It may be July, nearly mid winter and birthday month for some (namely me) – but it is also time for another monthly update for the Garden Share Collective. A fab group of like minded global garden bloggers – sharing their verge patches with all those interested.
I must say, I not only enjoy sharing our gardening endeavours, but I love reading how others are faring.
So, this past month other than poke some garlic into the soil, it has been fairly quiet here in terms of planting. That’s not to say though, that I haven’t been thinking about my summer plantings and the garden plan for the warmer months.
Harvesting
Within a week, my cauliflowers have nearly doubled in size, and are shouldering their greenery aside. This gorgeous specimen needed removal as we are having roast chook this evening, and how good is cauli with a tasty cheese sauce?
Our broccoli which is an heirloom variety Di Cicco is tasting as good as ever. This is a particularly clever broccoli as once you have removed the main head, it sends out smaller offshoot florets. Then there is the kale, which I’m loving juicing. Mentioning juices – they are back on the daily menu again and feature anything from carrot, celery, parsley, ginger, beetroot, kale, brassica leaves, spinach, lemon juice and wait for it .. pineapple! Pardon? Blame the hubby for that one, mind you it tastes great!
I’m still harvesting beetroot, which is such a versatile vege – great juiced, roasted, in salads and pickled. Yum!
And it just so happens that the garage still has a plentiful supply of garlic, Egyptian walking onions and bananas, the latter which is ripening nicely.
Plus, I’ve hopped on the end of the spade and starting digging up our yacon tubers which can be eaten sweet or savoury and go very nicely in that morning juice. Sweetish without any calories! Perfect.
Those pea pods are really starting to ‘fatten’ up, so I guess it won’t be long before we will be munching on those. Good!
Things to do
Ah, now we’re talking! There seems to be a list as long as my arm of things to do. But if you live on a lifestyle block, this will often be the case.
We need to finish pruning the olive trees, which after attending a meeting held by Oliveti NZ over the weekend, I am more convinced than ever that we need to be more ruthless with our pruning.
As olive trees fruit on 2nd year wood, a good prune can often mean a reduced crop the following year. But in saying this, harvesting a tree that is huge, has low and crossed branches, and is dense with branches and foliage in the centre is a nightmare.
My hubby was concerned also about the lichen growth on our olives and also some of the trees in the orchard. I did a Google as you do when you are unsure and found some really interesting info.
Apparently lichen doesn’t harm plants on which it grows. However, it can may be more common on plants lacking vigour (not the olives trust me). Seems that it likes damp places, can be found where branches have become overcrowded, enjoys humid conditions and will grow facing the prevailing wind as it enjoys moisture. Ah, plenty of wind on that hillside!
The garden ‘to do’ list
- prune the olives – HARD
- feed the olives, not much happens in winter, but they haven’t received a foliar spray in ages and I’m trying to make myself feel better
- pop the sprayer in the back of the ATV and spray the vege garden with seaweed brew
- trim back some plants that are being bolshie in the vege garden – namely Cape gooseberry (pictured above)
- prune back the roses which just happen to be the bane of my life
- trim back the lemon grass which is out of control
- ditto with the rosemary which I hate disturbing as the bees adore it
- talk to the garden – easy to do, good idea to make sure other people aren’t about though
- weed
- dream about the summer planting plan
And to finish .. we have finally bottled our olive oil. It is just the best stuff – I even drizzled it on a sandwich today, how decadent is that!
Happy gardening
Beautiful pictures! I like olive oil, it gives a great taste to salad or pieces of a baguette… 🙂
Thank you Josephine .. 🙂 I was dipping baguette into the oil yesterday! Yummo
I love that first image Julie, it is stunning! Congrats on your olive – it looks fabulous. Happy gardening 🙂
Hey Kyrstie … thank you. I like that image too, even though it is raining 🙂 The olive oil is such a spoil. Happy gardening back to you!
Your olive oil looks very flash! I really love the labelling. Everything looking good in the garden there. I love to indulge in a spot of summer day dreaming too 🙂
Hey Sarah .. it tastes pretty good too! Took awhile to get there though 🙂 Bring on that summer day dreaming ..
oh frogpond, i am as green as your kale with envy! you have so much still for harvesting, how wonderful.
i thought i recalled our local gardening guru Peter Cundall say that lichen is nothing to worry about, it is a sign of a healthy chemical free environment. but i may have that wrong, apparently as i did about chopping worms in half 🙁
Ha ha .. you’re funny! Love the comment about worms, I used to think that too – well that’s what I was told when I was young 🙂 Yes, I think Peter is right, seems they don’t like pollution and prefer ‘rural’ living. Ah, don’t we all. Thanks so much for dropping by! 🙂
Everything looks so green and healthy, unlike our winter when there’s a lot of brown soil and some dull looking root crops. How fabulous to have your own olive oil. Getting pruning right seems a real test, but makes so much difference to how things crop that it pays to get it right. My husband tends to prune with a chainsaw, which is not always the advised method.
