Garden2Kitchen

As the sun sets on the first month of spring....

2011-09-30T19:01:00.000+10:00

Ok so at my place the sun has already set but I wanted to get out and get a couple things done so the photo is of the evening garden.

I wanted to get some self seeded Balinese corn split and planted in the garden and some chard and a capsicum that are suffering badly in pots into the garden and some general tidying - spreading of rocks, a little weeding, some seed saving and putting some of the plants chopped out last weekend into the bin. (glad to see more Mock Oranges replaced with edibles). I do like seeing the plants bigger because it seems to hide the uneven edging and work site that is my veggie patch but until the work site is finished I don't want to put too much effort into straightening because I know its all going eventually. It was great to get out into the garden after a day in the office.

Big Mess but one fun activity

2011-09-27T17:41:00.000+10:00

So cooking has somewhat alluded my blog recently and has never really made a big appearance anyway although I did want it to originally. Last night after work and picking up little one from child care we decided to go home and do some cooking. Cakes are easy - you put them all in the mixer and as long as measured right the machine does all the mixing, you put it in the oven and bake - don't forget that you have something in the oven and the rest is just eating it.

Last night was a little more adventurous - in preparation for today I thought I would make vegemite and cheese scrolls and some ham and cheese scrolls for her lunch. I have discovered my little girl is an awesome dough maker - its not the easiest of things to make but she did pretty well kneading it all into the right consistency. The kitchen looked like a big mess but it was a great activity for the two of us to share and the end result was yummy - and thankfully daddy was doing the kitchen clean up. I am looking forward to testing the same recipe out with some shallots, capsicum, ham etc like a little pizza dough - and its a great change from sandwiches.

The biggest issue is the waiting game - she just wanted to try out her cooking not wait for it in the oven - it was like one of those long car trips but instead of "Are we there yet?" It was all "I try it now? Now? Just a little?" Its not the same as cake dough which you can lick the spoon. It doesn't help that most of the cooking shows and even kids shows bring out a "one I prepared earlier" so for a two year old it was hard work waiting.

Meeting of the green thumbs

2011-09-12T07:57:00.002+10:00

Yesterday I got together with some like minded veggie gardeners of all ages in my area and it was great to hear the different ideas. Unlike books people don't seem to talk about "the way" but rather different alternatives they have tried until something worked. A lot of trial and error seems to be in everyone's garden. Its fantastic to see so many different ages and backgrounds all interested in the garden. (I also met someone who has issues with nasturtiums so I am not feeling so alone in my inability to grow this weed like green - mint is another of my failures)

I took some of my excess seed as well as some of my own saved seeds into the meet and was surprised to see so much of it gone but it will be great to know that these seeds are germinating in gardens all around my area. I got to pick up some more cherry tomato seedlings and in the dark last night little one and I managed to plant them and water them so fingers crossed they do well and amble across the front stairs and down the retaining wall.

I sometimes feel solitude in my garden and other times it turns to loneliness but as someone else said when we get together you don't feel so alone anymore. I like to spend the time in quite reflection of nothingness and checking out all the changes that have come in since last time I rambled in the dirt and greenery and there is always something new to check out - bugs, flowers, fruit, shoots, something disappeared (eaten or dead) or when seeds have come up. At the moment little one is very interested in when her watermelon seeds will come up and is checking them twice a day - I hope they come up soon for her sake.

Photo is of the current raised garden bed - mixture of last season and this season - capsicum, bok choy going to seed, lettuce going to seed, other lettuce coming up from seeds, cherry and grape tomatoes. The bush in the background is a port wine magnolia which is in flower and attracting lots of lovely bees and yes the doors in the back ground leads to nothing but a big drop until the deck is put back up.

Tiny tomatoes

2011-09-09T08:13:00.007+10:00

I have bought grape tomatoes in the shops and thought if I grew them they would be the same as those I had bought - wrong again nothing is the same as the stuff bought off the shelf. These little guys are the same size as grapes literally where as the ones in the shop are just the same shape but a little bigger.

Very cute and hopefully very tasty for salads. Will give them a go and see if they are worth growing again next year.

Lettuce in the eyes of a two year old

2011-09-08T13:49:00.004+10:00

Just found this post that I never published so thought I would put it up now and a picture of the little ladybug that said it.

My little one comes in after being sent into the dark with Dad to pick lettuce for dinner and comes back with one lettuce leaf. "Mum, Mum .... leeettt - uss", I looked at it and said something about being a good job but there was only one. She looked down at it and then pull a small bit off - "Two Mum" as she hands me the small bit and the original bit

Slow and steady to seed

2011-09-07T08:11:00.000+10:00

Oh the worry of my lettuces has been big - I love my lettuces - as readers will know as I seem to like posting about them but oh was I worried they would be a one hit wonder, die and I would never get any seed from them but after 10 months there is promise in my garden again - they are shooting up will hopefully flower and give me some seeds to sow again, some to keep and some to share.

These delights were planted in November last year and we have been enjoying them ever since. I saw something almost the same in a nursery a couple of weekends ago and it was called perpetual lettuce, I'll stick to taco lettuce. I have put a couple more little seedlings in the main garden and hope they will spring up and be ready for eating while the rest go to seed (about half are going to seed and I think the others will follow shortly).

Some plants are just better when you get them off other growers and to who ever out there donated these seeds please know that they are well loved and eaten and I hope to pass on the same love and garden sharing as you have done for me and my family.

Strange Looks

2011-09-06T09:36:00.000+10:00

Gardening seems to be something that is considered more a past time of my parents than that of people my own age. I get funny looks when I talk about it, even stranger when I talk about growing my own fruit and veg.

My maternal grandfather looked after the gardens for the premier in Victoria (long time ago) and had his own veggie patch. My mum is a gardener and has two and a half acres that she has nurtured through drought and floods. My paternal grandmother had a small apartment in London and I can only remember it being full of beautiful colour with all these blooms that my parents were never able to grow. My father is a garden sneezer (hay fever) but loves fuschias and his father loved carnations. I think I was always going to love gardens or be so against them that I bought a yard and concreted it, thankfully I am the first of the two.

So why is it that people who don't garden give people strange looks that do? They will enjoy my salads or roast veg without complaint but look shocked when hubby proudly says its from our backyard, probably would be even more shocked to know I use compost, horse poo, seaweed and garlic spray to keep them all healthy and bug free.

I love the odd questions - my favourite still has to be about the bull horns in the new garden - I am not sure whether this was done in the past - I know blood and bone is good but do these qualify as a substitute - won't be looking into that one.

The orchids I grow (or get given to revive) are often being touched by people who seem to wonder if the flowers are real or fake.

I love my garden and the time I spend in it so despite the strange looks I get and the wonder from strangers and friends alike I am going to keep spreading the horse poo, watering the flowers and enjoying my lettuce that tastes much better than anything in the shops and as the seeds were free are much better value. Hope you all enjoy your hobbies what ever they are.

a barrel of veg

2011-08-27T17:58:00.001+10:00

Last year I planted up an old wine barrel with lettuce, tomatoes, snow peas all ready to climb up a trellis in the middle. It was a great success until the rain set in so much that the water was not draining quick enough and it ended up more suited to water cress than any terrestrial plant.

I have been looking through the photos of the garden and came across this photo when it was thriving and before it became water logged and I wish I could do it again as it was just fantastic but as the rain has set in again here in Brisbane and the wine barrel sits empty waiting for me to get a grand plan together for it, I again think it would be too upsetting to see all the flourish turned to mush.

