Garden Theory: October 2010

Wednesday, October 20, 2010

Welcome, tomatoes

Here they are. Four Roma, four mighty red. Drip line, rainwater option, anti chook fence, marigolds in front and the framework all set up for mid summer shade. Planted into compost rich mix, these tomatoes are ready to keep working on sunny days, when I have to be indoors.

Sunday, October 17, 2010

Loquats are on the way now

Again, no fruit last year but they've come on for this year.

Nashi in flower

Last year I didn't get any fruit which was a shame because I'd set up the mother of all bird nets for it. It's promising this year.

Thursday, October 14, 2010

Feel like a bet?

This is a cordyline that was given to me by good friend Marziah. I kept it in my office and it got sick. Then I brought it home to intensive care. NOT the coriander behind it - the stick in front. And it got worse and worse. But I think I'll save it. Even before I brought it home my honours student buddy David had given the plant its last rites.

Care to bet on me saving it?

Tuesday, October 5, 2010

Planting out a citrus

Dig wide, not deep, plenty of organic matter - the soil needs to be fluffy. Don't disturb the roots, plant in a raised bed and ONLY when the soils are really warm.

Sunday, October 3, 2010

Killer antipasto mushrooms

Decadent, and vegetarian!

Buy the mushies on special, or whatever.

They don't have to look too good. Two frypans. Put a heap of olive oil into a hot pan, place the fresh mushies in, stem down, put a lid on. Keep the heat up and fiddle as much as you like. For 5-10 minutes.

Then turn the heat down, lid on for about five, ten, until they go a bit soggy looking and have a lot of juice in the bottom. Salt them during this time.

Get your other nonstick frypan going. Hot. Bring over your soggy mushrooms and fry the hard, until they're as browned and sexy looking as you like.

Take them out, place them stems down onto tissue paper. Eat them hot or chill them. Either way you're a star.

Protect your citrus roots

Here's an orange I just planted out. They HATE getting their roots disturbed. With a dog and some chooks, that's a very real possibility. So I got some light wire, ran it across the surface and stapled it to the edge of the box. It works.

First daylight savings

So I cut the insiders and decided to use the hour in the garden. That'll keep the flow and I'll catch the audio later. What a day!