Pumkins

The pumpkins have taken over. I did not plant any of them but they certainly enjoyed growing in the circles.

They managed to sprawl over four circles and around the edges. They appear to be butternuts. I need to reclaim some growing space so they have to go.

It's harvest time.



This little pile is going to Ballarat with my friend Lou who cleared a circle for me the other day.

I will try to show a before and after.

And here is what came out of it.

Thanks Lou

Garlic from seed

Someone asked me about garlic seed at the farmers market on the weekend.

This is seed collected from my garlic this summer.

I have found that you can grow garlic from seed but it takes a year longer than planting a clove.

 All your garlic should be either eaten or replanted by now.

I am finding that if I delay  planting, all the garlic has vanished.

I only have very small garlic left

I have been busy out in the paddock preparing for the Easter ski race. Our front paddock becomes a car park for the weekend and we have a small farmers nightmare....a paddymelon epidemic.

We used to have lots of visitors at Easter and the children would make halloween type faces with the melons. The campsite would be decorated with paddymelons and citronella candles would keep the mosquitos at bay. Unfortunately all the children have grown up and no longer go on holidays with their parents.

I have been thinking about the birth of lawn bowls, and bocce.

We have been picking them up and relocating them to the dump. Three trailer loads so far. Probally another load tonight and that should see them cleaned up for this year. Unfortunately several have already been squashed and deposited their seeds so we will have to get on to it early next year.

Khaki weed has also established itself in this paddock.

It is getting a dose of round up and then when dead, we are burning the seeds.

This will need constant vigilance if we are to disuade it from establishing itself premenantly.

I did find a stand of the tiniest little blue flowers growing in the pasture.

The pasture itself was thigh high in places.

There is just no substitute for rain.

Lions tail

Have I shown you lions tail?

It is a tough hardy shrub from South Africa. It has fantastic orange flowers that last and last in the vase.

It was glowing tonight in the evening light.

How's this for a lot of promise?

It is a little red chrysanthemum that my sister gave me. The poor thing has struggled in a pot for several years. I planted it in the rows last autumn and it hasn't looked back. It is loaded with blooms and can only be days away from colour.

Wow Rudbeckia!

If you are looking to make a statement in yellow then you should consider Rudbeckia.

I planted three small pieces from the house yard into the rows last Autumn. I had to tie it up just a few weeks ago as it was flopping all over the place. It flowered two weeks ago and still looks good after a weekend of wind and rain. It is hard to show just how tall they are without a person in the shot but I estimate them at 10 ft tall (3.5 metres just doesn't have the same ring to it.)

The Zinnias are dwarfed by the Rudbeckia stand.

This next plant is a Cherry Rudbeckia. This is the first time I have grown it and I am surprised at how different it is. I have had just one spectacular flower on a very short stem. Our summer was very mild so it is hard to know what it could have become with a little bit of warmth and all the rain.

There has been a population explosion of pumpkin beetles.

I am going to get my gloves on for a squashathon .



Pottery at Redcliffs Lunar Fest

The Mildura Pottery Club has been made homeless by the demolition of their pottery studio, but they are determined to not let that dampen their creativity. Club members put on a wheel throwing demonstration in Barclay Square on the weekend. People are always fascinated by the magic of a spinning pottery wheel.

Who doesn't like an excuse for getting dirty?

We run after school classes and evening classes for adults, but we are operating out of a club members garage. Fingers crossed for a philanthropists generosity. Any philanthropist would do. Naming rights for a new studio are available for the right price.

Quince jelly coming up.

The quince tree is looking very good. We have never produced such huge fruit before. There is no substitute for rain and we have already had our annual rainfall for this year, and some more,I think.

I have had to move all the pots to take advantage of the new watering system. It is ready for next summer.

I have to be more organised now I have a part time job teaching at TAFE and La Trobe.

All the plants are packed and ready for the market on Saturday.

I was delighted last night when I saw this sprawling riot of colour, but it was a bit dark to be taking photos.

I went back out this morning and it was a bit bright and did not do the colours justice. They are purple verbeena and Costa Rica Blue salvia, both plants had been dwarfed by some unruly evening primrose that has since been harvested.

Good times.

I have had some good luck lately. It seems like things are on a roll and I know it is dangerous to say so as that's when the wheels fall off, but not this time. Life is good. My sister visited and presented me with a beautiful pin cushion.

And lucky for me we have a home made or recycled Christmas policy. This is my comfy chair with well worn cushion and matching quilt. The other cushion is made from some of Dad's old jumpers. A lovely soft comforting way to keep him close. Thanks Annie. I am indeed a lucky sister.

The food forest quickly turns into a jungle and not necessarily all food for humans. The chooks have not been on the circle to the left for 12 months. I have to get rid of the tallest foliage to get the dome across. It is a cumbersome arrangement and requires 3 strong adults to move it, so it often ends up staying on a circle for longer than the prescribed two weeks.

 I am trying to get into the habit of a deep litter  in the dome with hay by two weeks on, so at least the soil will benefit from any delay in moving the dome. It's compaction after that that becomes a problem.

Removing the weeds and sunflowers reveal another job that needs doing.

Looks like the sun and wind have done a number on the hot house. Time to replace the plastic.Autumn is here and it is certainly cooling down. The wind has been blowing in from the south and it is arctic.

Still plenty for the chooks when they get there. The sunflowers went to the old chooks who live nearby in a separate yard. They love it when I do some weeding and sharing.

They were very happy about it.