Wow, it’s August already and only one more month until spring! Yay. Plus it’s The Garden Share Collective month, where a group of global gardening bloggers share their vege patches with all those interested. The trials and tribulations of growing your own. Thanks to the lovely Lizzie from ‘Strayed from the table’ for this great initiative.
So what’s been happening at Frog Pond Farm?
As it happens, I have been busy over the past week, pruning more of those olive trees which is a big job, as our trees are seriously ‘over grown’. The day has to be right weather wise too. Ideally it should be fine, a slight breeze, no rain in sight and some good sharp equipment. I’m a firm believer in sterilising my tools between trees too, so I have a plastic vessel with methylated spirits on hand.
Andrew loaded our 60-litre motorised spray pump into the back of the ATV yesterday, so yours truly was motoring around the vege garden giving everything a good dousing of seaweed fertiliser. The citrus and roses were also given a shower.
At last, I’ve also prepared my summer ‘Garden Plan’. It’s fun working out what goes where and rotating crops where possible. So here goes ..
RB1 – Summer salad garden
The tired brassicas which are currently in this bed will be getting hauled out soon and as an interim planting, I’ll sow a cover crop. I’m thinking buckwheat (loved by beneficial insects), phacelia or lupins. Closer to summer this stuff will get removed and salad seedlings will get planted: – lettuce, cucumber, celery, beetroot, dwarf tomatoes and beans. As beans aren’t too enamoured with the company of tomatoes, I will need to make sure that these two have a bit of breathing room, if you know what I mean!
RB2 – Chillies and peppers
This bed is currently an array of salad stuff, weeds, geranium and the usual plethora of self-seeded stuff. I’m going to sow some chilli and peppers into pots in the next few days and with a bit of luck, get seedlings planted into this bed in October. Do I close plant? Of course I do, which as chillies love a humid environ they will enjoy. I also read that they like growing with majoram and basil, so I shall stuff some of these delicious herbs in this space also!
RB3 – Cucurbits, celery and spinach
This bed is going to be a jumble of things. I love flowers in my vege garden and having them helps to not only encourage beneficial insects, but helps to deter some pests and generally add colour, aroma and cheer, they will be joining the cucumbers, Jack-be-little, celery and no doubt anything else I can poke in this bed. I’m thinking, marigolds, zinnia, alyssum, lavender, nasturtium, lemon bergamot, chamomile, geranium, feverfew.
RB4 – Spuds
Currently home to my Egyptian walking onions and red onions, and yes a host of self-seeded stuff, this bed will end up being my spud haven. They will get poked into the soil sometime in January once the alliums have been removed. And as I do, I always chit my potatoes firstly – this gives them a bit of a head start.
RB5a – Summer salad garden
There are more brassicas in this bed doing their thing. We have so enjoyed eating them over the past few months and juicing the kale. This bed I have earmarked for a couple of tomatoes, zucchinis, herbs, flowers and just about anything else I can stuff in here. I’m considering doing a cover crop in this space too, but I might run out of time as tomatoes need to be planted ideally late October.
RB6
My peas are still growing happily in this garden as is the garlic. Into this bed next up will be more spuds – late crop of course and we can’t forget the trellis which will support some nice heirloom bean varieties.
So that’s the plan!
Garden Delights
- We are still eating brassicas – just! I have an amazing selection of herbs and as can be expected they are going into an array of dishes and salads
- Loving eating garlic and onions from the garage
- Hoping that the bananas hanging indoors will ripen (where is that paper bag?)
- Enjoying beetroot and spring onions and peas which funnily enough don’t make it indoors (I wonder why that is Julie?)
- One of my chooks has started laying again, so we are now getting an egg a day and about time too!
Things to do
- Prune a couple of branches from our lemon tree in the backyard, as citrus borer fly from Nov – Feb I’m opting to do this soon
- Start sowing some veg and flower seeds
- Continue pruning the olives – I’m only about half way
- Weed and don’t stop weeding, including removing some calendula, forget-me-nots and nasturtium which are overcrowding my poor garlic
- Think about pruning those pip fruit in the orchard
- Get cracking preserving my lemons – yum!
So that’s about it! And Colin has started crowing, I wasn’t mistaken after all. In fact, he’s turned into a bit of a casanova! Wink wink
Happy gardening!
Wow. Just wow. You have been busy! LOVE these photos Julie. You have a good eye. Sterilizing your tools between trees — I assume this is to prevent infecting other trees should disease be present? I tease my husband calling him The Mad Pruner because he attacks our trees and bushes in a ruthless manner! While I am usually pleased with the results I have been successful (thus far!) in keeping him from removing a lower branch of our Chanticleer pear tree which would, I believe, cause it too look lop-sided.
Great post.
Hi thank you! I’m dangerous with secateurs too, I love pruning. Yes, sterilising is a precaution .. something they taught at hort school. Thanks for stopping by 🙂
I’ve got both buckwheat and phacelia growing in the garden. Both great looking flowers as well as the other benefits 🙂
Hi Helen, I’ve grown phacelia before, in fact it is in my garden now – self-seeded of course! I have never grown buckwheat before, so I’m looking forward to that and encouraging some beneficial insects into the yard. Although it might still be a bit chilly for them. 🙂
First time for phacelia here – wonder if mine has self-seeded too!
