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The May Gardening Australia magazine is full of great ideas to get your garden ready for winter. There is a great article on how to build a Hot Compost Heap. Tim Marshall has helped Sophie Thomson with a very useful step by step guide to building a great compost heap surrounded by straw bales to keep the warmth in over winter.Maggie Beer has got her timing right as usual with an article on growing (and of course using) Onions. Just as I am about to plant out the first lot of onions seedlings into the garden. She explains how day length will determine the success of your onion crop by choosing the right varieties to plant at a given time of the year.We have seen Costa getting his neighbours out in the street working working the Verge Garden. Everyone seems to be getting involved which is great. Anna Evangeli has...

Scarecrow's Garden Journal Notes:Temperatures range for April:Lowest Min 0.4CHighest Min 14.9CLowest Max 16.1CHighest Max 32.6C3 mm RainRain comparison with other years, April average is 22mm:2012 3mm2011 3mm2010 18mm2009 31mm2008 24.5mm2007 30mmHarvest Tally for April:Doesn't include Greens fed to the chooks on a daily basis or herbs picked for use in the kitchen for cooking or tea making. For Salads, Juice and Stirfries  I have been picking Kale, Silverbeet, Leaf Amaranth, Mushroom Plant, Gotu Kola, Parsley, Basil, Nasturtium leaves and Beetroot Leaves which are not always weighed.Beans  Purple King 601gBeans Butter 697gCapsicum California Wonder 2668gCapsicum Hungarian Yellow 651gCarrots Mixed 157gCucumber Suyo Long 195gLeeks Bulgarian Giant 328gOnion Stuttgart  765gOnion Domenica  Sweet 413gOnion Red 137gPumpkin Triamble 8372gPumpkin Whangaparaoa Crown 8743gSilverbeet Rainbow Mixed 374gSquash Golden 1034gTomato Money Maker 1317gTomato Stor Gul 424gTomato Silvery Fir Tree 227gZucchini Nero di Milano 1030gTotal Veg Harvest for April 28.1KgsApple Cox's Orange Pippin 1275gApple Jonathon 734gApples Red Fuji...

Update: Last week of  April 2012 First frost damaged the Zucchinis but spared the pumpkins still growing in the Old Chook Run gardenWeather Highlights:Lowest Min 2CHighest Max 21.7C1.5 mm RainPropagation:Planting out:Celery Tendercrisp seedlings into Bed 2 in the Main Veg GardenRomanesco Broccoli seedlings into bed 18 in the Old Chook Run GardenThe following have been planted into the Old Chook Run edge beds:Marguerite Daisy Double White Argyranthemum frutescensDaisy Marguerite Maroon Centred Argyranthemum frutescens Lovage Levisticum officinaleSage Grandfather Salvia apianaSage Purple Salvia officinalis 'Purpurea'Zaatar Origanum syriacumScented Pelargoniums - Pot Pouri, LemonHarvest Tally:Beans Purple King 52gBeans Butter 261gCapsicum California Wonder 2024gCapsicum Hungarian Yellow 522gCucumber Suyo Long 195gOnion Stuttgart 362gOnion Domenica Sweet 399gOnion Red 137gPumpkin Triamble 8372gPumpkin Whangaparaoa Crown 8743gSilverbeet Rainbow Mixed 56gZucchini Nero di Milano 489gApples Golden Delicious 4266gEggs: Total for the week 190 from the lone Barnevelder19 from the 5 Farmyard Ferals0 from the 4 Faverolles  The Zucchinis have been removed...

Update: Week 3 of  April 2012   The Pincushion Hakea - Hakea laurina the bees love it! Weather highlights: Lowest Min 6.1C Highest Max 29.8C .5mm Rain Propagation:None this weekHarvest Tally: Beans Butter 384gBeans Purple King 291ggMushrooms Portebello 90g (from a kit)Tomato Money Maker 44gTomato Stor Gul 326g Tomato Silvery Fir Tree 227gZucchini Nero di Milano 211gApples Golden Delicious 1159gApples Red Fuji 256gPeaches 4136g Strawberry Guava 96gEggs: Total for the week 150  from the lone Barnevelder15 from the 5 Farmyard Ferals0 from the 4 FaverollesThis week we welcomed our new Grandson as he settled in back at home with his family!!He shall be known as "Micro-Man" a brother for the twins "Little Miss" and "Mini-Man".  When we loaded up our trailer with all the twins' gear (toys, clothes, cloth nappies...) we tried to smuggle them on board too. They had been staying at a regional town as...

