gardens update
Well the rain has mostly slowed down and we have had a few days of sun. So this I guess is our summer this year.Traditionally we have a very sunny and pleasant autumn through March, April and May. The cold nights and vaguely possible frosts usually start around mid April but they are not very severe till July. What is left of the beans are taking off and many of the winter starting greens have been planted.
The corn does not stand much chance of doing anything.
There is still hope for the tomatoes which are still healthy but have only small fruit on them.
The squash are producing a lot despite being raided by people and animals along with trying to recover from the Hail storm still. There are about 9 different heritage varieties of pumpkin and squash in the mound.
Beets [red and yellow], Spinach, Silver beet/chard, Lettuce, Radish, Rocket, Parsley, and the Kales are starting from seed now.
gardens update
Well the rain has finally ceased for a few days and things are a little more cheerful. The slugs and snails have had a great time and viciously and viscously attacked and stripped the 5th planting of beans this season. Have resorted to using Iron Phosphate around them. This was not an issue last year. It’s just been the huge amount of water and rainfall this year.
The Squash area is thriving and with some warmer dry weather the flowers are no longer rotting and so we have produce!. Same with the tomatoes which are now flowering and setting so we have fruit.
Some more citrus are in and hopefully will put in enough growth before winter burns them back.
Someone tried the mangel-wurzel root roasted and reported back that it’s pretty good and a lot like sweet potato.
Mibuna, mizuna, tatsoi and rocket and going well. And a new fast access raised herb garden has been made up to replace the weed infested herb area near the carpark. This will be useful for those that drop in to the gardens quickly to grab a handful of herbs like parsley, origin and thyme etc. The area around it needs wiping of weeds…
I have to add that this is possibly the most dismal growing summer for vegetables I have seen around here for many years… 
gardens update
Good growth after the heavy rain for 2 weeks and especially the female kiwifruit vines are finally taking off.
gardens update
The beginnings of the medical – physic herb garden. Base layer is mainly wood chip and waste, then a layer of half composted soil then a layer of about 20cm of Lucerne and then some straw to bind the top surface. Luckily it rained heavily right after laying all this down.
Squash and Pumpkins are progressing well.
gardens update – physic garden
The beginnings of a physic garden dedicated to medicinal plants and herbs.
Check this one out… some good standard references to medical plants:
http://www.piam.com/mms_garden/
http://www.piam.com/mms_garden/hort1.html
gardens update
Strawberries – alpine and summer fruiting [day neutral are still coming] planted out in wooden spiral are doing well. Alpine are vesca var. semperflorens. There is also a plant of Potentilla indica (formerly Duchesnea indica) that is growing well in the top area.
There is some new trellis up for climbing plants. Work started on cleaning up weeded area for perennial herb garden.
Some frost damage at thew northern end, but most seeds are coming along ok now as it warms up a bit during the days. Syzgium hedging replanted with new seedlings to replace the ones that got toasted by the heavy frosts shortly after planting in June.
More trashed plants on western creek side – with foot prints… etc. Upper creek is totally dry again.
