New Seed Starting Method.

 I was looking at You Tube and this idea came up from M I Gardener, and I thought it such a brilliant solution. If you remember way back I mentioned how I put a sheet of paper towel in a zip lock bag, wet it  and sprinkle seeds on and wait for them to germinate. Sometimes though the seed, roots into the paper and is difficult to get out without breaking so often I would cut bits up etc. Quite a fiddly process.

 

 M I Gardener thought of using small commercial sauce dishes, that you get with takeaways, and calling it the Petrie Dish, so I bought a pack of 30 thinking way too many, but managed to fill all of them. Really though you could even use takeaway containers, or anything small and lidded.

  A small bit of paper towel goes in the bottom, which  you wet, so there is some moisture to start the seeds off. 

Sprinkle away and close the lid. I labelled all mine as I wouldn't remember what is what. The seeds tend to grow up to the lid, and much easy to pull out than across the paper.

Marigolds and Poppies started on day 4.

Lettuce and rocket started the next day, cucumber day 3, so I have planted them into a larger system. You have to be very careful picking up seeds that have just stated so you don't break off the root. 

Beans went mouldy so not a big enough space for them and paper towel folded just on a plate, much better.

Growing in the glass house.

Seeds from the Petrie dishes will go into the grey container which makes a  seedling plug you push out from the bottom, ready for planting out in the garden.

John cut open a supermarket capsicum and cut out the seed inside in one whole piece, so I planted it as an experiment, into a pot as is, stalk and all. Then underneath the stalk 3 weeks later little seedling trying to come up.

 So I repotted some of them and threw the rest away, otherwise I could have started a farmers market in capsicums. I put 4 into 4 pots which is ample, and will give some to the community garden, after I repot each into single containers. I also don't really like capsicums, so will just plant 3 or 4 for John.

 The weather has been so lovely, I am spending a bit of time in the garden cleaning up and preparing for all these seeds. I also have been working on the craft area again trying to sort more stuff.

Blue bells from the garden

 Last week I went to the physio to learn exercises, to strengthen muscles, to help my knees, with another visit on Wednesday, which is the day I go back on my RA medicines, thank goodness.

We had a surprise phone call from our Caravan people to say it would be ready, end of first week in September. Only trouble is it will be at the Gold Coast to pick up, that is, if it gets there, as the caravans are made in Victoria. NSW of course, is locked out to Qld. 

We are now waiting instructions for the next step.

Till Next Time.

A Clean Slate for 2021

 "A Clean Slate" I read this comment somewhere, and thought how appropriate for this new year of 2021. 2020 certainly bought on some difficult times for many  people but also many adjusted to a new lifestyle, like wearing masks, teaching children at home, as well as working from home, growing vegetables for the first time, learning to knit and crotchet, slowing down, the list could go on and on in learning  new things.

What I see though is most of us adapted to these changes, and hopefully a lot of good lessons were learnt, but it is sad to see currently that there is yet another small wave of new clusters of virus in Australia, because of  ignorance, selfishness, or just plain bad luck, who knows! 

This article is the saddest thing I read for 2020, and for some reason people really believe that this virus is a hoax despite now that there is  1.83 million deaths world wide. 

July 12, 2020 at 1:32 AM EDT 

SAN ANTONIO A San Antonio doctor says a man in his 30s who thought the coronavirus was a “hoax” died from the disease.“One of the things that was heart-wrenching that he said to his nurse was, ‘You know, I think I made a mistake.' And this young man went to a COVID party,” she said. “He didn’t really believe. He thought the disease was a hoax. He thought he was young and invincible and wouldn’t get affected by the disease.”

 

 A Clean Slate for me means let's start again. Re-write all the to do lists, plant new seeds and seedlings. Making decisions on whether to have my businesses, thereby giving up my crafts and just crotchet my life away in rugs or sew quilts. Maybe I should give up blogging also, with only 6 followers and very few comments I wonder sometimes if it is worth it? Then again my girlfriend in Victoria and  2 Daughters do read it so it saves me a letter each week lol. Lots of things though to decide about.

To start with, this week our first week back from Sydney, I unpacked, washed, iron, cleaned spare bedrooms all in readyness for the 3 grandchildren to arrive Friday or Saturday for a 10 day visit. Should be interesting.

I received from my girlfriend a fabulous garden diary that holds the seeds and labels in pockets set out for each month, plus a space to draw where I have planted things in the garden. Perfect for a clean slate and it allows me to work out a whole year so I started by digging up all the tomatoes,celery,lettuces, and some carrots. The rain has done a lot of damage, carrots rotting, things going to seed, and no sun for the tomatoes.

Old tomato bed took down the netting also.

Whats left of the cucumbers, trimmed them up and planted yellow climbing beans in spaces.

Rocket gone to seed so left it for salads. May move a clump or two elsewhere.

 

I also cut back the celery to see what happens it was going to seed.

Old climbing beans gone

So in the old tomato bed, planted butternut lettuce and pak choy. I gave in and went to Bunnings to buy some seedlings as no time to start seeds at the moment. January is usually not sub tropical time for growing as too hot but this weather has changed so much decided to give it a go.

