November already. Does anyone know where the year has gone? The good news is, it is time for another monthly update of The Garden Share Collective. A monthly community of like minded garden enthusiasts who put pen to paper to share their vege patches with all those interested – the trials and tribulations of growing your own!
Always pays to check under the leaf before picking!
I can’t believe that we are already watering the garden, which given that we have another month of spring is a bit scary. There hasn’t been much rain lately ..
Food! My turn for dinner tonight and I’m cooking Asian style poached chicken with coriander, garlic, star anise and a wicked chilli sauce (homemade of course). I love cooking – well the truth is, I really love eating!
I have modified the recipe as I do – a Julie thing and have popped in NZ spinach (home grown) and red sliced cabbage. Our herbs and spring onions straight from the garden are also starring in the line-up. Yummo! Will be perfect a wee bit later with a glass of Pinot Gris (Toi Toi of course).
My salad garden is starting to grow .. albeit slowly while some dwarf bean seeds which I poked in the ground have muscled their way to the surface and are enjoying the spring sunshine. Aren’t we all!
The garlic and Walking Onions are looking fab, but this dry weather means keeping the water up to them – especially the garlic.
Some of the self seeded flowers got the ‘chop’ today they were literally choking their allium neighbours – well some of them did, I’m a sucker for colour and the bees love them, so I can’t rip them all out.
This is why I spend so much time on my roses!
I’m also being particularly good and giving my roses a regular spray with seaweed. Black spot and rust are alive and well in our rose garden. Tomorrow I’m out with the garlic and water spray – bring it on!
I also spotted horse radish up again in one of the tubs. This stuff is wonderful! No matter what – it just keeps on coming back and makes the best mustard.
Tasks
- I’m still poking seedlings in the soil – love watching them grow!
- Another raised bed will get ripped out and replenished with organic material – and into this space will go, my chillies! Whoop whoop
- No doubt I will be thinking about lifting the garlic, but knowing me I won’t do this till later in Dec
Black beauty zucchini
Harvesting and Eating
We are always using our wonderful array of herbs in all sorts of tasty cuisines. Munching on spring onions, NZ spinach and the odd beetroot.
Well, we are off on a road trip soon to get some more amazing pics of NZ’s brilliant countryside and the odd vineyard. Our good buddy Dallas is coming over and he is a legend with that camera. Guess who will be getting more lessons!
Happy gardening, dinner was very tasty!
I’ve never thought to plant horseradish before! It looks great! Your whole garden looks great!
Hi Lisa … thanks for that. Horseradish is brilliant. The mustard is amazing .. know you would love it. Grating the stuff is scary though – makes cutting onions a ‘walk in the park’! 🙂
I’d love your mustard recipe Julie. I have a mountain of horseradish which I grew specifically to make a River Cottage Chutney which I never got round to making…… 🙂 Garden looking great!
Hey Miss … no problem. Trying to remember where I put it. When I get my mitts on it I’ll send it on!
cheers
hello from another garden sharer!
your photos are just beautiful. i love your up-close-ness – we can really see into this other world.
please tell me, what is that pretty lilacy flower that the bumblebee is working on? so pretty.
Hi .. thank you so much for your lovely comments on the photos. I do love taking them .. That gorgeous flower is a phacelia and the bees just adore it. Fantastic to use as a cover crop … doubles up by attracting bees. 🙂
Great shots. You’re using a macro lens aren’t you?
Ha ha … yes I am, well spotted. It is new and I love it. But I have to start using the other lens too … I’m boring! Nice to see you on my blog
Wonderful photos, what are walking onions?
Hi Sharon, thanks. Love my camera. Mexican walking onions .. First time I have ever grown them, will be interesting. 🙂
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Lovely to see spring shooting up as we clear the autumn debris from our garden. I know what you mean about taking out self seeded flowers – it’s always a wrench to cut them out, especially when the bees are busy amongst them.
Hi Anne great to hear from you. I always get the guilts ripping out flowers. Especially the purple ones ..
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I didn’t think that water was an issue over there. Your photos are fantastic if you get more lessons you will put the rest of all to shame with our back yard pics. I am going to try out horeseradish this year, I have some in a small pot, just not sure where to plant it here.
We often mean to investigate horseradish – thanks for the reminder.
Hi … horseradish is wonderful stuff. The mustard is divine. Glad for the reminder 🙂