Monday, May 5 

well over 2 months ...


Has it been that long ...?

guess so.

cold down here,what with early frost and RAIN .. first of the winter crops in ..fingers crossed for oats and for the wheat crop which is being finalished as I type ...All is in and here s hoping

the garden is a mess ..busy at work ..days off I just want to lie down and do nothing .


I have managed to save a few hundred"lazy housewife" bean seeds .

Here's a excellent bean for you .

Tender even when big ..prolific bean bearer

great ..huge climber

tough..coped with our HOT wet summer .

still got one or two beans on it .


Another bean was "painted lady " runner bean ...(see picture )

saved many of these seeds also .

For me ..more decorative than useful ..It was a little hot for runner beans .

IT didnt set fruit until end of summer ..didnt really geta taste of them ,other than stringy .


Catch up later ..going to have another few hrs sleeep before work commences ..(10.45pm-715 am )



Monday, May 05, 2008 | |

Sunday, March 16 

autumn pickings



Proof that its time to weed ..in there somewhere are baby broccoli !!!

I mentioned last post about MrP 's obsession ..well heres' the proof ...the Atlantic giant pumpkins are still attached to the vines in a green stable manner so picking isnt yet warranted ...but when we do, it will be fun .

I estimate them to be around 85kg's ....see how right I am when they are weighted !

Shame really ,that the big orange ones aren't edible .....when you cut them open ,they are stringy and pithy inside ....sheep love them ...make great carved lamps


The pumpkin vines are going "off" in the hot weather .A bout of powery mildew isn't helping

I am not bothered to do anything about it .. I find that vine curbits seem to get powdery at the end of their life span ...esp those that have over produced . If you were bothered by it a milk/water spray will help .

One other plus is that the ladybird population should be well fed (on the powdery mildew) and populale well for next year .


The other strange long ones are called "Banana " from Eden seeds

They are very firm fleshed ,orange and strong pumpkin taste ........Nice baked and I would imagine ok to cook with.


Obviously the little ones are "golden nugget" .. You Cannot go wrong with this pumpkin ..it is small but prolific ..((these seeds were 4 yrs out of date and still germinated))30 pumpkins from 5 vines planted very closely .


And that, people is the last I have to say about pumpkins ..apart from how much the big ones weighed

Sunday, March 16, 2008 | |

Wednesday, March 12 

Water Lilles





Lots of rain over summer produces many weeds and some suprises ...like water lillies in understocked gully dams

These are Swamp lillies .(from the Hydrocharitaceae family , namely ...Ottelia Ovalifolia )


  • emergent in warmer month in nutrient rich waters

  • germinate readily in warm shallow water and mud

  • have green floating eliptical leaves (adult )

  • strap like spears when Juvenile .

  • grows in cooler weather once the colony established ..naturlises well

  • 3 petalled white flower ..lasts one day .

  • flowers Nov -Jan

  • self pollinating

Very nice on the dam .I have a feeeling that cows would enjoy the wade into the water to munch these !!


Having said very wet summer ..The last few days have been extremely HOT ...I have had several roses go from lush to shrivelled overnight .(ACK) and buddlia bushes dropping dead ... I have been night duty -ing and havent really felt the heat ..Today I'm back on days for 4 (spread over 10 days....few days off......................... NICE !)


Mr P has had a summer obsession ...namely giant pumpkins ...You should see them .. huge , such a pity they aren't edible .. He's very proud !!


By the way- want to buy a farm ..nice 4000 acres (historically ok rainfall)..2/3 cleared good farming ,rest- natural bush ..excellent water .. resident wedgetails . good house ..1/2 hour to thriving country town .very sporting focussed .1 hr to huge inland city ..good shopping..owners relocating ......

Wednesday, March 12, 2008 | |

Monday, February 18 

tomatoes .

Monday, February 18, 2008 | |

Friday, January 4 

All about pumpkins or those wild, feral things clambouring thru my garden ...

Want a small pumpkin that has heaps of fruit and is quick maturing ? ......TRY Golden Nugget...sometimes called bush pumpkin..... ..unfailingly productive .easy to grow from seed .pumpkins keep for a while if properly matured (i.e.before picking) .....good for sml familes or those who only want a small amount of pumpkin.This sowing fro for 6 old seeds..they are al loaded with up to 10 pimpkins each ..the biggest are the first ones that set ..I find they get smaller as the bush gets older ....makes sense really .
This one is Australian butter pumpkin...Heirloom type ..not a butternut ..so far it has only 4 fruits ..all a good size ...more as it gets going ..
Banana Pumpkin ...grows huge ...over a metre long ..Last years were huge and solidly heavy .The flesh is good baked or cooked with ..very pumpkiny without the sweet taste ..ok if your a pumpkin lover .huge bush ..4-5 fruit so far
This one is one I have never grown...a gem squash .. eat like a zucchini or store over winter .I was suprised to find it isa rambler ..friut are grapefruit sized and dark ggreen I am planning to try one this week coming
And cause I think the world should have more Salvia ..a shot of "hot lips"

Friday, January 04, 2008 | |

Friday, December 28 

Loves Lies Bleeding



ignore the kikuyu grass --its been reefed out.

otherwise known as 'Amaranthus Caudatus"(aka , Pendant amaranth, Tassel Flower, Velvet flower, Foxtail amaranth, and Quilete. ..)

Many types ..this is more ornamental ...altho I'm led to believe it is an edible grain ...

Very hardy and quick to get established .

The long weeping flower heads are very very pretty .I am wondering if the parrots will be in to feed from them ..

Full sun ,Some water ..Annual


The long crimson tassels can be dried for flower arranging .

There was a time in ancient history when these(or a close relative ..depending on the location in Sth America) were used as part of blod offering to the gods by the Inca ..both as a colouring and as a grain "cake " mixed with blood !(UGH ).

The red color of the inflorescences(flower colour ) is due to a high content of betacyanins


We have had a LONG Christmas ..between travelling to rellies homes and working ..I'm very ,very over it all. I have eaten too much and spent too much (thankfully all cash ..not credit )...May go out to Carrathool from New Years ...may not ...again- LOTs of travelling .

Any way -off to wash work clothes and go in for the late afternoon shift ..finish at 11pm..or 2300 hrs !

Friday, December 28, 2007 | |

Monday, December 24 

MERRY MERRY Christmas




it rained Sat ..floooded in fact- washed away fences and gates and provided a mighty vista ..((when I work out how to download photos from the new phone ..I'll post them ..Amazing ))

Hubby is out fixing flood gates with the neighbours .....only the most urgent Christmas eve !!

I was at work and couldn't get home ..they(hubby and boys ) were in town and marooned ....

Duck creek roared out over its banks as did the Trigalong creek ..thus filling lake Centenary ...the water skiers will be having a merry old Christmas ..
Wishing you all a nice Christmas ....Be safe if your travelling ..
Melissa

Monday, December 24, 2007 | |

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