Scarecrow's Garden Log: 13:02:2010:
Alyssum
Lobularia maritimawith the flowering Butternut Pumpkins
in the Kitchen Garden.
Temperatures this week:
Lowest Min 10C
Lowest Max 29.9C
Highest Max 37.2C
1mm Rain
What's the weather been like in the garden?We had another official Heatwave this week that's 5 days over 35C. Along with the heat this time came humidity that fed down from the northern tropical regions! Many areas of the state (and indeed the country) received significant rain...we received 1mm.
Propagation:Planting out:
Sugarsnap Climbing Peas planted on the edge of the
Wicking Bed by the old chook house in the Kitchen Garden. I've put some trellis up for them to climb on. See how the roots have grown out the bottom of the loo rolls in just 2 weeks! I buried the tube and all and mulched them well.
I have also sorted and thinned out the
Trees For Life, planted some replacements and graded the plants. I've sorted and checked the seedlings of Old Man Saltbush
Atriplex nummularia for the Community Garden.
Other than that I have been scrubbing pots for re-use.
In the Garden This week:
The Jalapeno Chilli has set fruit for the third year!
Doc's Gourds are setting - Speckled Swan and Spoon!
The bees are loving the Sunflowers that have volunteered around the garden this year...so are the
Ring Necked Parrots so I've covered some of the heads with old orange bags!
The Perennial Sunflowers
Helianthus maximilianii,
that sprouted again this year,
are sneaking under the shade cover on the Berry Bed.
I'm trialling some brewed compost tea (
well worm cast tea actually) and this one doesn't smell at all...just as well because it is brewing in Doc's workshop! More about this later.
The first of the Red Lima Beans have set...
...these are the only beans that have survived
this year to set fruit.
Lucky Dog has found another source of grapes this year! The Ruby Seedless Grapes are ripening on the Dog Pen/Chook Run fence. We told her dogs aren't supposed to eat grapes but she doesn't want to know about that!
I had already added that photo of LuckyDog when
Matron asked for some pics of Lucky. So here are a couple of others. With this heat and humidity Lucky doesn't do a lot except sleep, scratch her face and go back to sleep. She turns 16 this year and is feeling very old on hot days...
Weekly Harvest Tally:Doesn't include Greens fed to the chooks on a daily basis or herbs picked for use in the kitchen for cooking or tea making.
Amaranth Leaf***52g
Capsicum Hungarian Yellow Wax***15g
Carrots Chantenay Red-cored***271g
Eggplant Casper***142g
Parsnip Hollow Crown***182g
Potatoes Kennebec***637g
Salad Mix***65g
Silverbeet Rainbow Mix***341g
Tomatoes Roma***370g
Zucchini Golden***25g
a tiny baby one! 
Grapes Black Sultana***500g
Plums***470g
Eggs 22 from the Farmyard Ferals
To see how the various Garden areas fit on our half acre block check out the newest Map of our place
HERE
Now the plants are sending out runners to reproduce. 
This encourages the plant to send up more flower stalks.
Bingo! We have fruit. 
OK so I missed one of the runners. 
Watercress in the shade house!
Broccoli- Nutri Bud, Celey- Tendercrisp and Chinese/Soup, Chervil, Coriander, Fennel- Bronze , Cabbage- Ethiopian, Parsley- Italian and Curled Leaf, Mitsuba (Japanese Wild Parsley), Silverbeet- Rainbow Miixed.
Doc helped me build a new shade area for the ever expanding supply of seedlings. This one has 50% white shade cloth as well as a net curtain inside to keep all the pests away while the babies grow.
Ring Necked Parrots hang around
Butcherbird and it's beautiful song is back...
The second crop of Figs is ripening...
Alyssum Lobularia maritima
Sugarsnap Climbing Peas planted on the edge of the Wicking Bed by the old chook house in the Kitchen Garden. I've put some trellis up for them to climb on. See how the roots have grown out the bottom of the loo rolls in just 2 weeks! I buried the tube and all and mulched them well.
The Jalapeno Chilli has set fruit for the third year!
The Perennial Sunflowers Helianthus maximilianii,
I'm trialling some brewed compost tea (well worm cast tea actually) and this one doesn't smell at all...just as well because it is brewing in Doc's workshop! More about this later.
The first of the Red Lima Beans have set...
Lucky Dog has found another source of grapes this year! The Ruby Seedless Grapes are ripening on the Dog Pen/Chook Run fence. We told her dogs aren't supposed to eat grapes but she doesn't want to know about that! 
Matron asked about the plant the snail was on in the photo on last weeks garden log.
New Zealand Spinach (Tetragonia tetragonioides)
Aptenia cordifolia is not native to Australia, coming as many of our plants here do, from South Africa, has almost weed status in some states/regions but here it is a fairly vigorous, useful succulent ground cover. It's growth slows and is kept in check with our frosts in winter.
This is the Leaf Amaranth I'm growing this year Amaranthus gangeticus also known as Chinese Spinach or Edible Amamranth.
Guarding the Rockmelons
There was enough rain to bring out the Snails!
In preparation for Autumn planting
100% germination with the peas I planted last week! The Golden Beetroot that was potted on are thriving too. They have been planted into loo roll holders to encourage longer roots ready for planting into the Wicking Beds. Their roots will be able to reach the damp zone straight away and I won't have to water from the surface as I do when I plant seeds.
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