plants – Veggie Patch Anywhere

Tomatoes

03/01/202503/01/2025Posted in fruit, Gardening, plants, propegation, Vegetables, veggie patchTagged figs, Gardening, tomatoes, trees, VegetablesLeave a comment

30 Dec 2024

A Bountiful Garden: Tomatoes, Watermelons, and the Joy of Growing

There’s something deeply satisfying about watching a garden thrive, and this season, it’s all about tomatoes and watermelons! Our backyard is bursting with life, and every visit to the veggie patch feels like a small celebration of growth and resilience.

Tomatoes Galore

The tomatoes are growing beautifully—vigorous, green, and full of promise! Clusters of little tomatoes are already forming, and the plants are adorned with plenty of yellow flowers, each one a sign of more delicious fruit to come. Among the varieties, my dad’s special pointed tomatoes are a standout. He fondly refers to them as “friendship Borghese.” This unique variety is shaping up well, with lots of tiny tomatoes already developing. Watching their progress has become a joyful daily ritual for both of us.

A Special Connection Through Pointed Tomatoes

My dad has a special bond with these pointed tomatoes, lovingly tending to them and tracking their progress. There’s a charm to these tomatoes—not only because of their shape but also due to the sense of tradition they carry. It’s like they’ve become a symbol of connection, care, and continuity in our family garden. We often joke about their determined, pointy shape, but they’ve earned a special place in our hearts.

Watermelons: A New Experiment

While the tomatoes steal the spotlight for now, our watermelons are slowly making their debut. I’ve planted two in pots and two directly in the veggie patch, eager to see how each group fares. Watermelons can be a bit of an experiment, needing just the right combination of sunshine, water, and patience. But their growth feels exciting and full of potential—like watching a story unfold and waiting for that first sweet reward.

The Joy of Growing

There’s magic in planting something and watching it grow. The garden teaches patience, resilience, and the importance of nurturing. Each bloom and each little fruit is a small reminder of nature’s ability to thrive with care and attention. Whether it’s the pointed tomatoes or the sprawling watermelon vines, this process is filled with hope and discovery.

As the days get warmer, I’m excited to see how things develop. Will the watermelon vines take over the veggie patch? Will we be snacking on “friendship Borghese” tomatoes fresh off the vine in a few weeks? No matter the outcome, the journey of growing these plants is already a gift in itself.

Pansies

24/11/2024Posted in flowers, Gardening, plants, veggie patchLeave a comment

24 Nov 2024

A Burst of Beauty: The Joy of Pansies in the Garden

There’s something incredibly satisfying about watching your garden come to life, and today, I found myself admiring one of its most colorful highlights: the pansies. A couple of months ago, I planted these cheerful blooms in pots around my citrus trees, and now, they’re truly thriving. Their vibrant colors and healthy, flourishing petals have transformed these spots into focal points that draw the eye and lift the spirit.

The Beauty of Pansies

Pansies are the epitome of garden charm. With their velvety petals and “faces” that seem to smile up at you, they bring a sense of whimsy and joy to any outdoor space. What I love most is their versatility — from deep purples to sunny yellows, their color palette seems almost endless. They pair beautifully with the citrus trees, creating a stunning contrast between the bright greens of the leaves and the vivid hues of the flowers.

Why Pansies Thrive

These flowers are not just pretty; they’re also incredibly resilient. Pansies thrive in cooler weather, making them perfect for transitional seasons. With a little bit of care—good drainage, regular watering, and a sunny spot—they reward you with a burst of color that lasts for weeks, if not months. Watching them grow strong and vibrant is a reminder of the rewards of patience and nurturing in the garden.

A Focal Point for the Garden

What makes the pansies around the citrus trees so special is the way they anchor the garden’s design. Their bright colors draw attention to the pots, creating a visual harmony that enhances the overall space. It’s a small detail, but one that has made a big impact on how the garden feels as a whole—warm, welcoming, and alive.

The Simple Joy of Gardening

Taking note of the pansies today reminded me of the simple pleasures of gardening. It’s not just about the end result, though the beauty of these blooms is a definite reward. It’s about the process—the planting, the tending, and the quiet moments of observation. It’s a reminder to pause and appreciate the beauty in small things, like the vibrant pansy faces peeking up at the world.