Update: Week 2 of April 2012 Weather Highlights:Lowest Min 0.4CHighest Max 24.4 CNo Recorded RainfallPropagation:Seeds:Onion Piatta Di Bergamo Allium cepa  from The Italian GardenerOnion Sweet Domenica Allium cepa from Southern HarvestRadish Colour mix Raphanus sativus from The Italian GardenerPotting on/up:Tidying up the last of the brassica seedlings, potted on some Romanesco Cauliflower as I haven't any room to plant them out yet!Cuttings:Catmint Nepeta mussiniiLemon Myrtle Backhousia citriodoraMuntries Kunzea pomiferaPineapple Sage Salvia elegansVietnamese Mint Polygonum odoratumDivided:Lemongrass Cymbopogon citratusShallots Red Allium cepa var. aggregatum syn. Allium ascalonicumPlanting out:Cabbage Ethiopian Brassica abyssinicum into the Kitchen GardenHarvest Tally:Beans Purple King 123gCapsicum California Wonder 294gCapsicum Hungarian Yellow Wax 129gCarrots Mixed 157gLeeks Bulgarian Giant 328gOnion Stuttgart 403gOnion Sweet Domenica 74gSilverbeet Rainbow Mixed 318gTomato Money Maker 403gTomato Stor Gul 98g Apples Golden Delicious 2061gPeaches 350g Strawberry Guava 77gEggs:Total for the week 130 from the lone Barnevelder13 from the 5 Farmyard Ferals0 from the 4 FaverollesTo see how...

Update: Week  1 of  April 2012:   Busy bees on the last of the Luffa flowers! Weather Highlights:Lowest Min 4.4CHighest Max 32.6C1 mm RainPropagation:None this week!Harvest Tally:Beans Butter 52gBeans Purple King 135gCapsicum California Wonder 350gSquash Golden 1034gTomato Money Maker 870gZucchini Nero di Milano 330gApples Cox's Orange Pippin 7418gGrapes Black Sultana 3172gPeaches 2649gPear Josephine 260gStrawberry Guava 62gEggs: Total for the week 110 from the lone Barnevelder11 from the 5 Farmyard Ferals0 from the 4 FaverollesThe new Snow Peas were growing well in Bed 7 (MVG) but not towards the fence!!! A few sticks will show them the way. Once they grab hold of the fence there will be no stopping them!Purple Sprouting Broccoli in Bed 1 (MVG)  is enjoying the late summer warmth...it's nearly a metre tall already!! The warmer weather is keeping the late Zucchinis in Bed 2 (MVG) flowering!The Strawberry Guava in the Almond Area is...

Scarecrow's Garden Journal Notes:Temperatures range for March:Lowest Min 4.1CHighest Min 15.3CLowest Max 17.6CHighest Max 32.5C32.5mm RainRain comparison with other years: March average is 21mm:2012 32.5mm2011 49.8mm2010 7mm2009 13mm2008 0mm2007 29.7mmHarvest Tally for March:Doesn't include Greens fed to the chooks on a daily basis or herbs picked for use in the kitchen for cooking or tea making. For Salads, Juice and Stirfries  I have been picking Kale, Silverbeet, Leaf Amaranth, Mushroom Plant, Gotu Kola, Parsley, Basil, Nasturtium leaves and Beetroot Leaves which are not always weighed.Beans  Purple King 22gBeans Roc D'Or 221gBeans Runner 28gBeetroot Chioggia 83gBeetroot Golden Detroit 190gCapsicum California Wonder 366gCapsicum Hungarian Yellow 38gCarrots Mixed 140gCucumber Suyo Long 368gEggplant Casper 76gEggplant Long Purple 229gKale Red Bor 80gOnion Stuttgart  174gOnion Domenica  Sweet 1420gOnion Red 255gParsley Curled 83gPumpkin Australian Butter 1226gPumpkin Butternut 875gPumpkin Triamble 14414gPumpkin Whangaparaoa Crown 31209gSquash Golden 3500gTomato Big Rainbow 328gTomato Money Maker 2261gTrombone 4275gTotal Veg Harvest for...

