It’s time for another The Garden Share Collective update. A monthly community of like minded garden bloggers who put pen to paper to share their vege patches with all those interested – the trials and tribulations of growing your own! Love it.
Autumn is here! Goodbye summer what a season you were, so very hot and dry and windy. Our poplars in one day gave up the ghost and dropped their leaves in disgust, probably something to do with the lack of rain. Can’t say I blame them.
So what’s been happening in our neck of the woods?
Harvest time
We are still munching on those rather large spring onions which I hauled out and poked in the fridge. Beetroot and celery are being juiced regularly with home grown pears, apples and peaches. The beans are all but finished and will soon be hauled out and replaced with some peas. I’m feeding the chooks cooked squash, sorrel leaves and giving them chopped toms that the green shield beetles have been feasting on – the girls don’t mind one bit.
Lettuces will soon be sharing their leaves in salads, and our home grown spuds are divine .. mashed, baked with garlic and rosemary or sliced and topped on fish pies.
It is so nice being able to enjoy our own red onions and of course the star of the show are those fabulous Egyptain walking onions. You must try growing some.
What’s happening in that garden?
Those lupins I broadcast as a cover crop aren’t doing much yet – I have to say I’m wondering if the seed is past its best. But the borage in the same space which is self seeded is growing like mad.
The carrots, radishes and spring onions are a disaster. Even though I have been watering them regularly, only a couple of radishes have germinated, their greenery resembling small hats.
I have at last started to transplant my winter seedlings into their own pots and will leave them outdoors in a sunny spot. As the white butterflies will be more than happy to share these with me, I need to cover them with some frost netting, which works a treat.
Our chillies are looking fabulous … I shall be burning my mouth very soon. Yummo
The corn tassels are out and the silks are ready and waiting. More corn is on the way.
Prima heritage apple .. splendid
Things to do
- Run like mad through my orchard with Dan barking and me screeching – turkey scare tactics
- Pick the majority of the fruit from the orchard ready or not – I just can’t keep sharing it with the birdlife
- Throw some horse pooh around the bed that provided those yummy spuds and get it ready for lupins
- I’m considering sowing more carrot seed (I know go figure), but this time I’m going to pop down wet newspaper to keep those seeds moist and the birds at bay
- Start pruning my stone fruit trees – much work to do here
- Net the quince and the fig tree any guesses why?
- Gloat at the olive trees – they are laden
- Grab the seaweed lying on the beach for my garden and fertiliser bins
Nearly time to finish, I’m tapping away on my computer watching a black bird bath itself in a pet’s water bowl. Nice!
Thanks Lizzie, from Strayed from the Table it is so nice being of a group of gardeners who just like me, love their gardens.
Happy gardening!
Happy Autumn Julie, can’t wait to see the photo’s of your olive harvest!
Hey Lizzie, happy Autumn to you too. I’m dreading the harvest of the olives to be honest. I suspect it is going to be hard work. LOL
Hee hee I love your turkey scaring tactics! Aren’t fresh new seedlings just beautiful 🙂
Hey Miss, you should see Dan & I – horrible! ha ha Yes new seedlings are quite lovely, especially when you grow them yourself. I decided to grow basil late – and will pot it and keep indoors. Well that’s the plan anyway. 🙂
i love watchign birds have a bath too – i will happily stop everythign just to watch this lovely moment! you have some beautiful things comign out of your garden; that apple is indeed splendid. i can tastes it from here! thank you for sharing a lovely post with us; everything looks green and fresh.
Thanks so much for dropping by. Those apples make me smack my lips, but I’m sure it is only because they need a wee bit more time on that tree!
Sounds as though you have whirlwind of things to do, but oh so heavenly, I am sure to eat from the good earth. I love your photos! I am very much inspired!
Hi Roberta, great to have you back and thanks for your comments on my photos. I think we are both very passionate – Yes? 🙂
YES! (:
Hello! Just found your blog through the Garden Share Collective – I’m taking part for the first time this month, from my ‘permaculture(ish) plot’. I love your photos – gorgeous…I’m based in the UK, so its pigeons we have to worry about – they’ve eaten masses of my fruit, the little grey fiends. Still haven’t come up with a good way of scaring them off – tho my children do really enjoy the yelling approach to bird-scaring! Best wishes, Lucy
Hey Lucy ..great to hear from you. I love my camera – thank you. Best wishes to you too! 🙂
Do share what you do with the seaweed in your garden. Do you compost it first or do you make a tea with it for liquid fert? Love the look of those pears, apples and corn – yum
Hey Lizzie .. I used to dig holes in the garden and throw it in, prior to planting new crops. I have also used it as mulch which works a treat too. Other than that, it gets thrown into my seaweed & fish fert bin and topped up with water from time to time, a stir when I remember and hey presto. Wonderful smelly stuff – the garden loves it, diluted of course!
oooh this was my question too! Do you have to wash the salt off first Julie?
Hey Lisa .. Seaweed is just brilliant in the garden. I do give it a hose, just in case.
Your photographs are stunning. Your orchard sounds amazing, I am a little envious of your fruit harvest. The pears and apples look divine. We have some little trees planted but they are many years off producing. Love your tip to Lizzie on the seaweed. I am looking forward to staying updated with your progress 🙂
Hey Kyrstie, how nice to hear from you. Thanks too for your comments. Hope to see you again! 🙂
Hi Julie, you have captured your garden and produce beautifully. I love that big plate of apples and pears, just gorgeous! I bet that seaweed is good stuff too!
Hi Jane. thank you. I’m a huge fan of your photography. And yes, that seaweed is magic stuff. 🙂
Do you live right next to a beach? Lovely to see your harvest! How many olive trees do you have and do you harvest the olives? Is the turkey yours? Beautiful pics 🙂
Hi, so nice to hear from you. Yes we live near a beach. We have about 40 or so olive trees. This will be their first harvest .. So exciting. No the turkeys are wild, they just think that this is their home 🙂 So pleased you like the pics. Yours are fabulous.
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How come that we never came across turkeys on our trip through NZ? Guess they can be a nuisance too. Look forward to your olive harvest, Julie 🙂
Hey Annette .. not sure why? Believe me there are loads of them around our place. Yes they can be a nuisance – they are so very cheeky. 🙂
Hi Julie. Nice article thanks. Do you have any recommendations for an organic pest control spray, that is NON toxic to humans?
Hey Phillip .. thank you. Neem oil is one of the best for certain. Let Google give you a hand 🙂