Soil quality

The quality of the soil is but one of the many parameters one needs to juggle when maintaining a veggie patch. Some of the others being: sunlight, water, PH levels, bugs. fertiliser, and crop rotation.

To this end, I have a continual stream of compost on the tumble. Not mulch, which to my mind is purely for water retention, and has not undergone the necessary decomposition. Not humus, as I tend to think of this as containing decaying animal matter as well as decaying vegetable matter.

I suspect I do not tumble my compost for long enough. Look at this latest batch that I have just layered into the low bed. There were 8.5 bucket loads (an 8L bucket). Can you see the complete leaves in amongst the rest? If this were 'mature' compost, the entire mix would be more friable, rich but more like soil..

But, I am getting there ...

Capsicum - when to harvest?

My fruits are a brilliant green, yet the packet suggests I am heading toward a red fruit, and with a name like 'Redskin', the game is up!

The rear of the label says:

Redskin is a compact variety suitable for container growing. It produces high yields from early in the season. The 10 - 13 cm fruit mature from green through purple to red.

My lone plant is in a terracotta pot, that is well watered and fertilised every fortnight (alternating between Dynamic Lifter and Charlie carp). At this stage, the yield appears wonderful with the dozen or so fruit totally jostling for space in what is, essentially, a compact small bush. I guess this is why many capsicum appear a trifle pugilistic! The two largest fruit currently measure 7cms, so my guess is about another month on the vine. Must ensure they can feed 'grossly'.

Doing the 'Crop Rotation' tango!

Left: Truss tomatoes ... Right: Grape tomatoes

Two examples lead on to the 'issues' that I am trying to cope with in this first foray into veggie gardening since 1959-1960. First example, is one I have mentioned before. I stuffed both carrots and peas. The carrots were all twisted and gnarled, whereas the peas did not bear more than about three examples of fruit. Second example, is that my tomato vines have turned into a dense, twisted jungle which I despair will ever ripen any fruit.

So, what are the broader issues? First, the soil must be tilled adequately, 'friable' I believe is the term'. No sticks, no stones, but lots of organic matter. And the tilling must be much more than surface deep, one foot in depth even! Second, Not all plants make good neighbours. Some will happily coexist, while others must either precede or follow.

So, I need a rotation plan. 'Gardening Australia' recommends FOUR BEDS X FOUR YEARS. So, this I will incorporate into my forward planning. Requires much thought, as my choice of vegetables - the ones the family is happy to consume - are so at variance to that which GA has chosen.

Left: What is the mongrel eating my raspberries? ... Right: When do I harvest this bounteous supply of capsicum?

Left & Right: This cucumber is looking a treat with about 8 cuwies nearing harvest.

And finally, a rockmelon. I have never grown them before, but think the fruit is just below, but separate from, the flower. Shall be interested to see if I am anywhere close!

Fertility

Gardening is all about 'the birds and the bees', I guess. We have 8 corn plants, which are progressing a treat, but have now reached payback time. Will the soil conditions, the amount of water, and the hours of sunlight be sufficient to allow them to bring forth and multiply. So far, on the 8 plants, there are the makings for a dozen cobs, which is encouraging.

Here we have the female part (above) and the male part (below). When the female is sufficiently exposed and blousy, the male will sprinkle his pixie dust, and presto! Darren has already been showing Alannah what we have in store. Hopefully, we will have ripe cobs prior to Christmas.

Getting images in focus is becoming more and more a challenge!

Around here

We harvested our first zucchinis this week. And I tried out a slight variation on this recipe for ricotta-stuffed fried zucchini flowers.


We also harvested our first onions. We're a month early, but we needed the space. The two garden beds seemed more than adequate when we started, but we're beginning to think that real estate in the beds is too valuable to be taken up for six months growing onions. Ma is hanging the onions in the garage and has tasked me with braiding them.

I made pesto with our basil. Tonight we had pesto chicken with the fried zucchini flowers and butter beans from our kitchen garden.

Voila my new recipe book. While I waited for Juliet to arrive, I photocopied recipes from my cookbooks and organised them in a folder. Yep, it sounds a little OCD, but it's made menu planning so much easier.

Wanted: a green thumb!

It is galling! Some things are growing wonderfully, other things are growing woefully. I mentioned the peas (honeypods) in my previous post. Still no solution that I know will work. I have changed the location of them (YEP, DUG 'EM UP) into a bed freshly composted and tilled. And freer from overcrowding. My beds will always be overcrowded, just the nature of this particular gardener. But the connundrum is that where they were, they were being crowded out by the beans. Yet peas and beans require similar conditions. So, some balance. The peas are a failure, but the beans are looking wonderful.Some more learning required. Root vegetables are not my strong point. Twirly carrots, and probably twirly radish. The carrots taste okay, but look appalling. Another issue, of course, is that we are spoilt by 'perfection' at the greengrocer. I will plant some more carrot on Friday, not Thursday as it is predicted to be 40C. Need to till the soil to a deeper degree. More tilling and more compost. And no stones. If the precious root veggies hit a stone, they go around it. Hence, twirly.


The herbs and the tomatoes are healthy in the extreme. All the herbs are growing well, even the chives which had been limp and jaundiced, but are thriving with the added attention. I think, perhaps, I should have dedicated an entire garden bed to the tomatoes, their growth habit is virile! And the two smaller plants are awash with brackets of fruit. I just hope all the flowers are able to set fruit, Even the Grosse Lisse is setting fruit. Should be up to our armpits come Chrissie.

What to say about the zucchini? This one will be ready to eat come this weekend. And there are two more very similar. I want to read about fried zucchini flowers. Does it stunt the fruit if the flower is removed early?
think that one of the most galling things about gardening is that it is either feast or famine.

Gingerbread Girl

We have news.

The Gingerbread House welcomed its newest member yesterday.

Juliet Paige Lynn arrived on Wednesday 2 October 2013 at 5.32pm. She weighed 3.4kg and measured 51cm.

Grand daughter to Ma, daughter to Mama and Dada, and baby sister to Alannah Jane. Mama and Juliet should be home on Saturday.