Summer 2012

the patch

we got off to a great Spring/Summer season this year. It was warm and dry which resulted in a bumper rose season and good cropping of my summer seedlings. Regular watering was required as there was not enough rain. Now the rain has arrived - as well as the cold - and I can hear the veges drinking it all up. So I have got my Blue Lake beans in the blue tub as an experiment as I want to keep the soiled conditioned after a crop of kipfler potatoes. I planted plenty of bok choy, but am having some problems with white cabbage butterfly and so I think it might be too warm now for theses little boks. Rather than start spraying (organic sprays, of course) I will just plant other options, or maybe plant amongst the marigolds

potatoes

I harvested my first crop of potatoes today and man, was I pleasantly suprised. I am always amazed at root crops - you just don't see any action and then... pow!

(ref: chiotsrun.com)

I bought some certified organic sebago and planted them in an old coffee sack. I used potting mix and organic pellitsed fertiliser. I allowed the green stalks to appear once and covered them over to maximise the crop. Fortnightly watering of seaweed and 'Bob's your uncle'! I was suprised to see that the potatoes were not attached to anything, they were just sitting there in the dirt. I was also amused to see that the term used for digging around looking for potatoes is.... bandicooting..... aaarrgghhh.....

Tonight's menu included... oven roasted potatoes with rosemary and sea salt.