Beetroot and Carrots

These were my experimental veges for this year. When I harvested them they were very small, but you know can't complain too much lol

Random Photos

Strawberries

What a bumper crop this year and I protected them with an old plastic basket that has holes on the sides to let the sun in.

Christmas Present

I thought it was about time I brought my own spade instead of using mum's all the time as she needed hers for her own wonderful garden. It had all the features I wanted - Pink, pink pink. I got it from the Avondale Fleamarket from the couple who sell tools under the stands, they have heaps and real cheap too ($20 on special)

30 November 2009

Tonight was the first night we ate from our garden, many of the lettuce leaves were of this size which made it very easy when making yummy sandwiches.

Fast forward

Please forgive me it has been some weeks since my last blog post...lol. Lots and lots of growing has been going on. As you know there can be down side to growing your own vege and unfortunately some of my babies didn't survive. But all in all I've very pleased with the outcome of this years crop.

Just planted

This is what they looked like soon after I transplanted them into my raised garden bed. I was soo pleased with my work I couldn't stop smiling or talking about it.

Finally take 2

I didn't do overtime tonight so I could be at home and do a spot of gardening. I wasn't sure how to approach my second garden bed as the space was narrow leaving little space for walking if I had made it any wider. On the advice of my gardening friend and confirmed with my dad I put compost in the soil and will leave for a couple of days before planting. I also needed to sort out where to put my white buckets due to the redesign. I figured I'd work that dilemma later, as a solution always seems to come along just when you least expect it.

I was so chuffed with results I just had to tell my Dad and my mum and if they weren't potting around in their garden I would have hunted them done and dragged them out anyway...lol.

Finally

My raised garden bed is 3/4 finished and i'm sooo proud of my efforts. It took about 2 hours to complete and I also managed to re-pot some plants and get rid of ones that weren't doing so well...it's tough but I had to do it. I visited the neighbours garden - wow. AND can you see my little potato shoot - love it and I only planted them on the 1/11.

New pictures

Butter snap beans

These are going great guns. One minute there is only dirt and next thing right before my very eyes there is a plant. This weather is creating havoc with my plants and as far as I'm concerned it's alll gggooodddd!!!

The Warehouse

While trying to reduce my carbon footprint by buying local I have once again rediscovered you just can go past The warehouse...Potting mix is cheap as, Buckets are cheap as, Compost is cheap as. I may have to stop into the New Lynn store more often as it is on the way home and I do have time before collecting the kid from school.

Why did I bring this up, we went in to get a pressie for a birthday party and I got distracted by the "GARDENING" sign in the Hsn store. They have some really cool bargins, punnets(6 to a tray) for 99c yes you read right 99c, okay they looked a bit sad by a little TLC and voila..vege heaven. Anyone who knows me knows how cheap I can be, so stop rolling your eyes and get down there -NOW!!!

I also need to set aside a budget and a list so I only get what I need without getting distracted by the bling and specials in the scrapbooking/craft aisle. It won't be easy...

Recycling

Again while pondering how to build my raised garden bed and looking around at what I could use I decide right then and there that I would find pieces to fit or match as close to what I needed without having to alter it, cut it or do anything toooo. Not an easy job when looking around the back yard, yes my father is a step toe by nature, but that doesn't always translate to practically use then and there items.

My thinking issss, is that if I can reduce waste eg..when you cut things up, you end up with bits left over, soooo if I can reduce what I have to alter therefore, less waste and therefore more time to spend on what I want to be doing...making things grow that will taste good in my tummy.

I just hope I haven't bitten off more than I can chew

One day a long long time ago, my sister spied with her little eye on an old bbq table with the bbq taken out and of course she couldn't resist it(can you see the picture bubble of what is was going to look like)...since then it hasn't really moved much only when Dad wants to mow the lawn under it.

As you know gardening can be back breaking work and...can you see my picture bubble, I'm sure you can, I thought It was expressed duty to save this disused, unloved, unfinished Bbq table with no bbq and give it a better more useful life.

