ps. My Orangeberry plant has lots of flowers . and I think some are setting, so hopefully some fruit are on the way. the flowers that have died back have leaves folded over firm bases, from where the flowers are attached to the plant, so it's looking hopeful. A while ago, I read in the Incredible Edibles site that "In fact, it not only survives, it thrives under harsh growing conditions." so I planted it in a half wine barrel, and I've not watered or fed it (it's in 2 year old potting mix) thinking that those "harsh conditions" might result in flowers and fruit.
juliewn,
Nov 12, 3:14am
It's grown well, providing a firmly packed leaf cover across the top of the barrel, and beginning to run down the sides, so with the leaf shape and colours, it looks attractive there. So far, there are lots of pale creamy/whiteish flowers that initially look somewhat like a mini tulip flower, then open out similar to a strawberry flower - and then once the petals are falling, there's what is hopefully the beginning of berries to enjoy soon. Wish me luck! For those interested, this is the link to the Orangeberry part of Incredible Edibles site: http://www.edible.co.nz/fruits.php!fruitid=41
juliewn,
Nov 12, 3:37am
Hi Jules. :-) Isn't gardening interesting! This year is my first year growing enough tomatoes, potatoes, and other veges to be able to be self-sufficient in veges - like you, I've had some veges growing previously, and have enjoyed them - this year though, I'm enjoying planning and planting, with the aim of providing lots for preserving and freezing too. something I'd not really thought to do previously, though I've always made preserves, I hadn't considered growing my own veges in large enough quantities to use them from my garden for the preserves. so this year is the beginning of that. I've created two spreadsheet's in my computer - one for growing veges and the other for fruit - and am slowly working toward being able to have3 different types of fruit at any time of the year from our trees, and at least 5 or 6 types of veges at any time. so I can then provide well for us, have some to share with friend's, and more to give to our local foodbank.
juliewn,
Nov 12, 3:38am
The rest of the fruit trees will go in this coming autumn/winter - and I have quite a number growing already - Cherries, Feijoa's, 2 Dwarf apples, another self-sown apple that's in the side of the drive, that I'm growing to share with neighbours, plus mandarin, 2 lemon, 4 grapes, several berries, passionfruit and tamarillo's . and at the moment we're harvesting lettuce, carrots, beetroot, cabbage, silverbeet, cauliflower, broadbeans, leeks and parnsips.I have the 5 varieties of potatoes coming, plus peas and beans, the tomatoes, and have the melon's, pumpkins and cucumber's, etc.still to plant, plus more of the above veges to keep the cycle continuing.
juliewn,
Nov 12, 3:38am
I've learnt a lot from this messageboard and from the Get Growing email. I recently ordered a 5 year diary from Whitcoulls - it has 5 years per page, and the dates aren't connected to a day of the week at all. I've started recording what I plant or sow and when, so that next year, I can refer to this years info, and then record in the next section down on the page, of what I do then with the flow of years giving me info on what I can adjust re timings and what to plant here, that might work better perhaps. it's a fascinating process. and it will be great when the topsoil has been levelled around the house and section so I can continue planting - with many thoughts and ideas and possibilities. with lots of edibles included.
whiskey13,
Nov 12, 5:23am
Hi juliewn I wanna come live with you!LOL. Your doing exactly what I'm doing with the diary, but my partner gets them from work for nothing and it has a day to a page and i just twink the weekday out.I didn't know you could get a 5 year diary.The in-laws have given me a mandarin tree that I'm gonna put in a tub to grow. It's only the passed year that i've started seriously looking at growing more food and less flowers.
jules.,
Nov 12, 10:50pm
hi juliewn, you really have it all planned out. i had thought about keeping a diary, so may get one and see how i go. its so fun, i have 1 small raised garden and now the large new one, and several planter boxes and all the stawberries are in thier own large pots and im STILL looking for new space. im trying to get my handy husband to let me build another large one. i'll keep trying, he usually gives in eventually :)
jules.,
Nov 13, 1:14am
wow i have just been out to collect the strawberries, 31! one of our chooks has decided that roosting in the feijoa tree is a great idea. i dont mind as long as when she gets down she is still in her fenced area. the other morning i woke to the sound of her in the vege garden, lucky for HER she hadnt set to work tearing it apart!
jules.,
Nov 13, 1:19am
we have ONE green passionfruit on the vine and literally hundreds of flowers, what time of year are they ready to pick! we get them each year but cant remember off the top of my head when they are ready. i guess thats when keeping a diary comes in handy :) we have baby apples on both the granny smith and golden delicious, plums and golden queen peaches, oh i cant wait!
pip31,
Nov 13, 1:50am
I've just started reading this thread - I'm a first time vege gardener and I've found some of the information in here great! Some people talk about getting an email with gardening information in it from somewhere - can anyone help join in with receiving it!
tehenga288,
Nov 13, 2:05am
Anyone can join the get growing email pip the address & other info are in post #2 of this thread. Good on you for starting a veg garden
juliewn,
Nov 13, 4:19am
Hi Whiskey and Jules. thanks. :-) Whitcoulls ordered the diary for me - I'd have liked an A4 size, they said there are none available. and this one is A5. so around 8-9 lines on each page for each year. enough to note what planted, sown or harvested. It was about $21.