If you’re looking for a way to add a splash of color to your garden, consider planting some pansies. They’re low-maintenance, hardy, and endlessly delightful—an easy way to brighten your day, every day.

Happy gardening!

Melbourne Storms

28/09/2024Posted in Gardening, plants, trees, veggie patchLeave a comment

3 Sep 2024

Melbourne was hit by fierce storms recently, with cyclone-like winds wreaking havoc in my garden. My magnolia tree, unfortunately, wasn’t spared and was knocked over, snapping near the bottom. It was a disheartening sight, but I wasn’t ready to give up on it.

I quickly anchored the pot and carefully wrapped the broken part with tape to help it heal. Now, it’s a waiting game—fingers crossed that it will recover. With a bit of luck and a lot of love, I’m hopeful I can nurse it back to health.

On the brighter side, I’ve just finished setting up my compost station and veggie box, and I’m eager to plant some new seedlings.

Stay safe, everyone, and remember, your veggie patch can thrive anywhere!

Preparing a Raised Garden Bed and Sunflowers

22/09/2024Posted in flowers, Gardening, plants, veggie patchLeave a comment

26 Aug 2024

As the storm clouds gather this Sunday afternoon, I’ve taken the opportunity to prepare my raised garden bed before the weather turns. There’s something satisfying about using this quiet, blustery moment to get the garden ready for the coming season.

I started by laying down a base of cardboard, followed by shredded paper from the shredder. On top of this, I added some of my home-made compost. This will soon be topped up with three or four bags of good-quality garden soil, all prepped for planting tomatoes and cucumbers.

I’m also trying something new this season—using chopping boards to divide larger pots into two spaces. This allows me to plant two seedlings per pot instead of one, optimizing space. I’m eager to see how this experiment goes!

For me, veggie growing is all about re-purposing what’s on hand and using materials that might otherwise end up in the landfill. It’s an eco-friendly approach, and I encourage everyone to find creative ways to utilize what they already have.

So, as I sit here, waiting for the storm to arrive, I feel content knowing that I’ve made good use of the day. Let’s hope the storm doesn’t last long, and soon we’ll be back to tending the happy veggie patch!

Sunflowers: A Garden’s Bright Delight

Sunflowers have always been a favorite in my garden. Their bright faces bring joy and color to any space, attracting bees, butterflies, and other wildlife that make the garden feel alive. Not to mention, they provide plenty of seeds for the wild parrots that frequent my area, making the garden a bustling hub of activity.

Sunflowers hold a special place in my heart. They were my brother’s favorite flower, and we used them as a bouquet at his funeral. Their ability to follow the sun is both symbolic and beautiful, a reminder of persistence and hope. In his honor, I’ve started seedlings in my mini greenhouse, growing giant sunflowers that will stand tall and proud in the garden.

I’m also growing the multi-stemmed Teddy Bear variety, which adds a whimsical charm to any garden corner. To get creative, I’ve been using leftover egg cartons as pots. Once the seedlings have grown a few inches, I can cut out the individual cartons and plant them directly into the soil. It’s a simple, eco-friendly solution, and a fun way to involve some repurposing into the gardening process.

Gardening always brings a sense of renewal and joy, and these sunflowers are no different. Here’s to watching them grow tall, following the sun, and brightening up the garden even more.

Happy veggie patching, everyone!

My late brother enjoying his favourite sunflowers

Leen van der Mark Tulip and Dutch Iris Bloom

22/09/2024Posted in flowers, plants, veggie patchTagged Gardening1 Comment

23 Aug 2024

As the weather warms up, it brings the promise of new life and color to the garden. Over the past few days, the bulbs I planted have started to emerge, and some have even burst into bloom.

The Leen van der Mark tulip, with its fiery red and yellow petals, has opened, revealing a stunning display that almost feels like a striking piece of natural artwork. Its bold colors catch the eye immediately, standing out like a masterpiece painted by nature herself.

At the same time, I noticed that my kangaroo paw plant has just sprung up, adding another layer of excitement to this garden transformation. There’s something incredibly satisfying about watching these plants wake up after the cooler months, and it’s always a surprise to see what comes up next.

