Aren't rainbows fascinating? We were really hoping for some rain but only got a few drops.
I was so excited this year as, for the first time, I had a good crop of capsicums. Then I noticed brown areas on them so I guess the fruit fly got into them. Some just fall off the plant too. I will have to do some research on how to grow them successfully in future. Sigh!
Normally we have so many cherry tomatoes that I pick every day but there are hardly any to be found now. Last year they grew practically the whole year until the CEO was 'weeding' one day and pulled out my one remaining plant that had survived winter and which I was nursing along. Perhaps I should grow tomatoes hydroponically like Farm Liz is doing. Check out her post if you are interested in how to do that.
Even the cucumber plants have died off without producing much at all. However, isn't it funny that the plants that don't get any TLC seem to thrive like the chilli and tamarillo plants that just come up everywhere. Of course I don't eat the chillies....
...so am feeling a bit miffed that most of the plants I look after don't grow and the ones I ignore grow well. Perhaps I am doing something wrong or should I just blame it on the weather? I should be thankful something is growing though and there are still zucchinis to pick every day and the herbs...
...always seem to do well. The CEO planted some ginger from the fruit shop in a pot and it is growing really well....
...as is the Gotu Kola which will soon die back I guess. The other herbs like parsley, oregano, thyme, chamomile, brahmi, coriander, sage, chives, soapwort and a few others are looking really good and they just soldier on regardless.
The dwarf mulberry is starting to get fruit on it. I would have thought it is a bit early for that, isn't it?
So, that's some of what is growing or not growing here. I will have to learn about what I am doing wrong and try and get better results next year. If you are still reading I hope your eyes haven't glazed over yet. LOL!
Roll on autumn! My favourite season!!!!
i hear you! have the same problem here, my 1st crop is always very successful but all the rest are totally hopeless! they don't want to grow! have started a new compost heap so hoping that will be ready come midyear this time, it should help. struggled to get any silverbeet growing, hopefully with the cooler weather it should do better, have put more seeds out too (fingers Xd)
ReplyDeleteam still amazed at your garden though, it's still lush
thanx for sharing
Yes Selina, even my silverbeet is looking dreadful and it is very hardy. Hopefully winter will be better for growing.
DeleteHave you thought of a shady pumpkin arbor? Takes up pretty much zero ground space as it is all in the air - the pumpkins stay high and dry too.
ReplyDeleteNo I will have to look into that, Phil.
DeleteHey dear friend. I can relate. When we had a garden it seem that the more we would invest and care they wouldn't be successful and when we had to accidentally neglect they would be bountiful. Beautiful rainbows!
ReplyDeleteIt can get frustrating can't it, Crissy.
DeletePerhaps you should just allow everything to grow as it wants, weeding and thinning and that is all. I do not see that you have anything to lose.
ReplyDeleteYour peppers are lovely, though.
Hmmmm, if only it was that easy, J.
DeleteI had great success with a beautiful big capsicum plant, had 3 large almost ready to eat and some smaller ones coming on just waiting for them to colour up, went to the coast for 4 days, came back, No capsicums, no leaves, just a big twiggy thing.....possums found it ! Food must be scarce because they even ate the flower spike off a small ornamental ginger.
ReplyDeleteI have planted some more tomatoes now that it is cooler, the early ones were a fail, just stunted little things that refused to grow even though they were in half good black compost and half potting mix.I think I will just let the wild ones in the compost do their own thing, at least they are trying to get bigger.
Margaret, our resident possums don't seem to eat the veggies as they have plenty of fruit they get stuck into.
DeleteI agree with your that it has been a difficult summer in the garden. Our sweet corn was an abject failure so back to the books on that one. The tomatoes have been excellent however with four varieties planted to compare the yield and flavour. I'm also looking forward to cooler times ahead.
ReplyDeleteBarb, we never have any problems with growing tomatoes...at least the cherry tomatoes as we don't plant any seeds at all as the little ones are enough. Glad yours are going okay.
DeleteWell I think that double rainbow is a promise of better gardening seasons to come. I have some volunteer curcurbits growing in an area where my husband spread the compost, so I can't be blamed for them growing in the middle of the orchard. Hee hee. Not sure what variety we are growing but that is part of the fun.
ReplyDeleteSherri, no of course you can't be blamed. Ha ha!
DeleteOur growing season was terrible this year too. We usually have a lot of tomatoes and strawberries but nothing this year. Last year in our area we have a so much foraged fruit in the whole area which was apparently doesn't happen every year but this year hardly any flowers or fruit blossomed on those trees on the footpath and parks planted years ago by Council. It's very interesting and possibly worrying. What a whopper (sneaky) pumpkin.
ReplyDeleteZena, now that you mention it our strawberries are the same. I do wonder what is going on too.
DeleteSee, this is why it is good to have friends in a different hemisphere! Your garden looks wonderful to me; who is gazing out at leafless trees and enjoying just the little bit of green we are seeing here and there!! I do agree though, fall is my favorite season, perhaps I could just go back and forth between the two countries and have two falls and two winters...or not! ;)
ReplyDeleteKathy, of course you could live between the two countries. Ha ha! I know someone who does. She lives in Britain for six months and in Australia for six months.
DeleteMy food garden is looking a bit ordinary too Chel - I try to get out in it early morning and late afternoon, trouble is everything else has to be done in these time slots including exercise (me and the dog), housework, cooking etc. I could put the air con on I suppose but I really like fresh air! Oh well, roll on Autumn....
ReplyDeleteHutchy, I also don't like working in the garden apart from early in the morning and when the sun is going down as I have had lots of skin cancers burned off and don't want to risk getting any more skin damage.
DeleteNo glazing over here, in fact i think you have pepped me right up. My garden doesnt look so bad afterall. Huh? Just telling it like it is Chel. (Bad friend, bad bad friend).
ReplyDeleteGo on....brag, Lynda!!! Perhaps it is mainly a Queensland problem. Then again, Zena doesn't live in Queensland. Hmmmm!
DeleteOh dear! Nanna Chel you mention fruit fly often and it makes me so glad we don't have them here. Well, not for far.
ReplyDeleteThere are seasons that are just good for things and bad seasons. The upside is we don't starve in a bad season but it is so disappointing. I have had a couple of things not so great this year but no actual disasters. I hope next season is a good one for you! with love Annabel.xxx
Thank goodness the fruit fly hasn't reached down there, Annabel. I am amazed at some of the fruit you forage as it would be spoiled up here and not able to be used for anything.
DeleteChel down my neck of the woods i had no luck with cucumbers, and i had plenty of flowers on the zuchinni's but they kind of stopped growing when the zuchinni's got to about 3in long, dont know why, We had a good lot of asparagus, beetroot, lettuce and still going strong on the tomato front. Love your posts so never any eyes glazing over here lol xoxo
ReplyDeleteLove the pumpkin on the compost heap!
ReplyDeleteIm envious you can grow coriander! It just goes to seed here. :( Sorry to hear it wasnt a good season for you, hopefully Autumn will be better!
xx
Emma, when I plant it I find it always goes to seed when it gets hot. This year it just came up by itself and didn't bolt. Go figure!
DeleteThanks for the mention Chel :) I think its interesting to see what grows well in different years. Sometimes I have heaps of tromboncino, or winter squash, this year the pumpkins are doing well but I'm still waiting for rosellas.... every year is different!
ReplyDelete