New Apollo tomatoes where I had carrots. Never grown tomatoes in this bed before so relying on the structures to take some netting.

 

Butternut lettuce and Pak Choy in old Tomato Bed

The strawberries which produced well last year have taken off again with new runners. My dilemma is whether to keep the bed small or extend it out to take over. At the left hand end planted some dwarf beans which will start producing before the climbing ones. Using a whole bed for strawberries seems a bit much. My other alternative is to transplant more to the back garden with the rhubarb. None of the strawberries produced last year, probably because they were new runners then again I didn't cover them either and our water dragons love them. I am thinking about using one of the round gardens instead.

 

 The biggest disappointment is the nut grass. It has gone mad everywhere with all the rain, I keep clearing it but up it comes again. This below is the front rose garden which I weeded before going to Sydney. 10 days later and its a mess, as is most of the back yard. The paver path down the back rose garden you could mow. It is all getting a bit much for me alone to do so I am investigating concreting a lot of it.

 

My Enemy Nut Grass

 

Three days in to the year so not a bad start on my clean slate. There is a new calendar on the wall, a new 2021 planner, and I have lots of plans to think about now. Welcome everyone to 2021.

Till Next Time.

Pond Cleaning, Seed Collecting, & Embroidery

It is a strange muggy, overcast day today and rain expected but after yesterdays hour pulling weed out of the pond I am really tired. I was hoping to get some seedlings in, and may try this afternoon. The pond is very low on water and getting rather crowded with a weed that will quickly fill it, and cover the water lilies, so out it had to come. It was very awkward and the darn stuff is really heavy, once the roots take hold of the bottom mud. John helped thank goodness, but there is still more to go if we can get to it. 

Piles of it are around the pathways to dry out so we can bin it, some of it will go as mulch on the garden. 

Notice how the liner is now showing. I wish I could fill it in now as it is a lot of work no one wants to do, but also difficult with no access except the side path. 

Mini Maple has Overnight  produced its leaves

Dreamcatcher Rose out in bloom with its delicate rose buds. Moved it last week.

This morning I did manage to collect all the seeds hovering in the garden. If it rains I might lose them. They are Rocket,(Arugala) and Tatsoi, a small leaf spinach type, both a leafy salad vegetable. 

I pulled them from the above back round garden, from which also the sweet peas were pulled a couple of weeks ago. I may plant some flowers in this one, as there are cosmos and zinnias ready. Dedicating a whole bed to flowers is unusual for me but I am only planting what I need this year, all the basic salad vegetable, and beans. Not going to experiment with, or preserve anything, at all. Will try and get some carrot seeds in before it rains somewhere as well. 

Sweet peas left in the garden.

Red Cos lettuce from the front.

Tatsoi seeds

Rocket seeds.

I will package all these up in small plastic ziplocks I have especially for seeds. It is nice to know that another year of fresh seeds is sorted. Love how nature works. 

I am going to experiment with a zucchini by growing it up a pole. Most zucchini grow along the ground leaving behind a thick stem as they move forward, and taking a lot of space.  I read recently that if you catch it early and tie the stem up a pole it saves a lot of space. Apparently the leaves above the new fruit you keep but the ones before the fruit and therefore old you can pull off, which will save a lot of powdery mildew happening.  

Pretty sure the pole is big enough

From little things big things grow.

I finally finished my drawn thread embroidery cloth, which puts me in to a bit of a quandary as I do not want to do another cloth. They take so long, although in saying that the repetition of the stitches is soothing. I want to do small embroidery projects but having trouble deciding on what. There is a small blackwork project I started if I can work it out, or maybe some book covers.

Stay safe everyone, that's all for this week, 

 

Till Next Time 

 

Spring Planting & A Cooking Lesson.

 I have mentioned before how grateful I am for my 12 yr old grandchild, that helps me every 2nd. Saturday. Yesterday was such a day and I have been feeling awful this week, so it is just as well she was due to brighten things up.

 I don't know if the medicine has to take a while but you would think by the 3rd week something would have changed. Anyway I plug along and this week we dug out the bottom of the garden and planted 3 pumpkins, 2 butternuts and a jap. 

They can sprawl around this area and by the time the potatoes are ready to move the pumpkins should be about ready to take over. 

Miss P added a bag of cow manure, chicken pellets and some black grit. This is not the best soil, and can get quite hard as it is a hot area, the pumpkins should love it, but I will be paying close attention to it.

 From there we then went to the cabbage/cauliflowers area of which I had picked except for one lone cabbage so that was covered as I took down the netting. Again more chicken pellets and grit and covered in cane mulch to stew for a week or so. I will plant more beans on the archway there and maybe some tomatoes and put the net back on.

One loan cabbage and in the pot found a perpetual basil.

There is heaps more to do, but it got so hot that we went to the shade. On the verandah were some Rosemary cuttings Miss P originally planted, and with all the rain we have had this week seemed to have taken off. Taught her then the next stage of how to transfer to larger pots and we came out with 7 cuttings. Two she took home and the rest will go to the Community Garden when they settle. 

As she was so interested in the herbs, we then went and dug up some Thyme and Oregano for her to start her own herb garden. 

