Wolf Peach Wednesday

OK, so did Mr Duck get tomatoes for his birthday, well yes he did. Actually we have been eating them all week - just a couple each day......and three this morning. Happy Birthday my Beloved Duck.

Other things are going well too. I am loving the new raised garden beds......my beans are not being eaten by ANYTHING this year.

The basil is happy happy.

Mr Apollo is BIG but still green. He has some friends now.

And here we have a WALL of Wolf Peaches.

And here is a lovely capsicum. Loving the greenhouse.

Here is another happy raised garden bed shot. We are having salads for lunch every day. Yum Yum.

little things

My daily affairs are quite ordinary;
but I'm in total harmony with them.
I don't hold on to anything, don't reject anything;
nowhere an obstacle or conflict.
Who cares about wealth and honor?
Even the poorest thing shines.
My miraculous power and spiritual activity:
drawing water and carrying wood.

Layman P'ang

Everything is pretty mellow here at duck central. Things are very quiet and still on the inside. The weather is just starting to heat up. The kiwi vines and other trees shelter and shade our house so we are dark and cool inside. Bruce the universe thinks I need to do a heap of traveling before Christmas. Armidale, Townsville, Noumea, Geelong and a conference. 

Queen Malina on the front deck is strong and amazing. The smell of ripening honey fills our house every evening.There will be honey for Christmas I think.

Mr Apollo progress report

 Mr Apollo continues to get bigger. He is looking mighty fine I reckon. Last year I managed to get our first ripe tomato in time for Mr Duck's birthday on the 23rd of November.......I think that was a "swift". Anyhoo, things are tracking well for another first tomato birthday pressie.
 

Closely following are the cherry tomatoes.

 They are trying to make a break for it out the top of the greenhouse. You can see the all important automatic vent. If you are thinking of making a greenhouse purchase, I reckon these are an absolute must and well worth the extra expense.....the little piston is fill of some sort of oil that as it heats up, starts expanding and this forces the vent open. If the temperature drops the vent closes. It is magic. It also provides a nice place for bees and other pollinators to get in and out of the greenhouse. And this is good news for tomatoes which need some bee friend help.

 And here in the autopots are some other bits and pieces. I am really happy how these are going. The plants are thick and strong. I think I have finally cracked the whole greenhouse tomato thing.......(she said hopefully)

In other news, I am using the same VRM XLR8 products on my curcubit seedlings...... using a deep mulch system at the community garden means there are LOTS of slaters and things just itching to munch up anything that is a bit weak or susceptible to fungal problems.....so hopefully the XLR8 Ca will help to toughen them up a little......They look healthy, and seem to cope with direct sun and wind a lot better than other seedlings from past years so I am REALLY HAPPY. I think I might just need to wait until they each have 2 true leaves before putting them out......most have 1, so perhaps just another week or so........what do other folks do?

More on Micronutrients

Following on from my last post, I thought some of the other tomato obsessed folks out there might be interested in this nice link:

Colour pictures of mineral deficiencies in tomatoes





Now I truly rooly believe that healthy soil grows beautiful, healthy, perfect plants and fruits and veggies. Organic does NOT mean blemished and mottled - it may mean irregular and oddly shaped but not unhealthy looking. To me organic means BOLD and OUTRAGEOUS and HEALTHY and STRONG, and BUXOM. Now you can hide health problems with chemicals at least superficially, but the thing I love about organic veggies is that they never lie about the soil they come from. Its the same for caterpillars and other bugs.....if they are munching on your plants...then there is something not quite right with your soil health or your plant health....something is making those plants weak and susceptible to buggies whose sole job is to dismantle diseased or weak plants........unless your plant predator is a duck...they are very discerning and only eat the best, most healthy things........that's for sure.

I realised some time ago that rather than a veggie grower, I am a soil nurturer.....and the rest takes care of its self. My job is to love and nurture and coddle the soil.....and the plants I grow are the ultimate litmus test of what sort of job I am doing.......

Anyhoo, roominations over......

It is a bit early, but I pulled up a garlic just to see how things are progressing....these fellas have another 3 or 4 weeks left to get a bit bigger. Some of them are just starting to scape. I think they are going to be OK.

And here is some oregano drying in the dryer...well, my friend Eileen's dryer. 

Happy tomatoing everybody.

Tomato Mahal 2011

Well, tomatoes, eggplants and capsicums are IN and have survived two nights and a very cold below 4 degree night last night. Behold the Tomato Mahal 2011.  Yes I know, every year there is a new structure. But as we also know, tomatoes are VERY SERIOUS BUSINESS around here. So why the tunnel? Well, the community garden is just on the edge of a frost hollow. So, night time temperatures are always a couple of degrees cooler and that my friends means there is always a risk of frost.......AND, since the bush fires, the garden is exposed to the PARCHING ONCian westerly / north westerly winds. So the tunnels protect  my little babies from the frost and the wind.

I am particularly happy with the seedlings this year. The earlier ones look a bit longer (taller?) than one might like, but that is OK with marties because you can plant them very deep and they will shoot roots from the sides. I think there was a light issue while they were upstairs in the mezzanine level. I have been experimenting with a biological product from VRM the company I do some work for. I LOVE these guys. I LOVE learning about soil biology. It does my head in but I LOVE it. Anyway the product I have been using is called XLR8 Ca (link will download brochure) and it is especially designed to help make calcium available to plants. Which means they are tougher and hardier and stronger and less sappy and less irresistible to the 44578902987 insects pests and diseases that like to pounce on weak seedlings.

And lets face it, pretty much anything bad that happens to tomatoes (blossom end rot, fungus, wilt etc) happens because of problems with calcium deficiency or uptake issues. Well, Calcium and other micro-nutrient issues like Boron. Oh, and except for the strange affliction that suddenly comes upon one's tomato, pumpkin and eggplant seedlings especially when they are outside in the sun "hardening up" for which I think the technical term is "duckus proximinatus". Yep, that is BAD. But only seems to affect the plants on the edge of the benches.......

Now they are all in, I will start using VRMs  XLR8 P for phosphorous uptake, and possibly the nitrogen one as well, to help boost flowering and fruiting.

This poppy thought you might like to admire her........Poppies self sew down at the community garden. We have the most amazing colours. They pop up in the weirdest places but they are lovely. You just have to remember not to weed them all out when they are little.

And here are some vista bella apples. These are a very early variety.

Adorable

I love everything about this gal!

You can read more about Itty Bitty adventures here. 

Sweet joys of working at home

This is my office. Here is Ziva. She likes the warmth from my desk lamp. I had to give her my felted laptop cover to sleep on. Previously she insisted on sleeping on my mouse mat....which made life a bit difficult.

Once we get over the daily cable chewing and mouse hand pouncing, things settle down and we get on with it.

The weather has turned a little wet and cool. But it is cosy in here. Over my desk I can see the ducks preening themselves in the rain on the lawn.  The seedlings that were on the deck are safely hanging out on the dining room table. The others are squished back into the glass house. Standing room only in there. And no room for humans.

Well, I had better stop procrastinating and finish this report. Perhaps after a pot of tea......