Gardening

[HBS Guy]

Planted more honeydew and water melon and cucumbers.

Also planted 5 Thai basil plants--soil should be warm enough after all this @#%* heat!

Next week will get some sweet basil.

No tomatoes this year

[Ethnic]

I need to expand my garden but first I would need to expand the size of my boot so the dog will get the fucking message.

Gotta get that pot garden ready. Wonder if the local fruit and veg shop have any spare foam boxes?

[HBS Guy]

probably

[Lefty]

Fuck all gardening happening here due to crippling drought.

Yams have sprouted up though. Probably get a few sweet potatoes as too as well as a few mangos, longans, custard apples and bananas.

Not much apart from that.

[HBS Guy]

Because of freakishly early warm weather none of my stone fruit trees have any fruit worth speaking off, 12 apricots of the early apricot, forget what variety that is. No moorpark apricots.

[HBS Guy]

Cool, thai basil and the cucurbits I planted all looking healthy. the Thai basil will love the heat coming our way

[HBS Guy]

Bought another packet sweet corn and panted some--the original packet had a low germination rate. Of course the ferslugginer dog had to tread on one really advanced, sturdy corn seedling but hopefully I can rescue it.

[annielaurie]

That's nice you've got a real house and yard! I live in an apartment building, no yard for planting anything, and it wouldn't be allowed anyway ..

[HBS Guy]

Yup, love the early morning time in the garden, dog trampling seedlings notwithstanding!

Do you have window sills or balconies where you could plant something?

[annielaurie]

Well, we have shared balconies, and we can have potted plants and lawn chairs and things out there if we want ..

[HBS Guy]

Well, that is something, depends on whether it is on the south wall--too much sun--or the north wall--not enough sun--etc. Couple of big pots with small trees on the boundary, smaller pots along edge of balcony and you have a nice little place to have breakfast in nice weather.

[annielaurie]

Our balconies face east, which is so nice in the mornings, the sunshine comes through the trees on the other side of the driveway, and makes a pleasant leafy dappled light on the landings.

Nice to sit on a lawn chair outside my door and have coffee, if the weather isn't too chilly!

[HBS Guy]

Even nicer with some pot plants!

[annielaurie]

Yes I have a few, but not enough room for potted trees. The landing (balcony) is narrow and is shared by the tenents on the upstairs level ..

[HBS Guy]

bummer!

[mantra]

I have to stick to basically root vegetables - there's not much sun in the garden - although it's lovely and cool with all the trees. Onions, shallots, radishes, carrots, beans, parsley, potatoes and tomatoes are about all I can manage.

I think I've also got a cucumber plant growing, but won't know until it gets something on it.

[HBS Guy]

sounds like a productive garden anyway Mantra!

And all that shade must be nice in summer

[HBS Guy]

Did someone say Demi is cute??? Grrrrrr!!! Bloody bitch pulled up a melon seedlin and the peatpot it came in. Took a bit out of peat pot, didn't like it, left it lying there in the heat!

Think I rescued it, lots of TLC, will check tomorrow morning. Dunno why she did it, maybe there was a little bit of blood & bone in the pot. I expect her to trample the odd seedling chasing tennis balls but NOT to pull them up!!!

[Lefty]

Here's the culprit that ate so many of my vege seedlings

[Lefty]

night HBS

[HBS Guy]

Nite Lefty--that lizard is a possiblity for the logo?

[mantra]

Why does parsley take so long to grow? I've planted at least 50 seeds and all I've managed to get is about 6 tiny plants that are growing at about a mm a month. The soil is good - they're getting enough water and sunlight. I love parsley and I'm sick of buying limp bunches every few days. There's nowhere in my area to buy seedlings.

[Lefty]

Never tried to grow it from seed.

My grandmother always grew it but I think it used to struggle during summer.

[HBS Guy]

Is parsley the one where the seeds lose viability quickly? Is your soil the right pH? My slightly alkaline soil grows huge parsley plants. Try adding a little dolomite.

[Lefty]

Yeah, acidic soil here in coastal QLD, except in areas of relatively recent volcanic activity.