January is here

 

January is here - and so are the mozzies. We have had one hot day over 40 degrees, but apart from that, it has been mild and occasionally damp in Gippsland, Victoria.

It is time for the Garden Share Collective to post about their veggie gardens. That link is to Lizzie's blog, with all the links at the bottom. Thanks Lizzie, for hosting this.

Last month's report is HERE.

First up - here is a quick run through some pics:  This is looking straight down the centre of the veggie garden - always I have previously taken the view from the back door, but I cannot do that now, as there is an extension in the way. And this way I can show off the beautiful concrete paths. At the end of the view is my current potting table:

The pumpkins, in three worm bins, are taking over. It is a set of four different ones in a mixed punnet, plus some late Greek ones that are catching up. We are already harvesting little Golden Nuggets.

 

 The tomato cage is surviving, although it had to be reinforced, and the cucumbers, in the rear, are going gang-busters.Cannot wait for Vinnies welfare to reopen tomorrow, as I have a glut to pass on. First tomato was a cherry, on the 2nd December, but the rest are only just starting now.

Speaking of tomatoes, this is a seedling, that I think will be a cherry, that I just zipped into a large self-watering pot. Seemed like a good idea at the time. It does mean I can look at the water levels in the bottom, and I am amazed at how much water this tommie is going through. It has got me watering the others a lot more often. (Hint - I don't like watering tomato leaves, because of powdery mildew. I have a board through the middle of the cage. and I just lay the spray down on that, and it irrigates through the middle. We do have underground watering, but I don't think it is delivering enough at the minute).

Speaking of powdery mildew - there is a little on the Zucchinis, but even without that, they have been a failure. They are about to come out, and I will just use Golden Nuggets where I would use them. Gives me a spare barrel for more lettuce.

Some late capsicum seedlings have gone in, under the bird-mesh cloches. The spring onions at the back have graduated to brick and paver much over sugarcane mulch. I am winning against the birds. I am sure I have more wire cloches somewhere, but I cannot find them. I suspect they are under the pumpkins.

Other mulches that are working are flower pots and tiles. I especially like pots, as any water coming out the bottom contains extra nutrients (I do use Osmocote, mainly, and sparingly in pots)

So, for the formal bit:

Harvesting:

Lettuce
Tomatoes
Cucumbers (glut, of Burpless and Apple)
Carrots - just a few, last crop a failure
Spuds (only a couple, as an experiment in pots) 

Beans (Climbing and French/Butter) (The climbing bean teepee did make a lovely Christmas tree, with tinsel, balls and a star on top. And proved impossible to photograph!)

Golden Nugget pumpkins
Beetroot
Spring Onions

 

Tree Onions (above, very bad year. Very few heads on them.)

Potato onions - both brown and white. These are my delight. Thanks to Rabbid Little Hippy on here, who sent me five of both. This is the harvest, after about ten of each went to two other gardeners.

Planted:

Leeks (seedlings)
Spring onions (seedlings)
Parsley (two types, seed)
Beetroot (Seeds, Derwent Globe, from memory)
Chives - how could I loose chives? I did. (Punnet)
Capsicums (not as many as we started with, with seed. Dog pulled out tags and ate them. Not sure what we have now)

Plans - not a lot, water, weed, harvest, eat, freeze tommies, make tomato sauce.

And read everyone else's blogs. I'm off.