To take care of the gap on the top I took two unused shelving pieces to cover up the whole and ohhh what a difference I managed to get alot of work done and when I'm finished for the day I turn them over and place a rubbish bag underneath.

The shelf underneath is perfect for plants that are waiting for the new garden bed or buckets waiting for me to put drainage holes in the bottom.

If you wondering what my sister says - don't bother she would have forgotten I've got in a week...lol.

While pondering on how I am going to achieve a raised garden bed I wondered if Dad had any pieces of wood that would better fit along the bottom edge of the fence to stop his over grown grass and weeds from breaking through. In the past they had free range over what was there but mainly from lack of care - but NO MORE!!!

Where I am wanting to have my raised beds there is a pipe going to the old septic tank, my dilemna was wether to put the edging in front of or at the back of, I chose the latter mainly because I would have depth in the soil to accommodate roots, after all if weed roots can so can my harvest.

I had to take the photo's with the ducks in there and again I pondered this and realised that due to my digging and wedding worms had come to the top and they(ducks) were getting a good dose of protein.

Rain Rain Go Away

Not really saves me a job...

Good day for gardening

Today was a good day to be out in the garden. My brother unbeknownst to me and had brought me some very large white buckets from his job, I had been admiring them sitting outside my parents house and dreamt of tomatoes and potatoes and now my dream is coming true.

I planted more lettuce, beetroot, potatoes and dwarf butter beans - yum!!! I've got more plants than I know what to do with and my garden looks like a tip but who cares in a few weeks time i'll have raised beds with tomatoes, beans that I can eat straight from the tree and beetroot for Al's lunches.

I'm trying again with capsicums but I don't hold out too much luck....lol.

Getting there

As you know i've been sick and yesterday I got stuck in and did some repotting of soil all the while Al is yelling at me " don't over do it"... "yes" I screamed back. It did take a bit of wind out of my sails but I was please I did do something. I figure if I can do a little bit each day then I should be good to go some the summer months.

I've got my bottles ready for bottling so depending on how high up you are on my christmas list will depend on whether I'm feeling like you deserve to recieve one of these highly prized gifts...listen to me ay...I've yet to do anything but dream about my preserves, jams and chutney...lol.

Not good

The last couple of weeks have been rather unproductive. I've been sick so my garden is still looking tragic and sad. But my peas/beans have been doing very well and I got some great tips from my Avon lady - grow them quite close together and they will start to intertwine and with a few well placed supports I should have a bumper crop.

My tomato seedlings are starting to sprout so here's hoping

Boo hoo

My tomatoes I brought in a punnet from Pak n Save have not survived well, it could be the weather or it could be those darn ducks eating them. But my beans as you can see if the previous post are thriving even in the bad weather.

I was hoping to grow veges at my fathers in laws house by there seems to be a snail infestation and I really can't be arsed going over there to sort it out. Which means I have to get more buckets and really do some major landscaping to get some raised beds started. But with the weather being so shyte and my house hubby is not trained in the art of weeded so it's going to be a hard ask, more so now with softball starting. But such is life and I'll sure we will work it out and I'm hoping to get the kids involved more with the process and not just the eating.

Peas in a pod

Today was the first day I've ventured outside. My peas(Dwarf Massey) seedlings have sprouted very well, if I must say so myself..lol. Once I cut out around the edge I put a hole in the bottom so to help the plant roots can start to establish themselves in the soil. I took these a few days ago and did some more today and I've notice my tomato seedlings are starting to break soil.

I keep asking my brother in law if has turned the soil over at father in laws house has been done yet...fat chance. Looks like that's another to do job for the next couple of weeks.

I'm back

Had a great week away scrapbooking. Met some new and interesting people and looking forward to keeping in touch with them.

But back to business. I came home to find some of my seedlings were worse for wear, that's what happens with you forget to tell hubby to check under the lid..lol. Never mind 'cause I'm back

I didn't get a chance as yet to get out there and do more planting, cause - cough, cough, I've been sick, this weather has been playing havoc with my allergies.

