Beno
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Location: Northern Rivers
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Post by Beno on Feb 6, 2021 16:03:21 GMT 10
I was surprised with a crop of golden bantam corn this week. It sprouted, grew, flowered and matured in about 10 weeks. It caught me off guard and went to starch pretty darn quick. Most,of my crop is now going to next years seed or maybe tortillas if i can work out how to make them. They looked pretty scabby compared to the hybrid breeds but i think they are less “hungry” requiring less water and nutrients. This probably makes them an ideal staple for the homesteader.
The hippy organic farmer down the road has had his paddock idle and in cover crop since late December. Wise move, he has avoided trying to grow while the insects are in large numbers
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doglover
Full Member
Prepping to make my way through this crazy world
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Post by doglover on Feb 10, 2021 9:10:10 GMT 10
Today was mild and clear. First day I’ve been able to work in the yard in ages. My greenhouse and garden are overrun with weeds currently. I could plant some winter crops but will just wait for our spring. I had de limbed a decent sized black walnut tree a while back and finally got all the firewood picked up and stacked. I raked all the leaves and walnuts up for the burn pile. Four large scoops with the loader. The walnut trees poison the soil to get rid of competition so the tree needs to go as it’s close to my plumbs, figs and some apple trees. The main trunk will go to the local sawmill to become boards for some furniture later on.I did start pruning fruit trees today. I’m cutting them all way back and shaping the trees. I need to spray the trees for fungus too while dormant. I try not to treat them when fruit is anywhere near. Will prune the grapevines after done with the trees. Never ending battle here to just keep up. I am going to open up a large section of the fence on the garden and make a gate to be able to to get the tractor in there. I’ve always done it with just a tiller and walk behind mower before but am getting older now, and lazier. Got some sun, exercise and some stuff accomplished here. It was a good day.
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Post by spinifex on Feb 10, 2021 12:05:30 GMT 10
I'm harvesting raspberries and fresh herbs. Been a weird year for stone fruits ... many fruit ripened early and dropped before I could get time to harvest them.
I have a good looking crop of JuJubes filling out on the tree. Heaps of pink figs and apples coming along too.
Looking forward to putting in a big pea crop in the first week of march.
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Post by SA Hunter on Feb 14, 2021 20:52:14 GMT 10
Some of my black Russian tomatoes have exploded in size with the recent heat - no fruit yet, but looks promising.
My Thai pink cherry tomato bush going crazy - probably picked 30-40 fruits so far, and more to come. Capsicums & chilli going well - really well actually - same as Basil - never could grow so much before this year.
Some of my natives are coming along well - more seeds coming on order, so getting ready for them to arrive.
Trip to Bunnings - white Mulberry trees reduced to $5 - of course I got one for the bol.
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raptor
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Post by raptor on Feb 15, 2021 18:13:36 GMT 10
Here in Northern Queensland it's HOT and the wet season is a bust.
Over the years I've trialed a lot of fruit and veggies that were said to be "heat tolerant" but flat out weren't.
If they set any fruit at all the fruit spotting beetles and fruit fly took care of anything that managed to set.
At the moment I'm trialing loofa as a summer zucchini substitute. It's working extremely well. It thrives in the heat and the bugs leave it alone.
Fruit fly and FSB leave the fruit alone. It doesn't get mildew, root rot or fungal issues in high humidity. It have a pretty spectacular fruit set.
That said the skin is unpleasant and needs to be peeled. It's a bit slimy. It needs to be picked young or it's too fiberous to eat. I use the chopped larger specimens to bulk out my soaked chicken feed.
Armenian cucumbers coped better than other cucumber varieties in this sort of weather but the orange cucumber beetles attacked the plant and the flowers in droves.
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raptor
Junior Member
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Post by raptor on Feb 16, 2021 12:07:23 GMT 10
SQUEEE.....the 75 plant seedling trays I ordered off ebay just turned up.
Every summer I start tooling up for the next growing season which would be the dry season here/ winter everywhere else.
This season I'm installing dripper lines in my beds and investing in more veggie mesh. I grew some epic organic, bug free broccoli last season becuase I used weed mat, dripper line and veggie mesh and so the proof of concept works in my context. Seriously the heads were bigger than my head! The greens were delish and they taste a thousand times better than kale. I HATE KALE. I grow kale for my chickens and guinea pigs and I do juice it when I'm on a juice cleanse but that is mixed with a butt load of apple juice and pineapple juice to kill the taste.
I need more header pipe, fittings, dripper line and glav. plumbers strap.
I got to go through my seeds and work out a garden plan and look at last years garden diary to figure out what I won't be planting this season.
I'm still on the hunt for the perfect roma tomato for my context.
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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 Apr 29, 2021 21:19:05 GMT 10
The hippy down the road has started prepping his beds for planting. i’ve followed suit. Conditions have been horrible for gardening due to far too much rain. It has dried out over the past 2 weeks so my Autumn garden is going in with peas, carrots, onions, beetroot, broccoli, cabbage, ground spinach, garlic and i’ve put in six more sweet potato runners.
