This week it's been raining - something we look forward to at the end of summer when the ground is dry. It's really been raining up north - ridiculously so, and there has been dams overflowing and houses floating down rivers. 1 in a 100 year flood, they say. Weather events are dramatic like that. May they all find dry ground. But here, it's just a pleasant drizzle most of the time - still, too wet to be in the garden, so I've been tidying up the greenhouse.
This necessitated a trip to Bunnings to get some hand tools and a broom, as it's a long walk back to the garden shed when I'm in the polytunnel. I screwed in a few screws for them to hang on.
Zooming out, you can see the big struts we had to put in because we had some really extreme winds at the end of last year which caused the polytunnel to move around so much that it ripped the plastic on the roof and broke the top strut, and made the hoops slide out of place. This was disaster management and we're keeping it lest it happens again. The blanket isn't practical of course, as soft furnishings don't belong in a greenhouse, but it's a temporary measure until we get a bit more greenhouse plastic. The back door was ripped off so we put a new one on, and now the weather is a bit cooler, a blanket is keeping the worst of the night chill out.
I have a heap of wood ready to reinforce it over Easter to stop the irrigation frame sliding sideways. It's amusing to me that the more we add, the less it's really a hoop house as the other wood is holding it together.
I've decided to add the third bed as the others are doing so well. The eggplant are huge - I've never had them grow this big. I've already had some eggplant, but there are little ones forming that I hope might get big enough before it gets too cold. If that doesn't happen, I'm hoping they will overwinter okay to get a head start.
I brought the tulsi and basil pot in from the front of the hothouse and I'm hoping the tulsi will last a few more weeks if not longer. It's come back to life in the warmer climate and with some extra water. I've turned off the automatic watering system now the weather is cooler and have been really enjoying watering by hand.
In the seed trays I have leek, purple spring onions, two sorts of kohl rabi, beetroot, purple sprouting broccoli and two sorts of cabbage. There has been cabbage moths around so I spent a few minutes squishing the caterpillars enjoying the broccoli.
The wicking buckets have been awesome for the chilli and capsicum - much better than the ones in the beds, but this might be because the soil's not quite right yet. It's funny how the big red capsciums (peppers) never grow as big as the supermarket ones - they really must force feed them! I've actually loved the little orange peppers a lot - great in salads, but also bountiful enough to share in pasta sauces, and they've grown a lot faster than the bigger varieties. Definitely keepers. The big black tub behind is full of water. Jamie's theory was that it would heat up during the day, and release heat at night. I have no way of testing this, but it has a double use as I'll stuff comfrey in there to make a comfrey tea that's easy access. Saves trudging up to the garden proper for fertiliser.
I'm not sure how the turmeric is going or even when to pick it, or whether to leave some in the ground for next year. I plan on putting a whole row of big tubs to grow more turmeric in for next next year. It's one of the crops I've been most excited about.
Oh, and I put a little whiteboard in the greenhouse so I can keep track of what I've planted and what I need to get.
It's so lovely in there just listening to some tunes and listening to the rain on the plastic - like a little vacation at the end of the property where I'm firmly in my own 'woman cave' if you like. I'm super excited about what this space might look like next Easter after I've got the hang of this a bit better.
I'll return with an update on the framing progress when the #gardenjournal challenge begins around the 7th of April - hope you are all enjoying the coming of Spring, or you are staying dry and warm.
How are your gardens growing? Do you have a greenhouse? Do you have any advice on turmeric to give me?
With Love,
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I guess the supermarket pepper have Some specific specie or maybe its the soil type or they are growing them in a different environment which they wouldn't allow others to know about. Nevertheless small pepper are quite great too.
I think you are right. To be honest, the smaller ones are tastier and I grew them myself.
!ENGAGE 25
Yeah the smaller ones are good, no preservatives and pretty natural too as well. I use to have a garden too, commitments kinda took me away from gardening.
ENGAGEtokens.I was supposed to be doing turmeric starting last October, to go into my tiny hoophouse in June, for harvest in Sept-October. It takes about 10 months to grow, I've read. But....
If it's at all like ginger, you wait until the foliage is pretty tall (my ginger got to 3' - 4' tall) and starting to turn brown.
I think.it might be. I want to try ginger too! Were you planning pots or does it go straight in the soil? If I can do a row of pots I can get more in there...
I started it in huge pots, then put it in the soil in June when it was warm enough.
