From garden to table 22 Dec 2011

 

today i harvested my little potato patch. I have never grown spuds before but the plants thrived.  kipffler is a small potato at the best of times and i think i may have jumped the gun harvesting, but the heat has set in and its humid, with flowers on them i was uncertain if the tubers would continue to develop so i bit the bullet.

i did a little research on crop rotation, my garden is minute, and i need to tend to my soil's health with vigilance, that being said a lot of that can be achieved with research and planning.

i was going to put pumpkins in here, because they did well in that site in summer 2009 but i read today that alliums should follow solanums which are tomatoes, capsicums, egglants in all their varieties as well as potatoes. I grow a lot of tomatoes for the space i have, so adding potatoes to the mix may be difficult but i think id like to give it a go. so i am following the convention and putting in spring onions, which i bought on a whim..i get excited by the prospect of growing everything in the universe and sometimes i misjudge what i can actually fit into a few square metres of garden.  anyway I can use them so in they will go, plus   i have an alternate spot for some late pumpkins, so i can try yet again.

i havent had a good rate from the pumpkin seed this year but i do use pumpkin in winter, its great in soups, so even a tiny late crop would be fun ..and besides their mad giant leaves and climbing habit just rock my aesthetics lever..if i get some nice ones this year i might take my inskstone and brushes out there....anyway.

 I was not brought up to garden, its is not in the culture from which i come. I do however have the blessing of an outstanding man as a teacher, his grandmother grew more food than you can imagine until she was over 90, his father was a fine gentle man who also gardened and learned the skills of australian soils and conditions.  Pete is also an outstanding gardener, he gardens with patience and great skill and knowledge.....when we get out into his magnificent crazy garden we share a little secret of contemplation and patience. My contribution is mainly harvesting and viewing,  whilst listening and watching very very carefully because this man teaches me at least 10 things an hour and it is to him, and his gardening antecedents, i owe an awful lot of the knowledge i already have. also teaching by example is never to be underestimated.  So i am able to do some things but im a such a beginner at this it almost hurts..but learning as just the best fun..so my mad experiments in an unsuitable space are a joy and i get to eat it too!  im going to add some links etc below because accessing information is very handy when u dont have a solution , and then i amm putting on my chefs hat to cook up this brilliant harvest

 

i posted this on facebook but i dont want it to disappear so im linking it here. a handy page of clear info on crop rotation  http://www.growveg.com/growguides.aspx

this link is a nifty little site with a basic drop down menu and one can find individual plants requirements for a fair number of varieties. the information is clear and very informative http://www.thevegetablepatch.com

Summer Solstice 2011

the beautiful flowers of the kipffler potato. seeded from my healthiest sprouter,. these plants will be harvested tomorrow and some pumpkins planted in the area after it has been dug over well and fed.

this was bought for mothers day it seems much at home with the sage and is flowering beautifully. dear Mum loved crysanthemums and red flowers and she always wore reds beautifully, it cheers my heart that this plant has done well.

The elegant comfrey continues to grace the garden. I am hoping i can introduce this to the worms successfully

these spent cascades will have to be removed tomorrow. the seeds are setting in and will drop soon. i am unwilling to let this get too much space. it seems a shame to lose the delightful shape of this plant, but in a garden of small scale i must plan carefully.

this delicate allium is a happy accident.    i think it is a shallot, i had some in last year and one seems to have naturalised.   they do unfortunately encourage cabbage moth, i have to keep my brassicas away from these and it is amongst my fragrant herbs like sage and oregano.

my borage has sprung into action.
this plant cleanses soil very gently
they are about a foot tall now and i cant wait until its amazing blue flowers open.
in my ideal garden this will grow amongst my strawberries, i am vaguely considering adding in strawberry plants as a border, i struggle with strawberries in pots and always have more runners than i can find homes for so i think i just might.

my sage has just exploded this year, i might use it with the kipflers.
it needs a decent prune, but the flowers of the salvia are brilliant and im reluctant to lose them.    
of woody inclination, you can get good height with this plant and i hope to convince it to sit above some of the herbs of lower habit.
in such a small space height can provide good illusion of space. this plant sits about a metre in front of my fenceline.
i have yet to convince anything to grow up the fence but i think a passionfruit might be happy... i should start working on the soil to that end. passionfruit dont like their roots disturbed, usually a grafted plant the rootstock can be finnicky and hungry.

 a flurry of rochetti blooms

 

huge broccolini leaves provide bold texture in a small garden

second round flowers and fruit from one of my mature strawberry plants, the appear to enjoy the hanging bag planter i have for them, but keeping enough water up to them is an issue, they are thirsty plants. i might layer a damp mulch and something coarse to buffer in the base of the next planter bag i start

the grape vine from next door is snaking its way across again. i think this is a white, maybe sultana.
it lives neglected and in duress amongst weeds, i have offerered it supports and a light prune and its seems to want to come over for a party.   at the moment it is just a shade plant i cant care for it sufficiently to get viable fruit. although it tried hard last year it is a susceptible plant and the humidity spoiled is best efforts.  
i am considering ask my neighbours, who are really rather nice folk, if they would like me to do a little work in their garden.   
clearing the weeds away from the fencline and feeding this determined vine can only be to everyones benefit.    
nice folk, they seem a little lost with their garden maintenance, and if it gets behind it can be a daunting task...speaking of which i must have some very stern words with the my newzealand spinach, it is invasive and has to be removed...i have some busy days ahead.

 Spent an hour or so in the garden today, did a lot of weeding (theres still more of course), and fed everything with seaweed extract. Planted on a few parsley seedlings into one of the cooler spots, hoping to get more parsley before the heats makes it all bolt. tomorrow i plant out the last of the summer veg seeds and mulch everything up under the assumption it will suddenly get summery and hot..although today feels like spring

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Brocollini, sheltering baby zucchini plant

golden marjoram, borage

1st one almost ripe

Comfrey sprawling

Brocollini, Kale, Rochetti in bloom. the row of bamboo are the tomatoes creeping up