Update March Week 4 :Finally a couple of Luffas are forming...I was pleased that they had at least grown for the first time in my garden. Now I wonder if they will grow big enough before our frosts start???Temperatures this week:Lowest Min 4.1CHighest Max 30.9C2mm Rain Propagation:Seeds:Cima Di Rapa Brassica rapa from The Italian GardenerCoriander Coriandrum sativum from home saved seedCorn Salad (Lamb's Lettuce/Mache) Valerianella locusta from The Italian Gardener (organic) Spinach - America Spinacea oleracea from The Italian Gardener (organic)Primula Lollopops Primula malacoides from DT BrownSnapdragon Brighton Rock Mixed Antirrhinum majus from Mr Fothergill'sPotting up/on:Onion Tropea rossa lungaOnion Red Rossa Beetroot Bulls Blood Beetroot Heirloom MixBeetroot Forono Black CuminParsley Curled plants rescued from clearing Bed 3Parsley Italian seedlings from here Silverbeet White Silver extra seedlings from here Seedlings planted out:Into Bed 7 in the Main Veg Garden:Peas Climbing Snow Mammoth Melting - seedlings from seed sown 3 Mar...

Included in the box of goodies from Mr Fothergill's Seeds was a box of JiffyEasy Pots.I notice these Jiffy® products are now made with a mixture of peat, wood pulp and coir pitch. These little pots are ideal for sowing larger seeds in and they lessen transplant shock because you just plant the whole pot into the ground because the pots are 100% Organic and 100% biodegrabable.Each pot comes with it's own little Quick Soil Mix compressed pellet To activate these pellets just pour over warm water...I stood them in a shallow container because the pots have a hole in the base! Add some more water until the pellet just about reaches the top of the pot. These little pots are also great for striking cuttings.  Included in the box they sent me was a packet of Silver Beet White Silver seeds from Mr Fothergill's Organic seed range. so I thought...

Clearing the way for peas!Bed 7 in the Main Veg Garden - where I grew dwarf beans with gourds growing up the fence over summer.The Tongues of Fire Beans produce over 1 kg of tasty green beans with red blotches and I also saved enough seed for planting next year. It may not seem like a large total but when you consider we are not supposed to be able to grow beans up here due to salinity problems I am very pleased with the results this year.The gourds started off well but had a bout of powdery mildew in our more humid than usual summer this year. Recently they had sprung back to life and even began flowering but it would have been too late for any gourds to develop now before the threat of frosts (beginning soon!). I am pleased with the 9 gourds I have collected from the...

Update March Week 3 :It didn't take very much rain to split this pumpkin...it will be turned into soup straight awayas it won't keep with a crack like that in it.Temperatures this week:Lowest Min 9.4CHighest Max 29.4C19mm RainPropagation:Seedlings planted out:Cauliflower (Broccoli) Romanesco into Bed 9Cuttings/Division:Yarrow Yellow Achillea millefolium cuttingsNext Week To Do:Plant those Peas and some Lettuce seedlings outSow more Spinach and Cima Di Rapa and Coriander on 25th-28th MarAnd still to do from last week because life got busy!Clean out Faverolles' houseClear and tidy driveway with Doc's help!Harvest Tally:Doesn't include Greens fed to the chooks on a daily basis or herbs picked for use in the kitchen for cooking or tea making.Beans Roc D'Or 30gCapsicum California Wonder 83gCarrots Mixed 140gOnions Sweet Domenica 196gPumpkin Butternut 875gPumpkin Triamble 3399gPumpkin Whangaparaoa Crown 12168gTomato Money Maker 291gTrombone 4275gPeaches 1444gEggs: total for the week 1919 From the 5 Farmyard Ferals0 From the Lone Barnevelder0...