juliewn,
Nov 13, 4:21am
I agree with you Tehenga. good for you Pip for growing your own goodies. the NZ Gardener Get Growing email is excellent - was thinking today that its one year anniversary is next month.I'm learning lots from it.
juliewn,
Nov 13, 4:22am
Mmmm. maybe this is another suggestion for NZ Gardener to make for reader's - an A4 size gardening diary, 5 years down each page for each date. tips on what to plant, sow, etc. and room in each year's section to add our own notes. Hi Lynda :-). any chance you could publish one of these too. maybe an idea for the next Homegrown topic!. with a hard cover. Cheers. :-)
jules.,
Nov 13, 10:40pm
sounds like a plan! im sure something like that would sell like hot cakes! i have learnt so much from the first 2 home grown mags, i didnt get the 3rd as im not so fussed on the herbs as i am the fruit and veges. but a home grown diary would be great, filled with handy tips and ideas as references.
jules.,
Nov 14, 2:18am
did you get your get growing email! did you all read about the usefull diary they are putting out! not quite like the one we had talked about above, but i really think it will be very handy with all the tips and recipies. i will definately be getting one!
jules.,
Nov 14, 2:23am
i was out earlier planting another row of radishes and some sun flowers and i found a tomato plant had self seeded in the small garden, so decided to dig it out and put with the others. then the phone rang, my husband and son had gone for a bike ride and ended up at hubbys parents, but were too LAZY to ride home, so off i went to get them. a few hours later i remembered the tomato plant still on the lawn, so here i am at 9pm with a tourch in the garden re planting the poor thing and then i decided that i would fix up some of the larger bean plants that were hanging over, talk about a noddy in the dark :)
jules.,
Nov 14, 3:16am
and again :)
bjkiwi,
Nov 15, 12:34am
OMG! GRRRR, well the hail has just dealt to the last of the veges that were tenaciously hangin on for dear life after weeks of being battered and bruised by the screaming winds.Ive been gardening for as long as I remember and Im sure the poor old vege garden hasnt had such a rough run of weather at this time of the season.Its so frustating.Last year we were picking peas and beans by now - this year the peas are only about knee high and I havnt even thought about putting the beans in the ground as its been so cold! At this rate we'll be lucky to have new spuds for christmas!I am sooo over it!Thanks you all - Rant over
bob368,
Nov 15, 3:15am
help some one please - I've just spotted powdery mildrew on my tomato plants in my green house- I've pulled the worst one out and the other's fine for now - does anyone have any organic solutions - I'd prefer not to use convventional sprays -thanks
jules.,
Nov 15, 4:11am
i harvested my first round of brocolli today, i blanched them and put them in the freezer. it felt really good knowing they will be there when i need them instead of buying them!. i planted another 6 plants to replace them along with 6 cabbage plants and some more lettuces :)
juliewn,
Nov 15, 6:36am
Hi Everyone.
Hi BjKiwi. I hope the weather settles soon for you and your garden grows beautifully again.
Hi Bob368. this is from another thread:
'I have been using baking soda for years with good results. 1tsp per litre with a few drops of washing up liquid to act as a sticker. Google this and you will see it is being sold in garden shops in the USA. Posted by: Quotethe_flying_geck
juliewn,
Nov 15, 6:39am
It's so good to have veges growing here. I bought some soaker hose some time ago from the Warehouse - for about $20. and have set it up so it's running the length of a garden that's over 20 metres long - with the tap turned on just enough for a slow, steady drip of water to come from it, the hose is watering the length of the garden, including all my vege plants, and a long row of tomatoes.
I'm impressed with how well it waters for the amount of water that's flowing through - and my veges are growing very quickly.
ords,
Nov 16, 2:09am
Ive planted rockmelon and watermelon in the tunnelhouse. I find it amusing that our local nursery's all sell these types of plants but yet our climate is barely suitable, even indoors. but try I will. We are eating some new spuds from the tunnel house. The stalks are taking over so we are eating them. YUMMO>
I have decided that our vege patch simply isnt big enough. Am hoping to put in 3 new square raised gardens. My older kids (7 and 5) want their own wee patch to grow veges in so its a good excuse to make more room. Ive noticed that my carrots that were on seed tape havent come up. and something is eating the marigolds. The cabbages are thriving, as are some brassica grown from seed. I do have to mound up the outside spuds. Peas are starting to climb up the wire netting. Strawberries are in an abundance just need them to go red. Umm. tomato plants coming along as is everything else in the tunnel house. Dug out all the carrot tho, they had a hard core from either too long growing or not enough water. Have eaten a heap of lettuce and brocolli and looking forward to everything else growing. Have planted blackcurrant and blueberry bushes and picked up yesterday, 2 apple and 2 cherry trees. They already have fruit on them!
juliewn,
Nov 16, 4:38am
Hi Jules. you sound like me. out at night or just on dark, working in your garden. I was watering the garden tonight.(it is soo dry here!) and thought. mmmm I think those tomato seedlings could be transferred to a larger container. so in very little light, I poured potting mix into a large container, and used touch more than sight to transfer the plants, then water them - will see how I did tomorrow morning! Hopefully none planted upside down! I have a strategically placed light outside our laundry door in the new house. it will light my vege garden area perfectly at night.
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