In other parts of the garden, we have pulled out all the tomatoes, snow peas and pak choy and are going to top the garden up again with some manure and compost and replant again - not sure what will go into this garden just yet - something low maintenance hopefully. The tomatoes were all brought inside and have been added to Paprika Chicken, crackers and cheese, salads, and spaghetti sauce. I am not sure what sort they are but they were really yummy so have saved some seeds for next year. Pak choy seeds have been saved and the snow peas have been all eaten.

sad time in the garden

2011-08-18T16:17:00.000+10:00

My garden is seeing a turn in times - its that horrible time in the garden when everything that was doing so well seems to be just finishing up and as they draw the last bit of energy you can see how tired they are having produced so much beautiful fruit and veg.
The tomatoes are drooping, the lettuce and pak choy are reaching for the sky as they start to flower and the seeds that are yet to come up are making the brown soil look very baron. I know its a great time to get in and start a revamp, put more seeds in, top up gardens etc but its just so sad to think that only a couple of weeks ago I was picking 1.8kg of tomatoes and getting beautiful produce from my little patch of dirt.
I was back in the cane region on the weekend again and it was just dry - no where near as dry as home as I discovered on my return. But the cane fires were burning and it was great to just relax for a bit away from internet and phones (I left mine at home - probably good for me). Little one enjoyed raiding the veggie patch and feeding the horses carrots. The gardener will have little bite marks out of the silverbeet and lettuce when they go to pick them next. I wish I had of taken photos of her garden so I could pretend it was mine but alas I didn't. I will pluck up some courage and post some photos of mine so that I can look back on it and see the difference in a couple of months time.

Time slips away

2011-07-18T19:02:00.000+10:00

So time has slipped away again without me noticing - must have been having too good a time. Its been ages since I posted - here is some of what I have been up to - 2 years has passed since I welcomed my gorgeous girl into the world so last week was a week of celebration - it started on Sunday with my birthday - hubby made me a caramel tart with meringue, then Monday was the clock cake for day care, Tuesday was my brother's birthday, Wednesday was cake at work for my birthday, Thursday was little one's birthday so cupcakes then Saturday was a little BBQ for little one's birthday and the pig cake.

By Wednesday I was so caked out it was not funny. Little one didn't eat any of her cakes - she ate the strawberries that were to complete the cupcakes before they got on the cake - my mum had put them in the fridge but when she went to get them the punnet was sitting there empty. The cream from the cupcakes was put all over her face - confused with moisturizer or sunscreen. She likes the idea of cakes and having pretty different ones, the candles are great to blow out and the song is just fantastic - especially with hip hip hooray at then ends but eating the cake does not interest her.

Tonight we came home after day care and raided the garden for two nice big juicy fresh tomatoes which we had with crackers and cheese. Amazingly that is her kind of food - I have always been frightened about the sugar kids - seeing other kids who didn't eat veg or fruit and how was I going to stop that but this kid has been awesome - she goes to parties and tests all the lollies and sweets but comes home to have an apple, sultanas or something else that I am sure will get the tick of healthiness.

So after our cake filled week last week I will happily consume the tomatoes that are watching me from my bedroom window. I am having them again for dinner they were so good!

I am sweet, juicy and came from the garden...

2011-06-19T18:31:00.000+10:00

That's right - our first cob of corn was picked from the garden today - I am pretty impressed with it - a bit wonky at the ends and not perfect straight lines of kernels but the coverage was great.

We cut it into three and boiled it up tonight as a snack. It was great to each get a little bit of our first ever corn cob. I reckon it was as good as the ones we buy from the shop.

Its Balinese corn and has two cobs to most of our stalks. I think I would try it again - I am not so certain about it being a short growing corn as it was sold to me cause its probably two metres but lovely flavour, quick growing - planted in March, and has been lots of fun to watch grow.

Stuck in the jar?

2011-06-18T06:50:00.001+10:00

I know there is heaps left in this jar but what do you do when you get those bottom dregs in your honey jar? I like to get my honey from local bees and their keepers so it seems such a waste to have that beautiful honey left in the jar.

I like to put in a couple of teaspoons of seeded/ wholegrain mustard, mix it all up and then spread it liberally over chicken - in the oven for 20 minutes or so and you have honey mustard chicken. Its one of those great easy (bordering on lazy) meals - three ingredients and you jazz up that meat. Great for when people drop by and the plain chicken needs a little masterchef-ing.

Oh and I have an oven again - 7 months without one and I am just loving the fact that if I want to I can bake a dish.

Perfect Taco Lettuce

2011-06-17T13:36:00.001+10:00

Sometimes you find a veg or fruit that is just right for something you want to make. This lettuce is from some seeds that I got given from another local gardener and its just perfect for tacos. We cut it, wash it and then it lies perfectly across our tacos. I can't wait to collect the seeds from these because our family loves them and by just using the outside leaves it keeps going and going. I don't know what the name of this variety is but to us I think it will be Taco lettuce.

greens going great guns

2011-06-15T13:25:00.001+10:00

I gave Pak Choy a go last year and will happily admit it did not go well - it was attacked and eaten but in companion planting it meant my tomatoes and lettuces were not touched at all.

This year I have planted some Pak Choy from seed and its coming up well and this is my Bok Choy from a punnet. I find it hard to get Bok Choy seeds.

I am so happy to look out the window and see all of these growing so well. Hubby had mushrooms, home grown bok choy and home grown tomatoes for breakfast this morning - went down really well.

Orange visitor

2011-06-14T14:12:00.001+10:00

No idea if this little fellow is good or bad in the garden but it was a lovely colourful surprise and as nothing is eaten he can't be all that bad. We have heaps of caterpillars in the garden a couple of metres away from the veg patch but they seem content to eat all the clivia leaves and have left our lettuce and greens alone - yeah.

Colour in the garden

2011-06-13T13:02:00.001+10:00

I do like some colour in the garden but some plants to get the beautiful flowers are just so much work. I have to remember when to fertilise, keep the water up, prune at the right time and even then if the weather has not been right I might not get the flowers anyway. I don't mind putting the work in for edibles because I know I am giving myself and my family the best they can get but the flowers are just not in my interest scope currently.

Luckily I like bromeliads and although I think I have posted this particular one before I am pretty impressed that it has added some colour in the entry garden since February or March and its now June and it still looks good. My gerbras (from previous owner) have lived on neglect and flowered and then died but this has continued to shine in the garden.

When the world gives you lemons...

2011-06-12T17:16:00.000+10:00

Make lemon meringue pie. I wonder how many lemons my mum's recipe makes - I remember getting up early the morning after lemon meringue pie was served, grabbing a plate and cutting a slice for breakfast - it always tasted better the next day but everyone had the same idea so it was first in best dressed in our house.

More Kitchen than garden

2011-06-12T15:50:00.000+10:00

My house is currently more kitchen than garden and I am just hanging out to see what it all turns out like. Our dining room was kind of round a corner from the kitchen and seemed slightly far away to be convenient. So the new handy man has been busy doing demolition and is now in the fix it and rebuild stage. It will be awesome to see the dining room from the kitchen - both when entertaining and when the kids are sitting over there.

The new dining room has taken the place of the old bar and it has opened the house up more - its not that the house needs opening up but it was an awkward space that stopped the openness. Our bar was used as a storage space for all those things that I am sure are important but just need to be hidden away - in demolition it has meant a big clean out - lots of stuff to donate to charity - and less storage for the junk. The new dining room will have built in seating which will provide some more storage for all those "once a year" items everyone has.

And here is a little sneak preview - can't wait to be able to use the seating - now I have to think about a table for the area.