Update: March Week 2 :Some volunteer Nasturtium seedlings were removed from Bed 4 to make room for an early crop of Garlic. The idea is that by the time the Garlic is growing strongly the Brassica Greens (Mizuna, Red Choi, Bekana and Rapini) will has finished production and been harvested.Temperatures this week:Lowest Min 7.1CHighest Max 32CNo Recorded RainfallPropagation:Seeds:Beetroot Beta vulgaris Bulls Blood from New Gippsland SeedsHeirloom Mix from DiggersForono from DT BrownCarrot Early Nantes Daucas carota from Mr Fothergill's into a wicking boxOnion Allium cepa Red Rossa from Grower's Pride - a favourite and reliable Red varietyTonda Musona Organic - large, round and white skinned and fleshedPiatta Di Bergamo - aka "Flat onion from Bergamo" a small, flat, reddish-brown onionTropea rossa lunga - known as the torpedo or bottle shaped onion, a red variety!These last three were from from The Italian GardenerRadish Beauty Heart Raphanus sativus from Mr Fothergill's into...

As it is a Public Holiday on Monday in SA I will be drawing the winner of the Gardening Australia Magazine on TUESDAY at noon. Sorry for the change!!Read the review here and leave a comment if you want to be in the draw!I'm off to help a friend plant out some Autumn seedlings on Monday!Original link...

Kitchen Garden Pot - Italian ParsleyThe next item in my box of goodies from Mr Fothergill's was a Kitchen Garden Pot of Italian Parsley.These pots are designed for growing on windowsills and each is a complete kit that contains all (including soil) you will need to grow tasty Italian Parsley all year round on your sunny kitchen windowsill.Parsley is so useful in cooking you should never be without a fresh supply!You simply open the lid, take out the seed packet (and the card in the lid) and locate the two compressed growing blocks.Place the blocks on top of each other with the larger on on the bottom.Then fill the pot with 275ml of warm water.The blocks quickly expand to almost fill the pot.Sow the seeds on the top of the soil mix and cover them lightly.Put the clear lid back on and leave the pot in a cool airy spot.Check...

Update: March Week 1:The Pumpkin Harvest has begun.Temperatures this week:Lowest Min 8.9CHighest Max 24.7C11.5mm RainThe weather has been much cooler this week with night temperatures mostly under 12CPropagation:Seeds:Peas Climbing Snow Mammoth Melting Pisum sativum from Mr Fothergill'sPeas Snow Roi de Carouby Pisum sativum var. macrocarpon Home Saved SeedPotting up/on:Kale Tuscan BlackKale Red BorCauliflower Violet SicillianCauliflower MiniBroccoli RomanescoBroccoli Green DomeSeeds Saved:CeleryBuckwheatParsley Flat and Curled leavedNext Week To Do:Sow Carrots - 10th - 13th March in Wicking BoxesPlant Garlic (plus Elephant Garlic) cloves into Bed 4 and edge beds - 10th - 13th MarchI still have some tasks to do from last week - I have been helping Doc in the workshop this week!Pot on Lettuce and Cabbage seedlingsPrepare Bed 9 for planting Romanesco CauliflowerClear Bed 19 -Plant Kale Red Bor into Bed 19 after topping up with compost and attach nettingTidy Bed 20 - remove Kale and CeleryHarvest Tally:Doesn't include Greens...

The March edition of Gardening Australia Magazine is out and once again I have one to give away!This month has a feature on one of my favourite flowers...it's South Australia's floral emblem. The Sturt's Desert Pea...see this link from 2007 for some photos of them growing wild up north where our son and his family live!There is a great article from Josh Byrne about an "Urban Orchard" in the centre of Perth in Western Australia which is actually growing on top of a multistorey car park!Great hints and things to do in the Garden Diary for March...with a reminder that Autumn is the best time to plant Native trees and shrubs...I think I have a few to plant out this year.Also the time of year to plant out spring flowering bulbs with hints on ground preparation!This month Millie Ross is brewing up some Beer...using Ginger and beer made with Hops...

