corner #04

The only plant in the garden that doesn’t produce food, and never will. I’ve moved about every 2-3 years for the last 10 years or so. Housemates, who I won’t describe. Landlords who move back in, sell the house or tear it down. So my garden has become highly condensed, potted, ready to move at a moment’s notice. Over ambitious, none the less … but I DO like to eat plums (one day); mulberries, mandarins and raspberries (already).

The clivias, I almost left them behind at the last house, but L’s Mum convinced me otherwise. They’d not flowered for 2 years at that stage, but wow, look at them now!!! And they’re shaded by a brick wall on 2 sides, a tree above. And they live on rain water. And their soil is poor … gotta admire their flowers then;)

baby carrots? these are real little ones …

I reckon I should always triple the length of time seed packets say: “Sweet and tender baby carrot, harvest at 10cm long. 55-60 days.” I got curious at 100 days & pulled out some of the bigger ones … 2cms!

Not that I’m blaming the seed company, it’s more likely my growing techniques that are at fault. And I guess that’s exactly the type of thing I’m trying to learn, so that one day I’ll be confident & experienced in growing my own vegetables.

I gave the tops to Lilika, the house rabbit, and then I ate the rest … yep, tasted like carrots, just a bit small ; )

summer garden


The little courtyard garden is going surprisingly well, I think the watering restrictions are suiting it. The mandarin, for instance, used to only be watered when its leaves looked r..e..a..l..l..y droopy (about 10 times per year). But now I can’t just water it whenever, the mandarin gets watered at least once a week, usually twice. And it’s loving it! Heaps of new growth, at least 30cm I reckon, and lots of green mandarins waiting for winter. The lemonade tree’s also going well – it’s new this year from Digger’s.

In the middle is my experiment with growing cucumbers and popcorn (and, yes, for those of you with well-trained eyes – at least 1 zucchini). Seed from my favourite sources – Eden, Digger’s (again) and New Gippsland. I’m not sure whether they’ll keep growing well in pots, but at the moment they’re looking good. The idea is the cucumbers climb the popcorn, although really, I should have planted the popcorn first – so I might need a few stakes later. Sort of rushed putting them in because I decided I just couldn’t waste the summer, and I read that sweet corn viability drops quickly after a year. The pots are intended for some trees (olives and hazelnut I’m thinking) once the weather cools, but there’s no harm in a summer experiment!?!