Friday, December 19, 2014

Christmas pickings

It doesn't mean anything to you, that path and the strip of ground beside it. They shouldered the broken concrete from the big dig, which is now being re-assimilated as back-fill for the retaining wall.
It's win/win/win. Walking up to the worm farm/chickens/garden  is no longer an obstacle course and I have an interesting ribbon of dry/sheltered ground to fill with even more interesting plants. 


The season has been slow thus far; a few hot days and how quickly everything takes off. 
The first strawberry, which has even caught the birds by surprise or it wouldn't be there.
I need to get some new netting quick smart or I will be beaten to it. I was going to pull these plants out and I'm so glad I gave them one more year. They weren't runners but pieces of old plants and obviously needed a year's growing and recovery to renew themselves. Fair enough.
 I wonder if the odd shape has something to do with pollination...


The cautionary tale of planting gooseberries beneath the washing line; broken branches and snagged clothing. They are habitually draped in anything from undies to towels. 
I need to pick these gooseberries while they are still green. Thank goodness I am now officially on holiday. 
Last year I froze them free flow, topped and tailed, for which there is no better tool than sharp fingernails. 

Can anyone see a fractal broccauli in there, or is it a broccoflower. 
No matter, we eat it just the same. It's been so dry I am slowly getting around with the sprinkler rescue package. First recipient was the flowering new potatoes; I considered watering them to be a significant Christmas dinner investment.
The runner beans like damp feet so I do keep up with them too; actually the garlic is the only thing I will leave for nature to take its course. It is drying out and heading for harvest and I don't want to interrupt that continuum. Harvest has been bumped forward by the price of NZ garlic in the shops just now. With the alternative of $25 a kilo they are more worthwhile than ever.


A few fennel waiting in the wings for the brassicas to finish so as they can move in on the space. 
They're fairly patient, roots just starting to come out the bottom. 
I'm trying for more continuity this year, little and often. The problem with that is when you don't get back to it and it is just little, the once. I have a feeling  you can grow fennel more as an autumn plant anyway so there is still time for another bite of the apple.


O.K. that's it for the minute. Bye.

3 comments:

  1. Well all of these improvements are most impressive but the gooseberries are the thing that I admire the most. A friend gave us some last year and I made a couple of gooseberry and almond cakes. Very delicious they were and I rather like to make some again this year. I planted a gooseberry bush and remain hopeful.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. saw a nice gooseberry/rhubarb yoghurt brulee in the paper, it had crushed gingernuts and you caramelised the top with a blow torch...which makes me laugh...the rest of us will make caramel in a pot to pour over the top.

      Delete
  2. I was diagnosed as HEPATITIS B carrier in 2013 with fibrosis of the
    liver already present. I started on antiviral medications which
    reduced the viral load initially. After a couple of years the virus
    became resistant. I started on HEPATITIS B Herbal treatment from
    ULTIMATE LIFE CLINIC(www.ultimatelifeclinic. com) in March, 2020. Their
    treatment totally reversed the virus. I did another blood test after
    the 6 months long treatment and tested negative to the virus. Amazing
    treatment! This treatment is a breakthrough for all HBV carriers.

    ReplyDelete