Category: Vegetables

27 Nov 2023

I recently got my hands on 8 metres of bird netting. After securing it on the fence and draping it over the pot plants I replanted the basil seedlings. The Kookaburras are laughing at my efforts – how very ironic.

I placed four skewers around each seedling to give them some extra protection and secured the bird netting to the pot plants with metal pegs. It’s easily removable for plant maintenance.

The miniature compost has some worms in it busily eating the vegetable scraps. This humid weather and sweat and the millions of flies is very irritating. So many flies!!!!

I gave the plants a good watering and diluted the out of date left over milk and gave that to the plants as well.

When I went inside, Alice the cat was trying to get my attention because the two culprits were right outside her window. I’m sure Alice would teach them a lesson but Alice is an indoor cat fortunately for those birds, and now they are both sitting on top of the bird netting, a bit of deterrence is better then none.

21 Nov 2023

As the sun sets on a beautiful day that I unfortunately missed due to the demands of my job, I decided to collect some grass clippings and spread them around the tomato plants. This should help prevent the pot plants from drying out and eventually turn into mulch. The tomato flowers are small yet stunning, with plenty of them on these plants. I checked the soil and it felt moist, so I didn’t add any water. I also inspected for pests and any stems that needed tying down.

The delightful aroma of oregano mixed with mint fills the air.

I discovered some digging done by my archenemy, a bird that looks as evil as it acts. I’m not sure what kind of bird it is, but its red gills make it a formidable foe. I sense a disturbance in the force and consider this a declaration of war!

On the positive side, the soil is teeming with worms, and I hope they produce excellent castings and worm pee. Mmmmmm, worm pee!

In other news, the catnip has grown so much in the mini greenhouse that it’s almost ready for Alice to play with.

The fig tree has been saved after going through a period of drying out and then being drowned, thanks to the unpredictable Melbourne weather. One must be vigilant in maintaining the soil condition for the fig pot, ensuring it’s neither too dry nor too wet.

According to the master gardener, Nonno, I might consider drilling another hole and repotting next year. This process involves removing the plant, trimming some of the roots, and repotting it with fresh soil. While I’m at it, I might as well give the fig tree a trim, which I plan to do in winter when the plant is dormant.

On another note, I was recently asked whether I prefer egg or pineapple on pizza and which is more acceptable. I can tolerate egg on pizza, but the only good pineapple pizza is the one that’s in the bin. As we Italians say, “Che schifezzo!”

Buona notte, people!