Coriander. Hit or Miss?

Good morning trendsetters!

While it’s still trying to rain here I managed to get out and make a video on harvesting radish.

I know right, riveting stuff for sure.
Harvesting Radish and Taste Testing







 Harvesting the Easter egg Radish planted in a pot and Taste Testing.

These grew really well and were ready from sowing in less than a month.

As for the taste test, you're going to have to watch the video.

🍎Subscribe here - https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC9wf...

🍎How to gro Easter egg Radish in a pot:- https://youtu.be/mi64siwedfE

 #growingradish #vegetablegardening #myveggiegarden
You can also find My Veggie Garden at,

🍎Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/myvegiegarden

🍎Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/my_veggie_g...

🍎Blog - https://stewarts-vg.blogspot.com/

Updates? Did somebody say, Updates?

It's the beginning of Summer and the veggie garden is going as well as can be expected despite all the weathers attempts to destroy everything.

I've made this video to fill you in (update progress) on how things so far.

I've also fertilised all my citrus trees and rose bushes but keeping the water up to them is nearly a full time job.

Maybe one day it will rain again, *sigh*






🍎Subscribe here - https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC9wfr8kaj_QauCNS5TeHEqw?sub_confirmation=1




Here are the links I said I'd add.

🍎Microgreens/Baby salad leaves - https://youtu.be/_nlXZxViOwo
🍎Microgreens/Baby salad leaves (update) - https://youtu.be/R8ASWwSP9rQ
🍎Easter Egg Radish - https://youtu.be/mi64siwedfE
🍎Planting a Potato Bag - https://youtu.be/P6dNgZCvpQ8
🍎Mulberry in a pot - https://youtu.be/J0ecTDYAmNY
🍎Zucchini Pt.1. - https://youtu.be/JUh7KTPFSj4
🍎Zucchini Pt2. - https://youtu.be/aC29KKYfKQ8
🍎The Magic Bean - https://youtu.be/1GwFnjcHQLg
🍎Tomato trial - https://youtu.be/SyYXkkI4J98
🍎Tomato trial (update) - https://youtu.be/Qmpc1vHa8M8
🍎Corn and Sunflowers - https://youtu.be/pYuPPn_o2zI

#growingveggies #vegetablegardening #myveggiegarden

You can also find My Veggie Garden at,
🍎Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/myvegiegarden
🍎Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/my_veggie_garden_qld/
🍎Blog - https://stewarts-vg.blogspot.com/

This little cutie.

You can't have too much pretty in the garden and this oregano, 'Country Cream', is divine.

It will add a nice spot of brightness along the edge of the path leading up to the veggie garden.

Once established it will need next to no care from me aside from a good haircut every now and then, some mulch, very little watering and keep the weeds out.

How to Grow Easter Egg Radish

How to Grow Easter Egg Radish in a Pot with the Kids.

A great way to pique some curiosity in your kids by sowing some colourful radish, seeds.

No need for any extra fertilising, there should be enough minerals and nutrients in the potting mix to sustain the radish to maturity.

Thanks also to Bunnings, Mr Fothergill's seeds, Searl's Potting Mix, and Seasol for your great products.

And thank you for watching.

Ooh, can you smell that?

Fresh, homegrown, beetroot cooking on the stove.

Mmmmm

Beetroot recipe link

Leeks, bacon and cabbage recipe

My basket’s too small. 

Beetroot will be pickled tomorrow and the leeks will join some baby cabbage and bacon for dinner tonight.

 Leeks, Bacon and Cabbage recipe. 

 

 

The Magic Bean Seeds by Stewart Dorman.

The story of how I rescued some been seeds from oblivion to return them to productive nirvana. 

Where Garlic and asparagus also make an appearance (watch to the end)

Possible the easiest and most rewarding veggie you'll grow in your patch after Radish.

So, what are you waiting for, give em a go?

Here's a tip I didn't mention in the video, they love a good watering, especially when they are flowering.






#magicbeanseeds #growingbeans #veggiegardening

Tomato Trial update using Searle's 5 in 1

The great tomato trial update.

I cover pinching out lateral growth, staking and tying up. Taking cuttings and a few tips on general tomato health.