Peaceful Pears needed

2011-06-08T14:54:00.000+10:00

I find that some things are just calming and pears have this lovely colour and texture about them that I just think are calming. I really want a picture of some nice big juicy green pears in my house somewhere. I am finding that I am in real need for some calming pears in my life at the moment and tonight I think I will pick up little one and get out two bowls and we can eat pears together.

my pear mood stems from the fact I am finding myself very intolerant at the moment, some pregnant women have a gorgeous glow about them, some look sick with worry and me I have found intolerance. My day is an uphill battle at the moment - just trying to get through it, its the little things that annoy me - dumb questions, expecting me to do everything, no cold water in the fridge... I know others have much bigger problems and I should thank my lucky stars and just find some nice juicy pears.... or maybe some strawberries to munch on.

Oh and if anyone knows a natural remedy to morning sickness please let me know - I don't think its easing any - actually I know its not but I think I am getting used to it.

Out of fresh stuff...

2011-06-03T14:35:00.000+10:00

My husband has been doing a lot of the cooking lately - thanks darl - big help and very much appreciated - anyway it was Tacos the other night. He looked in the fridge and found there was no fresh stuff to put on the tacos. Never fear we have a veggie patch - we step outside and get some tomatoes and lettuce to put with our lovely meat, cheese and sauce. It was just delightful to have tomatoes fresh from the bush and lettuce only just snapped up from the garden.

I have these strange long leafed lettuces in the garden - they were just perfect for the tacos though - no chopping and they were just the right size. They were seeds from the local seed saving group that little one and I liberally spread through our garden. Our tomato plant was a dollar or two, so with the bit of horse manure around them - couple of dollars worth, some free worm juice and lots of rain, - we got to enjoy some great fresh produce - who said veggie gardening had to be hard.

Weekend Pickings

2011-05-30T11:13:00.000+10:00

This post will have to be photoless. I took my almost 2 year old out to see what we could gather in the garden - our first big beautiful Roma tomato and our first couple of snow peas - I think the dog has been helping herself to these. Our garden is designed so that its only a couple of steps from the front door but by the time I had shut the gate, opened and closed the front door and we got inside to show her daddy what she had picked the snow peas were just a green strain on her tongue and the tomato was so tightly held that it is destined to become next seasons plants.

Sunday's produce faired a little better with snow peas being offered kindly to daddy but I think she was secretly pleased he had just brushed his teeth and didn't want them cause there was a big grin and then way too many stuffed into her mouth at once.

I do love her enthusiasm for fresh produce - its a lovely quality that I hope she keeps. For dinner Sunday night we went to her Nan's where she took an apple out of the cupboard and just started munching on it, then Nan got caught up in a phone call just as dinner was being served - a chubby little hand went up onto the counter and wrapped its fingers around a freshly cooked cob of corn and then scampered off with it. I remember as a child stealing beans, snow peas and carrots from my grandfather's veggie patch. It was like a naughty indulgence and we too scampered in case we were caught red handed.

Basil and Tomato

2011-05-27T08:23:00.001+10:00

I sometimes think that basic combinations in recipes and cooking work well in the garden. This tomato, while a very sad looking bush has produced some gorgeous tomatoes and is growing next to a huge bush of basil. Its growing in the herb patch with parsley under it and basil sprawling behind it.

I am sure the strong smelling basil scares off any garden villians away and this garden has not been touched by any possums to date - I have seen one walk past but someone else's garden must have been more enticing that day.

Quick - turn red

2011-05-26T13:59:00.003+10:00

These tomatoes have become dominant in my garden, getting bigger by the day and the first is only just turning a pink red now. I counted 30'ish tomatoes on it on the weekend but there are still a heap of flowers on it.

Tomatoes have been doing really well in the garden this season - no fruit fly damage, no grubs, no heat to knock them about and just beautiful cool days and rain.

These roma tomatoes were purchased as seedlings and for the $1 output in purchasing them I hope they taste as awesome as they look.

The wire you can see in the photo was a wire cylinder found in one of the gardens when we moved in and its been great to hold and support this tomato bush up as its become fruit laden.

I think I should start researching some tomato chutneys or relishes to make the most out of this beautiful red fruit thats coming up.

Breaking the soil in

2011-05-25T14:11:00.002+10:00

A break from the tomato talk of the week, here is the first planting in the raised garden bed in the kitchen garden. I have indulged in some seedlings this time as I know I am just too excited to wait for seeds to sprout.

The rain here is helping water the seedlings in - I have planted carrots - not a good idea from seedlings but the purple just sucked me in as they looked like too much fun, bok choi, lettuce, capsicums and grape tomatoes. A huge mixture of everything - just the way I like my garden, a mix of lovely colours and textures.

What about this tomato?

2011-05-24T07:49:00.001+10:00

This photo does not seem to show what these tomatoes really are - they kind of look like Cherry tomatoes but are already bigger than those. Its another one of the mystery tomatoes.

It started off scrawny and I thought that it was a bush tomato so put the little support around it (the green one in the photo) but its taken off while I was away, knocking it over and taking over garden. The chicken wire was for the snow peas but we have used it to support this tomato as well as it was going to be on the ground by the time these tomatoes got much bigger. Another mystery and something to look forward to tasting.

What tomato is that?

2011-05-23T12:35:00.011+10:00

I have a couple of tomatoes in the garden, except one they have all just popped up. The ones I planted have disappeared. I hope that one of the ones I planted and disappeared has come up again, the fruit looks promising and it would be so nice. But the fruit looks so interesting compared to my other tomatoes that I am keen to try this one anyway.

Compared to the Roma tomatoes its very egg shaped, the cherry tomatoes are lots more round and the grape tomatoes are smaller and more like mini romas. Another mystery in my garden.

Action in the garden

2011-05-22T13:34:00.000+10:00

Since getting back I have been exhausted and nothing much has tempted me into the garden, I wanted to but just could not find the energy to move into it. This weekend I have been able to get back into the garden and I am much happier now that I have done it.

Weeds seem to be popping up everywhere and it was good to see how much produce is coming up. My corn was watched intensely by my family while I was away and I have come back to see 5 cobs of corn. They have a lovely earthy redy colour tassle and its very pretty. This is my first experiment with corn so its been a lot of fun. I hope to have a corn garden over summer as it has created little work, that and pumpkins that can cover a bed and produce with little work.

I can't wait to see how this goes. I look forward to doing more next time. You might be able to tell from the top photo that they are not alone in their garden bed - they are companions of snow peas, beans, tomatoes and pak choi. Its the first produce in the garden and some things just seemed to pop up - the tomatoes are a big surprise.

Back from the cold

2011-05-09T12:57:00.000+10:00

Tasmania was cold - just as I expected - the capital Hobart had this lovely quietness for a captial city. The roads were calm, the streets were lovely to walk and there were always these leaves falling on the pavements - something tropical Queensland does not experience to the levels seen there. It was lovely to enjoy the fresh scallops, cheeses and delicious fresh produce - it was all just perfect.
It was strange to be served Brussels Sprouts with steaks - but they were just divine - not like we eat up here that have been in transit for too long.
I am glad to be home again and to de-stress from the trip. Nothing in my garden died while I was away but it did on and off shower during my absence so the care-taker did not have to remember to water - an added bonus.

In transit

2011-04-28T07:37:00.000+10:00

I am off for a business trip to the cold island of Tasmania - its probably not really cold but its colder than Brisbane and the locals up here are already wearing jackets and jumpers so down there is going to be so much colder again.

I am writing this and looking loningly over my garden with so many possibilities - so many things I could be doing but instead my long weekend will be working and without my family with me.

