Sometimes the ups and downs of life can get in the way of time spent in the garden. This spring has been one of those seasons with a lot of non-gardening things going on and just crappy weather. The nice days have been few and far between, but often these end up being out of garden days. But life wouldn’t be the same without a … Continue reading Still Here
I’ve cut it fine, but it is still technically October and I have just planted my tomatoes in the garden. This is so much more than the usual tomato planting session that happens every spring. This one is special and holds such significance for me. Last season I had to walk away from my lovingly nurtured tomato plants before the fruit had even thought about … Continue reading There ARE tomatoes in October!
The seeds were sown the other day, more than a few weeks beyond when I would have normally sown them. But I’m not worried because not only is their bed not ready, it hasn’t been filled or even built because I’m still umming an erring as to its location. This delay has a knock on effect for the irrigation of the rhubarb, globe artichokes and … Continue reading But what about the pumpkins?
It has been a massive weekend. The long Labour Weekend did not disappoint. The weather was fabulous, and the family were well aware that this weekend is the pinnacle of the gardening calendar and gardening is what is done, for the entire weekend. And they daren’t argue with me because they know well enough I’ll pull the “It’s my birthday” card and they have to … Continue reading Happy tired
This weekend is a weekend like no other – it is the weekend deemed safe for plants to be planted out without fear of frost. Having said that, it is date based on averages and so there have still been killing frosts recorded beyond that, well into November. Having said that I didn’t get a single frost in my new environment all winter, so I’m … Continue reading Will there be tomatoes in the garden this October?
I have been missing from my garden for too long. But it just couldn’t be helped. The school holidays took us to sunny Fiji for a wonderful week away with the kids. It was completely the wrong time of year for a keen gardener to be separated from the garden, with it being spring and all. But family time is important, and the boys are … Continue reading There and Back
Since I have had my wonderful new irrigation system installed in my garden, late last year > you can read about it here <, I have had the pleasure and privilege of using it in a full weekly cycle a sum total of once! And then the rains came and didn’t stop. So, I didn’t need to use it at all – which was very … Continue reading Wishful thinking
So much for a glorious long weekend building structures and then planting out the plants that are to be supported by them all season long. Well after the debacle of the cucumber frame, I went to bed scratching my head and excited about the following day. What could be better for a gardener than to have the official last frost date, a public holiday and … Continue reading Birthday Surprise!
Sometimes things don’t go according to plan – especially when there isn’t a plan but a vague idea in your head. Ummm yeah…. Occasionally my ‘she’ll be right – sweet as’ attitude doesn’t go so right and isn’t so sweet. But the thing is – in my head it is all fabulous and wonderful so I persevere. But other times you have to just … Continue reading Constructing Structures Part Two
Here we are in the middle of the best weekend of all time – Labour Weekend. Saturday was OK weather wise – a bit blowy, but the boffins are telling us the rest of the weekend will be soggy! How is that supposed to make gardening fun?! I’ll choose to ignore the boffins – they’ve been wrong before. It still isn’t all that warm out … Continue reading Constructing structures Part one