I’m experimenting with gypsum to raise sulfur levels while keeping the soils structure in good nick. I’m also using natramin hi phos rock fertiliser for long term slow release fertiliser. my compost is delicious and i’m getting worms in the top 1/3 of the pile.
I need to find some spuds to go in as well.
My experiments with leaving stuff in the dirt until needed as finished. The only success was the broccoli that kept producing little heads for over a year after harvest. The silverbeet turned to crap and the carrots started to get attacked by grubs below the ground. I was able to leave the onions in for a long time without much problem. I’ll probably never grow more than 1 cucumber vine again. We just don’t eat much it even though it is really nice.
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dirtdiva
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Email: cannedquilter@gmail.com
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Post by dirtdiva on Apr 29, 2021 23:06:21 GMT 10
The hippy down the road has started prepping his beds for planting. i’ve followed suit. Conditions have been horrible for gardening due to far too much rain. It has dried out over the past 2 weeks so my Autumn garden is going in with peas, carrots, onions, beetroot, broccoli, cabbage, ground spinach, garlic and i’ve put in six more sweet potato runners. I’m experimenting with gypsum to raise sulfur levels while keeping the soils structure in good nick. I’m also using natramin hi phos rock fertiliser for long term slow release fertiliser. my compost is delicious and i’m getting worms in the top 1/3 of the pile. I need to find some spuds to go in as well. My experiments with leaving stuff in the dirt until needed as finished. The only success was the broccoli that kept producing little heads for over a year after harvest. The silverbeet turned to crap and the carrots started to get attacked by grubs below the ground. I was able to leave the onions in for a long time without much problem. I’ll probably never grow more than 1 cucumber vine again. We just don’t eat much it even though it is really nice. Looks like a typical spring/fall garden in my area of the USA. The only surprise was the sweet potato runners. Here sweet potatoes are strictly a summer crop with a long growing season. The greatest success I have had with sweet potatoes was growing them in 2 year old straw. I also do not leave crops in the ground for any length of time here due to vole damage. |
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Post by SA Hunter on Jul 10, 2021 10:45:04 GMT 10
Not much at home, but the raised garden I have access to, well, planted a bit this week -
Beetroot, Kale, Peas, Carrots, Potatoes, Radish, Silver Beet, Broccoli, Onions, Parsley, Coriander & Dill. I know I missed some more.
Getting the raised beds weeded, and ready for the spring/summer crops.
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Deleted
Deleted Member
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Post by Deleted on Jul 25, 2021 17:04:33 GMT 10
Some bare rooted fruit trees I had ordered earlier in the year from Yalca nursery arrived on friday, so I am guessing the bare root stocks will be hitting other nurseries as well.
Not a lot this time, just replacing some trees that didn't take off with last years planting:
- Smyrna quince
- Huonville crab apple
- Dwarf Cox's Orange Pippin apple
- Dwarf Fenouillet Gris apple
(last years planting was all cooking and cider making varieties)
Edit: change "bear rooted" to "bare rooted" after confirming, that in fact, no bears had any relations whatsoever with the trees...
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Beno
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Location: Northern Rivers
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Post by Beno on Jul 25, 2021 17:34:53 GMT 10
The hippy down the road has started prepping his beds for planting. i’ve followed suit. Conditions have been horrible for gardening due to far too much rain. It has dried out over the past 2 weeks so my Autumn garden is going in with peas, carrots, onions, beetroot, broccoli, cabbage, ground spinach, garlic and i’ve put in six more sweet potato runners. I’m experimenting with gypsum to raise sulfur levels while keeping the soils structure in good nick. I’m also using natramin hi phos rock fertiliser for long term slow release fertiliser. my compost is delicious and i’m getting worms in the top 1/3 of the pile. I need to find some spuds to go in as well. My experiments with leaving stuff in the dirt until needed as finished. The only success was the broccoli that kept producing little heads for over a year after harvest. The silverbeet turned to crap and the carrots started to get attacked by grubs below the ground. I was able to leave the onions in for a long time without much problem. I’ll probably never grow more than 1 cucumber vine again. We just don’t eat much it even though it is really nice. Looks like a typical spring/fall garden in my area of the USA. The only surprise was the sweet potato runners. Here sweet potatoes are strictly a summer crop with a long growing season. The greatest success I have had with sweet potatoes was growing them in 2 year old straw. I also do not leave crops in the ground for any length of time here due to vole damage. A belated response dirt diva. I’m able to keep them alive year round and i also leave tubers in the dirt for a quick kick off in the warmer months. They were doing well until the kids pet rabbits found a way in. They’ll live (the sweet potatoes)and will do well in a couple of months. I planted some organic variety and i don’t like the taste. They are much more bland than the commercial type. I’ll dig em all up and plant better stuff next season. Mr McGregor came over and dealt with the rabbits. |
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dirtdiva
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Post by dirtdiva on Jul 25, 2021 23:50:20 GMT 10
Interesting that you can overwinter sweet potatoes there Beno. That would definitely give you a jump on next season. My parents used to talk about during the great depression in the 30's and 40's here in the US their family just about subsisted on sweet potatoes which usually grow great in the southern US heat, humidity and poor soils. Did you know that sweet potato leaves are edible?