We have just spent some quality time together over the last long weekend which was great. The first two days were painting, and more painting in the hope to get it done before the new carpet was laid, on the third day we packed the car and trundled down to the farm. We made a stop on the way for little one and were not sure how it was going to go but she loved our stop - it had two playgrounds, animals, ducks and chickens to feed and just before we left there was rabbit patting and holding - we can't have these where we live - she really wanted to do it and absolutely loved it. I was very nervous that there was going to be a tantrum and tears when she had to hand it back but after explaining she couldn't take it home and that it wasn't hers she handed it back without even a downward turn of the mouth.

She is only 21 months old and I was not sure how she would go with all these little animals - some babies too, but she was gentle with them all - we left the chickens well feed, the rabbit well patted and a child with batteries that were drained. It was a lovely stop and she had so much fun - I think it will be somewhere we stop again.

Rabbit in the garden

2011-04-24T08:11:00.000+10:00

We awoke this morning to see a rabbit had been in the garden and dropped lots of chocolate eggs. Little one got her basket and picked up all the little eggs. She wandered around looking under leaves and in pots.

Each egg that was found brought a huge smile to her face - it was fantastic.

Hope everyone has a great Easter!

Collecting and sowing

2011-04-23T07:54:00.000+10:00

There is a circle of life in all our gardens and there are so many different joys that are had along the way. Planting seeds, then the seeds germinate, the plant gets bigger and stronger, then flowers, then the fruit emerges and ripens, we enjoy the beautiful freshness of home grown produce and then the seed is saved and put away for the next season waiting for the right time to plant and start the circle again.

I like saving the seeds, seeing the different seeds from different plants and then planting them out and seeing how the plant will go. Its incredible that contained in this tiny little seed is the energy for a plant to start out. What a fantastic part of nature.

These seeds are from some mini romas that I have had - I am not sure what the plant will turn out to be but I am looking forward to following their growth.

As well as making the circle continue, growing something that has become adapted to the conditions produced by my garden and growing something I know tastes good, I am also saving money. While seeds are not expensive its nice to use that money to try something different in the garden.

This year I think I have too many tomatoes close together to do much "perfect" seed saving but I don't pull out the self sown tomatoes - these are sometimes the strongest and best producing plants. I am looking forward to getting some more home grown tomatoes - yum!

Happy Earth Day!

2011-04-22T21:13:00.000+10:00

straight lines

2011-04-22T07:45:00.000+10:00

So my apprentice and I were making straight lines with our trowel and planting seeds nicely spaced in this pot - our pot of lettuce. Once it was all done, it was patted down, then the apprentice could not help going back one last time and doing a ruffle of the soil. This is how the seeds have come up - one somewhat straight line and then a big bunch at the front.

While the results are always interesting I do like her spending time with me in the garden.

reclaiming my dirt

2011-04-21T07:36:00.000+10:00

Here is a picture of another area of my garden I am slowly reclaiming and making into my veggie paradise. Mock oranges are very quick growing and great for hedges but this place has way too many hedges and I don't like the fact you need to trim them constantly.

These hedges have been trimmed to almost ground level now and when we get a moment they will be removed along with the rocks and shade cloth, filled with compost and horse poo then I get to plant something else that more edible.

It wasn't until I looked at this photo to load it up that I realised that the two garden edge in the bottom left have been put in back to front. I might change that, if I remember, when I move all the spare edging and pavers that you can see.

I seem to be forever in the garden clearing it and I cannot wait to have more productive gardens up and running but i just can't seem to find any more time to potter in the garden. It is fun though - I can already see big changes from November to now. Before and after photos are so much fun.

Fairies in the garden?

2011-04-20T07:28:00.001+10:00

I grew up with books about fairies playing the in garden and over the weekend I was wondering around and saw these cute little mushrooms that had started to crop up between the tall corn plants. It was like those books by Enid Blyton about fairies living at the bottom of the garden and these dainty little things were just the fairy tale sort.

My little dog knocks over my seedlings, and stands on newly sprouted seeds but these avoided her trampling.

These might not be beneficial or good for my veggie patch but they have added something mystical and fun to the garden so for the moment they are staying - or at least till someone knocks them over.

the ants go marching

2011-04-19T07:25:00.000+10:00

Does anyone else see ants moving to higher ground and know that rain is on its way. I think its probably a better indication than the weatherman on the TV. The higher they move the more rain we seem to get. Ants at my place over the weekend were on the move to higher ground - up the cucumber and pumpkin vines mostly.

The other great indication for rain is the Easter long weekend - its the time when everyone packs up their tents and sleeping bags and go camping so when would be a better time to have rain rain and more rain. It would be a better idea for us to garden but like umbrellas scaring the rain away - tents seem to bring the rain so still need some people to go camping.

Opening a can of worms

2011-04-14T09:43:00.000+10:00

I like to post about my garden, my kitchen, my little one in those but today I want to open a can of worms - I want to talk about kitchen/ cooking skills. Today is the opening of the Ministry of Food in Ipswich. I think its a great idea to teach people to cook and basic kitchen skills but I wonder why these skills are being lost. How is it that there are people in society that seem to have missed absorbing these most crucial skills.

I am not saying I am a great cook, but I can get by, I try new things, I read recipes and can pull something together for dinner each night - I could even open a can of worms with my can opener if I was that way inclined. I would love to make beautiful cakes, have people over for big dinner parties and bake the most mouth watering slices and I am slowing building my skills to do this.

Have you ever seen Jamie in his garden at home picking the fruit and veg he has grown and then making it into a meal - its a garden that I envy, I wish I could climb through and into the TV and wander around his little paths, munching on the fresh produce. Check out this website if you are interesting in learning more about his Australian project - I wish it had more information I hope it does as the project progresses.

I am trying to get a little more adventurous in the kitchen, feel inspired by cooking rather than a chore. Last night I cooked a Crispy Chicken Roll - recipe from Margaret Fulton's daughter and granddaughter . - Thinned a couple of chicken breasts by halving them, putting on some ricotta and a sprinkle of Parmesan, placing them on some procuitto then rolling and tying them up and browning them in a little oil. We had my in laws call up in the afternoon to see if they could come over, I glad it was this meal and not a run of the mill meal like bangers and mash - an oldy but a goody that I love!

Activities for kids in Easter break

2011-04-14T06:18:00.001+10:00

Are you trying to work out stuff to do with the little ones for the school holidays so they don't send you up the wall. I may not have a child of school age but I do have a little one that needs to be entertained. I think this activity might have been a little ambitious for a child under two but it was "quiet" time.

I bought these milk stirrers - I was after paddle pop sticks but these were more interesting looking. And allowed little one to paint them up. (they are just under her hand that she is painting) Once both sides were painted and dried, we got a permanent marker and wrote down what was in the garden, - lettuce, tomatoes, pumpkins etc and placed the markers accordingly. She loved this activity - it was a little messy with paint over her, the paper as well as the garden labels but even I found it fun to sit down and paint. None of them are the same and it was good to spend the time doing something useful and fun.

I like seeing them in the garden because I feel like its a bit like the botanical gardens who have labels everywhere. They look fun in lime green, purple and light blue. Its also nice to be able to put in a label when I put seeds in and not have to remember what is coming up before they are big enough to identify.

April Planting

2011-04-13T08:38:00.000+10:00

I get these great emails at the beginning of each month telling me what to plant. I look forward to getting them just to read what seeds have the potential to go in for the next 30-31 days. I may not get around to planting them but I enjoy getting my email anyway. Sometimes I have already just planted them cause patience escaped me - I feel like I am just preempting the inevitable - and I feel very knowledgeable if I have been successful in my guesses of what goes in next.