Hey Anne, it is green but it is also damp and windy. LOL .. the poor garden is copping it today. Yes loving having our own oil such a treat. Seemed to take forever for them to produce. Yes getting pruning right is a big test. The chainsaw method sounds interesting 🙂 My hubby isn’t big on pruning. Shame about that!
What a wonderful read. I love broccoli and beetroot – I hope to taste yours one day. The olive oil sounds fab too! X
Hey Mr Duttson … good to see you back again. 🙂 Yes you will taste it one day, you just have to jump on that plane! The olive oil is heavenly 🙂 Hugs
Hi Julie. As you appear to be about an hour or so north from us here down the coast, I am amazed at how many things you still have alive in the garden. My cape gooseberries were wiped out in the great May frost! All the best with your list, I hope you get it all done quickly and easily and you have time to sit there and admire it all while enjoying your lovely olive oil! Cheers Sarah : o )
Hi Sarah … Funny isn’t it, I think our garden is looking pretty ordinary. But in saying that, it is still producing yummy stuff. Very lucky with our cape gooseberries – although they are self seeded (as they do prolifically) and shouldn’t be in this garden. LOL Yes woking my way through the list – just waiting for some decent weather. Yes, enjoying that oil! 🙂
I love the look of the olive oil label. I label my homemade jams, but nothing as ritzy as your olive oil.
Its my birthday this month too! All your brassica’s are looking amazing and your garden is so green. I bet your olive oil is super delicious.
Hey Lizzie .. thanks for dropping by. We have had some wonderful brassicas this year. Must be that seaweed fertiliser! The olive oil is delish .. 🙂
So much is happening in your garden!
I particularly love the last two items of your to-do list. 🙂
Hi .. Yes there is a wee bit happening even though it is winter. Never ceases to amaze me. Glad you like those last 2 items 🙂 Thanks for stopping by
It’s a common misconception that lichen is harmfull or a bad sign, when in fact it’s a sign for pure and clean air. I also doubt that they settle on less vigorous trees. I’m envious of your kale, stunning! How wonderful to have your own olive oil, Julie. Such a pity that we didn’t know about you before we visited NZ.
Hey Annette … nice to hear from you. And yes, I agree there is a misconception. I read too that it loves pure clean air. Interesting that you say that about the ‘less vigorous’ trees, I have seen it growing on super healthy trees, reaching for the sky. Glad you like the look of that kale 🙂 And yes, it it wonderful to have our own olive oil … I wish I had known you too Annette, you would have had to come and see us. Next time yes?
Absolutely 🙂
Good! 🙂
Wow! Bottling your own olive oil. That’s impressive. It might just, maybe, almost, kinda-sorta make up for not having cold weather and snow to enjoy in the winter. 🙂
Hi Jim, yep loving that olive oil. Very lucky indeed.Gosh I can’t imagine having snow in winter. Funny isn’t it? Take care, always great to hear from you.
Lovely photos. It must be wonderful to grow into the winter season. I had a feeling your broccoli and cauliflowers were going to be monsters! And the kale – wow! We have been eating our kale. Lisa makes kale chips and they are delicious. Everything looks good in our garden. We have been eating; rhubarb, lettuce, onions, beets and the above mentioned kale. The beans, zucchini, raspberries and spuds are about a week away. It was +35°c today. Four months ago it was -35°c. I’m not sure what I found more uncomfortable! All the best.
Hey Bob, so good to hear from you. I really miss your posts! Yes, our brassicas are splendid specimens and so they should be after all the TLC they get. Must try those kale chips, I hear they are very good! Sounds like you are having nice weather … wish I could say the same. Can’t wait till you start writing again. How is Bishop going? 🙂 🙂
So many things happening in your patch!
I do enjoy the garden share collective :-0
Hey Sarah .. I do so enjoy the Garden Share too, always great seeing what others are up to! 🙂
It looks wonderful, so productive in winter, lovely photos!
Thank you 🙂
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As always great photos! Question 4 U ~
I’ve heard and read that kale does a body good. I’ve only ever had it in soups (Zuppa Toscana at Red Lobster and a Lemon Chicken Orzo soup at Panera). I just cannot bring myself to eat it — it has such a slimy texture and it just grosses me out. Are there other tasty, non-slimy (!!) methods of preparing kale that you can share?
Hi, I’m probably the worst person to ask! I juice my kale and that’s about it. I ate it ages back, but didn’t much like it either. Apparently it makes good chips! 🙂 Best of luck – worth consuming somehow as it is so good for you.
Hey Julie… So good to see all your progress.
Great stuff and huge congrats on the olive oil.
It looks so wonderful labelled and bottled!!
Hey Robyn .. thank you! Loving that olive oil .. it’s a treat 🙂
Morning Julie 🙂
Theres nothing nicer than enjoying your own produce. It must be such a treat!
Have a fabulous day.
🙂
Hi Julie! Thanks so much for visiting my blog today, liking several posts and taking time to comment! I truly appreciate all and invite you to follow and welcome your comments when you visit! Enjoy the day…and I can’t wait to see more from your farm/garden! Robyn
Hey Robyn! Thank you .. I love your blog and photos! You are so clever! 🙂