Self care by growing a garden

[Smc]

I've made bread in the past @Former-Member, but nowadays only pull out the yeast for pizza bases. But the memories of homemade bread have rubbed off into a "can do" attitude for our older "kids", who've all followed suit one way or another since moving out of home. Need to get back to it often enough that Younger Daughter gets to pick up the skill as well.

I think most of our furniture is second hand. If you're just a little bit choosy over what you get, it's generally better quality than new stuff. Which is, of course, why it's lasted long enough to be resold.

No solar panels at this point in time. We need to get the roof re-done first... and before we do that, the house needs restumping. So that can wait for now.

Have been outside this morning potting on some tomato seedligs that have reached the "true leaf" stage. 🙂 Planning on more weeding this afternoon. The big flush of spring flowers is starting to kick in, and they look so much nicer when they're not swamped by grass heads... 😛 I'm piling all the weeds up on paths where they can rot down into nice compost, and suppress other weeds. I think the seed heads are immature enough that they won't regrow. Even if they do, they'll be in an easy-to-clear spot.

[Smc]

@SJT63, judging by what you're growing, you're somewhere north-ish. I was going to suggest that rabbits are a good small scale livestock solution, but if you're in QLD that wouldn't be legal? if so, maybe quail instead? Chickens are good, but am guessing if you had space for them you would have said so.

We've got a couple of rainwater tanks, one for drinking water plus occasional watering, the other for watering only, but I could do with paying out for 40mm hose and fittings as flow is too slow with 25mm. I often end up not using it because the water comes out at such a slow trickle. I've directed greywater from the washing machine onto the garden in the past... long term goal is to have all the household greywater going into a properly set up system. Along with surplus-to-storage rainwater.

[SJT63]

@Smc  I'll have to take some pics of our water setup... it's very Heath Robinson

himself waters by hand with watering cans once the water reaches the final barrel via his elaborate set of syphons... so aspy...

I will definitely get quail once I'm retired, and native bees (although we probably won't eat the bees).

[Former-Member]

Last night I planted a flower bought at a home plant stall (a pelargonium with a small flower) and some pumpkin seedlings went into one of the fruit tree beds (plenty of room while the trees are still small). 

Today I got all but one punnet of the remaining veg and herb seedlings planted into our raised veg beds. Mr Darcy mowed the lawn. 

[Smc]

@Former-Member  Holding off another week or two before planting out the summer vegs here. We had a light frost a few nights ago. Wouldn't have actually killed anything, but would have set them back. Official last frost date here is mid-November, but often actual last frost is late October, so I'll risk early November and keep an eye on the weather forecasts in case I need to frantically cover things. 😛

I'd potted on a bunch of tomato seedlings into individual pots. Went out the next day and found that a mouse had dug them all out. Some were partially unearthed but still in the pots, but I had to sift through the potting mix to find others. I repotted 11 out of 12, I think two or three might not make it. But that's not a bad rescue effort.

So having moved those plants somewhere secure, yesterday moring I discovered the mouse had dug into other pots instead. I've lost the only two plants that came up of one tomato variety, and will have to replant some gone-missing zucchini seeds. I have more seed of the tomatoes, but this means I've lost the early start I was trying for. So now all seedlings have been moved into sturdy containers with fine wire mesh over the top.

[Former-Member]

@Smc 

Rodent damage = 😵😵😵

[Smc]

@Former-Member, yep. I was prepared and protected my pea seeds while they germinated. I was planning on doing likewise with pumpkin and corn seeds. Wasn't expecting a problem with tomatoes. Guess there's a first time for everything.
But I've got more seedlings up than I need, so it's not too disasterous. I'm tossing up between planting them all and sending excess produce to the Food is Free stand in town, or planting some and putting some plants up at the stand- which will hopefully still leave me with enough surplus to pass some on. I'll see what happens as planting time looms closer. 🙂

[Former-Member]

Stopped at the garden centre today and picked up 2x chilli plants and a cherry roma tomato seedling, planted them as soon as we got home. 

[Determined]

Started another round of pruning around the yard this ave and trimmed a hedge earlier in the week.

Picked up a much larger trailer to help out with yard work. Will be able to fit 5 loads of old trailer into the new trailer. 

[Smc]

Whew, that must be a whopper trailer @Determined!

I've planted more seeds today. Assorted zucchinis and cucumbers, including Cucamelon. And a rockmelon variety.

I think I mentioned that most of my seeds have gone out of date... so I'm trying to plant a bit of everything to see what will actually grow.