My garden is yet to be ready for root vegetables - soil just is not deep enough for these. So the list starts to get shorter and shorter - Beetroot, carrot, swedes, turnips, daikon and radishes are out.

There are a couple that I have had little luck with - some have already disappeared into the mulch for this season and others I am not sure if I want to try again - onions, leeks, escallots, spring onions, broad beans (I have heard these are hard to get "good" in Brisbane), and rocket - might try some of these again.

There are a number that I don't know what they are so until I get a little more knowledge on how things grow I might put these on the back burner until I get more adventurous - Burdock, celeriac (know what it is but thats about all), chicory, collards, ... I think I need to do some more research on different vegetables.

Some things we just don't eat or use in cooking - Amaranth (already in garden), coriander, dill, ..more research into recipes needed.

So my to plant/ wish list gets dramatically shortened - broccoli, cabbage - might give this a try, cauliflower, celery, chives - are already in garden but might plant some more, climbing beans will go on the pumpkin/ cucumber trellis or maybe some peas, more lettuce and some bok choy.

Motivation

2011-04-08T20:04:00.000+10:00

I read a lot of different blogs and then enjoy checking out what others are reading. While I read blogs from around the world I do like local blogs - Australian blogs - because they motivate me. The others inspire me, give me ideas but its the ones from my own country that shame me into doing something. I see other bloggers purchasing and planting seeds, staking tomatoes, putting up awesome trellises for beans and turning soil and get motivated to do something. This weekend I hope to get motivated to stock up on local horse manure for the garden, dig out the weeds hiding in the garden, pick my cucumbers, and plant some more seeds.

I would like to share another photo of my motivation in my life. I believe little one is trying to get me to do the housework - its worked because although she wrings the mop there is still a lot of water everywhere so the floor is now mopped. There are two and a half months before she turns two - she might have taken the housework over by then!

tools of the trade

2011-04-08T09:54:00.001+10:00

I have learnt a lot about what I do since little one has been around. She picks up the smallest of details about our lives and wants to do it too. Last week she tried to fill and fold a taco like Mum and Dad do, she does things in the same order we have no idea we do it in, and now she decided that to garden you need your gloves.

They are the tools of the trade Mum so if we are seriously going to go out in the garden I need gloves. She managed to put one on the other day and when she worked out it wasn't like Mum has hers, she took it off and put it on the other hand. They are good little sponges.

Shoots of green

2011-04-07T06:18:00.000+10:00

My snow peas are starting to peak out from the sugar cane mulch. I can't wait for these to start climbing, flowering and fruiting. Little one loves the fresh snow peas and is very happy sitting in the garden munching on them. Its lovely to see her joy as she wanders around the vines seeing if there is anything ready to eat yet.

I have already planted a couple more seeds and hope to have some good succession planting to keep our family in these treats for a while. YUM!

Tempura Eggplant and Zucchinis

2011-04-06T06:26:00.000+10:00

This was part of dinner last night. Tempura eggplant and Zucchini - I also had some sweet potato that I made into chips.

Tempura Recipe - mix 1/4 cup of corn flour, 1/4 cup of plain flour, with 2 eggs and a pinch of salt. Mix together - its like a cake mix and fairly dry. Mix the vegetables through then fry in shallow oil. Remember to serve to rest of family once completed.

Tempura and a glass of cold beer is really nice. You can dip it in soy sauce but I like to just eat them. Hope you like this as much as I and my family do.

Struggling to grow up

2011-04-05T18:51:00.000+10:00

Does everyone else have these issues, times that they just want to do the immature thing - the very thing that doesn't set a good example for the kids. Well tonight I am pulling together a meal from what ever is in the house - sausages with tempura vegetables. Now the kid in me has been eating the eggplant as I tempura it so I am now so full I don't know how I will eat dinner but as its just me and little one I need to set an example so I have plated my dinner and am off to try and eat it and set the good example. It was just too good to resist and has taken me back to days when I would come home from school, do my homework on the kitchen table while dinner was being made and eating tempura vegetables.

snow in April

2011-04-05T13:09:00.000+10:00

I did the family run while hubby was working on the weekend. They don't get to see little one very often so its nice to pop in for a visit. On the way home I had a particularly hard drive, I pulled over 5 times, and drove very very very slowly back to the farm, all because of a lovely hail storm. There were trees down, branches across the roads and as I drove through one town it looked like snow had fallen - except snow doesn't do as much damage to the car. I couldn't decide where I was in the storm, if I was driving into it, away from it or following it. It would seem to clear up and then the hammering would start again. Little one did not cry or whinge all the way home - which was a life saver as most of the trip was done at about 28km/hr. Check out the bad photo - I wish I could of taken a better one to show the hail across the road.

On the very long trip I was able to do a lot of thinking - when I wasn't driving around trees, stopped on the side of the road, or trying to work out where to pull over - and that is that animals seem to have the right ideas when it comes to these problems. The animals moved away from the rivers or waterways and to higher ground, they huddled close to the fences in groups and away from trees. The people that pulled over on the side of the roads were pulling under trees like Jacarandas which are known to drop big branches. I drove around one big branch on the road and just around the corner was a car parked under a tree waiting for the storm to pass.

In all honesty I would have liked to have said I was watching the storm from inside a warm house but I wasn't unfortunately and I just kept trying to make some ground between the bouts of ice. I think those people under the trees that saw me drive past when it was only raining probably were trying to send me subliminal messages to pull over while I was sending back ones of - move from under the tree. I wonder what the animals were thinking of all that passed. Gosh nature has thrown some interesting things our way this year.

This is one of the new articles on this - Jacaranda pictured.

not always veg

2011-04-05T06:12:00.000+10:00

Its not just veg that come from my garden into the kitchen, I love to grow flowers and bring them in to bring some colour and freshness to my kitchen. I am particular fond of orchids and this is the latest one that has come from the garden so that I can enjoy the lovely flowers while I am cooking, blogging or just wandering through the house. This one has three spikes on it this year and its just divine.

Watching the cucumbers

2011-04-04T10:44:00.000+10:00

I think cucumbers are like watching the kettle and waiting for it to boil. The more I watch them the longer it takes. Over the weekend while I was away they just took off so when we returned and checked on them there was one ready to eat. I couldn't believe how much they had grown in two days yet I had been watching them morning and night everyday previous and it was slow progress. These are my apple cucumbers. We washed one up and tried it as soon as we got home - very nice. The first picture is 5 days ago and the other is yesterday.

A weekend away

2011-04-03T17:44:00.000+10:00

My other half had to work over the weekend so we all went with him and spent the weekend on a sugar cane farm. It was lovely to have the country meals cooked for us - I think we will have to exercise hard this week to work all the good food off. It was nice to arrive at night and see all the stars in the clear sky and then wake up the next morning and check out the veggie garden, feed the cat and pat the horses. Little one loved the animals, running around and playing in the gardens, she slept so well.

April already

2011-04-01T11:54:00.000+10:00

April, its the fourth month of the year but its never really marked anything in my calendar. It is my other half's birthday and sometimes celebrates Easter but its never been a milestone for the year. After reading some of my favourite blogs I see that it marks out the fast travelling year. We are already in the second quarter for 2011 and the list of things happening in 2011 seems to be getting bigger but with less time to do it in.

Reading blogs is becoming more and more interesting for me as I find different ways of looking at things and seeing how others approach the same things as me but in different ways.

Its the middle month of Autumn already in Brisbane but it just doesn't feel like any of the seasons have got themselves sorted this year. I used to read a book as a little girl about this man that ran the seasons and the clocks, one day he fell asleep and everything just got confused, it would snow in summer and be hot in winter. While its not that bad, we have had a very wet but mostly mild summer in Brisbane and Autumn hasn't been marked by any real cooling as it wasn't hot to begin with.

