Sowing seeds

Today is literally spring! So I got to get started on my veggies right now; this year I'm going to try sowing my own from seeds instead of buying seedlings.

Got some jiffy pots made from coco peat so I can sow directly into them. Later when the seedlings emerge and ready to be planted out, I can plant them straight in without re-potting or transplanting shock. Alright you're supposed to push the seeds into the jiffy pots and not let them sit on top of them like I've done. I did it just so I can take pictures of them! They do look like chocolate cakes with coffee beans on top though. Yum..

Broad beans

This is the first time I'm growing broad beans but I'm not getting any pods forming though. I understand broad beans don't need bees to fertilise the flowers, just wind so that's why I cover them with grow cover to protect my vegies from nasty bugs. Maybe I do need a bit of help from the bees so I try to open the cover each day and hoping for the bees to give them some help. Then again its still cold and I've only seen a bee when it was a sunny day.

Cymbidium orchids

My cymbidium orchids are blooming! I got these from a friend years ago when they were just offsets from a parent plant. Now they're thriving in a pot and blooming every year. Woohoo!

Lucerne hay mulch

The weather's slowly warming up so its time to put on the mulch. I prefer organic mulch than inorganic and my favourite has got to be lucerne hay. Got a big compact bale for $20 to mulch the tomatoes I just planted. Grow tommies grow!

Magnolia Black Tulip

Found this new magnolia at my local nursery; black tulip & its spectacular. The photo doesn't do it justice, too bad I have no room for it either..all I can do is envy.

Compost are ready

My compost bin full! I need to use up some of the ready compost so I'll have room to make more. I shouldn't have thrown in the garden clippings last time coz now I gotta separate them out before I can use them.

Time to feed the roses

Time to give my roses a feed; I use Sudden Impact for roses for many years & it doesn't disappoint. From now till April I'll be feeding my garden every 6 weeks with all the goodies I can muster.

Planting the tomatoes

The tomatoes are planted in the greenhouse, this year I'm trying out a new trick I learned from another gardener in America; putting dry milk around them to give them extra calcium to prevent blossom end rot & also as a fungal deterrent.

I think dry milk is called milk powder here in Australia because we don't have dry milk! Just milk powder.

San Marzanos

Just couldn't help myself yesterday when I went to my local nursery; they're selling tomato plants already & though its still cold out I think they will be fine in the greenhouse which these San Marzanos are going to be planted today. Fingers crossed they will survive!

Blooming marvelous

Spring is just around the corner, blooming marvelous!

Basic tools

All gardeners need some basic tools. You can always find a hand trowel, fork and dipper in any garden. They're a must for good gardening, apart from good soil, location and good maintenance but we'll leave those for another post.