Africanaussie

Wow how is it March already?  Time to link up with other gardeners at the Garden Share Collective .   This time of year is funny in the tropics, we are nearing the end of the wet season (hopefully) humidity is still quite high and we could still have flooding which would destroy tiny seedlings.  Quite honestly I have more success with planting seed directly into the ground, but at this time of year I am playing it safe by starting  some seedlings, and keeping them under the eaves where I can control the moisture a little easier. I have used an assortment of eggboxes and toilet roll holders to start my seeds in, and they are contained in an old plastic bin.  I love the seed raising mix that comes in a compressed block, it is made of coir and you add water to re-constitute it.   I have been scraping off little bits as I haven't wanted to use the whole block.  That works so well as it doenst take up much room, and is so easy to sprinkle over fin...

I have been enjoying the microgreens, although they also seem to be languishing in the heat - nothing like the tall plants I see growing in others greenhouses, which I suppose is a more controlled environment..    The purple basil is awesome sprinkled on salads, and definitely my favourite.  Standing water is not what one wants in mosquito prone areas, so in the end I poured the water out and lay the seedlings on top of my seed raising mix. Hopefully they spread their roots and grow here, and I plan to plant a few out into the herb spiral - I love to have different types of basil growing amongst my herbs.   The seed raising mix seems to work better in the wet season.  The great thing is that once I make this a permanent part of my gardening - continually sowing seeds - I reckon I can have greens almost year round.  I am going to get a sprouter as I have the feeling that they will do better inside during the wet season.  The sprouters from  MrF...

A while back I decided the rhoeo was encroaching too far into the path.  Once I started cutting it back I decided it looked better without it.  So much better with an edging of ground orchids.  I placed a few flat rocks to define the edge. I think this showcases the orchids more.  I am not sure if I should put some bigger rocks there to hold them up from the path a bit or just more soil.  I like them hanging over but feel a bit more height would look better.  Out front I also want to define this entrance as more of a pathway, maybe a couple of pavers in the stones?  I put the pots along the sort of curve I want to create, but they might have to be moved when the pavers are put in....Dont you just love my new little birdbath I got for Christmas?  The birds have yet to discover it.....It is right next to a hibiscus which the honeyeaters an butterflies love so maybe it will just take time. At long last this cutting has taken, the fl...

Hubby and I spent a lot of time over the weekend weeding and trimming bushes around the pool over the weekend.  We have a gardener who does the mowing and edging, but when we arrived here we wanted the area to look a bit more tropical around the pool.  There were no plants here six years ago. I planted whatever I could scrounge, propagate or was given, and now it is looking quite nice.  The process has not cost much money but lots in hard physical work.  Spider lilies line the pathway to the pool entrance.  Here you can see why they are called spider lilies....   These spider lilies were given to us by a neighbour, and at first they looked a little straggly.  Now they are in bloom I wonder if in fact I planted them too thickly :)  They do love the wet season. Along the front we have been battling a weed called Singapore daisy.  It was first brought here about thirty years ago to plant along the banks of the creeks to stop erosion. ...

The quilt is done, and I have just quilted in the ditch along the major seams.  I thought about doing more quilting in the plain areas, but think it would ruin the look - I want the lace to stand out as a feature.  The garments that I cut up to make this quilt are from different women in my family.  When my new grandson is born he will be wrapped with the love that goes into handmade items from great aunts, great great aunts, great great grandmother and his grandmother.  I hope he feels the love. I am a bit slow, and late, but thought I would link this to the slow blogger link  here  .  I think it is quite appropriate to be slow about this.....dont you?

The wet season has been making its presence known and over the weekend the roads were flooded, making us housebound.  I managed to do quite a bit of sewing, and then the whole house got a very good clean.  Good, now I dont need to feel guilty when the garden calls:)  First thing was to cut back some of the mandevilla vine which the franzipani has been trying to escape from.  I hope with all the extra light it will flower a bit more.  I was also pleased to see strawberry flowers - this is the first time I have grown strawberries.  I had two hanging pots and the one disintegrated in a heap after just a couple of months.  I think I might get some more pots that actually attach to the fence with nails - they seem to do better in this climate than the hanging baskets.  I think I might move them to a wooden fence out the front as well. My new seeds were calling to be planted, and with the sun making an appearance on Sunday afternoon I ventured ...

I am actually quite glad that this post was due because it got me out into the garden to tidy up and get ready for planting!  It was 34*C with high humidity.  I used mosquito repellent and sunscreen alternately as the sweat dripped.  HOT, HOT, HOT. It is a little early to be planting out for our dry season garden, but maybe I can hurry the wet season along. :) I have been unable to post photos so will post this without and add the photos first thing Monday morning - sorry about that! Done!  Check out The Garden Share Collective for more updates to veggie gardens around Australia. Harvesting The long green beans are quite prolific, and in fact I trimmed the vine back quite a bit to make it  more manageable which seems to have given it a new lease on life.  It looks straggly but you can find the beans easier.  I also have a winged bean vine that has volunteered and the loofas are going mad.   Galangal is taking over the back half of...