I wonder if the plants and animals are confused by this weather also - should we plant what we normally do in April or hold off. Veg that normally does well in Summer has been hard to grow this year and their poor water logged feet just don't cope. I am looking forward to my "What to plant in April list" to come through and I will see how I go.

In good news I think my little green shoots in the garden that I feared might be a weed invasion, looks to be the lettuce little one and I randomly spread through the garden. I hope April brings lots of lovely things to the garden.

House sitting pineapple

2011-04-01T07:41:00.001+10:00

My mum grows awesome pineapples, she recently went on holidays and I was to look after the place - the best I could when you just pop in once or twice a week. One of the perks this time was she left 4 pineapples just as they were starting to ripen.

We got to enjoy the fruits of house sitting. How good does this pineapple look and the top will go to starting our own little pineapple plantation. Now if only we could get the oven working for Hawaiian Pizza.....

Pruning

2011-03-31T07:31:00.000+10:00

This is my side garden after a bit of pruning. This is one of the reasons I am in need of a break from my weekend. Previously it was hard to see the path and it was not possible to walk down the path into the back yard. On Sunday I got out there with a maddock and scateurs and pruned it back - look the back yard is visible and the path is almost completely usable. All the plants against the house are going and I am almost half way through the removal stage now.

The ultimate plan is to have a path that we can use and not get attacked by the overgrown shrubs. Its a tropical garden with galangal, lemon grass, chives and thyme growing through it at the moment. I hope to be able to intermingle the edibles with the orchids, broms and cordylines while providing us with some privacy and shade.

Another gum boot day

2011-03-30T08:58:00.000+10:00

I am not sure if I have ever seen as much gum boot weather in Brisbane as I have this Summer. Its been so wet and the really hot days have been staying away as well.

Today is another day in which to listen to the rainbow lorikeets chirping happily in the gum trees and the rain hitting the tin roof.

I have always loved rainy days, snuggling up with a good book and pulling the doona up. I leave the windows open so its cool and I can hear the rain. Its a glorious day when I can indulge like this.

I think people that have lots of sunshine really appreciate the rain and those that get more rain enjoy the sunshine. I think my garden likes a good combination - the rain - if it doesn't waterlog the garden or wash it away, should bring about another beautiful florish in the garden.

Apple Cucumbers on the way

2011-03-30T07:20:00.001+10:00

Someone recently asked what apple cucumbers are as I have it noted as a plant currently growing in the side panel. I don't have any photos of them at the moment when they are fully grown but here is one of my babies that I am hoping will be just awesome.

Apple Cucumbers are a light green round cucumber. I personally don't like cucumbers but the other half likes them and the little one loves them. this one is climbing with the pumpkins up the trellis and along the ground.

The white on the leaves looks like that sooty bad stuff - big memory blank there - but its actually water - I am multitasking - talking on a work phone call, watering the garden and taking photos for my records and this blog.

All post a photo when I get my first apple cucumber. - I will try to get a photo before it gets little teeth marks in it.

My apprentice chef

2011-03-29T09:39:00.000+10:00

"Cooking, cooking, cooking", she says as she drags her chair long the floor and props it up next to the kitchen bench, climbs up onto it to see what mum is making now.

Its a lovely thing to have a little person so keen on cooking and chopping and stirring. My kitchen ends up being a bigger mess than when I cook - I am pretty messy too. But its fun to see her chopping and stirring.

Last night I cooked Chicken breasts made into rolls with basil, soy and garlic in the middle. I don't have a food hammer so I put some glad wrap/ cling film over the chicken breast then got a spoon and hit it until it was flat. She thought it was so much fun - she did very well.

She loves to stir ingredients together to make marinades or sauces. She also likes to chop vegetables up but she knows she has to be very careful. We end up with diced mushrooms instead of sliced.

Last nights dinner was very yummy - but I think I put a little too much basil in - the little leaves in the bowl are my basil and its a little stronger than normal basil - I still have not mastered cooking with it yet - I normally put too much in and its a massive flavour hit when you bite into it.

Need a weekend to recover from my weekend

2011-03-29T06:28:00.001+10:00

While I may have had a weekend off from the treadmill, I am returning to work sore and in need of another weekend to recover from my weekend of work.

A new veggie garden was made - Mr Infrastructure built that - and has been put into the Kitchen Garden. Its a scrap garden - made of lots of stuff we already had - it needs some fine tuning - capping and something to stop little fingers being cut by the sharp metal on the sides and lots and lots of fill. It seems a little bigger than I had worked out in my head but I never seem to have enough dirt to potter in. In a years time I will have a huge list of desirables for the garden and will be complaining about finding somewhere to plant them.

The kitchen garden is starting to take shape - lots of work yet but its moving towards the bigger picture and away from the state it was when purchased.

Digging and Wriggling

2011-03-26T20:49:00.001+10:00

Digging in the soil - whether to eradicate weeds, turn the soil or to plant some new goodies - is a relaxing activity for me but the most rewarding aspect is seeing the worms hard at work in the garden.

The more worms in my garden and compost the better. I have thought about getting a worm farm but seeing others struggling with theirs has made me wonder if I would have better results or not. For the time being I think i will enjoy getting my trowel to see my "free range" worms in the garden.

I want one just like this...

2011-03-25T16:00:00.000+10:00

Yes, I sound like the child that wanted everything just so in Charlie in the chocolate Factory but wouldn't a whole bush of these lovelies look gorgeous.

Its a Habanero Chilli - I thought they were a green chilli but apparently they turn red - this is in transit stage from Linda's garden but I think a whole bush in this colour would be stunning. Its a peachy sort of colour and just incredibly unreal looking - looks like a play- dough or something.

I would love to plant some chillis in the garden when I get some time and some space - the other half likes Thai Curry so some Thai Chillis would be good - they are hard to get nice ones at the shops - especially when the other ingredients are around and fresh.

What should I put with dinner?

2011-03-25T08:01:00.000+10:00

My family have always started dinners by deciding what the meat was going to be cooked - normally a quick rummage through the freezer to see what was "in stock" and then the sides are scratched up around the meat. I have continued the scratch to get a meal together but my veggie patch has started to produce some lovely fresh crunchy lettuce leaves which graced our plates for the first time this week. I hope that soon I will be able to develop meals around the fresh produce in the garden and not have it as a second thought.

I have started to stake my tomatoes - in the past I have been a very very lazy staker and the tomatoes have been left to find something to lean on - this is the second tomato I have staked at this place. Lettuces are randomly planted right through the herb and vegetable gardens - fingers crossed some of the seeds also come up.

In the corner of this photo is also my basil plant - never been good at basil - some people grow massive amounts of the stuff - mine just curls up and dies. This one has been a delight. I thought it was lost (due to excess love - lots of water and cuddles from the apprentice gardener) but started to snap off the mangled branches one by one and its again in a lovely ball shape. Also growing some of the mangled ones in an old blue wine vase so hope to be able to plant more or give some away.

Weeds

2011-03-24T06:55:00.001+10:00

Sometimes one person's weeds are another person's pride and joy. For a while I was having difficulty growing lemon grass. I know should be dead easy but it seemed I was churning through both rosemary bushes and lemon grasses as I loved them too much. When I brought this up at a garden visit I got help but to begin with I think they thought I was joking. I can grow some great looking orchids and people deliver plants to me so I can save or dispose of them but these two plants seemed to avoid my green thumb and just die on me.

