plenty bounty!
I know right, we've totally transformed in inside six months. Proves that if you know some stuff and can roll up your sleeves and put boots on, you can get growing pretty fast.
That hat and beer look good on you. 💕
Ha, thanks, it's from years ago and I no longer drink beer but I do love that photo!
Very productive! The bees so happy with those broad bean flowers. I enjoy seeing colorful plants. Happy gardening!
What a great garden you have! Great to hear that it's producing so well, being in the warmer climate sure has it's perks such as a more prolific garden. Sorry to hear the lemons and oranges are struggling, mine do great as long as they get fertilized. You might check the soil pH to see if it's affecting them in some negative fashion. I'm not an expert in citrus tree soil conditions though, mine have been here since I moved in! lol
I hope it continues to produce so well, it's great to have fresh produce grown right in the backyard isn't it?
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I have checked and added a little bit of lime but now I'm suspecting it's just not getting enough light. We will see come Spring I guess. Frustrating!