Grow Your Own Sustainability
12 Feb 2024
I just have to show you guys these beautiful flowers… they are absolutely stunning and the aroma is almost too much. They are Oriental Lilies. I will have to try and grow some of these.
The fig tree has rejuvenated and is looking great. It took three tires, but my determination eventually paid off. Now an actual tasty fig would be worth the wait!
8 Feb 2024
Daycare Garden
After a fun-filled summer at the Daycare of growing salads and herbs, mulching, watering, and engaging in activities in the veggie patch, it’s that time of year to clean up, mulch, water, and start planning for a winter crop – perhaps some carrots and broccoli.
The activities and hands-on involvement of children is crucial and very satisfying – for them to see that this is where food comes from and not the supermarket – a very valuable lesson or 2 was learned here.
Stay tuned for before and after shots when we get around to doing the cleaning up.
Nonno’s garden
Last time I visited, Nonno was busy attaching and joining up bird netting to safeguard the figs in the scorching heat and dry soil. He also covered two water tanks to stop mold growth, and with eleven 250-liter drums and two 1000-liter drums, he has plenty of water to go around so I’m not sure what he plans on doing with all of that.
He also loves this plant he calls the Pope’s B*lls ! 🙂 (see pictures)
He has a buch of cucumbers that he likes to pick when they are slender and sweeter. He also has some pumpkins growing of the garage roof – I really hope he is careful when he decides to pick them at 83 years strong!
5 Feb 2024
As I wandered outside to soak up the outdoors and bask in my happy space after the rain we’ve had, I noticed some white butterflies.
Then, I spotted even more and soon realized there were hundreds of them and that they are actually Cabbage Moths.
They are quite pretty, obviously enjoying a feast at my veggie patch, where I use no chemicals to keep them away. They may look pretty but they can actually be quite destructive in the garden.
3 Feb 2024
It’s so rewarding watching an avocado pit sprout and transform into a tree! I’ve grown a few, but the waiting game for fruit can be a couple of years.
After enjoying a tasty avocado wrap, here’s a trick: wrap the seed in damp paper towels, toss it in a ziplock bag, and stash it in a cool, dark spot for six weeks. Once that’s done, unwrap the seed, peel off some outer bark, stick in a few toothpicks (careful, some might have roots), and let them sit over a container with water. Old coffee containers work like a charm for this.
Once the shoots hit about 2 feet, it’s transplant time. Put them into some good potting mix or your garden – just make sure they’re not getting blasted by full sun. Happy growing!
2 Feb 2024
So, the fig tree’s rocking loads of new leaves – a great sign, right? And those paper towels hanging out under the rocks? Doing an awesome job, keeping the moisture in check for the little roots, so they’re not drying out crazy fast. Now, brace yourself for some hot and dry days, classic for this time of year.
The tomato plant leaves are starting to say their goodbyes, but guess what? I’ve already snagged more than 200 cherry tomatoes and 5 cucumbers – perfect for those easy-breezy work salads!
Lost a big tomato to some hungry critter, but no worries. Wrapped the whole tomato plant in double layers of bird netting, and bam! Scored a whopping 290-gram tomato.
Took care of the rest of the tomato crew, trimmed them up, and now, just waiting for those beauties to turn red or grab ’em right before the birds catch on. Quick tip: toss ‘em in a bowl, throw some light their way – they’ll ripen like champs.
Sure, the tomato plants might be looking a bit shaggy, but hey, they’re like my green pals, and I’m giving them the royal treatment in their golden years.
27 Jan 2024
Mandarins
I’m exploring all the plants in the garden and have come across our first mandarin. The tree is a great little plant that is very green and compact; not much needs to be done.
There is something wonderful and tasty about homegrown mandarins. I am partial to citrus fruits; in Sicily, there are thousands of lemon trees.
I also enjoy the brilliance of the Pansies; they give the garden a lot of color, and they are my wife’s favorite. Absolutely beautiful!
The Fig Tree
My ongoing saga with saving the fig tree continues. Too many offshoots have dried out the soil, and the plant has withered, losing all its leaves. It is a stubborn plant; I know it’s very hard to kill.
I decided to repot it with new soil and get rid of all the offshoots, except for one that I pulled out weeks ago, and it is doing well.
Additionally, I placed some old newspaper sheets underneath the mulch to retain water and slow down evaporation; hopefully, the weeds won’t thrive either. Today, I noticed new budding leaves.
I also collected a bunch of unripened tomatoes and am letting them ripen in the sun. The wildlife is very hungry and will eat anything, even before it’s ripe.
