late DECEMBER in my garden

December is almost done and dusted and my garden is looking pretty exciting. I am starting to get tomatoes ripe on the vine. Enough to keep me happy (I sneak them past everyone else.) Herbs are in full swing and I have young pumpkins on the vine. I love this time of year, I just wish I could spend more time in the garden. There are still jobs to be done, but anything much over an hour is a very lucky thing for me at the moment. Still Id take that over nothing at all. So here are some pictures of what is interesting in my garden during December 2014

 My Purple Congo Potatoes are flowering now. I have been experimenting this year with different methods of growing Potatoes. These ones I have grown in a styrofoam box in about 3 inches of compost and covering growth with a basic pasture hay. To get extra height I cut the bottom out of another box and tied them together with zip ties. So far so good, But I have no idea if I have many potatoes to harvest yet.

My aim is to get enough to make a small batch of purple Gnocchi for my 5 year old cousin and Keep the rest for a bigger harvest next year. Iwas lucky just to get the 3 that I was able to put in this year. Online sellers were not able to send seed spuds into South Australia, so in the end I was lucky to be given some by someone who snuck their own in years ago. Im really happy to be giving these ago, and so is my little cousin.

 I planted a few types of zucchini’s this year. Black Beauty, Yellow Crookneck and Lebanese. The Black Beauty were first to be planted and have been producing for a little while now. At first things were slow as the Bee’s were not doing their job and helping with fertilisation. I’ve been doing the deed most mornings now and its turned the situation around. Although there are not that many boy flowers being produced at the moment. At least I am getting regular zucchini now. The Zucchini slice that I have been making at the cafe has been so tasty. Yum!!!

 Some of my peppers that I have scattered all over the garden. These are Californian Wonder.

 This is the first time that I have grown Artichokes. To be honest I was first inspired to about a year ago when I was in Hospital for a drug infusion. One of the nurses at the Pain Unit had brought a flower head and put it in a vase at the nurses station. I loved the colour and picked up a plant on my way home. I wasn’t sure when to pick the heads and ended up letting these ones flower. I have since done more research and put in an extra plant ready for next year. I am sure that I will always let at least one go all the way to flower. I love the electric purple colour of them.

 This is my new bed that I put in over spring. I kind of cheated a little by just laying out the border and filling it in with well composted sheep manure. I figured I would let the worms mix it all in and so far so good. Everything that I have planted is growing really well. I got the manure free from where my dad works. Luckily there is plenty more available, so I will be getting more in when I can. Unfortunately its not organic, but it is a bi-product that would only go to waste if I didn’t use it.

Youmay also be able to see the Pumpkins in the background. I’ll need to get some pictures of them to post on here.

This is my faithful helper and companion, Gemma. We rescued her from a shelter a few years ago and not long after I got sick and moved back in with my family. She has been by my side ever since. She is with my in the garden and on the bed with me on my sick days. Rescuing a dog is worth it in so many ways.

 Ok, my eggplant record is not very good. So all that I can say is that these are the healthiest and possibly the largest plants that I have grown so far. I’m into uncharted territory at the moment. I’m thinking its the sheep manure compost in the new bed, that has made the difference.

So there you have it. The highlights of my garden at the moment. I hope your all having a good summer so far. Im hoping that this will be my best season yet.

Happy gardening. xx