This is wonderful! I can’t wait to try my hand at a green house one day, this looks like it’s a lot of relaxing work. It can be tough at times like when the wind messed it up but that’s the nature of some of it and we learn! I think it would be awesome to sit in there when it’s a little cooler out and the rain is just pattering on the roof, thinking of it now is a relaxing sound.
Some good options you have there, it’s funny your hand writing is just like Siena’s, she has such a similar style lol. I love the fresh peppers from the garden, they taste a lot better than the steroid filled ones from the markets. They sacrifice flavor for size with the bred variety they use for that. Our local CSA gives us peppers in our shares and they are indeed smaller but taste so good!
CSA?
Yes I like home grown better in every instance! That's funny about my handwriting- I wondered if anyone would notice as of course we always type here! And handwriting can be revealing. To be honest mine varies depending on surface, mood or pen..
It's really relaxing in there, I feel peaceful when I'm in my little cave. It's quite a safe place to be.
Community shared (or supported I've seen) agriculture. Basically we pay the farm money up front, they give us a share of their food they produce each week. Farm shares? I don't know lol we all call it CSA's around here.
I know what you mean about typing, working with computers all the time I tend to enjoy writing every now and then!
We all definitely need a safe and peaceful place to spend time in, what's good is yours probably has some incredibly clean oxygen floating around from the plants!
As the climate continues to get warmer, I'm afraid we are all in for many more extreme weather events.
I'm not sure how you start all over after losing your home along with all of your possessions.
You sure have a lot going on in your hoophouse.
There are so many more options you have in growing different veggies and spices because of the growing zone you are in. As often as we have tried to grow eggplant, the short growing season just doesn't allow them to mature and produce any sizeable eggplants before the nighttime temperatures stunt their growth.
I was wondering if you started your turmeric from seed or if you purchased rhizomes for planting?
The north of Australia, well, north of me, always gets floods and storms, but I imagine they'll get more intense as time goes on
I purchased the rhixomez locally, plus experimented with one store bought organic root, which is growing but not a lot. It may get stronger next year so I'll over winter it in dry soil and see how it goes.
Good luck with it all. You do seem to have a green thgumb.
What a happiness to see a personal project like this, and that little by little we have witnessed the progress. I remember when I started in the community when you were uploading the pictures of the Hoophouse construction on Discord, and now that it is complete and working, it is beautiful to see it. It is beautiful, I would love to have one on my terrace, but plastic is not a good idea in this tropical climate, but a mesh or a cover of another material could be useful.
Do you have any plants growing on your terrace? Is HIVE inspiring you to get a small garden growing? I imagine the hardest thing would be sourcing pots and soil.
The little peppers look really cute. I also had turmeric last year but I think the soil was a bit heavy (clayey) it grew but only sparsely.
Oh clay is a pain. Maybe you could grow it in pots?
Tulsi!! Everything is looking good, can't wait to see that tulsi in some food!!
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How beautiful! You can feel the love all the way across the world. I could imagine meditating in there. Love all those beautiful plants full of life 💜
It's lovely meditating in there, as long as it's not too hot and sweaty!
I bet!! Oh yeah those plants can make it himid. Umm I can smell the dirt, I love that smell.
This made me smile. Love the look and feel of that woman cave of yours. If I'll ever manage to visit you there, I hope I'm allowed entry too ;<)
Big hug!
I hope so too... you are my V.I.P!
Almost missed this one. Sounds lovely. I'm sure you're a great host and I'm already looking forward to tasting the food that you prepare ;<)
xx
Your garden looks nice! I just grow them in flowers pot, I have, chili, basil, green onion, mint and I just started growing holy basil seeds.
Oh I LOVE holy basil! I think chilli does well in pots.
It looks fun in there. Building a greenhouse is one of the things on my list of things I'd like to do. !LUV 1
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I love you hoop house and the addition of the chair makes me picture you curlingnup in it reading a good book.
Your plants look lovely, can't help you much with turmeric advice other than the medicinal benefits which you already know.
It's one plant I've always wanted to grow though.
Lovely post and pics, I always enjoy your garden updates. Which reminds me...
Do you still have the dragonfly? Xx
Big hugs and lots of love to you @riverflows 🤗💚🌻
So So Cool! Growing your own food is like growing your health and wealth 😁
This is the perfect place to chill in my eyes, love the sound of the rain as well Really liking that white board, such a great way to keep track, although my girls would soon have all sorts of drawings on it lol. Sorry can't help with the Turmeric xxx
Great garden journal. Makes me think i should put mine to work. Missed reading your posts!
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So cute knife and especially do
everything for everyday in kitchen.