Garden Update

Mornings are absolutely beautiful at this time of year. I wake to glorious cloudless skies and warm sunshine which quickly raises the outside temperature from 16 deg C to around 25 deg C by 1030. So today I found enough clothing and towels to do a load of dhobeying (washing) and had it on the line by 0645.

By 0930 the cloud was back with light grey and white clouds scudding across the sky with a few breaks where blue sky let the sun through. The clouds are moving quite quickly from the South East, so I'd say there's a bit of wind up there although it is only a stiff breeze at sea level (or 50 metres above, as we are). With the cloud cover it is taking longer than usual to dry the chillies, but patience will eventually pay off.

I took the opportunity this morning to take some snaps of some of the garden. I didn't bother with the pumpkins as they have completely taken over one side. I counted one fully grown pumpkin and I think about 6 or 7 immature ones that should fully mature if not disturbed too much.

 

As I have said previously, the passionfruit is starting to develop many flowers and they have now started to form baby fruit. This means that, after some time we will have any number of fruit to enjoy.

The one that starred in a previous blog is now really starting to ripen. It takes a long time for them to fully mature and drop off the vine, but the wait is well worth it.

Cantaloupe/Rock Melon/Musk Melon. Know by many different names in all parts of Australia and the rest of the world. A succulent, juicy melon that is totally jammed pack full of goodness. I grew these with another patch down the garden from 4 seeds from one Kay bought. So pleased that I did now. A slice or two for breakfast will give you the burst you need to keep you going until lunch time. They are like passionfruit and take a fair time to ripen, but again, worth the wait.

The tomatoes are growing oh so well and have set several trusses. Unfortunately for this impatient gardener, they are not ripening as fast as I would like, but again, I must remember that patience is a virtue!! As you can see on the right that, when a truss forms, not all the fruit will grow at the same rate. I will soon be writing a blog about genetically modified fruit and vegetables so this pic will then become a "centrepiece" of that blog and all will be revealed, so keep watching!!

The first bed of potatoes I planted is now showing growth. There are only two heads up at the moment so I will wait until the others come up before piling more sugar cane mulch over them and hopefully they will grow another head of potatoes under that layer.

I have also been busy early of a morning while the sun is shining, and I have planted seeds in trays of okra, pickling cucumbers (for Polski Ogorki) Chinese and mini cabbages, which have all sprouted. I also have some Peruvian chilli, mixed chilli, brown onions and asparagus, which have not yet shown their heads. My next problem will be to find room in the garden to transplant them!!!

I have already sown some climbing purple beans, which have already started climbing and heaps of garlic, which are just  showing a tinge of green. Around the tomatoes shown above, I have sown a couple of rows of carrots, beetroot and parsnips and some broccoli. Lots of veges for good health!!
The snake beans are producing now. Before they were all green and no bean!!! I have picked some that are almost a metre in length and I have frozen most but had some for lunch the other day and they are extremely tasty.

I will be back soon with more of my thoughts and maybe even some news and views, so keep watching this space and, most of all, enjoy!!!