Garden Share Collective Nov 4th
Once again it is time to link to Lizze at Strayed from the Table. where we join in monthly to check on the progress of our veggie gardens. 
It is great to be accountable - to make lists of things we want to do within the next month- although I didnt do well in that area this month since I had the flu. We are also able to celebrate what we have harvested and what we are planting. Thank you for organizing this Lizzie.
Planting
My purple asparagus is so much more tasty and thick than the green that I decided to order more seeds. Yes! I started the purple asparagus seeds at the same time as I planted the mary washington two year crowns! Unfortunately only one of the purple asparagus seeds survived, but I will carefully nurture the new ones. I didnt pick this one stalk in time and it has started to fern out - look at the thick juicy stem.
I have two female plants which put more effort into creating seeds and will never produce a good crop, so need to be removed. I also ordered giant russian cucumber and perrenial capsicum seeds. This is the first year I have got capsicum to grow well, and I am always keen to try new types of cucumber as we have such trouble with mildew and this is supposed to be more resistant, and an heirloom variety. Those will be planted at the end of the wet season though. These were all ordered from Green Harvest, I have not seen purple asparagus seeds anywhere else.
I have trouble with toads - here you might be able to see the indentations in the wicking beds. I just planted some eggplant seeds here and I am sure they do not like to be squashed down by ugly toads every night.....
In the other wicking bed where my two eggplant are still struggling I put down cardboard, which they shoved aside, and then some pumice stones as mulch.. same story. I raised it up on bricks as supposedly toads cannot jump high. Mine seem to be quite athletic. I am not sure where to go next. Does anyone else had trouble with toads?
Harvesting
I have been harvesting the long green beans, hubby is not so keen on them, but I like the fact they are so prolific during the wet season, and although they are not so good raw (a bit rubbery) they are fine when cooked. They grow in pairs as you can see here. I just tied a metal grid between the two upright supports, and hope the structure can support the beans.
I am still cutting off lettuce leaves - and even though they are bolting, the leaves are not bitter, but that is coming to an end. Definitly keeping some of those seeds for next year, since I plant quickte thickly and harvest leaf by leaf when they are still quite small.. Still harvesting a few cherry tomatoes.
Harvested my first soy beans which I lightly steamed for 5 mins, salted and cooled, and then you just pop the beans out of the pod into your mouth! The good thing is that I know these soy beans are not genetically modified. Soy beans are supposed to be a good green manure crop as well so I am glad they seem to like my climate. I suspect they are a dry season crop. After a bit of a break we now getting pawpaws ripening again.
I also need to find a way to get some of those dried loofas down so that I can peel them and get them ready to add to some christmas presents. They are nice and dry but way up high.
To do
I have not made the bokashi mix yet - am just adding to the compost tumbler continuously for now. As it gets full I will stop adding kitchen waste and leaves to the tumbler, and probably just keep them in the spare bin as I did last time. The other thing I might do is create an in ground worm bin.
The other things I said I would do last month were to trim back the herb spiral, and get some seaweed for the asparagus bed. Neither of those have been done yet. We have had a horrible flu that saps our energy.
I also want to plant some buckwheat as a green manure crop. Need to do some weeding in order to get that going.
I want to research something as an edging for the sides of my beds. I had wood but that attracted termites so dont want to go there again. I am thinking of hammering in some stakes, and then slotting cardboard behind them. - as it rots down I can just add more. Has anyone done anything like that? Rotating edges :)
The other thing I am getting ready to do is graft a branch of meyer lemon onto my patio lime tree... scared and excited to try grafting.
It is great to be accountable - to make lists of things we want to do within the next month- although I didnt do well in that area this month since I had the flu. We are also able to celebrate what we have harvested and what we are planting. Thank you for organizing this Lizzie.Planting
My purple asparagus is so much more tasty and thick than the green that I decided to order more seeds. Yes! I started the purple asparagus seeds at the same time as I planted the mary washington two year crowns! Unfortunately only one of the purple asparagus seeds survived, but I will carefully nurture the new ones. I didnt pick this one stalk in time and it has started to fern out - look at the thick juicy stem.
I have trouble with toads - here you might be able to see the indentations in the wicking beds. I just planted some eggplant seeds here and I am sure they do not like to be squashed down by ugly toads every night.....
Harvesting
I have been harvesting the long green beans, hubby is not so keen on them, but I like the fact they are so prolific during the wet season, and although they are not so good raw (a bit rubbery) they are fine when cooked. They grow in pairs as you can see here. I just tied a metal grid between the two upright supports, and hope the structure can support the beans.
Harvested my first soy beans which I lightly steamed for 5 mins, salted and cooled, and then you just pop the beans out of the pod into your mouth! The good thing is that I know these soy beans are not genetically modified. Soy beans are supposed to be a good green manure crop as well so I am glad they seem to like my climate. I suspect they are a dry season crop. After a bit of a break we now getting pawpaws ripening again.
I have not made the bokashi mix yet - am just adding to the compost tumbler continuously for now. As it gets full I will stop adding kitchen waste and leaves to the tumbler, and probably just keep them in the spare bin as I did last time. The other thing I might do is create an in ground worm bin.