See you in a week

Hi all,
I'm off to scrapbooking camp tonight so won't be posting until I get back next week. Have a good week everyone

Growing growing growing

It's so good to be outside doing stuff. Now that daylight saving's is upon us there's no time like the present. I've managed to replant my second strawberry plant - man the roots have really grown over winter - wasn't expecting that considering how little attention I paid to them.

I've planted a few of my low acidic tomatoes and I won't plant the rest until I have sorted out the weed jungle and created a raised bed for them to grow in. I'm hoping to do some cauliflower after I get back from camp. Al wants to do a working bee on the Monday after - we shall see how awake I am then.

This arvo we went to pick up Cannon from Sue's and she had made a mini green house out of large, very large container with a old aluminium door - way cool idea, might have to talk to the brother in law if they have anything similiar at his work just taking up space. Although I'm sure if I look around here hard enough my dad would have one in his "building stash"

Watering Can/Bottle

Last year I had brought a watering can but wasn't fully satisfied with it's performance sooo this year I wanted to spend zero dollars. A few weeks ago I used by water bottle to give them a drink and thought...mmmm this is pretty good, I control the flow and it's easy to hold.

Wouldn't be better to save this plastic bottle recycling bin(for now anyways) I punched holes into the lid and took it for a test run. Woo hoo - I am so good to go.

Update - I showed my mum and she is going to do the same thing

You beauty...

Despite the bad weather over the past couple of weeks, these little buggers have started sprouting. I have 4 rows of shoots - Peas and Lettuce, the tomatoes are yet to push through the soil.

I brought some punnets from Pak n Save (Mt.Albert) 2 for $5.00 and got some rolly polly carrots and some low acidic tomatoes. I managed to plant all 6 rolly's and have repotted one of my strawberry plants.

It's tiring work mixing old potting mix and compost together. I'm using a 3 part potting mix and 1 part compost. Not sure if it's the right composition but we shall see.

Not much growing going on

Haven't done anything over the past few days. Garden still looks pathetic but I did buy some new pavers - real cheap too, good if you know someone - wink wink.

Egg Trays

no time like the present....I've started sowing my seeds...haw haw haw. Lucky I saved all those egg trays over the past few weeks, they have become very handy. I've sowed two rows of tomotoes, lettuce and peas. I'll have to wait another 14days before they start to germinate and hopefully i'll have some ready to put in the buckets by the time labour weekend comes around or maybe a bit earlier weather dependent.

I do have some cauliflower and hope to find the packet of brocolli I brought last year.

New link added

I thought it would be a good idea to add the "simple savings" website, if you pay for a subscription you have a whole vault of ideas at your finger tips and I'll be reading the Garden section to get some good ideas. The subscription is reasonable and you really do get value for money

Click on the link and check it out for yourself

I'm on my way

Got off to a good start yesterday, stopped into the local hammer hardware store and purchased some seeds - tomatoes, mesclun mix(lettuce)and dwarf massey peas, I also brought a bag of compost for $6.90(x 3 = $18) and they also have 3 bags of 40L potting mix for $20.00 - pretty good.

Last year I decided to use my local stores to get supplies from, I figured by the time I spent money on petrol it may not be cost effective to chase "specials" all over town. So only if it's on the way will I stop at a plant store if I HAVE to go out of my way I need to see if there is anything else I can do while out that way to justify the cost.

I also might find myself going to garage sales/fairs or car boot sales to make my dollar stretch further. But I need to be smart - take a list of what I need and a set amount of cash in my pocket.

I'll let you know how I go

Can't wait

I'm baacckkk,
Summer is knocking on my vege garden door, I've been dreaming about this year's crop and what it is going to look like. I'll be doing what grew well last year - tomatoes, pototoes, peas,lettuces and anything else that grabs my fancy.

Today I've started to attacked my weed ridden buckets and poured last season's potting mix into a huge steel container supplied by the neighbour across the road. They had chucked it out and it had been there for a couple of weeks. Soooo in the dead of night I got Cannon to go over and grab it - geez I can be embarrassing; but it was a good score. The plan is to add compost to it, mix it up and use it for my crops. I know it sounds dodgy but i'm giving it a go.

