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Post by SA Hunter on Oct 14, 2020 20:29:42 GMT 10
Picked up a jujube tree from Spin - thanks!
Transplanted some mango trees I'd grown.
My creeping saltbush is sprouting, as is my snowberries.
I also bought 2 heirloom Cape Goosberry bushes from Bunnings - $4.95 each. They'll go into some large pots.
Mandarin seeds are also sprouting - see how they take.
Pulled out most of mu cauliflower - bolted to seed in the heat, as did a few cabbage, but picked some more broccoli. Sugarloaf cabbage is setting, so should be ready soon. Into a large pot of borsch they will go! Have to try making sauerkraut too.
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Post by SA Hunter on Oct 21, 2020 17:01:05 GMT 10
Was given another three Kangaroo Apple trees - will plant them out bush on the weekend.
Planted a lemon tree, and 2 Gooseberry bushes
Also planted out my first rotation of Black Russian tomatoes.
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kelabar
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Post by kelabar on Oct 21, 2020 17:40:20 GMT 10
How did your pumpkins go that you planted a while back, @sahunter? I thought it was a bit cold and early for them.
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Post by SA Hunter on Oct 21, 2020 20:09:19 GMT 10
I'm heading out Saturday to plant the Kangaroo Apples, and will check on the pumpkin - it did get cold & wet, but we've had some nice warm days, so hopefully they have taken.
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Post by SA Hunter on Nov 8, 2020 13:54:26 GMT 10
How did your pumpkins go that you planted a while back, @sahunter? I thought it was a bit cold and early for them. Went to the bol yesterday - none of the pumpkin worked - even though there was ample rain, and warmth. I had 3 kangaroo apple trees to plant, and ended up with 6 as there were 3 small off shoots. The kangaroo Apple tree I'd planted is now gone from waist high to shoulder high - and is flowering, so should have some fruit soon all going well. Found a blackberry bush, and dug up some runners, planted them in an open space near the shack - if it takes, then great. The fruit trees I planted have mostly doubled in size. |
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Post by SA Hunter on Nov 26, 2020 23:53:17 GMT 10
Went to Bunnings - they had single tomatoes ( 12 inches tall ) for $1. Bought 6 - 4 black Russian heirloom, and 2 yellow tomato bushes.
Drove out to my bol this morning to water my trees - its forecast to be 39c tomorrow. My kangaroo apple has fruit on it, and 5 of the 6 I planted last trip have also taken. The potatoes I planted are ready to dig out, so will do that next weekend.
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dirtdiva
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Email: cannedquilter@gmail.com
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Post by dirtdiva on Nov 27, 2020 0:36:28 GMT 10
My husband planted a new cornelian cherry that came in the mail last week. I had ordered it from local permaculture nursery last spring and it had been out of stock so was autumn getting here. Cornelian cherry is a fruit bearing native dogwood tree. A small understory tree that likes shade. It makes a red fruit that is very similar to a cherry. I plant them around my property in the shadier areas under the hickories and oaks. This is my third one. They are excellent dried and can be used in jellies, jams and pies.
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Beno
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Location: Northern Rivers
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Post by Beno on Dec 7, 2020 20:33:11 GMT 10
Another batch of chicks out of the incubator. Some for selling some for snacks.  ![]() We are pumping out about 2 of these bad boys a day. I've never grown zucchini before but since i have started to eat them this year i decided to plant 4 seeds and got these results in about 2 months. They go from the size of a pickle to a big unit in about 2-3 days. Fried or baked offer the best flavour.  |
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dirtdiva
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Posts: 548
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Email: cannedquilter@gmail.com
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Post by dirtdiva on Dec 7, 2020 21:37:06 GMT 10
Another batch of chicks out of the incubator. Some for selling some for snacks. View Attachment![]() We are pumping out about 2 of these bad boys a day. I've never grown zucchini before but since i have started to eat them this year i decided to plant 4 seeds and got these results in about 2 months. They go from the size of a pickle to a big unit in about 2-3 days. Fried or baked offer the best flavour. View AttachmentTry slicing those zucchini length way and rolling in a bit of olive oil and throwing on the grill with a touch of sea salt. That is my husband's favorite way to eat them. |
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Beno
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Posts: 1,310
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Location: Northern Rivers
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Post by Beno on Dec 8, 2020 20:08:50 GMT 10
Another batch of chicks out of the incubator. Some for selling some for snacks. View Attachment![]() We are pumping out about 2 of these bad boys a day. I've never grown zucchini before but since i have started to eat them this year i decided to plant 4 seeds and got these results in about 2 months. They go from the size of a pickle to a big unit in about 2-3 days. Fried or baked offer the best flavour. View AttachmentTry slicing those zucchini length way and rolling in a bit of olive oil and throwing on the grill with a touch of sea salt. That is my husband's favorite way to eat them. How could i have forgotten that! Yes that is the best way to eat them by far. I haven’t fired up the barbie for a while and this is as good a reason as any. We had a clucky hen deliver another 9 chicks. It was a good effort considering a few days over over 40 degrees recently. |
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Post by SA Hunter on Dec 17, 2020 19:59:27 GMT 10
My black Russian tomatoes have taken, and most are thriving - yay!
