It’s been quite a busy & successful month around here. I harvested my garlic and for the first time growing it I was very happy with the results. I also gave growing potatoes in buckets a go and that was also a success. I will definitely continue with both those crops and apply what I have learned. Something I just discovered from the Facebook group South East Qld Urban Food Growers is that we can grow potatoes all year round here! I find that rather exciting given that potatoes are my absolute favourite.
My stall is going really well and I am enjoying it. It is lovely to put the results of my propagating out on display and then to have people want to purchase my plants and take them home makes me very happy! I also sold my first craft items which was exciting, and I have some virtual admin work on the horizon which is fantastic. One of the aims of my honesty stall and crafting is to create a bit of income working with my neurodiversity, not against it, and the casual VA work seems to work well for me too.
My flower garden is doing well – and the Pandorea is starting to cover the fence nicely. I wonder if I’ll actually get any flowers on it this year! I added a couple more planters with petunias in them. The purple petunia in the flowerbed looks lovely but it does take over a bit! I’m still not convinced about keeping the ivy geranium (top left), I normally like them but it just looks a bit straggly. Although maybe it just needs a good prune. And the sun jewels/baby sunrose (middle) isn’t really doing much so I might replace those. Maybe with the purple petunia!
Last weekend I finally cleaned the pond out – it was overgrown with frogbit and algae so I removed all of that and culled the Nardoo, emptied it out as much as possible and scrubbed the sides. I need to get some more cherry shrimp and see if I can get the balance right.
And that big pot of gazanias (below middle) is due to be divided up and the pot moved – it’s right in the way for access to the hose. I’m going to do it bit by bit though because last time I pulled the lot out and it took forever to repot (mainly because I don’t want to “waste” any plants so propagate even the tiniest bits). Plus I have some yellow flower gazania to do first. And I have a birds nest fern that I rescued a while ago (below right) that has come back to life and needs attending to. It looks like it has divided into a two or three ferns which would be rather cool if I can manage to get them all growing.
So lots good things happening at the homestead!
One thing I haven’t been overly impressed with is my San Marzano tomatoes. I know I stuffed up with the planting time – I was aiming to grow them over winter but planted them a bit too late so they didn’t do anything until it warmed up again. And even then they haven’t seemed to do too much. I’ve already noticed one drop and look like it was eaten at the end, and on that last photo there looks to be some kind of blemish. I’m sure there’s things I could do to protect them, but I have to admit I like plants that are low maintenance! The Mini Amish tomatoes didn’t need anything. I have some of those and Red Fig tomatoes growing in pots so at least I have those if the San Marzano ones turn out to be a fail.
What else… the coriander has gone to seed, but that’s ok because I want to try and collect the seed and the root. The bay tree has got lots of new healthy looking growth which is awesome. I love fresh bay leaves. And the zucchini has gone ballistic. I think I put three in and really only need two for us.
I just swapped some zucchini, curry leaves, kaffir lime leaves and dill for several pieces of turmeric. I haven’t grown turmeric before, I’m going to grow it in a pot so it’s not taking up garden space and I don’t have to dig it up to harvest it. I was originally thinking I’d put produce on my stall but it doesn’t stay good quality out there. I’ve found a facebook group for Homegrown produce so listing it on there and only putting out when I know someone wants it, or organising a swap, will be a better way to go I think.
Oh – one thing we need to do is fix up the net on the netted bed – the way it is at the moment it’s a bit awkward to use and doesn’t actually stop anything so I’ve just been leaving it open. But everything is getting eaten by caterpillars, grasshoppers and other critters. I’d like to encourage birds to the yard which would help, but unfortunately we have an outdoor cat, and there’s several others in the neighbourhood. Mind you we found a diamond python on our woodpile and if it gets bigger maybe the cat will need to watch out!
Bayside Homestead 