                                                              Rosemary Cuttings.

Miss P loves cooking, and as I had a batch of  Madagascar Beans which I grew, and soaking all night, decided to teach her to make vegetarian burgers.This meant using the food processor as they have carrot, onion,garlic,parsley as well. Added some Thai Green Curry paste and they taste similar to Thai Fish Cakes. So I cooked one up for her and as she loved it, and packaged up the ingredients to practice it  again, on the family. Half plain and Half Thai for the grownups.

Madagascar Bean Burgers, 1 cup of beans makes double this lot.

 We were on such a fun time introduced her to the family cakes called Nobbies. This has been going on now for 3 generations, basically a rock cake. Sent some home to dad to bring back a child hood memory as I used to make them in 10 dozen lots with 5 kids always hungry. 

No recipe either just a feel for it, is there enough butter rubbed in, enough milk, sultanas, cinnamon and nutmeg, and as eggs are not used at home due to Miss G severe allergy, breaking eggs for cooking is  a novelty. Miss P took to the no recipe like a fish to water as they say. It is so good to pass on knowledge to such a willing student.

Half of the family Nobbies, the rest went home, for those who can actually eat eggs.

The rest of the week I completed clearing a kitchen bench and took down most of the glasses on two shelves, half to the op shop and electric items in a drawer. Been clearing it all week as well as now it is a hot spot. Liking this minimalism though.

Sent in 4 more Sweet Pea bunches to the Community garden again this week along with limes, and lots of seedlings, mostly cucumbers, including Apple, Lebanese, and Marketmore, Butternut  and Jap pumpkins, Tomatoes and a few flowers. Potted up heaps of lettuce, carnations, Mr. Stripey Tomatoes which are cherry ones. The group have to decide now whether I keep going as it is time to put more seeds in to have a continual supply or whether they just want to plant everything and sell the product. 

I think around $60 was made last week so the Market Day venture is working.

Well that's it for this week. 

Till Next Time.

A Wet Week

Another week gone by, and I am pleased to say we got heaps of rain. Filled the 10,000 litre tank at the Community Gardens, which I am thrilled about. Meant we couldn't get out to our wet yard though.

The seed packets, the members were doing are coming in, plus I did a few more smaller ones and are ready for selling , and looking like a good start.

 John decided to make some birdhouses while it was raining with some old fence palings. These will hopefully sell at the Harmony Day next week. We also were offered another combined Market stall at the end of March,  which if anything is left over, can try again.

Meanwhile at home although too wet to do the garden, which is such a shame as I was hoping to get planting. I did manage to dig up some nut grass and sift a bit for the wooden bed finished, and noticed today more nut grass coming up so will do it again. Gives me a good start even though I know I will never get rid of it.

Bird Feeder in the making.

The protea is still blooming away, it is getting a bit high now so another tree to prune once the rain settles down. I love the shape of them and they last a long time in the vase.

King Protea.

Now that the children have left it is off to do a big tidy and clean. No washing, it is still raining, one of those dull days to curl up with a project.  How was your week?



Till next time.

Life Happens with a Garden

What a busy week I have had, this week. It has been all go,go,go. The first thing was getting the house organized for an overnight stay by the Sydney family of 5 on their way for a gold coast holiday. Of course all my sewing, ironing in the spare bedrooms had to be sorted, which took several days. I  managed to finish off two cushions for the caravan in the middle of that.

Made with Outdoor Fabric

These are much bigger to lean on for a couch effect on the beds,  as I found the smaller ones I made too small and not comfortable.

Squaring it all off.

John has been putting together another bed despite our very hot weather,  plus installing orange pipe for holding the hoops and bean structures as required.

Edging done at sitting height plus orange pipes for putting polypipe into

This is our front verandah at the moment. No visitors please.

The other side, started  pulling apart the 2nd tin bed which is all rusty.

Getting ready to weed this, for the long beds to be place here.

I have been working on seeds again, this time getting a collection together in order for the members to glue and stick labels on. Ordered seed packets and a stamp then made 12 packets consisting of seeds, 8 stamped envelopes, instructions and pictures all to glue and stick and add the seeds to which I gave out today at the meeting.

Seeds packets done ready for  selling.

Every flat surface in the house is covered in something. Now that it is all in the computer, everything  is  ready for printing, and next time it will be a little easier and I only have to add new ones as they come along.

Yep one flat surface.

The best news of all is that this past fortnight John and I have been working on getting a pavilion together. We are changing our Community Garden insurance through Landcare and managed to save enough money through that, to put away next years as well, plus gain some more to join with the Fund Raising money I did last year. We can now  order a double gable roofed carport 6m x 6m.

Sign I designed and ordered for our Markets stands when we need it.

 It has to go through council of course and I had fingers crossed presenting it to the members and after much discussion they passed that it be purchased. Another long process to go before council etc. and the members will have to put it together but now I can put a deposit on it, while we wait for all the approvals needed. It is going to make such difference to the running of the Garden. So exciting.

In 2 weeks we are having a working bee to finally put the  2nd hand Polytunnel up as well.

Definitely been a great meeting this month.


Till Next Time.