And to stay on topic my garden is full right now in late July. Tomatoes, peppers, cucumbers, cabbage, yellow squash and zucchini, cantaloupe, watermelon, okra, peas, green beans, beets, mustard greens, turnips, carrots going to seed, chives, basil, dill, mint, borage.
A busy time but a time of plenty.
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Beno
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Location: Northern Rivers
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Post by Beno on Aug 13, 2021 8:27:18 GMT 10
I took the day off today. I have a large stand of lantana that is going under the chop and begin my spring compost pile. Where lantana is cleared t makes a great planting bed as the lantana mulch is very fertile. There are other weeds around that haven’t gone to seed that will get the same treatment.
DD yes i knew they were edible but have not tried any yet. I was thinking to lightly fry in a stir fry meal and eat them that way once the time comes.
Ive also started experimenting with sprouting in a germination box to get some early seedlings and to protect some tender veg types. I think it’s now too late to be truly effective as it is starting to get a bit warmer already but what the heck. I have planted water melon, pumpkin, rhubarb, cabbage, peas, more onions, carrots and celery. A good potato crop is about 1/2 way there too. I like growing potatoes they produce good hearty food.
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malewithatail
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Location: Northern Rivers NSW
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Post by malewithatail on Aug 13, 2021 10:33:06 GMT 10
Moving the pigs around to different garden beds during winter means no or minimal cultivation needed to plant out straight into turned over, fertilized beds. Getting ready to do brood box inspections for the bees as they are now buzzing with the warmer weather. I know I've lot 3 boxes over winter, but split 12 or so last summer, so I'm still ahead.
Pigs love lantana, or ours do, they did up the roots as well and eat it all. Great little bulldozers but do train them to electric fencing as they will destroy a garden bed in a matter of minutes if they get out.
Got the seed spuds ready to plant that we saved from last harvest, also the sweet potato as well is ready to go. Busy times are a coming !
Spring lambing is nearly here, busy times.
Faster than a speeding ticket !
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dirtdiva
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Post by dirtdiva on Aug 15, 2021 19:52:58 GMT 10
Potatoes and Purple Hull peas were just picked. Green beans are loaded. This is second succession planting. Elderberry, blueberry and blackberry are still ripening but blueberry is just about done. Figs not ripe yet. Picking tomatoes, cucumbers, summer squash okra and sweet peppers. Not yet ready to harvest are sweet potato, watermelon and cantaloupe.
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malewithatail
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Location: Northern Rivers NSW
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Post by malewithatail on Aug 15, 2021 20:43:50 GMT 10
Wife just planted 10 rows of 10 in each row spuds, Jerusalem artichoke and some other stuff. I cleaned out 2 of the 3 chock trailers and we move them to new ground tomorrow.
Planning the next garden to be dug up by the pigs ready to plant in next week, and getting the irrigation gear out and checked over for the main paddock planting of sweet potatoes.
Picking the cocktail tomatoes tomorrow. Time to start planning to check how the bees are going, planning the splits to be done and making sure they have enough room to expand. The season changes rapidly up here, within a week they can fill a triple super with honey and swarm, so must be ready for it.
Floppy not responding, format hard drive instead ? Y/Y ?
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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 Oct 6, 2021 9:51:07 GMT 10
I got rid of the organic sweet potatoes i had planted. the taste was not great and i just dug them out. They did survive winter and a rabbit invasion and were doing well but they had to go. I dug these badboys out a few days ago. The largest potato was 850 grams. I have no evidence as it was eaten quickly after harvest 🥔🥔. So far each plant has yielded a bit over 1kg per plant which is about right according to the books. There were a few stonkers in that crop. Got some garlic and great onions coming through too. Our peas were woeful this season and some others in my area had the same issue. Don’t know why. Passionfruit is flowering and fruiting prolifically and after 40mm rain things are looking good in general. I’m trialling some potatoes from the shop that went to bud in the bag. Their form so far is remarkable. Fresh vigorous growth. I plants them in a quickly dug bed well away from my main garden to reduce disease risk. The hippy down the road has onions or onion like plant in and are looking good. His other crops look a bit ratty. not sure what they are but i can see plenty of weeds and he has not mulched this yet.  ![]()  |
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dirtdiva
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Post by dirtdiva on Oct 6, 2021 10:24:31 GMT 10
Is this some Australian scientific term??  |
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Beno
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Location: Northern Rivers
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Post by Beno on Oct 6, 2021 10:42:43 GMT 10
Is this some Australian scientific term?? Hahaha yep! Aussie scientific slang. I usually save this term for big fish but couldn’t help myself. |
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Beno
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Location: Northern Rivers
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Post by Beno on Oct 24, 2021 14:54:23 GMT 10
 Got a few tomato and oregano cuttings starting to root. I will let them go for a bit longer and plant them into some wet medium. The tom cuttings are a bit big but so far so good. The zucchini are going well. we will produce enough for the next 2 months and the succession seedlings should take over from there. I’m trying to put away heaps of dried herbs. it takes a lot of vegetation to get a jar full of dried product. |
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