With the advice of two lovely ladies I was able to become a grower of these two plants. In the rental we were in I grew my first lemon grass, it was up the back by the shed and stopped the door swinging open and banging. It also stopped or at least diffused the flow of water from the neighbours on the high side, and stopped my garden washing away every time it rained. It was a lovely little garden and I was sad to turn my back on it.

The week after we moved we popped back to see the owners making the place tidy for new tenants, the rains meant the lawns were growing at an extraordinary rate and had to be done weekly or at least every ten days. One of the owners mentioned something about this weed that had been growing for ages and she was having issues pulling it out. I know I am not a perfect weeder and this season especially they had grown quicker than I could pull but I didn't think I was that bad.

The topic drifted on but it arose again later and we saw the culprit sitting in the garage awaiting the dump run, it was our first lemon grass plant. We had just planted another in the garden thinking that leaving a gapping hole when you leave somewhere is a little unappealing. Seeing this uprooted plant, we bagged it and took it home. We got to keep our plant after all and with all the rain and neglect its doing very well in the new garden. I am glad they thought it was a weed.

Last garden class

2011-03-23T09:37:00.000+10:00

Sunday marked the last heirloom garden class. I was as excited to attend the first one as the last one. There is always so much to learn when it comes to the garden and heirloom veggies seem to have all these wonderful and interesting varieties to explore.

The weather looked a little grey but by the time I pulled my car up outside the gardens, the rain had eased enough that it was truly lovely weather to be pottering and planting - just a light sprinkle to water the seeds and seedlings in.

I got some more cuttings - which have been planted into a pot at the front door, some bean seeds that made me feel very Jack and the Beanstalk and some great entertainment from fellow gardeners. The picture is of the gardens we were allowed to potter in for the class. I do like all their tee pee structures - I think I want one in my garden.

Despite having a double degree behind me, I am not a book person, I need hand on learning and stories from others. I try to learn from others mistakes, but may well do similar mistakes anyway. I like these sorts of classes because while they have some structure on what is being covered they flow and go off topic and you hear stories about trials, successes and dismal failures. I have all these hand notes about various heirlooms that others have tried and succeeded with and these are going to form my new wish list for the garden.

Splashes of colour

2011-03-23T09:35:00.001+10:00

The vegetable garden seems to be mostly green but then every so often there is a splash of colour that breaks up all the green. Until I actually start producing some yellow corn, yellow pear tomatoes, purple eggplants, red roma tomatoes or yellow capsicum I will be content to see the bright yellow flowers of the butternut pumpkins (pictured) or the tiny yellow apple cucumber flowers. They may only last one day but they are a lovely little colour peering out from behind all the big green leaves.

Hand Pollination Success

2011-03-22T09:25:00.002+10:00

This is my little pumpkin I hand pollinated. I think it worked. I hope it tastes good. Pumpkin seeds for next season now and only a couple of minutes of work to make sure they are true to type.

Thai Eggplant Seeds

2011-03-21T09:06:00.001+10:00

At my last heirloom garden class I got some little Thai Pea eggplants, I have soaked them let them go smelly (not keen on this process) and have started to let them dry.

I needed a place to dry them out where inquisitive hands don't get them and where my counter surfing dog doesn't test their edibility status. A couple of days later I looked at them again and saw that it was in theme that they were drying near one of my Buddha heads. Fingers crossed they do well when they go in the ground.

I am looking forward to growing them and putting them in a Thai curry.

Chips

2011-03-20T08:59:00.002+10:00

With the garden only just starting we have not had much produce to eat but when we do I hope to be able to post what we have made using the fresh veg.

One of the things that is only a relatively new item on our family menu is sweet potato chips. They don't last for long but they tide the hungry tummies until I can get the main meal on the table. Once I have got my own sweet potato in the garden I will be able to make home grown home made chips. Yum.

Anything happening?

2011-03-19T10:37:00.000+10:00

I wondered into the garden and thought there is not much happening really, I haven't been out and done much at all recently.

The more I thought about it today and looked around my house and my garden the more I saw and there is heaps and heaps happening. There is seed saving, hand pollination, seed viability testing, tomatoes ripening on the window sill. Basil in an old wine bottle that is starting to get roots and seeds sprouting in the egg cartons.

These things all take a bit of time and patience so while I may not have been on any quick action, quick result projects recently I have been doing things and so has my garden.

These are the roma tomatoes that were rescued from outside and are starting to go red inside - I thought they might not so have started researching green tomato chutney or relish but they are surprising me so I will let them go a bit longer.

The strange other photo is my seed viability testing - I have tested some yellow capsicum seeds that I got when I bought a "farm grown" capsicum the other week. I hope they come true to type. I think there were 8 that had started to shoot so I have put them into the egg cartons and see how they go.

The egg cartons were being over taken by Balinese corn roots so I have planted them out while we have a nice rainy day and hope they do well. Twelve plants in all - I planted more seeds than that but the goal was 12 plants so I got what I was after. I also randomly sprinkled some lettuce seeds in the garden. I think there would be about 40 or so randomly sprinkled but lettuce is something everyone eats so if I have excess I can seed save and give to family and friends. I was given the seed as "green lettuce" so I am keen to see what they are.

The egg cartons currently have a couple more corn seeds - see how they go, cosmos to brighten up the garden and encourage good bugs, yellow capsicum from my seed testing, purple oak lettuce, Thai Pink Tomato and an potato leaf tomato. There are some more seeds that have not sprouted for 4 weeks so I don't think they will come up.

The stair garden

2011-03-19T08:32:00.000+10:00

I have a big useless space under our stairs at the back of the house, but its useless no more. After the original spot for the backyard garden bed hit some hurdles (or more accurately some piping), the next best spot was decided upon - under the stairs.

With some roofing from the recently demolished deck, the other half started to knock up the garden. Its not finished but its started. It will take a lot to fill it but we have started by putting gravel out the front in it as well as some branches and palm fronds from next door in it.

As the stairs come closer to the ground its not practical to have a raised garden there but we have some strawberries planted so hopefully they will spread and prevent the weeds from taking hold.

Watching and Waiting

2011-03-18T20:29:00.001+10:00

Watching the dirt and hoping to see a glimmer of green can seem like waiting for water in a pot to boil. As long as the hotplate is on water will boil, unfortunately seed germination is not guaranteed.

With an excitement similar to Christmas morning, I check the pots of dirt and hope to see the first 2 seed leaves appear. When they do it begins the count down until they can go into th garden, then the flowers, then the fruit, then the right time to pick and eat.

Its an amazing process. Gardeners are supposed to be patient - I don't think I have mastered it yet. Must need more time in the garden.

Don't eat it all please

2011-03-17T09:06:00.002+10:00

I am very happy with this photo I took. But please grasshopper don't eat all the leaves, I would really like to be able to grow cucumbers.

Looking at the photo it seems funny that I would think a tiny little thing like this would eat this big leaf but I have seen his kind and they do.

For the love of potatoes

2011-03-16T09:07:00.003+10:00

I love potatoes - mashed, roasted, boiled, made into chips or wedges, made into tempura, rosti, baked and in salads. I don't know why I love it so much or since when I have but I know that I do. I have tried my hand at growing a couple of different types and in different ways and for the new garden I am trying them a different way again.

When we moved in there were a couple of random beds in the middle of the lawn, right in the middle of the natural water flow, and a couple of wood squares that were possibly compost heaps. They were neglected so I have made one into a compost heap - and filled it - and the other I wasn't real great so I replanted some potato plants found else where in the garden and some sweet potato.

Eventually the sweet potato is destined to roam the fruit trees but until I find some time to perfect that part of the garden I hope they will be productive in this little box. Some sort of insect seems to like munching on the leaves - but they are leaving the spinach close by well alone - yeah!

