WINTER VEGETABLES

I see that it was at the end of March that I planted two mixed bundles of broccoli, Italian Broccoli and Brocoflower as well as a bundle of kale.  They were planted rather close together as there was just the one built up garden available at the time.  We also planted Swiss Chard, Rainbow Chard, spinach, leeks and beetroot in other beds.  I did not make a note of when we started picking the greens but the mixture has really worked well, the broccoli started first with the other two following on.  We have also been picking the chard, beetroot greens and spinach for a change.

I will definitely be planting the same mixture next year.

  

VEGETABLES

I just looked back and see that I planted most of our greens on March 30th so that is almost five weeks ago.  I am pleased with their progress.

                    This is the seedlings prior to planting - quite a few were for the flower garden.

                                                                     and this is now 

I have just planted out a punnet of beetroot seedlings.  Last year was the first time we had grown them from seedlings and were very pleased with the result.  I had a punnet which would normally hold 6 seedlings but have just counted and there were 40.  Now all I have to do is wait.  We only have one plant of the last lot left so will have to rely on the Market for beetroot a while

Vegetables

Doug has an area approximately 4 metres x 1.5 metres for his vegetable garden this year. So far it has been very productive.

At the back and on the teepee are beans - both scarlet runner and one we call "Brian's bean" for the obvious reason as Brian gave us the seed and he didn't know the name of it.  Anyway they are doing very well and I generally pick a half bucket every day.  Brian's bean is a flat yellow bean that doesn't need "stringing".

In the foreground is the Delicata squash that my brother recommended.  I managed to buy 5 seeds on "trade me" - unfortunately only one was viable.

The weather has been very variable this year - drought then heavy rain and now humid.  The first fruits that came on the Delicata had what I assume was blossom end rot.  It now looks as though we will get some squash but it is early days and one never knows what the weather will do.  The leaves are greyish but that seems to be their colour rather than mildew.

tucked under the squash are some beetroot.

and on the other side some carrots.

At the other end of the garden are two Lebanese cucumbers that are slowing down at the moment but have been producing a huge crop up till now and a self sown potatoe.

Then there is silver beet known as Swiss Kale in Europe,  this has grown huge but is very tender.  We had some last night as a change from beans.

In my garden I just have rocket which went to seed very rapidly but which I am leaving in the hope it will self seed, parsley, mint, basil, chives and perpetual spinach.

My lovely Husband

I visited Max in the rest home as usual today.  To start with I couldn't find him and then the nurse on duty told me he was helping the student nurses with their study.

I went over and found him with them.  He had, obviously, been telling them about his family and they checked with me.  They weren't sure about his daughter but I told them he was correct as we both have the same name.  He had also told them the name of his son and his sister and that she had married an American.  All of this was correct.

They then shared with me something else he had said and they had written down so as to remember it - which is why I am writing it now.

'I DON'T KNOW WHAT'S HAPPENED BUT I HONESTLY DON'T HAVE THE BRAIN AROUND MY NECK TO REMEMBER STUFF.'

With his diagnosis of Lewy Body Dementia he has times when he is lucid and times when he is completely confused.

I was so pleased to see them interacting with him as he is often just sitting when I visit.  He then went on to help paint a Santa for their float in the Christmas Parade.

We are still having variable spring weather.  I did two loads of washing before going out and was very pleased to find it dry on my return as the clouds had been passing overhead all day.

I had been due to go away for a few days today but the friend I was going to stay with is ill.  As I had let my food supplies go down I did a large shop before coming home.

I would have liked to get out in the garden this afternoon but was quite exhausted.  I am still not sure why I get so tired but at least I have managed to do a few things in the garden over the past week.

Last night I arranged for my carpet to be cleaned on Tuesday which will mean moving as much as possible out of the way.  Really it needs replacing but the cost and disruption that would cause are ruling it out.  I just hope a clean makes it look better and doesn't make it disappear altogether.

I am pleased with my vegetables and am planning on cultivating another area to put some runner beans in as I have run out of space yet again.

This was my latest veggie garden exactly a month ago.  I had to put some wind cloth in front of it as the north-westerly was trying to rip the plants out of the ground shortly after the photo below was taken.



The photo below is the same garden today.  I am leaving the Italian Parsley to go to seed although if I see some plants for sale I may well rip it out and start afresh.

Vegetables

In our previous property we had a vegetable garden over half an acre plus lots of orchards.  Down in Whangarei things are a lot more modest.  I made a small area for vegies a few years ago and just over a month ago increased it.  

 The area on the left in the above photo is the older part.  I picked the lovely green cauliflower and it was delicious.  There are still a variety of greens coming on.  The Italian Parsley has grown huge and gone to seed but should result in plenty of new plants.

 Plenty of weeds that I must get around to attacking.  It is looking a bit dry but rain is forecast for tomorrow.

I am pleased with the result so far.  The new plants have only been in about a month.  Now somewhere I want to squeeze in a tepee to grow some runner beans.  On the far left I have planted the eyes from some Agria potatoes - I can never throw them away and usually get a few potatoes.  I have another small area with Silver Beet (Swiss chard) but it is a bit too shaded now.