Tuesday, May 6, 2014

Frustrated.

Hi, frustrated here or all work and no play is making Stewart a dull boy.
6 days a week, 11hrs a day for a below minimum wage without any benefits or super isn't helping matters much either. On top of that I'm only getting, at best, a half a day a week in the veggie garden.

But I'm not sitting here wallowing in self pity, I'm putting a plan of action together to see if I can dig myself out of the hole I'm in. Resumes are flying left right and center and with some luck I hope to get a job as a disability support worker with better pay and conditions and more respectable working hours leaving more time for myself. Driving a cab is enjoyable and rewarding work but the low pay and long hours are wearing pretty thin.

As for the veggie garden there is some progress with Broad Beans, Peas, Lettuce, Garlic and up until last nights possum attack I had some cabbages. Spinach has suffered under the hands and chewing of the possum as well.

The strawberries have had some TLC in the form of compost and some cheap composted cow manure I purchased from Masters.

3 from 4 of the bunching shallots have sprouted and the 4th is just sitting there and might get around to it anytime it likes.

I've also planted a punnet of Tomatoes in the warmest part of the garden as an experiment to see if I can get any tomatoes during winter. I'm thinking with the cold nights and short day length that it will be unlikely but you've got to be in it to win it.

Anyhow that's about it for now, I have to go out and put some cut up apple in the possum trap to see if I can save what's left of the veggie garden.

Cheers and don't let the possums bite.

Stewart.

P.S. I nearly forgot to mention the best bit. The veggie garden received 26ml of rain last Thursday and Friday. Doing the happy rain dance.



6 comments:

Roslyn said...

We've never had a possum problem but I have friends that get driven to distraction by them. They've obviously decided you grow good stuff. Hope your trap works.

Unknown said...

Possums. Tree vermin. Enough said really.

My Veggie Garden said...

He/she/they cleaned up two more lettuce and half my silver beet last night. I have wire cages around them but they are getting clever enough to push them over so now I'm going to have to peg them to the ground.

Helen said...

Hi Stewart, Have you thought of borrowing a friend's dog to leave it's scent and urine in your garden? We're out near Goombungee, have dogs and have no problems with hares etc.eating plants as another friend of ours with no dog has.
My best friend is also having huge problems with possums eating all of her container grown herbs and veg in the courtyard of her small unit in Ipswich. She has to be very careful what she uses as a repellent as she has a very elderly cat.
My daughter is in Toowoomba and has 3 pet pythons and small amounts of their poo has successfully cured a mice/rat problem for another Toowoomberite.

Helen said...

Just talking to my friend in Ipswich and she was told to spray lapsang souchong tea around. Apparently the possums are supposed to hate the smell of it. She hasn't had to try it yet as her possum problem has abated for the time being.

My Veggie Garden said...

Thanks Helen, there's some good suggestions there I didn't know about. I like the python poo one.