About a month ago now I planted two different tomato varieties into planting holes prepared with Searle's 5 in 1.

Here is the link to that video. https://youtu.be/SyYXkkI4J98

We have had excellent conditions for growing tomatoes with up to five inches of rain and pleasant 25 to 28c daytime temperatures.

So far I am more than impressed with the health, vigour and overall growth of the tomatoes. With some small tomatoes already being produced.










#growingtomatoes #searles5in1 #vegetablegardening

Bees win.

I didn't get to my Pak Choi soon enough and it's gone to flower. Due to a lot of rain, some poor diet choices lately and they go to flower pretty quick.

I was about to pull it out and feed it to the compost bins when I noticed the plethora of bees enjoying the flowers.

Though I could use the space I'm happy to let the bees have their way for now.

Cheers, Stewart.

A complete guide to planting potatoes in a potato bag. Part 2!

Part 1! https://youtu.be/P6dNgZCvpQ8

A complete guide to planting potatoes in a potato bag.

After finding two potatoes, while preparing dinner last night, beginning to produce shoots I decided to plant them out into potato growing bags.

I've not used potato bags before so I'm as keen as you to see the results. So far we're off to a good start with both potatoes taking off.

Part 2.

Top dressing the potatoes now that they have grown.

I'm using a blend of 50/50 potting mix mixed with homemade compost. Also finished off the top inch or two with Searle's 5 in 1 for a little added kick along.

Probably roll the sides up and one more application of potting mix and compost and I'll just sit back and wait.

Why grow a dwarf mulberry tree in a pot.

Dwarf Mulberry. Growing on in a pot.

When it comes to Mulberries, 'dwarf' is a relative term. Still capable of growing to three meters tall. That's a large shrub or small tree still.

With regular pruning after fruiting and potting into a 600mm pot, restricting the size of the root ball, I am hoping to keep this one to around two metres tall.

Are you growing a dwaef mulberry? Got anything you'd like to add? Let us know in the comments below!

Growing Zucchini. How to plant and grow.

Growing zucchini.

Part one and two in my quest to grow zucchini without being plagued by blossom end rot.

 After adding cow manure, compost, blood and bone and lime and letting it sit for a month it's now time to add to add the final piece of the puzzle, some gypsum.

Pop in a few seeds and sit back and wait.

Growing Zucchini. How to plant and grow. Part 1. https://youtu.be/JUh7KTPFSj4

Growing Zucchini. How to plant and grow. Part 2. https://youtu.be/aC29KKYfKQ8



Part two

How to Plant and grow straight Carrots from seed.

Have a question? I'd love to hear it. Leave it in the comments below.

*Mr.Fothergill's Seeds - https://www.mrfothergills.com.au/seed...


                                                         ------------------------------------
🥕Botanical Name: Daucus carota One of the best for taste, quality and quantity - bumper crops with an outstanding delicious sweet flavour and bright smooth colour throughout the smooth cylindrical 'Nantes' type roots. Grows well in any open position in a light rich soil, preferably one which has not been recently manured (as they may fork). We hope you enjoy these vegetable seeds, just another great example of vegetable seeds from Mr Fothergill’s!

🥕How To Grow Sow seed 0.5in (1cm) deep in rows approximately 12in (30cm) apart. Keep soil moist and weed free. Thin the seedlings to one plant every 3in (7.5cm) and water well to replace soil around the roots. Repeat sow every two weeks for a continuous supply.

🥕When To Plant - All year round as required.

🥕Harvest - All year round as required.

🥕Sow - Spring, Summer, Autumn, Winter You can also find My Veggie Garden at,

🍎Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/myvegiegarden

🍎Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/my_veggie_g...

🍎Blog - https://stewarts-vg.blogspot.com/

Planting corn and sunflower before the rain arrives

Rain has been predicted.

And nothing germinates seeds like rain and for this reason, if I've got plans to plant anything in the near future then I get them in a soon as possible.

In this instance, it's Corn and Sunflower.

Please cornsider excusing me but it's hard to pass up a bad corny joke or three.

Growing potatoes in a potato growing bag.

A complete guide to planting potatoes in a potato bag.

