30th April 2008

I almost didn't make it this month!

I have bee busy writing and not much gardening. But, bit by bit, the summer garden is being cleared and manured and mulched for its winter rest. The shrubbery, which i have still been working on, has finally been cleared of all the shrubs, if not yet all the weeds ... but after those shrubs and their stumps, the weeds will be too easy.

I've taken delivery of my big autumn order form the landscape suppliers. Many bales of pea straw and many many bags of sheep shit. This is the first time I have worked with sheep manure and I have to admit I am liking it. Easy to spread and work with and doesn't have quite the same aroma as chicken manure. Pea straw is 50% more expensive this year than last - apparently the only supplier still growing it in Tasmania is the University of Tasmania.

I have ordered two peach trees - one Golden Queen and one Red Haven, although I am unsure if the rather vague lady at the local nursery will actually ever manage to order the trees in. I will live and pray, I guess.

There are still veggies growing in the garden - peas and leeks and beet all doing well.New onions are growing. There are seedlings in the greenhouse - cabbage and cauliflower and kale, but I wonder if I left them too late to grow well. I might try transplanting out the kale today. The potatoes in their containers in the greenhouse, however, are going great guns - they are just surging ahead. I may plant out a few more today. I've been staggering the pot plantings so I will have a continuous supply all winter.

I keep meaning to do a photographic tour of the kitchen garden. I will do it, I promise - bit it is such a mess right now!