Spring is definitely on its way, and the garden is responding beautifully to the warmer temperatures. I can’t wait to see what else will bloom in the coming weeks!

Winter garden, Daffodils and Purple Broccoli

30/06/2024Posted in flowers, Gardening, grass, plantsLeave a comment

Citrus update

It’s a cold, windy day. I come out to my garden to look at my lovely citrus trees. The bugs have disappeared, and they’re looking fantastic. I planted some pansies at the bottom of the pots. I gave them a good feed, and the lemons are looking and tasting beautiful. I also tasted some of the first peas of the season. The broccoli are turning out nice, the broad beans are growing, and I’ve covered all the herbs with bird netting. The strawberry plants have got new leaves, and they’ve got a surprise tomato plant growing. I’ll let that go and see how it does in the middle of winter.

Lawn bare patch

I have to give my lawn a mow. I noticed a couple of round bare patches. The birds have been busy digging up the roots and eating the bulbs and seeds that are underneath, so they’ve left a couple of bare patches. So what I’ve done is roughened up the area, poked holes for aeration, sprinkled some patch-up seed with fertilizer, and watered it in. We’ll see how it goes.

Daffodils and Dutch Iris

One of the things I like to do is go to Bunnings in the plants section. They usually have a little corner where they have plants that have seen better days and have bargain seedlings and lots of other goodies at very, very cheap prices. For three dollars, I got myself some Dutch Iris and some red daffodils, and I have also been lucky enough to find a mandarin tree for a third of its price. I need to figure out whether I need to buy a new pot or whether my fig tree decides to die. Anyway, the fig tree’s replacement is sitting right next to it just to give it a little bit more motivation to grow. I planted these in the tub, and we’ll see how they look in a couple of weeks once they start growing. They did seem to shoot up just in the last two days; that was quite fast. Anyway, have fun with your veggie patch and enjoy your weekend.

Winter Solstice

On the shortest day of the year, on this lovely 1°C Melbourne winter morning with very icy grass, I ventured out into my veggie patch to discover that my purple broccoli has developed and it looks spectacular. The herbs are taking off, and I found a surprise tomato plant growing with flowers. I’m wondering if I’m going to get any tomatoes out of this winter. On the shortest day of the year, it’ll be dark before 5 o’clock tonight, so I’ll make the most of looking after my veggie patch, rug up, and stay warm, hoping for a little bit of sunshine.

The bug wars continue …

02/06/2024Posted in flowers, fruit, Gardening, insects, plants, trees, veggie patchLeave a comment

2 June 2024

It’s a never-ending saga with my citrus trees: plenty of bugs and leaf miner scales. They really like to hide. So when you’re spraying your trees, make sure you get the underside of the leaves and even unfold some of the curled leaves to find them. Sometimes, I just pick them off when the leaves are too damaged.

For a homemade anti-bug solution, mix one drop of dish soap, one drop of oil, and half a liter of water. Give it a good mix/shake and spray your trees as many times as you like. This solution works well against whiteflies too. If that doesn’t work, a biodegradable room spray is great as well. Make sure it’s biodegradable and environmentally friendly.

Also, top up the pots with some fresh, good-quality potting mix and feed your trees with Seasoil.

The lemons are looking great. Autumn is my favorite time of the year.

What a beautiful day to be out working in the veggie patch!

Traditions, Anzac Day, Mushrooms and the Bonsai Pot

05/05/2024Posted in Gardening, grass, plants, pot plants, propegation, succulents, veggie patchLeave a comment

5 May 2024

Traditions

Traditions are a great source of how things used to be done and a wealth of knowledge. A great tradition handed down through generations is the storage of summer produce. These small tomatoes have a sharp point and taste delicious. Nonno picks them in bunches at the end of summer, ties them together, and hangs them under a cool shady spot. He calls these tomatoes Spuntinni. They last for four months; I would love to see the ones in the supermarket last four days. The ones that go rotten drop off and are discarded, but not before seeds are collected. The same process goes for the peppers, which are strung together and dried to make flakes or to fry and eat like chips. A wealth of knowledge is slowly disappearing, and people like me are trying to share and keep it alive.