The buckwheat has grown quite big – maybe a couple of feet tall. I think if it’s warm enough to grow, it will be warm enough for insects.
Oh I love your garden plan Julie and I just know you’ll get it all done!
Gorgeous photos too. Especially love the ?Calendulas and Parsely? Gorgeous!!
My garden is still in the thinking stages and I so want to get it happening, but Im on the go slow after hurting my back in March.. I have to take it easy, but I will get something happening in pots! 😉
Very very inspiring Jules!!!
Hello lovely – great to see you! I was out yesterday with the camera – bleak and overcast. You should see it today – stunning! Calendulas and kale 🙂 My back and hip is giving me grief. Off to the oesteo for me this morning. Take care Miss! Glad you are inspired. Your photography inspires me!!!
Good morning! Enjoy your beautiful day today and take care of that back and hip.
It is a pain!!! 😛
We had a glorious day yesterday.. Today is overcast and well… Who knows how it will turn out.
Ah Kale… Yes I knew it was far more coarse than parsley but was unfamiliar with the leaf.
Glad to be of inspiration too Jules and thanks 🙂 Love what youre doing 🙂
Thanks Robyn … 🙂 🙂 🙂
You’re SO organised Julie – you put all of us to shame! X
You think Mr Duttson? Hugs to you. Loving your blog! 🙂
Didn’t know that about the chillies, we’re planing putting them in the soon to be finished greenhouse this year so I’ll put them closer together. This year we hope to be much better organised, each year some thing seems to crop up (no pun intended) that seems to send all good plans awry. 😀
Hi Sue .. yes chillies love close planting. Works a treat with them. Thanks for stopping by! 🙂
as always, such beautiful photos!
i like the sound of your ground covers for RB1 – i vote for phacelia, so very pretty. and the riotous colour in RB3 will be heavenly. i love zinnias.
what is the bird the pink-flowered tree it is sitting in?
Hi … thank you. That bird is a native called a Tui. Very territorial too. Loves that cherry tree. I love phacelia too, so do the bees! 🙂
I love looking at your beautiful garden Julie. Your plan sounds wonderful, you are very organised 🙂
Hey Krystie .. thank you! So pleased I have the plan finished, always seems to take forever to do. I’m not really all that organised 🙂
Hello Julie, wonderful photos! The blues in the opening image are incredible. Here we are socked in with heat and forest-fire smoke rendering the colours flatter than peas on a plate. Looks like you still have plenty of kale to keep you going. Our garden is hitting its summer stride and we have enough to feed an army. Take care.
Hello Bob! So good to hear from you. Yes those blues are good aren’t they? Our local beach complete with ‘black sand’. Your weather sounds extreme .. not good news on those forest fires. Yes loads of kale. Good news about your garden. You take care too. I miss your blog!!!! 🙂
It’s always good to see the reverse season, though of course your talk of planning for summer makes me realise that our summer will soon be drawing to a close. I wish we could grow peas in the winter – they look wonderful.
Hey Anne … I’m so looking forward to spring. Our weather is so unsettled. Sorry to wish your summer away 🙂 Speaking of those peas, I was munching them in the garden yesterday. Very yummy indeed. Thanks for dropping by.
Your garden looks so beautiful. I love that photo of the kale with the flowers.
Your garden sounds so organised… I could do with some lessons in planning from you! Love the photo of the kale and calendula – don’t they look good growing together?
Ha ha, no you don’t need any lessons from me, that’s for sure! 🙂 yes the calendula and kale look fab together. I just love the way things happen in my garden – without my help! Happy gardening
Planning your garden is super important. i too am writing down the changes about to occur in our veg patch for spring and summer time. I have to say your kale looks so voluptuous mine are still recovering from the recent aphid attack. Look forward to seeing those raised beds next month.
Hi Lizzie .. it is super important. I’m pretty good with my rotating too. Would love to do more of the root crop after those big feeders, but I think a cover crop sometimes suffices. Yes that kale is amazing – juiced more this morning. Good stuff! Cheers Miss
Love the spider web pic! My peas were miserable this winter – some got eaten and some were covered in brown spots. Lucky you to have a snack on hand in the garden!
Hey Miss .. yes, I like that pic too! The tree was covered in them that morning. We are having peas tonight for dinner – a few made it indoors 🙂
Beautiful garden photos and handsome looking chooks. F
Thanks for stopping by Francesca … love my camera and those chooks! 🙂
Great and lovely garden !
Thank you .. We are lucky!
That is quite a plan, Julie. Around here we would say you are “ON IT!”. Have fun pruning, spraying and engaging in all of your other energetic activities. 🙂
Jim! I am on to it! Stunning day here. I reckon I dreamt about pruning last night! Going to be a busy day! Happy gardening 🙂
Very beautiful pictures, you are doing a great job in your garden I admire! 🙂
Thank you! Glad you like the pics .. Josephine 🙂
Oh my! I am tired just from reading! You have it all.. wonderful!
Thank you! Love living here .. I am so very lucky 🙂
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Oh I just loved your post and especially your photos, makes me want to get out into my garden, but it is so cold here! I wish I could feel spring coming and could get my head around a plan for my garden beds.
Hi Barbara. Thanks for your lovely comments. So pleased that you like those pics .. good luck with your garden and that plan 🙂
Ah, it’s so refreshing to see those bright greens and yellows! Beautiful shots.
So pleased that you like the pics 🙂