March was our last chance to get some decent rain and we did get around 100 mm altogether at Kumbia, but only about 30 mm at Nanango (where the garden is!). So we have full dams at Cheslyn Rise, but Eight Acres is looking a little dry as we move into winter. We had some very hot days in March as well, but it seems to be cooling down now.
The
chokos have really got started properly now, and I have had to bring bags of them into work just to get rid of them. Cheryl the dog likes them, and the chickens and cattle will eat them if you cut them in half. I also seem to have done something right with the rosellas this year, as I'm harvesting plenty to dry for tea. I'm still harvesting the celery I planted over a year ago (I don't worry about blanching it, I just pick the larger stems), a few
tromboncinos, lettuce and warrigal greens. I pulled out all the bean plants but one. And there are plenty of herbs growing too. We are waiting impatiently for the
hydroponic tomatoes to ripen.
In March I pulled out plants that were finished and tidied up with plenty of old hay as mulch. I also emptied castings from one of my worm farms onto the garden. I scattered out some seeds - mainly brassicas, lettuce and a few herbs, which are now starting to sprout. This month I will start peas and broad beans - inside away from the mice) and I hope we will harvest some tomatoes.
 |
| this is the temperature on our veranda on the last weekend in March |
 |
| garden - perennial leeks, lettuce etc |
 |
| garden - some basil still going and galangal in the background |
 |
| the first brassica shoots |
 |
| the sweet potato and warrigal greens tangle |
 |
| my "perennial" celery (its been growing for over a year) |
 |
| My herb garden after a prune |
 |
| tromboncino and rosella |
 |
| some of the choko vine (it is taking over the garden), and strawberries in pots |
 |
| waiting for hydroponic tomatoes |
How was March in your garden? What are your plans for April?
nothign much harvested last month, just parsnips, leeks and stored squash! what are the little red things in the basket?
ReplyDeleteHi Kev, they are rosellas! AKA roselle (Hibiscus sabdariffa). I'll write more about them soon...
DeleteIt's nice to read that you have an abundance of choko's. Mine didn't do that well this season. However the passionfruit have been fruiting really well. Now that the weather is cooling down a bit (it usually doesn't cool down til after Easter) I am planning on planting Zucchini, Tomatoes and some strawberry runners.
ReplyDeleteOh I love passionfruit, but they don't survive our frost at the moment (need to work on micro-climate). Enjoy your tomatoes and zucchinis!
DeleteMy chokos were rubbish this year but that's ok. Warrigal greens have there own bed here and if there's nothing else in the garden, you can rely on them for something green to eat.
ReplyDeleteI will be interested to hear what you think of the taste of your hydroponic tomatoes. I had some tomatoes from a friend who really gives their toms a good watering daily and they were a little tasteless mind you it could of been the variety too. Glad that you have had some rain. My folks had 42 in that last heat wave at Inverlaw, just crazy but I am glad that we are finally getting a break from the heat and the cool air has come.
ReplyDeleteYou have so much growing in your garden. Interesting to hear that the chickens would eat the chokos. I didn't know you could grow perennial leeks. Love the brassica seedling and all the wonderful mulch. I'm so looking forward to using my worm castings - wonderful stuff.
ReplyDelete