Cucumbers are going well - planted "Spacesaver" type in pots - some fruit starting to set.
Picking onions regularly, though most are quite small in size.
Jujube tree is going great - probably tripled in size.
Had a few avocado seeds in pots as an experiment - one has worked, and is about 10cm tall.
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Post by SA Hunter on Dec 30, 2020 11:27:03 GMT 10
Bunnings had tomatoes for $1. They were put into pots last night. Also some sage, as my plant dies - got 7-8 yrs out of it though.
Planted some Gooseberry seedlings.
My native bush food seedlings are coming along slowly - some are working, some not. Talking to the locals, they have the same trouble too - but will keep at it.
Got given access to a large unused raised garden. Will more than double the size of my current garden.
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Post by SA Hunter on Jan 3, 2021 16:44:53 GMT 10
Checked out the raised garden I can use - eleven raised beds, and 5 large circular beds - and room for a few fruit trees too.
Picked my first gooseberry - the only one that was ready.
Planted a bunch of apricot seeds I was given from a backyard tree.
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Post by spinifex on Jan 4, 2021 18:33:45 GMT 10
I planted a few Taiwanese eggplant seeds in a 20 L food bucket that I filled with drift soil.
The seeds have germinated and are off and running. I'm interested to see how well they go.
I've got them growing on our front deck as an 'ornamental' plant since they have very decorative fruits and pleasing foliage.
Beats growing ferns and cycads that don't produce anything to eat!
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Post by SA Hunter on Jan 5, 2021 20:12:21 GMT 10
My almond seeds I planted are starting to grow ( well, 1 of them is ).
Planted some Quandong seeds - from different areas of the State - so hope I can get them to grow.
Also planted some Guava seeds - friends here grow them in their garden - see how they go with my black thumb!
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Beno
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Location: Northern Rivers
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Post by Beno on Jan 5, 2021 20:21:41 GMT 10
I have a fantastic crop of insects and mold. 400 plus millimetres of rain in 20 days and 30 deg C will do that. I am growing courgettes (fancy word for zucchini) so big that they would make a seasoned lady blush. I failed with tomatoes, i think growing them into the new season over winter was a bad idea but i tried anyway. All that did was carry over some nasties from last season which is killing the plants. I still have carrots, onions, silver beet, beans, celery, ‘erbs, cucumber and eggplant kicking along. My corn was flogged by mice. I had saved seed from the “bicolour” variety of corn. I thought this would not perform as they were hybrids (?) but got a good crop until he lil buggers found out. I’ll put out some poison to see if i can shut them down.
My compost is vividly alive. The pile is hot, moist and should be pumping out decent quality compost to cycle back through the garden in a couple of months. weeds, grass, leaves, chook poo is all going into the mix. I’ll add some carbon to keep the C:N ratios about right.
It’s a great thin g to know it is as hard as F#$k to grow crops in a normal situation let alone a survival one. I’m glad i eat a metric sh!tton of meat as i can grow and hunt all i need very well.