I'm going to grow my own plants from seeds - mmmm..... i hear yah!!! BUT if I put some potting mix in egg trays with some seed and i'll be good to go. I won't be able to afford to many plants this year so i'm trying to carbon footprint friendly as well as using what I have available.

I'm also going to try my hand at making jams etc...got this COOL book by Isobel Webb - 5minute microwave bottling through Avon a couple of months back...yumm!!!

Recently as some of you know my father in law passed away suddenly and in memory of him I'm going to (along with my inlaws) get his garden up and running we the view to supply our family summer backyard barbies and picnic's at the beach. So you can expect to see pictures of my bucket garden as well his.

Right now....

my garden is looking sad and tragic. It's been raining off and on for the past few weeks and my desire to get out amongst the plants hasn't been high on my list of "must things" to do. I don't want to even take a photo of my garden cause it looks like a drowned rat.

BUT to my surprise my strawberry plant has produce a couple of yummy morsels. I also noticed I missed out on a couple of huge ones because they were hanging out of sight - never mind. Note to self - check around the sides of the planter for more fruit.....lol.

The Humble Spud

I wasn't even sure if anything was growing so I thought it wouldn't do any harm just to have a little nosey at what lay beneath. I careful move some soil and low and behold I saw just one. It gave me hope in the whole potato growing process.

I had used organic potatoes I had brought to eat and thought what the heck and threw some into 4 buckets, piled up the soil once the shoots came through until it reached the top. My gardening guru she said leave them alone and wait until the plant starts to die and voila potatoes will magically appear, so that's what I did.

The other week when the leaves had all turned brown I knew to check for a second time what lay beneath and I wasn't disappointed. After carefully removing them from the soil I managed filled the bottom layer of a bucket, may not seem like much but it was enough for 4 of us to feast on for dinner that very night. I did the same with the 2 remaining buckets and got more. Really it was money for nothing and the whole family was pleased with the results.

I showed my parents who now no longer "roll their eyes" at their daughter who's always trying something new, they were really happy for me and I was happy for me too. I must say they were the best tasting ones EEEVVVEEERRR!!!!

Note to self - bigger buckets and I know exactly where to get them from.

Peas glorious peas

For a few weeks all I seemed to do was water and build supports for beans and then one day, out of the blue(over exaggeration) there they were...PEA PODS. I took a double take to make sure I wasn't seeing things and sure enough there they were.

Then of course it's like okay when can I eat them...are they ready yet, are they ready yet, are they ready yet....NO I kept telling myself. As they say all good things come to those who wait and that day came sooner rather than later. Must have had something to do with the awesome weather we had over christmas.

So every day I would walk past my beans; a nibble here and a nibble there - woohoo, I couldn't get enough. When I had offered some to a certain person(no names) they looked at me and said can I eat them?????, well yes; where do you think the vege's in the plastic bags in the frozen food aisle come from....lol. It just highlights what a disposable society we have become when our own children don't know that vege's grow in the ground etc...

Over Christmas

I haven't been here for awhile, Christmas took on a life of it's own so the only thing I managed to do was water the plants and clear out the odd weed. Many things have happened since then, I've enjoyed beans from my snappy beans plants picked straight off the vine - no mucking around. My niece's partner made me laugh as he wasn't sure it if was okay to eat it right then and there, I made a little joke "not all vege's come frozen in a plastic bag from the supermarket. But in his defence he's not the only one to have said that.....lol.

I missed out on my very first strawberry some sneaky bird waited 'til just the right time and ate the whole thing!!! In the end I had to put a plastic basket(holes around the sides) to protect future growth and have since then enjoyed 2 more strawberries - yumm!!

My capsicum also feel victim to birds - they were about the size of the old large Nz 50c coin but one day they were there and the next..... poof - GONE.

I'd always heard how things taste sweeter when you grow it yourself and they were right, lettuce tastes better and lasts longer, tomatoes just seem to be sweeter and so do the beans.