After finding two potatoes, while preparing dinner last night, beginning to produce shoots I decided to plant them out into potato growing bags.

 I've not used potato bags before so I'm as keen as you to see the results.

Bags were purchased from Bunnings for $9.97.



You can also find My Veggie Garden at,

*Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/myvegiegarden
*Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/my_veggie_g...

Share this video, like and subscribe, it's all for a good cause.

Tater time!

This can only mean one thing. You got it. It's tater planting time.

While getting the spuds ready for dinner last night I noticed they were starting to sprout so I cut the ends off and said, "I’ll have you".

The ol' fence pailing trick!

You guessed it.

The old, cover your freshly planted carrot seeds with a fence pailing because you had a rush of blood and planted in your work garden, on a Friday, before a long weekend, trick!

Anyhow, fingers crossed this will keep the soil and seeds moist enough until I get back to work on Tuesday.

Growing a five crop micro-green rotation. Pt.2

Part two of an ongoing series of growing a five crop micro-green rotation.

Beginning with pea shoots then lettuce, rocket, radish and broccoli.

Some other micro-greens you could try are Beetroot, silverbeet, pak choi, amaranth, Chinese cabbage, kale, spinach, sunflower and turnip.

I buy my seeds, D.T. Brown, from The Reject Shop.

There is more than enough for me in a packet but if you'd like larger quantities then Eden Seeds will supply larger quantities If you need.

 https://www.edenseeds.com.au/Product-Info-Seeds?product=pea-snowpea-mammoth-melting

If you'd like to follow My Veggie Garden Facebook page then that's here, https://www.facebook.com/myvegiegarden/

Seasol - https://www.seasol.com.au/

You can also find My Veggie Garden at,
*Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/myvegiegarden
*Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/my_veggie_garden_qld/



 

Will soaking seeds in seasol help?

I presoaked 3 x 6 pea seeds in 1, water, 2, powerfeed and 3, seasol in response to an article claiming that soaking in seasol will improve germination and seedling vigour.

The purpose is to establish if I can find any appreciable difference in the strike rate, the speed of germination and seedling vigour as claimed.




Seasol - https://www.seasol.com.au/

You can also find My Veggie Garden at,
*Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/myvegiegarden
*Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/my_veggie_g...

Will it work or not?

What to do when you have an idea but aren't sure if it is any good or if it will work or not? Call it a trial.

Today I planted two tomatoes into planting holes enriched with Searles 5 in1 product.

It's a new twist on an old idea I'd read about for using garden and kitchen waste materials to create compost planting holes for planting tomatoes in.

A few growing tips and suggestions for growing Rhubarb.

A few growing tips and suggestions for Rhubarb.

Fertilising rhubarb. I like to fertilise rhubarb every 6 to 8 weeks.

They are all leaf, big leaves at that, and will need a constant supply of nutrients. You do know you shouldn't eat the leaves. Rhubarb leaves contain dangerously high levels of oxalic acid which can cause serious kidney damage potentially leading to death. Even though a 64 kg person would need to eat about 10 pounds of rhubarb leaves to die, a small amount still has the ability to make a person sick.

Adding compost to rhubarb.

Applying mulch to rhubarb.

I used Sugar Cane mulch but Lucerne, Wheat or Barley straw or any material that will break down over time will do.

How I grow Micro-greens in the veggie garden. Part 1.

Part one of an ongoing series of growing a five crop micro-green rotation.

Beginning with pea shoots then lettuce, rocket, radish and broccoli.

Some other micro-greens you could try are Beetroot, silverbeet, pak choi, amaranth, chinese cabbage, kale, spinach, sunflower and turnip.

I buy my seeds, (D.T. Brown seeds) from The Reject Shop.

There is more than enough for me in a packet but if you'd like larger quantities then Eden Seeds will supply larger quantities If you need.

 https://www.edenseeds.com.au/Product-Info-Seeds?product=pea-snowpea-mammoth-melting

If you'd like to follow My Veggie Garden Facebook page then that's here, https://www.facebook.com/myvegiegarden/

And that was the week that was.

It was a fairly hectic week.

Here is a short rundown.

Zucchini Blossom End Rot and seasonal care for my Silverbeet.