Come on sweet potato I really like sweet potato chips!

Helping Nature

2011-03-15T08:32:00.000+10:00

I like to think my garden does its own thing - but sometimes nature needs a little help. Instead of wondering ... and wondering some more, I have decided to be proactive and try hand pollination.

I have to wait patiently now to see if I was successful or not. I hope so but even if its not it was great chance to try something new in the garden. If it takes I will put a big pretty ribbon around it and it will become my pumpkin to seed save with as it will be true to type if all goes to plan.

This is a buttercup pumpkin - the packet said it was a compact growing type - not very compact yet. The other half thought it was a zucchini so trained it up a climbing frame I had ear marked for the cucumbers. I must admit while I was not planning on having the pumpkin climbing it makes it easier to find the male and female flowers.

The old house had a butternut pumpkin growing up a climbing frame as well, unfortunately they were seedless. Some were damaged by the storms at the end of last year so came off the vine early so they may have been too young to have seeds. Hopefully some true to type seeds will come off this vine - lets hope the buttercup pumpkin is nice tasting, I have never tried one but thought it might be fun to grow something new.

Watering the garden

2011-03-14T10:22:00.000+10:00

Watering is such a relaxing task. I like going out to the garden, turning the hose on and just sprinkling the plants, pulling a weed as I see it, thinking of very little and checking out the growth in the garden. Having the garden right by the front door now is great. I can just duck out and water - and on my way from the car I can see if it needs water or not.

Yesterday with a sick little one I thought it would be a great time to just chill but the little one decided she wanted to do it. Normally content with the watering can, I can then water with the hose.She got the hose and would fill the watering can, hose mum when she got too close and water all the plants mum would normally water.

I believe watering is a bit like carrying an umbrella, water and it rains. I hope my plants are enjoying all the lovely rain at the moment and produce some bumper crops.

I think I have lost my relaxing watering time. Its good to see her helping but it was a task I enjoyed. One part of watering I don't like is the rolling up of the hose, lets hope she takes on that chore too.

Plant something "Yuk"

2011-03-13T07:00:00.001+10:00

Strange topic I know but its something I do/ did and it surprises me that sometimes the yuk things taste better when i grow it.

For me lettuce needs to be disguised with tomatoes, cheese, capsicum or meat. Lettuce has this grassy tasteless thing to it. But yet it was something I put into my garden, both store bought seedlings and from seed. My lettuce tastes so much better than store ought stuff. I am so glad I planted it.

Carrots are delicious fresh and raw but I have never been a fan of cooked carrots. I found carrots a little difficult to grow as I can't see what is happening below the surface. As a result my family enjoyed lots of baby carrots. We roasted them on the BBQ with home grown herbs. I wish I had taken a photo but they were so good that they disappeared before we thought about it.

Homegrown tastes better so plant something different and give it a go.

A white envelope

2011-03-11T13:02:00.000+10:00

I know two blogs in one day I will run out of things to say but I had to record the moment. Yesterday I decided to buy some seeds from Eden Seeds. I have not tried them before but have enjoyed checking out their website occasionally .

Yesterday I took the plunge yesterday and bought carrot Thumbelina, sweet corn Balinese, climbing been - purple king, Chinese cabbage - pak cho, a pretty little broccoli and some French marigolds.

I couldn't believe when in the mail today was a white package from Eden Seeds - no substitutes just exactly what I was after. I also like their envelopes because they will fit in well with my seed filing system and the old type writer writing keeps in the theme of heirloom seeds.

the canvas to work on

2011-03-11T08:00:00.001+10:00

It was definitely not a blank canvas - in some ways I wish it were. This is the canvas that my family and I had to tackle to begin the planting of a veggie patch. The first night in our home was great - we could smell the gardenias, frangipani and mock oranges.

It was delightful but the ultimate plan meant that these were in the way of food production. As much as possible these plants have been re homed.

I don't know how these plants survived with the limited or no dirt that they had. Now the space is starting to be filled with compost, horse manure and green edible plants. Slowly, slowly we are taking control of this area and making it an area that will get daily use.

I hope that we will be able to take more and more from the garden and onto our plates. Fresher food and better taste. Heirloom veggies will be taking over this area soon.

Simple things in life

2011-03-10T12:55:00.002+10:00

My daughter has just the best time with the simple things in life. Sand under her feet, digging up the gardens, trying new food, dancing, weeding - surprisingly good at it and unless she wants to eat a plant has not pulled any out. I wish I could take a leaf or two out of her book and just enjoy the simple things.

This photo was taken a while ago when the pak choy was just coming up in its pot. She got to it and ate a heap of the new leaves. Unfortunately being so small her little hands got the dirt as well but she didn't mind - she was having fun.

Her delight in the garden is something I hope she retains for a long time. She eats things straight out of the garden and loves it. Which for me is a great incentive to use natural products and no pesticides.

Snow Peas don't have a chance in our garden - she loves checking the vines for the crunchy delights. Cucumbers were stolen from the vines at her Aunty's house and then munched on while she investigated the rest of the veggie patch. Tomatoes are eaten, fed to the dogs or buried in freshly dug holes - seed saver in the making.

I hope for a long time she will enjoy putting on her gum boots and venturing out with mum to see what's happening in the garden.

Location of kitchen garden

2011-03-09T08:17:00.004+10:00

While there is nothing of great progress and growth in the kitchen garden the demolition and clearing stage has begun. This photo is kind of a during stage.

The plan is to have the veggies in this little u shaped court yard with easy access from either the front door or the laundry. The deck has been pulled down completely and when possible will be rebuilt - when that happens the beds will be "final" but until then I am making do with what ever space and dirt I can to start to produce in this area.

The mock oranges have been harder than anticipated to get out of the garden beds. I did not think it was going to be easy but they are bare rooted with shade cloth holding them in then rocks on top. Only one more garden of these to get get rid of in this area now. Still have plenty in the front garden.

Currently I have a tomato, eggplant, pumpkin, lettuce, aleo vera, cucumbers and a melon growing in the garden and I can't wait to have it all looking lush.

Tomato surprise

2011-03-08T08:34:00.000+10:00

I do like it when you venture out into the garden and something has grown on its own. Walking through the garden there are always new things to see, creatures to spot and growth, or lack of it, to observe. I had a tomato plant that was on its way out when we moved in. With the torrential rains and hail, the front garden was knocked around a bit, but another tomato has popped up near where the other one was.

Its great to see the fruit and I love the smell of the plant when it gets watered or brushed past. The fruit has just been weighing down the plant - now if I can only get some bruise free, insect free fruit inside. Cherry tomatoes no problems but the bigger ones are a challenge not yet mastered.

I have just planted seeds for Potato leaf tomato and a Thai Pink tomato and will see how they go. I am excited to try something different.

Starting out

2011-03-07T11:11:00.000+10:00

I am starting this blog to record the progress of my new kitchen garden. The garden will be full of trial and error as I try to get plants to produce beautiful fresh produce for my family to enjoy.

I have moved into a house that has come with some fruit trees - 2 lemons and a mandarin - both of which I have never been able to grow, a macadamia nut that in the weekend's rain seems to have been knocked around and a lovely mulberry tree.

I enjoy gardening and the fruits it brings - whether actually fruits, seeing a plant flower or just thriving in the garden.

I am getting a little frustrated by the process of setting up the new kitchen garden - it will be a temporary garden until the side of the house is properly finished - replace the deck, move the shed and clothes line etc. I can't wait to have my dream kitchen garden just out the side, I can duck outside, wash the veggies off and then bring them straight back into the kitchen for dinner. Gosh that sounds good. I can't wait.