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Post by SA Hunter on Jan 5, 2021 21:50:46 GMT 10
I have a fantastic crop of insects and mold. 400 plus millimetres of rain in 20 days and 30 deg C will do that. I am growing courgettes (fancy word for zucchini) so big that they would make a seasoned lady blush. I failed with tomatoes, i think growing them into the new season over winter was a bad idea but i tried anyway. All that did was carry over some nasties from last season which is killing the plants. I still have carrots, onions, silver beet, beans, celery, ‘erbs, cucumber and eggplant kicking along. My corn was flogged by mice. I had saved seed from the “bicolour” variety of corn. I thought this would not perform as they were hybrids (?) but got a good crop until he lil buggers found out. I’ll put out some poison to see if i can shut them down. My compost is vividly alive. The pile is hot, moist and should be pumping out decent quality compost to cycle back through the garden in a couple of months. weeds, grass, leaves, chook poo is all going into the mix. I’ll add some carbon to keep the C:N ratios about right. It’s a great thin g to know it is as hard as F#$k to grow crops in a normal situation let alone a survival one. I’m glad i eat a metric sh!tton of meat as i can grow and hunt all i need very well. Your last point is a great and in depth thought - in a shtf scenario, many people think they will just put seeds in the ground, come back in the morning, and have veggies on tap. You have shown that there are other factors in play - heat, rain, insects, mould, mice etc. One has to plan for a situation when the reliable veggie plot fails miserably, or it gets raided and nothing is left behind. Makes one think about other options to consider. |
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fei
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Post by fei on Jan 5, 2021 22:00:52 GMT 10
Our winter started late but with a vengeance. Have been having temps hovering around 0 - 2 degrees max for the past ten days or so. Went away on a work trip and asked the rest of the fam to look after all the plants on the balcony.
Come back to find most have died of cold, with the one tomato plant that didn't start fruiting until winter but then churning out heaps of toms having keeled over too.
Have moved smaller plants inside and plastic wrapped / bagged the larger ones, but I think the next few days of sub-zero temps will probably finish most of them off.
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Beno
Senior Member
Posts: 1,310
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Location: Northern Rivers
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Post by Beno on Jan 6, 2021 9:10:02 GMT 10
I have a fantastic crop of insects and mold. 400 plus millimetres of rain in 20 days and 30 deg C will do that. I am growing courgettes (fancy word for zucchini) so big that they would make a seasoned lady blush. I failed with tomatoes, i think growing them into the new season over winter was a bad idea but i tried anyway. All that did was carry over some nasties from last season which is killing the plants. I still have carrots, onions, silver beet, beans, celery, ‘erbs, cucumber and eggplant kicking along. My corn was flogged by mice. I had saved seed from the “bicolour” variety of corn. I thought this would not perform as they were hybrids (?) but got a good crop until he lil buggers found out. I’ll put out some poison to see if i can shut them down. My compost is vividly alive. The pile is hot, moist and should be pumping out decent quality compost to cycle back through the garden in a couple of months. weeds, grass, leaves, chook poo is all going into the mix. I’ll add some carbon to keep the C:N ratios about right. It’s a great thin g to know it is as hard as F#$k to grow crops in a normal situation let alone a survival one. I’m glad i eat a metric sh!tton of meat as i can grow and hunt all i need very well. Your last point is a great and in depth thought - in a shtf scenario, many people think they will just put seeds in the ground, come back in the morning, and have veggies on tap. You have shown that there are other factors in play - heat, rain, insects, mould, mice etc. One has to plan for a situation when the reliable veggie plot fails miserably, or it gets raided and nothing is left behind. Makes one think about other options to consider. Yep very true and most people i know have pitifully small gardens and they think that will sustain them. It’s been 15 years since i’ve had a vegie garden in the subtropics, most of my other gardens were in the desert or dry tropics. Summer is almost a write off for a lot of vegetables up here unless you spray. The mice eating the corn was a surprise and i should have reacted a bit quicker. Everything else was deja vu from previous lessons and experience. A good key indicator was old mate down the road who sells organic produce at a roadside stall. About 3-4 weeks ago he had picked his veg crops then planted covercrops. This tells me he won’t sow new seed until Autumn when the growing conditions in my area are near perfect and the bugs and mould are easing off. It’s not all doom and gloom and we are still producing about $60-$70 worth of veg a week, a dozen eggs a day, a rooster every 2 weeks and a young ram lamb getting prime for the spit. We need to get some steers in but they are like gold bars on legs, very pricey. |
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Post by SA Hunter on Jan 15, 2021 19:44:53 GMT 10
Day trip to the bol - geeze, did my plants need a good water!!
A lot of trees were very distressed from the heat - funny thing, some were flourishing not more than 10m away.
My Kangaroo Apple have all taken and are fruiting - even one less than 20cm tall is flowering.
Apple tree is about 50cm tall ( was about 10cm tall when I planted it ).
To top the day off picked a small bucket of mulberries!
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