Brand new My Veggie Garden vlog in the blog.

Check it out, let me know what you think.

Apples and affiliate marketing.

 I have four apple trees growing in my, work, garden that I am espaliering. I am going to buy this book for two reasons. One is to learn more about espaliering and the second will be to review.

 "This is a comprehensive, reliable and informative guide to apples old and new, their care, pest and disease control, propagation and harvesting. Topics include: grow your own organic apples; more apples and less work with Allen Gilbert's new pruning system; treat yourself and your friends to the true taste of apples from bygone years; improve your success rate with Allen Gilbert's new grafting technique; espalier apple trees for unusual landscape effects; grow more than ten different apple varieties on a single tree."

Below is an eBay Partner Network affiliate link (the 2nd photo). When you click on this link it will take you to eBay where you can purchase this book and without costing any extra at all I can get a little slice of the apple pie too.

Using Burgon and Balls 'Weed Slice' with a GoPro

A few tips and tricks I use when planting out seeds.

 A few tips and tricks I use when planting out seeds.

When rain is predicted (95% chance) then out come the seeds.

I usually have a few areas ready for planting so it's just a matter of bunging them in and waiting for the rain.

CHARGES OVER AVOCADO THEFT

Just wow!

They'd steal the eye out of a needle around here.

I hate meeces to pieces.

Three photos of lettuce plants.

The first I planted yesterday as a healthy seedling and covered with a wire cage to prevent any hungry possums helping themselves to a free lunnch. The second and the third I planted three weeks, the second I also covered with a cage and the third photo I covered overnight with a pot.

What's been happening here is that freshly planted seedlings and newly emerged seedlings have been getting eaten as shown it the first two photos.

Now in the past this hasn't been a problem because it is usually possums and I cover my seedlings with a wire cage and they can't get to  them. But that hasn't been working leaving me a little perplexed and confused.

Now last night I didn't have enough cages so I covered some of my seedlings with pots. These were left untouched while the seedlings covered with wire were. Queue "Lightbulb Moment"

So now, in conclusion, my best guess it is either rats or mice are helping themselves to a free feed. Seeing as I have eliminated the possibility

for a possum to get past the wirecages and have a feed.

On top of all that it's probobal as dry as it has ever been around my part of the woods so it stands to reason they will be eating plants that I haven't had any problems with before.

For now though, at the end of each day, you'll find me outside covering all my new little seedlings with pots.

Saturday in the garden and compost.

A rundown of Saturday's jobs in the garden.

Like;

1. Rearrange the Compost Bins.
2. Water, water and water and then water some more.
3. Plant Lettuce.
4. Water.

Propagating Tipouchina from tip cuttings.

The latest vlog in a blog.

Today I'm having a crack at Tibouchina tip cuttings.

Toowoomba Carnival of Flowers

Over the next five or six weeks, the Toowoomba Carnival of Flowers is about all that matters where I live.

In order to get ahead of the curve, I've made this video to tell you all about whats happening for me and where I work.

You will also find a shift from the productive garden to flower gardens over the next five to six weeks so I hope you will enjoy.

All the info on Glenvale Villas. https://glenvalevillas.com.au/ 

All the info on The Toowoomba Carnival of Flowers. https://www.tcof.com.au/

All about The Chronicle Garden Competition. https://www.tcof.com.au/the-chronicle...

What to plant now.

Every now and then I get it into my head that I should write a 'what to plant and when,' post.

Then I start thinking about all the research and the different climate zones and microclimates and then all the different types of plants, annuals, herbs, perennials, biennial.

Next thing you know I find myself lying on the floor in the fetal position, semi-comatose, wishing someone else could do it.

But someone else has done it and all the hard work and done it extremely well, phew. 

I can get up off the floor now. I'm so glad I Don't have that thought to often. Though our floors are clean they are hard and at this time of the year cold as well. 

 

Below if from the Gardenate web site. Link here for the Gardenate web site

About Gardenate

Why Gardenate?

Gardenate is intended to make it easier to keep your kitchen garden growing and producing. Each month the home page lists what you can plant now in your climate zone, and what to prepare for next month.
One way to productive gardening is to plant regularly - plant something every day if possible in suitable climates.

