Garden share collective, heading into November

Once again it is time to link up with Lizzie at the Garden Share collective
I looked back on last month where I was saying how dry it was, and it is still dry!  We had a few sprinkles, but watering the garden is something that we just do not do here!  I put up an extra shade cloth, but really need to purchase in some sugar cane mulch for the veggie patch.  I have been using my compost, but it is not enough.  We have never seen so many leaves falling, all the compost bins are continually topped up, I have to keep adding water so that they can rot down. I have two shade cloths up, and the only thing I am trying to do is keep the weeds at bay.
The yellow cherrry tomatoes are still producing, and I have two types of eggplant the tsalonika long purple and a little round thai  white one that I got from a  lady at the markets. Both growing in wicking beds.


The asparagus bed was quite over run when I returned so that had to be attended to.  I had mulched well before leaving for my trip, but there were cosmos, amaranth and even some cherry tomatoes trying to wend their way in.   The tomatoes in the wicking beds in front were tied  up so that they were not sprawling all over the paths, and that looked a bit neater immediately.  This weekend I pulled out the last of those tomato plants.

The rosella was full of flowers on my return, so I dried some for tea and saved seeds and will plant more out along the back fence.  I have started the seeds, and have three that have come up.  I might start some more.

There are some little buds on my coffee bush, so I am anxiously watching those to see what happens.

The pepper vine seems happy enough.  I heard that it only fruits on sideways branches so I have been pruning it back.

 I purchased a rhubarb plant and planted it in the front of the asparagus bed.

The microgreens I started out did not survive outside, under the shadecloth, even with daily watering, so I am trying them in some coir in my multilayered sprouter inside the kitchen.

In the next month I am going to add some mulch and keep down the weeds as much as possible.  This time of the year is not our best growing season

Comments

  1. lizzie {Strayed Table}Mon Nov 03, 11:41:00 AM

    What a cool idea to use the rosella leaves for tea. I have never heard of that. I am growing them myself for the first time to make my own labour intensive jam. Which I love. Your garden is looking lush and nice timing with the shade sails. I am doing mine this week.

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    Replies
    1. africanaussieTue Nov 04, 07:36:00 AM

      oh Liz, maybe I wasnt quite clear - I dry the flowers and calyx - the same part that you use to make jam. you must have huge shade sails for your size garden.

      Delete
  2. UnknownMon Nov 03, 12:36:00 PM

    Your shade sail set up looks very effective. I hope that you get some rain soon to help the garden along. Beautiful eggplants :-) I am looking forward to seeing what happens with your coffee plant too.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. africanaussieTue Nov 04, 07:39:00 AM

      Kyrstie,
      Pretty soon it will be the wet season and then I will be hoping it would stop raining! I love growing unusual plants, so yes I too am looking forward to seeing some berries on my coffee plant.

      Delete
  3. AnonymousMon Nov 03, 01:52:00 PM

    Such a different season and a lush backyard. The shade cloth looks effective.

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    Replies
    1. africanaussieTue Nov 04, 08:00:00 AM

      Haha - you do realize that a lot of that lushness comes from weeds? I sent you my address, so will send some amaranth seeds as soon as I get yours. I look forward to trying that red lettuce.

      Delete
  4. Jean CampbellMon Nov 03, 11:01:00 PM

    Try to think of weeds as an indicator as to how fertile your soil must be. Dig, dig, dig. Pull, pull, pull.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. africanaussieTue Nov 04, 08:06:00 AM

      That is a good way of looking at things Jean - some gardeners plant a green manure crop, mine comes up on its own.

      Delete
  5. e / dig in hobartTue Nov 04, 08:30:00 AM

    this sounds weird, but i do enjoy reading about people's garden challenges - weeds, dry, soil - makes me realise i'm not the only one with problems to solve.

    ReplyDelete
  6. africanaussieWed Nov 05, 08:05:00 AM

    e,
    some days I think all I have are problems.... I think we need to all be realistic and if all we looked at are those huge baskets of produce that some people seem to produce on a regular basis, then I think I would give up. Seeing how someone has adapted to a particular problem in their garden is sooo helpful.

    ReplyDelete
  7. BekWed Nov 05, 10:44:00 AM

    It seems to have been dry everywhere. That said, your garden still looks really impressive. So much happening. I wish we had tomatoes and eggplants here now!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. africanaussieMon Nov 10, 01:48:00 PM

      I have been planting more and more perrenials, and find I like that.

      Delete
  8. Merryn@merrynsmenuWed Nov 05, 02:13:00 PM

    You are so lucky to have a pepper vine! I planted one but it died over winter so it is not warm enough here. How exciting! Your eggplants are divine, is the white one as nice as the purple one? Awesome tomatoes too. It is sprinkling here now, I wish I could send you some. Happy gardening and weeding :D

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. africanaussieMon Nov 10, 01:50:00 PM

      Merryn,
      I am not even sure when it is supposed to produce peppercorns, but seems to be a healthy plant, so I live in hope. The white ones are more seedy, great to add into soups and stews.

      Delete
  9. KarenMon Nov 10, 04:34:00 AM

    It is always so refreshing for me to see a growing season while we are beginning winter here. I hope you get some much needed moisture, I know how difficult it is to garden without rain.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. africanaussieMon Nov 10, 01:53:00 PM

      Gosh it really goes against the grain to water, but I am sure that before long we will be inundated with it.

      Delete

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