I have collected over 180 cherry tomatoes so far and have enjoyed many garden salads this summer—very delicious!
21 Jan 2024
It’s a short one today… 😉
Just wanted to check to say that I harvested another couple of beautiful cucumbers and around 30 tomatoes to make a nice fresh sauce to go with spaghetti and plenty of basil too.
I also spent a bit of time propagating some succulents. I picked some Gollum Jade sprigs and laid them out in potting mix inside the mini greenhouse. Let’s see what happens.
18 Jan 2024
After so much rain and floods my fig tree looks shocking! 😦
I decided to trim all the limbs growing out of the pot and leave only the two main stems. I took one of them and planted it in another pot – we’ll see if it takes off.
I replaced some of the soil with fresh potting mix and gave it a good watering and a dose of Seasoil solution too so hopefully it helps all the tiny root clusters just below the soil.
Two years of growing these figs trees and still no figs. I guess the waiting and patience will make them taste all the sweeter I’m sure. It is one of our favourite fruits and they’re very expensive at the shops so I’m not giving up yet.
Watch this space!
09 Jan 2024
Lots of rain, roads flooded and small lakes forming in all the fields around where I live.
Lovely cherry tomato salads for work lunch straight from the garden with another cucumber from the crop – very nice, sweet tasty.
I have noticed though that the stand up vegetable tubs do dry out quickly so I have to keep a close eye on them.
There are also at least another 20 smaller cucumbers on the 3 plants in my 45cm tub. Next year I may have double the plants if possible because they seem to be doing really well in the tubs.
15 Jan 2024
I just did another bit of harvesting again and my count today was 88 tomatoes and 2 huge cucumbers.
The heritage tomatoes are a bit of a hit and miss unfortunately – lots of worm holes and mush but a few are still hanging in there.
The tommy toe tomatoes are doing great. I had a huge heavy crop and it’s still growing – so much that I need to fold the plant over to let it run on a trellis for support.
Happy harvesting and enjoy the bounty!
23 Dec 2023
Just sharing some more of the photos I took in South Africa at Babylonstoren wine estate. What an amazing place that is – blew my mind.
22 Dec 2023
The tomato plant that has drooped also has tomatoes that are being eaten by something, so I spent half an hour today just picking the damaged ones and throwing away the lost causes.
I gave all of them good a water and trimmed away dried leaves. I also spread some more coffee grounds that should do until next year as I don’t want to add too much coffee grounds either.
Fourteen tomatoes and a bunch of basil – a great harvest so far! The mint, lemon, thyme and parsley that I transplanted also worked very well. I used it in the roasting tray with some whole chicken roasted with a bunch of herbs.
Delicious!!
16 Dec 2023
Big news guys … We’ve had the first taste of the 2023/2024 crop. Absolutely delicious – so sweet – nothing like the ones at the shop and zero chemicals. I decided the caterpillars need to eat as well 🙂 I did pick a dozen of them off the basil – that will do.
I tasted a tomato with some of the basil and my taste buds exploded!
The cucumbers are also comming along nicely. Next year I will buy another tub where I want to grow some zucchinni. Probably simply for the pleasure of growing and the taste of homegrown veggies
I don’t know what is happening to my tommy toe tomatoes though … There are heaps of tomatoes, but one plant is drooping and looks very dry. I’ve watered them twice and also checked the soil. I’ve put some Seasol solution – hopefully it helps. The other ones are fine – only this one seems to have a problem – very strange. Watch this space – we’ll see what happens with them.
11 Dec 2023
After we had some very heavy rains I decided to have a look under the bird netting and discovered some caterpillars munching on my basil.
I immediately decided to make some vinegar bug spray to try and get rid of them. You have to take 1 part vinegar and 1 part water with a splash of dish soap. We’ll see how this goes zero because I really don’t like to use chemical sprays on my vegetable patch.
If anyone has any ideas I would really appreciate it so please feel free to make a comment below.
Nonno says puréed garlic with lemon and add vinegar and then you spray that in the soil and under the leaves. Other people have also suggested to try Eco Oil Spray from Bunnings.
10 Dec 2023
An empty plain driveway is something I’ve never experienced growing up. Sustainability and recycling have been second nature to my dad. He would be able to reuse anything and everything he could find.
Old milk crates, old tubs, netting, homegrown bamboo tomato stakes, window frame, building supplies, torn up old linen as ties, mayonnaise buckets .. and the list goes on.
3 Dec 2023
My mum’s cousin posted his veggie patch. Lots of vegetables tomatoes and compost – all done on top of a concrete driveway.
I’m loving it. Well done Giuseppe!
Veggie Patch Anywhere 