Getting sorted

Lately it seemed as if I wasn't making any progress here and I was definitely feeling over whelmed.
I just spent the last week fighting with our internet provider, the lawns looked like a hayfield and the weeds in the garden definitely had more promise than the flowers or veges.
Just as I was ready to throw up my hands it seems as if I finally made some giant steps forward.
The internet got sorted and I am back on line, the lawns are starting to look like... well lawns, and the garden beds are getting cleared of weeds just in time to plant out the rapidly growing seedlings.

 

As I pulled out my huge collection of seeds I realised there was some serious discarding to do. There were seeds that had been around for 10 years or more. After that big clear out it was a lot easier to organise and store what was left.

 

 

The seedlings are growing fast and some are big enough to move into the garden.

 

 

Actually I am ready to start harvesting some lettuce seedlings I bought the day I arrived here. So that really feels like progress.
Also I found quite a good harvest of garlic under the mountain of weeds. I harvested about 45 bulbs. Should be enough to get us through the summer and have some left over to plant again before  we leave.

 

 

My neighbours have once again gone travelling for the summer and left me their 4 hens to hen sit for the next few months. It is lovely to be getting those fresh eggs every day.
Now that I am feeling back in control of things here I can start to relax and enjoy some of this wonderful summer weather we are having.
 

Small but delish

The harvests from my garden are small but regular. Enough to keep us in salads and herbs. The first of the apples are ready. This I discovered after seeing half eaten fruit on the ground. Raccoons enjoying the harvest too. The first of the chillies are ripening and I am expecting big things from my peas and beans any day now.

 

The lettuce I started last month are big enough to make it into the garden  (and a few into pots so I can move them if necessary). In a few weeks I should be eating them, which is good as the self sewn lettuce that I returned home to in July are almost finished.

Lookin' good

We've been back only a week, but already the garden is looking quite respectable.
The seeds I've started have germinated, and some are big enough to get planted in the revamped beds.
As usual last years compost pile has become a new garden bed in the vege patch and the compost bins have been moved  to what will end up a new bed next year. This way I slowly expand the garden area with very little work on my part.
I slipped down the road to my friend Michaels, and gathered up a car load of saw dust from the mountain of saw dust he has accumulating from his wood working business.
This saw dust will go on the paths in the vege patch. The saw dust that was put on the paths last year has decomposed nicely, and that is scraped off and put in the beds as mulch. After a few years of this, the soil has become rich and good at holding moisture from the sometimes infrequent summer rains.

 

 

The beans and peas were planted out last evening to take advantage of the rain forecast during the night.

 

The heavy rains arrived on schedule, and the seedlings got well watered in.

 

I still have lettuce, squash and pak choi on the go, but so far they are too small to plant out. Maybe next week.

Mid summer seedlings

Now that we have the weeding under control and have established what made it and what didn't in our absence, I have the time to plant more seeds, and seedlings that will be ready to harvest in the latter part of the summer here.

 

 

I have started peas and beans, amaranth and pak choi,arugula, lettuce, summer squash and cucumbers.

If we have a nice warm summer with regular rainfall, the new plants should reach harvesting size over the next month or two. If that doesn't happen, we'll still get to harvest some of what I have started. It is always worth the effort.

 

It looks like we'll be harvesting grapes in a few weeks. The vines are laden and taking over their neighbours in the garden.

 

In the mean time we are eating plums, tomatoes, oranges and apples. The lemons are heavy on the tree and are getting great use on the daily harvest of fish we get from the river in front of our house.

 

Usually we don't get this many, but we are getting enough that we eat fish daily and get to smoke the surplus. Smoked fish on pasta-yummmm/

Planting out

I am off in a few days, so ready or not the seedlings that I started over the last 6 weeks have to be planted out. My poor babies...Will they survive or will the birds scratch them up and the slugs devour them. Some will survive and some won't. It is always interesting to come back and see how it is.
Some of the seedlings have become quite a good size. Some barely have their true leaves.
I have brocolli, cabbages, pak choi and beets on the go.
Here is a lettuce that is sizing up quite well. I have started batches a week or so apart. If it is cool for the next 2 months, the ones started 6 weeks ago may still be in good shape when I get back here in December. If we have a hot next two months then the ones I started the last week may be the ones ready to eat when we return.

 

The beans that I planted out 2 weeks ago are doing well. The sugar snap and sno peas are just starting to germinate. These ones have grown a few inches. Others are just breaking through the ground.

 

The squash and cucumbers at least seem to be growing fast. Lets hope they out grow the slug damage.

 

The basil and chili peppers are very tiny, and probably won't start to grow much until we have some really warm weather. But they are on a raised bed on the north side of a concrete building, so they may survive.

The tomato plants are a little bigger, but even they look tiny in their wire cages.

 

I planted this clematis years ago. It got lost in a grape vine, and I wasn't aware of it surviving. So I was quite excited to discover these flowers.

Today I walked past the maderin tree in full blossom. The fragrance that wafted over me was just devine. I'm looking forward to the fruit next autumn.

So my wish for the next two months is a nice balance of rain and warm weather. With a little luck I will come back to a garden bursting with veges ready to harvest.

Seedlings

I finally have some seedlings on the way. It is a challenge on these cold damp sunless days. There is no warm spot in the house, but with an electric pad, I have managed to convince the seeds that it is spring, and time to germinate.

 

 

The next trick is to find a place for them to grow in. A place that is warm and sheltered, and makes the most of the light during these grey cloudy days. I have had a greenhouse framed in on the north side of the garage for a few years now. There was never a reason to finish it as I wasn't here during the cooler months.

So I bought some plastic, and staples, and now have, if not exactly a solid structure for the seedlings, at least a somewhat more sheltered area for them to be in. A few strong winds these past weeks have seen me reattaching the odd corner.In a few weeks when I am once again leaving, I'll take off the roof so the rain can keep the plants watered and plant the seedlings in the earth. Hopefully they'll be big enough then that the slugs won't demolish them all.Then on my return in a few months, I may have a head start on the garden.

 

Here they are snug in their new temporary home. I added a few bought large plants to keep them company.

Planting out seedlings

Now that there is a frost threat every few days, it is time to plant out the seedlings I have had on the go for the summer.
There aren't a lot. Two types of perennial Black Eyed Susan, and a really dark red Hollyhock.
The Black Eyed Susans are two that I grew in a garden I left last summer. One has a really big flower, like it is on steroids (could this be Goldsturm?), and the other is alot smaller and more delicate.
Also some Chinese garlic chives. It seems like the chives I transplanted didn't make it through last winter. The seeds must be a few years old, and I was surprised when they germinated so readily.
Here is a pic of the seedlings only a month ago.

 

They were looking a little on the small side then.

But here they are a few days ago, looking much more robust.

 I also took advantage of a sale in our local nursery and bought some Liatrus, Lavender, Sedum and Phlox.

 

 

They have all now found homes in the garden. It meant ripping some of the annuals out, to make room for them. Something I hate doing when they look so nice. However as soon as the threat of frost becomes reality ,they'll be toast anyway. Now the newly planted seedlings have a chance to develop a larger root system while the ground is still warm.

Looking forward to seeing them again next spring.