Mushrooms

After some heavy rains and a bit of sunshine, the lawn is looking very vibrant, and on closer inspection, I have noticed lots of mushrooms. They’re very pretty but not so great if consumed by the family pet. Lily, our border collie, is very inquisitive and highly suspicious of anything new in the garden; she gave them a good barking (along with the wind, clouds, birds, and anything else that moves or breathes, lol). I put on some gloves and got rid of a heap of them under Lily’s supervision. I also made a dish soap solution and gave the affected areas a sprinkle. After a few days, it did the trick.

Bonsai Pot cleanup

It’s Anzac Day, time to relax, pay our respects, watch the football, and give the Bonsai pot a cleanup. I cleared all the dead leaves, propagated as many as I could, removed stones, and gave them a wash. I pruned the Jade bonsai slightly to retain its shape, then placed some red rocks around the base and also some for the elephant to balance on. I might blue tack her down and have decided to call her Caron, a beautiful reminder of a great friend who gifted her to me. I topped up everything with white crushed rocks that were only $6 at Bunnings. It was very relaxing and therapeutic. Turned out looking really nice in the end.

Succulent progress

On another sunny Melbourne day I’m happily veggie patching my way everywhere and enjoying the sunshine before the cold weather hits later on this afternoon . I had a peek at my succulent propagation cuttings . The leaves have some roots – some have just withered away and died, but the ones that have taken off still look healthy . I will leave them alone for a couple of weeks and some time in the future I’ll transplant them into pots. I’ve got some from even about a year ago – they’re coming along nicely. I spray them with some water maybe once a week depending on how hot it is. They do like things to be nice and dry though. I will be keeping them undercover as it has been very cold weather and lots of frost and the little greenhouses have worked a treat.

Orange Tree and Purple Cauliflower

21/04/202421/04/2024Posted in Gardening, plants, pot plants, trees, Vegetables, veggie patchLeave a comment

21 April 2024

ORANGE TREE

This tree was a lovely present from my wife Sandra to add to my citrus collection. I now have lemon, mandarin and orange trees and it looks much better with 5 large pots instead of four 🙂 .

These 37 cm half wine barrels from Bunnings are great for this purpose. I do place them on top of a concrete paver so they drain around the base and don’t rot and at $3 a paver that’s also very affordable.

I have teased the roots out and added some homemade compost and a decent potting mix. Have given it a decent watering and as always the waiting commences – but I do love the aroma of citrus flowers while we wait.

PURPLE CAULIFLOWER AND BROAD BEANS

I planted the purple cauliflower the other day and a white cauliflower later on. They seem to be doing quite well. Just gave them a little bit of watering and pulled out a whole heap of left over tomato plants that have just randomly sprung out from the compost heap.

The beans have taken off as well – everything is growing beautifully.

In the garden section in Bunnings there is a throwaway section of seedlings for a dollar each and I brought quite a few. We’ll see how they go. Absolute bargain because they’re usually $4.99 each.

Happy veggie patch anywhere in pots!

Propagating Gardenias and my Bookshelf Garden

21/04/202421/04/2024Posted in indoor plants, plants, pot plants, veggie patchLeave a comment

21 April 2024

PROPAGATING GARDENIAS

My propagation corner is starting to take shape. The cut of Gardenia that I took two weeks ago has rooted and also has a tiny new leaf. I’m very excited about propagating the Gardenias. They make a wonderful evergreen shrub and when they flower the scent is beautiful.

BOOKSHELF GARDEN

My bookshelf garden is also starting to take shape. Lots of offcuts of Jade and succulents that are taking off as well. I had to add some sticky bug paper to try and catch some of the bugs that are constantly flying around. These little bugs are quite annoying and hard to get rid of, but the sticky paper seems to be working a treat.

I’m contemplating getting some growing lights as I’ve seen other people (namely my daughter Adelle) put some nice lights on the plants. Give them some growth and it also creates a lovely ambience.

These free standing indoor pot hangers (also from Adelle’s house) are outstanding and display the pots beautifully. I am hopefully waiting for some string of hearts offcuts from Adelle some time soon … 😉

Adelle’s indoor plants

30/03/2024Posted in indoor plants, plants, veggie patchLeave a comment

23 Mar 2024

Today I visited my wonderful step daughter and I was impressed beyond belief. Her indoor plant collection is something to behold.