The other things I said I would do last month were to trim back the herb spiral, and get some seaweed for the asparagus bed. Neither of those have been done yet. We have had a horrible flu that saps our energy.
I also want to plant some buckwheat as a green manure crop. Need to do some weeding in order to get that going.
I want to research something as an edging for the sides of my beds. I had wood but that attracted termites so dont want to go there again. I am thinking of hammering in some stakes, and then slotting cardboard behind them. - as it rots down I can just add more. Has anyone done anything like that? Rotating edges :)
The other thing I am getting ready to do is graft a branch of meyer lemon onto my patio lime tree... scared and excited to try grafting.
It is so nice to see all those edibles and edibles to be since over here in New Hampshire we are in our soon to be winter dressing! I always love to see the variety of lovely plants you have in your garden!
ReplyDeleteHugs my sweet far away blogging sister,
Beth P
Beth,
DeleteThank you, I am glad you enjoyed it. Hugs to you too!
Your garden is a happy sight for my sore eyes, I love to see the luxuriant growth. We have toads here in Wisconsin, but ours must be very, very small compared to yours. They don't cause any damage here, which is good, because we do have lots and lots of them.
ReplyDeleteIt's been cold and rainy here the last few days, I'll be glad to see the sun shine soon. Thank you for sharing your beautiful garden with me!
Karen,
DeleteOurs are the cane toads that were imported to kill the cane bettles. They have no predators here the population just exploded. Here they are about 4" long (the body), but further north they have huge ones. Hope you are feeling better.
well toads are one thing I do not have a problem with down here in hobart!! yikes.
ReplyDeletei am amazed by those long beans. i shall have to try them one year, just for the childish thrill of growing something so long. thank you for the tour around your gorgeously lush garden.
The seeds are on their way Elizabeth - hope they do well for you. I find they are especially good in a stir fry.
DeleteOk, you have inspired me with the purple asparagus, the fact your have grown them from seed is incredible. I am going to have to get some seeds from green harvest too and give them a try.
ReplyDeleteI know toads don't like salt - though I am not sure you want to put that around your wicking beds? maybe around on the ground next to them. Otherwise it would be good to see what others have to say. Those loofa's do look incredible.
Liz,
DeleteI am glad that you are going to try the purple asparagus - I put mine in over the weekend. Believe it or not they are protected, - you are allowed to catch them and put them in a plastic bag and freeze them, but i dont fancy them in the freezer alongside my food.... Mostly I just mutter at them and tell them to go away.
Hope you can get those luffas down. I didn't have any luck with me seeds. Thanks for sharing your garden with us this month.
ReplyDeleteLittlem,
DeleteMost people find that their luffas grow well - I am not sure where you are - do you want me to send you some seeds? I got a couple down yesterday - was up a high ladder waving a rake around. Had to hook them and tug them.
Oh wow grafting! Can't wait to hear how you go with this. I would love to read more about it. I love that you are growing soy beans, how fantastic, I wonder if they would grow in Vic. I must check it out. Thanks for the look around your fascinating garden. K x
ReplyDeleteKyristie,
DeleteI did try the grafting over the weekend, - now have to wait and see if it takes. I didnt take photos as I was too busy trying to get it right. I should think they would grow - I got my seeds from MrFothergills. They can also be grown as a green manure crop - my beans are little, but tasty and fun to eat.
Hi there - love the look of your abundance!! We have toads, although no noticeable issues in the garden. My Dad used to pick them up by the hind legs and "crack" them - he assured us kids it was the most humane way to dispose of them. I saw an episode of Kosta's Garden Odyssey once where a guy in NT used them in his massive (read ex-cement truck) rotating compost system to great advantage!!
ReplyDeleteOh, I don't like these comment selections where I can't used my blog as my identity! They are fairly recent, and as I operate a professional profile and a blog one, it confuses everyone.
Jeannie,
DeleteI found your blog straight away! I think I saw that episode of Cosa, but not sure what hapens to the poisons if you compost them?
we just bought a pawpaw tree today! I was reading up on them and how the females of bisexual plants only fruit and the males don't. I had no idea!! I haven't a clue what ours is until it flowers. Time will tell :) Great garden tour, from a fellow GSC x
ReplyDeleteGourmetwog,
DeleteOh this is fun discovering new (to me) blogs and gardening friends. I dont know of anyone around here who has actually got one of those bisexual plants to grow! Good luck with yours. If it is a male keep it, as it will make sure any females in the area will bear fruit.
Wow what a contrasting garden and harvest to what I normally get down here in Victoria. I'd love to be able to grow something like pawpaw. Thankfully I don't have to contend with toads, ick. Good luck with that one.
ReplyDeleteYou have a lovely garden and I am impressed what you do with two little ones in tow.
DeleteAre those pink blooms a mandevilla vine? Would you believe mine is still blooming? It's an annual here. Any day now it will succumb to our freezing temps... but I will plant another next year. It has been a star in my gardens.
ReplyDeleteThat sure is! It runs rampant and I keep having to cut it back quite severly. It never seems to stop flowering though - I love it!
Delete