Scarecrow's Garden Journal Notes: February 2012:Summer has ended just in time for the Grapevines......they say it's Autumn already!Temperature range for February:Lowest Min 4.6CHighest Min 21.6CLowest Max 21CHighest Max 36.7C56 mm Rain (last check of the rain gauge was at 5:30pm on the 29th)Rain comparison with other years: February average is 22.6mm:2012 56mm2011 151mm2010 7mm2009 0mm2008 1.6mm2007 10.4mmHarvest Tally for February:Doesn't include Greens fed to the chooks on a daily basis or herbs picked for use in the kitchen for cooking or tea making. For Salads, Juice and Stirfries I have been picking Kale, Silverbeet, Leaf Amaranth, Purple Orach, Mushroom Plant, Gotu Kola, Basil, Nasturtium leaves and new Beetroot Leaves which are not always weighed.Beans Gourmet Delight 55gBeans Purple King 527gCapsicum California Wonder 1251gCarrots Mixed 536gCucumber Suyo Long 2153gGarlic Elephant 150gLeeks Bulgarian Giant 122gMelon Tigger 460gOnion Red 131gPotato Brownell 323gPumpkin Blue Ballet 515gPumpkin Whangaparaoa Crown 2992gRockmelon Hearts Of Gold 3170Silverbeet 132gSquash...

Update: February Week 4:Cabbage seedlings up in days and almost ready to pot up!Temperatures this week:Lowest Min 11.9CHighest Max 36.4C56 mm Rain (last check of the rain gauge at 5:30pm on the 29th Feb)Propagation:Seeds:Basil - Sweet Genovese Ocimum basilicum from Mr Fothergill'sBlack Cumin Nigella sativa from The Lost SeedCabbage - Early Jersey Wakefield Brassica oleracea from The Lost SeedCabbage - Red Express Brassica oleracea from Southern Harvest SeedsCabbage - Verona Purple Savoy Brassica oleracea from The Lost SeedChervil - Curled Anthriscus cerefolium from The Lost SeedCorn Salad (Lamb's Lettuce/Mache) Valerianella locusta from The Italian Gardener (organic)Heartsease - Johnny Jump Up Viola triclour from DT BrownLettuce - Drunken Woman Lactuca sativa from The Lost SeedLettuce - Red & Green Salad Lactuca sativa from DT BrownLove in a Mist - Miss Jekyll Nigella damascena from Mr Fothergill'sParsley - Italian Leaf Petroselinum hortense from Mr Fothergill'sPoached Egg Plant Limnanthes douglasii from Mr Fothergill'sSilverBeet...

Last month I was contacted by the folks at Mr Fothergill's to try out some of their products. A box of goodies soon arrived and last week I had time to check out some of the things in it.The Basil Seed Mats caught my eyeas I reckon I can get another crop of this to grow before it gets too cold here.These are great little 8cm rounds of tissue type paper with several seeds enclosed within.You just fill a small pot with good quality potting mix lay the tissue round on top and cover with more potting mix.They are easily watered as the seeds won't be dislodged. I shall leave a couple of seedlings in this pot and pot up the rest for a late season harvest of fresh Sweet Genovese Basil.Even with our heat over the last week these seedlings were up in a matter of days.Other herbs in...

Update February Week 3:Over 17kgs of fruit and veg harvested this week...this was one day's haul.Suyo Long Cucumbers, Blue Ballet Pumpkin, Tigger Melons, Purple King Beans, and those Tomatoes are supposed to be Big Rainbow but they seem to be completely different!Temperatures this week:Lowest Min 11.7CHighest Max 36.7CNo Recorded RainfallWe have had a couple of quick showers but I think the rain gauge has too much dust in it to record it.Propagation:Potting up/on:Celery from seedChives from seedEthiopian Cabbage from seedFig Trees from cuttingsParcel from seedPelargonium Madame Salleron from cuttingsPigface Orange from cuttingsPot Potpourri Pelargonium from cuttingsSilverbeet from seedVolunteer seedlings of Primula and Erigeron from pots on the tableSeedlings planted out:AlyssumDivision: from potted plants on the propagation tables!Chamomile PerennialMints - Applemint, Orangemint, Gingermint and Egyptian mint,Fernleaf BambooLebanese CressThyme - Russian, Pink, White, Variagated Lemon,Cuttings: from potted plants on the propagation tables!Scented Geranium/Pelargoniums -Lemon Supreme Marble Grey, Orange, Peppermint.Felicia amelloides VariegatedNext Week...