How does your Garden Grow? (Dec 10)

Things gone right:

I have corn! Little silky threads peeping out from halfway down the plant. I'm so excited to watch the growing process of a plant I've never seen up close before.


My watermelon seedlings are also coming along nicely.


The nasturtiums I repotted when they were on their last legs have thanked me by growing madly and giving forth the most glorious flowers. (Note to self- eat more salads so I can use the flowers before they wilt.)


The sage I planted a few weekends ago have now germinated while the thyme seeds from a month ago have finally shown some growth.


The poor Rhubarb plants which suffered badly in the recent floodings (no drainage holes in their pot) have started to bounce back. I love to observe the pretty blushing of their stalks...


The white pettipan squash seeds planted in my recent plant-athon has sprouted with the rapid growth I have come to expect from large-seed plants. I never cease to wonder at the act of germination and how one plant may take days while another takes weeks.


The basil I planted in July has finally gone to seed. The flowers are so pretty and apparently edible, though I haven't given it a try yet! Does anyone know what point I should stop eating the leaves on a basil plant gone to seed?


Things gone wrong which I haven't taken photos of are:

• The big gaping holes in the leaves of my struggling sunflower plants.
  
• The bare lemon drop tomato plant in the front yard which has been attacked by green bugs and grubs.
  
• The disgusting mould that took one of my zucchini plants.
  
• The weird purple mould on the lucern hay I use as mulch in both the front and back gardens.
• The toppled pot of freshly sewn chives seeds with dirt and seeds spilled. (A local cat or possum?)
• The two tomato plants in the back yard that are hanging on to life enough for me to keep them but not offering up any sign of flowering or fruit for the last month.
  
• My frustrated face when I want to buy a deep planting trough to lay out some carrot seeds but can't because Christmas eats my money.
  

A Very Gardeny Weekend

Though I did other things this weekend, such as making kiwi-fruit jam and some cross-stitch, it seems what I have done the most this weekend is garden.

Transplanted:
Capsicum seedlings
Nasturtium seedlings
Marigold seedlings


Seeds planted:
Summer flower mix
Lettuce
Zinnia flowers
Rockmelon (hales best)
White pattipan squash
Thyme
Sage
Bronze fennel


Thinned out:
Strawberries
Watermelon
Sunflowers

Phew! No wonder I feel that contented kind of tired you feel after a good dose of physical work.

A Sanity Day

Yesterday I took a day off work to relax and get my sanity back in balance.

And what did I do?


Washing, wash-up dishes, bake cookies, bake cake, bake bread, make yogurt, clean house, gardening, embroidery while watching Alys Fowler's 'The Edible Garden' and spent time with my kittens. I feel happily grounded, sorted and neatened again.



I found nasturtium flowers growing on my young plants, as well as three gorgeous big sunny, yellow ones on my zucchini plant. I grabbed a paintbrush and attempted to assist the pollination process with the zucchinis. I sure hope it helps because I'm dying to get some vegetables growing.


We finally bought a mower so our yard now looks like a lawn rather than a meadow. I preferred the wild meadow style until a particular weed with little seeds that attach to everything started getting out of control. We now have a small mountain of grass clippings and no compost to put them on.

Jam drops with difference conserves -
raspberry, cape gooseberry & fig with ginger

Today's Harvest

Four Lemon Drop Tomatoes and a Tigerella

Pesto... Not made for a jar!

Ahhhhh. As I type up this entry I am licking my chops in satisfaction.

I have just eaten a lunch of homemade pesto and pasta. Frankly, I intend to never eat bottled pesto again.

With a food processor or stick blender (with appropriate attachments) you can pick and chooses your own flavors and have a scrumptious pesto in literally minutes. I love the way my pestos are more chunky and much less oily than store bought ones too.

Usually, if I'm doing a Q&D pesto, I grab basil from the garden, cashews from the pantry, grated cheese from the fridge and drizzle olive oil before whizzing the lot together.

Today I added some sun dried tomatoes and sunflower seeds and was certainly not disappointed with the results!! I think in the future I may try adding in some of my fresh oregano with the sundried tomato to see how that works. Yeah!

Ode to the First Homegrown Tomato

g r o w i n g ..... impatience
g r o w i n g ..... anticipation

little golden globe
mouth-smoooosh
delectable tang on the tongue

love at first bite.

But the Produce is More Lovely!

Though I am appreciating the wild beauty of weeds in my yard, I am loving the fruit and vegetables in it much more!


This little capsicum was only just bigger than my fist, and the only one grown on the plant. But it was my first time to grow a capsicum fully until it was red on the plant. I harvested this little guy earlier this week and put him on a homemade pizza, with scone base, baked sweet potato, basil, onion and bacon.


I bought three basil plants for $4 at the bayside markets, a real bargain! I planted them amongst two of my tomato plants to try to tempt the bugs away, sacrificial basil. I've used some on the abovementioned pizza but also made homemade fresh pesto twice now. A handful of basil leaves, a handful of cashews, a sprinkling of parmesan (or pizza cheese if you run out of parmesan as I did today!) and a dash of olive oil. Process the lot for 20 seconds on low then 10 seconds on high and you have a pesto that beats any store bought one hands down.



Last year my mulberry tree went OFF and, again, this year, it hasn't disappointed! Every 2nd morning I duck out before work to pluck down those ripe berries that I can reach. I then spend a few moments staring at the ones near the top of the tree and regret that I have to leave them for the birds! At first I ate them like there was no tommorrow- with yogurt and by themselves at lunch times. Then I decided I should freeze them and try to make a jam or conserve (and a cordial if I have enough leftover). So I have a substantial harvest set aside and frozen for this....

Of all the things I've harvested from my garden recently the peas were the most unexpected. The seeds had germinated almost overnight in a seedling tray and mini greenhouse. Then the plants shot up in a way that gave a new appreciation for the tale of Jack and the Beanstalk!

I replanted them outside only to later read that peas should be planted where they are to grow. I watched as they struggled and slowly turned a sickly yellow green. By the time they had reached a mostly yellow tinge I had completely given up on them.

But one morning, while watering the tomatoes and basil beside them I noticed something green amongst the faded leaves of a plant. A pod! My heart thrilled, I realised there were pods on most of the small dwarf plants. A week later I harvested the small number of pods (about 12 in total), realising that the plants had done as much as they could given my poor care. Each pod only had one or two seeds but they were so sweet, fresh and lovely! It was a delight.