The start of summer has been a funny old thing here in Ballarat. The end of November got really hot with a string of days in the high 30s (Celsius) and then the first week or so of December we had the heaters back on and the winter clothes out. Then we had rain, quite a lot of rain – though far from the record breaking rain that was predicted. And now, it’s back to sunshine and the temperature is heating up again. I wonder what all this up and down does to the growing cycle of the plants I’ve been putting since early November.
Some things have really taken off, like the corn. I put this in on a whim after getting some free seeds and I think all but one seed has germinated well.
The lettuce is going gang busters, but some is itching to bolt and the leaves have turned bitter.
The tomatoes and the capsicum are also looking good, with the beginnings of fruit and some more flowers coming on.
I have parsley in all its stages. Seeds just starting to grow, full grown plants providing lots of leaves for cooking (there’s no such thing as too much parsley is there?) and one that has gone to seed which I’ll use to scatter around and keep the cycle going.
The zucchinis, though, have been a little slower to get going. And the cucumber, which I always find a slow grower at this time of year, has barely changed.
Then there are the total failures. Only one of about twenty sunflower seeds has survived – I suspect the rest got taken by the snails early on. And the basil seems to have failed to poke their heads above ground at all.
Finally, there is one area still choked with weeds which I must tackle soon. It’s a particularly troublesome spot given that there are several established plants (most of which I don’t really like, ie contoneaster). a dead tree with ivy growing over it which is too expensive and difficult to take out and then there are the large landscaping pebbles and black plastic, clearly doing nothing to keep the weeds down. I really just don’t know where to start with all this.
It’s going to be hot tomorrow, too hot for me to get out in the garden, but the rest of the week looks perfect. I’m hoping to tackle more weeding, get some more plants in and have a tidy up in the front. What’s happening in you’re garden at the moment? And if you’ve got a solution to my troublesome spot please send them my way!
Barbara
The New Good Life 