They are so colourful and pretty that I just had to share some photos here!

One of my favourites is her String of hearts. I remember them when they were only tiny and now they’re going from the ceiling to the floor probably a few times.

Very very impressive and pretty indeed!

Strawberries in a tin

16/03/2024Posted in fruit, home made, plants, Vegetables, veggie patchLeave a comment

10 Mar 2024

I’ve always loved strawberries and recently Facebook sent me a reminder of something I did years ago when my son was a baby.

I repurposed the baby formula tins by poking a few holes in them and then hooking them onto the chain link fence. I then planted the strawberry plants inside these tins. The seedlings loved it and I had a great crop that year. My son loved eating them too 🙂

This once again proves the fact that you can basically have a Veggie Patch Anywhere… even an ugly chain link fence can be made pretty this way.

Keep gardening and be kind – always.

More succulents and my winter garden plans

10/03/2024Posted in Gardening, grass, plants, pot plants, succulents, veggie patchLeave a comment

3 Mar 2024

I have started propagating a few more succulent leaves by laying them down in some soil. This is day 1 so we’ll see how this goes.

I again spent a little bit of time clearing out the veggie patch and turning over the soil – even the cleaning up is a full time job I think 🙂

Then I contemplated maybe buying two recycled steel containers and filling it up with fresh soil and compost to plant the winter crops in, but I’m not 100% sure yet if I’ll do that… watch this space.

I’ll be keeping some of the larger pots to grow cucumber and peas in next season. They are quite compact and the cucumbers and peas seem to like the pots. As long as you remember to keep them moist by watering them often and take good care of them regularly.

They also don’t take up a lot of space and you can put them just about anywhere – under a patio or a veranda – as long as it gets a bit of sun every day.

You’ll learn how to look after them eventually and they should give you a nice tasty crop with not too much effort at all.

Recycling cardboard boxes to stop weeds

10/03/202410/03/2024Posted in Gardening, grass, home made, plants, veggie patchLeave a comment

2 Mar 2024

A couple of weeks ago I trimmed the fig tree again and pulled out a couple of shoots that were growing out of the base. I decided to plant one of the little off-shoots because it had some roots at the end of it and it has taken off. It’s a lovely little tree in a little black pot. So now my fig trees have multiplied to 3 – I don’t know where it’s going to end. All depends on how much room I have in the garden I guess.

The tomatoes are all gone now. I’m still getting some scraggly little cucumbers which are still very tasty though.

Everything else now looks nice and neat. I did plant a few lettuces and spread out the strawberries into a standard pot and then I covered them with bird netting to stop the birds from digging around and destroying everything.

I’ve also decided to brush away some of the bark and soil and laid down some flattened cardboard boxes – then I covered them with soil again. This is a good way to contain some of the weeds and grass shoots that are coming through under the fence from my next door neighbour. I did this before and it works a treat – the cardboard gets wet, compacts and creates a nice barrier against any weeds that are trying to poke through. You can then cover this back up with bark or mulch and it controls a lot of the weeds while you’re also recycling cardboard boxes at the same time and doing your bit for the environment.

Some dead leaves that I clipped off the cucumber plant

Pothos (Devil’s Ivy)

10/03/2024Posted in indoor plants, plants, pot plantsLeave a comment

1 March 2024

A brilliant plant that requires minimal attention with maximum rewards is the Pothos – also know as Devil’s Ivy and a whole bunch of other names.

I love my Pothos because all you have to do is simply get a little branch and put it in some water. Then watch the roots sprout and eventually transfer it to a pot.

Give it some sort of support to tie it onto, maintain it and it drapes quite nicely down wherever you put it.

My one is up on the bookshelf and it has come quite a long way from the one leaf stem that I started it with.

I do have another one that I’m trying in a test tube. The roots have grown quite large so I might need to put it in a larger pot of water and I might even take another stem of the original plant and try another one.

Pothos plants are very easy to take care of and it looks quite stunning draped over a shelf or up in a high place or even some shady spot in the garden. I do like the marble pattern and it’s also got a yellow streak through the green leaves – absolutely stunning!

Here are some more resources for taking care of your Pothos plants:

Better Homes and Gardens: Pothos plants

Gardening Know How – Careing for Pothos plants

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