Globe artichokes

This is my new experiment.... a long term experiment as globe artichokes can take up to 2 years to produce fruit. They are perennial and need minimal care. Word around town is that homegrown and marinated artichokes are far better than anything purchased.

So... what is the deal? Peter Cundall explains


artichoke flower - it is a form of thistle.



the silver foliage results in spectaculr colour and form in a winter patch

POTASH! is the key.... lots of potash can result in fuit within a year........ yah!!!! Me get me some potash. This stuff is also good for poppies. If their stems are too weak and flop over, it is a sign they need potash.

Icelandic poppies

marigolds

Not only do they keep insects away from your vege, but they are also a nitrogen fixer for the soil. Used as a green manure crop, marigolds fix nemetode infestations - as Jerry Colby-Williams discusses.....

fields and fields and fields......

But not only are they yellow and orange, they come in other colours too and really add punch to the vege patch!

am growing the yellow, orange and white... need to try the red.

DurangoGao red marigold - French marigold variety

Green Manure

Permacutlure Pathways is a great blog site. I often check out their site to see what they are up to. Located in a zone similar to my own, it is handy to see if the crew is experiencing the same difficulties or succeses as I am.

This posting about Green manures is excellent... after returing from a long holiday to a rain soaked disaster area, I will use green manure crops as a living mulch to protect and feed the soil while I am away.

Read their post here

the changing sun and pickles

It is clear now that the sun is on her march across the sky. Parts of the patch are spending increasing time in the shade and this will impact on planting schedules and locations. Not all of the patch is in sun during winter. Some beds are in almost constant shade and this renders them useless for some planting. However, it is a good time to plant some winter green manure crops in preparation for the bursting season of spring.

the seasons of the sun

After spending time in the cold European winter, I can more readily appreciate the winter season here. I can still grow and harvest all through winter and I am beginning to think it is a more productive time than summer as we don't have the rain and humidity. This winter I will aim to plant enough veg to experiment with pickling. Jamie Oliver and Maggie Beer have some fabulous pickling recipes and I have plenty of glass jars waiting to be filled.

jars of pickles..... would look good in my cupboard

resurection

After a summer of almost continual rainfall, my vege patch succummed to weeds and soil compaction - again. This has been drought breaking weather and it will be a challenge to manage the new weather pattern. Already, I am thinking summer will be a fallow time in my patch - a time to plant green manure and let the weather have its wicked way.

I removed many bags of weeds and creeper vine that had invaded the patch. Suprisingly, it didn't take long to get back to the bones and a handful of well rotted chicken manure and dolomite lime was all that was needed to get the soil back into action. The carrots I sowed before leaving on my 5 week holiday managed to survive the rain, and the rebel tomato gang sprouted again. The eggplants and bell cucumber survived and although a little sad looking, hopefully they will perk up on the 'drugs' I gave them.

Conscious of crop rotation, I have planted for early autumn - lettuce, spring onions, parsely, broccoli, cabbage and cauliflower. I have also planted blue cornflowers, gerberas and stocks in an effort to get some winter colour in the patch.

blue cornflower