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| This is my first season with the Black Genoa. The tree is still only small, and it might have an over-sized ego. The flavour is truly magnificent, and the size more than adequate. Their ripening is akin to a woman breast-feeding. The milk is there. Now! With both the Brown Turkey, and the Black Genoa, I eat the ripe fruit, skin and all. |
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| Bit sad looking, isn't it? This is the newer of the two "Brown Turkey" figs in my garden. The other, is a "Black Genoa". I welcome your thoughts on what is causing this leaf curl. |
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| The three plants are still very productive as you can see, and my original Brown Turkey has produced some deliciously plump specimens, and will so again this weekend. But leaf curl like this, cannot be good. One of the plants has a bit of browning at the leaf tips, too, which is contradictory. Or possibly so. It could be over-watering, or shallow watering. I put a sprinkler on each afternoon for about an hour, and these pots are well in the catchment. I could move them, and just resort to the daily 3l of water around the base, rather than overhead. Or ... |
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| The issue might be, perhaps, that they are root-bound. Take a look at the root system of this one plant. How can it be anything BUT root-bound? And this is nowt but one season's growth. Although the entire weekend looks as though it will be raining (yippee!), I could nip over to Hamish's yard and fossick for three massive black plastic pots to transplant them into. Pots like this are not big sellers in "Garage Sales" (as Hamish has been having). |
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| It being 24C and drizzling, today might be the perfect time to tip this plant up, and check out its engine! |
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| No, no. I haven't turfed out the figs. They are more heavily laden this year than ever before. I shall have to toughen up the slender trunks before next spring or they will struggle with the weight. |
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| The eggplant/aubergine has tickets on itself. At least this time I am giving our chef fair warning that she is about to be inundated. These are called 'lebanese' and somehow I think that implies smaller fruit than usual. Both the tomato disasters were taken out between Christmas and New Year, and one end of that high bed is host to some snowpeas sown in situ. They sprout better this way, and it certainly is cheaper. |
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| I have two cherry tomatoes down in the Breezeway Garden which are loaded with trusses. I am endeavoring to keep the plant aired, and within 6" of the top of the cage. They both look very healthy. Following the advice of a lovely lady at Bunnings, I am keeping them tied up with strips of Chux. The other end of the ex-tomato bed is germinating cauliflower, broccoli and sweet capsicum. I did not expect them all to germinate, but will find spots for as many as possible. These are the Cauliflower. |
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| That lazy old sun is back to rollin' round heaven all day, and isn't the veggie patch lovin' it! I was out today weeding, trimming and 'whispering'. Also engaging in a smidge of wishful thinking. This, for instance. I read that you can 'see' next year's figs immediately beneath the bark of the spindley branches. From the top, that is a new shoot. the little round button is the incipient fruit, and on the bottom is the scar of a removed branch. This is my new 'Brown Turkey' variety. |
| I had already planted three cloves of garlic, and today I dug five more into the mulch/soil in the orchard, Stephanie Alexander maintaining they are good companion plants for citrus trees. Given that we might use a knob of garlic per week, I am way behind the eight ball, but need to stagger the plantings steadily. Can't wait to see a clove turn into a knob, and to see the beauty of the garlic flower. |  |
| The silverbeet is due to be mature next week, seven weeks from planting. They are looking good, young and fresh. I think Kirsten mentioned a pie that she had in mind. Personally, I am partial to spinach (??) and parmesan risotto, but pie would go down a treat, too. I have ideas for a greenhouse and work bench sited in the back garden alongside the worm farm and the first compost bin, which will be joined by a second bin next weekend. |
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