Disclaimer

We provide gardenate.com as a service for home gardeners. Local conditions and micro-climates will affect how any plant performs in your specific location. Please seek advice from your local nursery or garden centre to obtain the most accurate climate zone and planting information for your garden.

Who is behind Gardenate?

Gardenate is a personal project designed and built by myself, Chris Hutchinson. My business, Hutchinson Software, designs and implements mobile apps, web applications and database software, so get in touch if you need a custom application.
Gardenate data entry has been mostly done by my gardening mother, Liz Hutchinson. I'm in the Australian cool temperate zone, she's in temperate New Zealand, so that perhaps explains any bias in the zone and species list.
I like edible gardening, but tend to forget to keep up with regular planting of successions, and end up battling our highly variable climate and drought. Gardenate is an attempt to make it easier to remember what to plant now, and to get in seed ready for next month.
If you have any feedback or suggestions we would love to hear from you, so please contact us.

Why is it called Gardenate?

It seemed like a good idea at the time! I was thinking of a combination of 'garden' and 'eat'...

Planting Cauliflower, Sicily Purple.

Cauliflower, Sicily Purple.

A colourful Italian heirloom with brilliant purple heads and a mild, sweet flavour. The head cooks to green but tastes great fresh from the garden. Less appealing to brassica pests. Harvest at 17 weeks.

Diggers Club https://www.diggers.com.au/shop/edibles/cauliflower-sicily-purple/s079/

Spring is in the air

An update on yesterdays jobs in the garden, hope you enjoy.

Spring is in the air even though it's only early August.

There's always plenty of jobs to do and here is but a few of them.

Getting asparagus ready for spring. Fertilising citrus.

Mulching.

Where I get my cow poo - Garden City Landscapes Supplies. https://landscapesuppliestoowoomba.co...

All about Searles 5 in 1 - https://www.searlesgardening.com.au/p...

Quickie Monday - Liquid Fertilising.

I went away for the weekend so not much was done in the veggie garden, nothing at all actually.

Anyway, I manage a quick and short video this afternoon espousing the benefits of liquid fertilising.

Hope you enjoy it, cheers.

 

Jobs done.

An update on this afternoons veggie garden activities.

It was a lovely winter's day and much was achieved.

Beetroot - Bok Choi - Lettuce - Snap Peas

Beetroot - Bok Choi - Lettuce - Snap Peas

Amazing bean seeds, pt 2.

   Back in March, I reported that I'd managed to save five seeds from a particularly tasty bush bean and that I'd also managed to get them to germinate.

   Sadly I lost one seedling but four continued on to full-sized plants and you can see the results in the photo.

   Should be more than enough seeds for the upcoming growing season.

   Looking forward to tasting the beans again and see if they remain as tasty as the original.

Link to the original story.
Amazing bean seeds.

Photo

It rained.

It rained, I know, it’s hard to believe but it rained. 9mm to be precise. That’s about the best rainfall I’ve had here since my last post three months ago.

So with as much optimism and enthusiasm as I could muster I went forth into the wilderness and planted a veggie. Well a herb to be precise. Good old parsley. Yeah!

Then I got carried away in the fervour of the moment and bunged in a few lettuce, some beetroot and leek as well as a cabbage and broccoli.

With further light falls predicted over the next few days, what can go wrong.

Nothing beats rain.

      Over the last three or so weeks we've had more rain than I can remember since March/April last year and the veggie garden is loving it.

Everything is putting on new growth and looking very healthy.

It's a joy just walking around and taking it all in.

Here are a few photos showing the fresh new growth in my 'work' patch.

Cheers

Stewart.

Amazing bean seeds.

I planted several different varieties of bush beans over summer and one lot had a sweet edge to them and were great eating raw.

I wanted to save some seed from them but they were so popular they kept getting picked.

Eventually, one pod with five half-sized beans got through but, because of their size, I didn’t give them much hope of germinating when I planted them.

To my amazement, all five have germinated.

Now I need to find a protected place to plant them so I can build up a good supply of seed for next summer.

I only hope Autumn is warm enough to produce some seed pods.

Cheers.