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Monday, August 6, 2012

How my garden is growing

In my neck of the woods even though it gets cold (by Australian standards), the garden always has something to offer. It may be slim pickings sometimes but you can always rustle something up. I do like seeing all of those stunningly beautiful snowscapes from the northern hemisphere but I do not envy them there lack of winter harvests.

I was quite surprised when I was in town on Satrday that there were advanced tomato plants available to buy. Now that really is just too adventurous right now with heavy frosts most mornings. I haven't even started any seedlings as yet but it won't be too long off.

 I did plant out some spinach today. It doesn't mind the cooler weather.
The spinach is sharing a bed with garlic and pak choy. The pak choy is one of those wintery greens that keep on keeping on. I always treat it as a pick as needed type of plant and it hasn't ever let me down. Although it is really an Asian style green, it really does suit any meal and is quite delicious raw in a winter salad.

 Spring must truly be on its way. I found a lonely little self-sown sunflower in the vegetable garden this morning. I know the frosts will probably end this little plants hopes of growing and flowering but you just never know. My view on self-sown/volunteer plants is that unless they are weeds and truly unwanted, they can bloom/grow where they come up because most likely that is the best spot for them and they will be vigorous and out grow most purposely planted crops.

 Just to add more proof to my theory that soup is unphotogenic in my kitchen (you know it really isn't the soup but the food stylist. I didn't even crop my foot out of the picture), here is last nights soup offering. I used Guy Grossi's recipe for a hearty bean soup which was much like minestrone and utterly delicious.

Now that my mood has improved I don't want things vexing me. Rabbits included. They are very busy right now. I have seen one in the herb garden in the middle of the day ( I think it scared a couple of weeks off my life expectancy) and if I am out after dark they are bold and brazen, coming right up near the house. It was the last straw today though. I noticed digging near my very young and temder lavender hedge and even a stem nibbled. What is particularly irritating is that they don't eat the plant, just chew it off and move on to hte next. So there may just be a dish of gardener's revenge on the menu in the next day or two. Just in case I can't bag a bunny or two though I have spread a little blood and bone around the lavenders because the rabbits hate it and it will deter them at least. The smell must send shivers down their spines.
Tracy

4 comments:

Becky said...

Oh Dear! I hope you are able to get those rabbits dealt with one way or another or they will feast on all your hard work. I love bunnies just as much as the next warm blooded human but when it comes to a vegetable and flower garden of hard work that is another story all together.

Bec - Farmers Wife said...

Your garden is looking great and the plants so healthy.

Its not rabbits at our place but bandicoots creating havoc.

Kim said...

We have had trouble with rabbits too...but thanks for the tip about blood and bone, I didnt' know about that one.
Lovely looking garden pics!

Lisa said...

If you can recognize that little thing as a sunflower, you're GOOD!! LOL Itty bitty plants all look the same to me. :D
The soup looks good.