Gardening by moonlight

It was late, but I finished! By moonlight, no less. The weather diviners at the Bureau of Meteorology have predicted rain, and I couldn't miss the opportunity to have my new bed settle naturally.  I can only hope that I can leave work on time so I can start planting.  I have the following planned: broccoli (green and purple); cauliflower (white and green), spinach, rainbow chard, tuscan kale and cabbage. And, if I can fit it in, florence fennel.

So much to do, so little time.  Gardening by moonlight might need to become the norm!

Gardening with cat

I was pleased to see that most of my seeds in the new raised garden have germinated - japanese bunching onions, two types of carrot, beetroot, mini-turnips.  But no leeks, no parsnips (which normally grow like weeds) and no Florence red onions. They'll be allowed one more week, but after that, I'll try another batch. 

The broadbeans, which I grow between the camelias (why waste a perfectly good garden?), are poking their heads through too.  I aim to better the harvest of two years ago, where a neighbour and I ended with bags of them.

Assisting (?) me with the gardening was the Wombat-cat. While trying to take artistic photos of seedheads, she managed to sneak into the background.  Although being rather wombat-like, she doesn't so much sneak as, er, waddle. But it still made an interesting photo!

The secret garden

Over the last few weeks I've gradually been installing a garden in my apartment complex. The first stage is complete!

Maybe it doesn't look that elegant, however unless you're standing next to it, it's very well hidden by the surrounding lilies. Around the front I've planted a 'good bug' mix, to attract insects to eat the caterpillars and aphids and hide the front a little more.

Its first seedlings are now coming through as well - the winter vege crop.  Mini turnips and heritage beetroot seedlings were first off the mark, but I predict the carrots will start racing them soon.

The existing garden that another unit-dweller and I have 'adopted' in our apartment block is still producing a vast amount of tomatoes, eggplants, chilli and parsley.  With the warm, wet weather, nothing is slowing down, which means that all my other crops are now delayed.  Garlic, spinach, cauliflower, broccoli are all waiting planting.

But my favourite plants in my various no-one-has-said-no-yet gardens are the cheeky tomatoes that I planted, in full sight, along the pathways of our appartment block, along with rosemary, parsley, oregano and thyme.  Juicy and full ribbed tomatoes, just about to start ripening.

 Just hope no-one picks one before I've tried one!

You raise me up....

My last day of leave...sigh. But also a day of sunshine - clear, bright, not a cloud to be seen.  No excuses - today I finished my first raised garden bed.  Pine bark down, bags of potting mix in, all ready to plant.

However, I'm not planting yet.  I'm leaving it at least a week, un-mulched, for the soil to settle, ready for a top up.

Then I'm planting my first crop - but what should it be??

Gardening with bubbles

The seed was planted during after work drinks one evening, when I happened to mention that I prefer watering my little garden with a glass of champagne in my hand.  Not drenching the tomatoes with champagne, mind you, but me sipping delicately from a champagne flute while saturating the garden.

My workmates laughed, yet nodded - no-one disagreed with the principle. Some even noted their preference for different beverages. I was glad, however, that no-one mentioned other odd gardening habits. There are limits to workplace sharing.

So my random gardening blog has germinated - if small courtyard gardening, adopted garden planting, garden photography and enjoying the fruits, vegetables and herbs of your labours appeals, this might be the blog for you.