Aussie 2007 Season - Page 30

Grub · October 20, 2007

Great news about the flowers Full Moon...
I, too, got up early for watering chores.
Scored a pile of stockings last night, so it's onto my first tie-ups for the season.

cosmicgardener · October 20, 2007

OOOhhh, I have a headache.

I'm a two glass regular and had 3 times my limit - but I slept well, it's 9 am daylight saving time and I've just got up. Are you on watering restriction already? We set up an automatic 5 minutes a day spray in the hothouse for the baby caps and eggies and second sowing of tomatoes and a half hour a morning spray for the tomatoes, the rest of the garden will have to rely on rain. We've diverted the drainage (if any) from the hothouse into the berry garden where the white and red currants, blueberries fig cuttings, jostaberries are all setting fruit. Sodding birds will probably get them. Oh I think I'll go back to bed............

Grub, scoring a pile of stocking on a Saturday night? the mind boggles.................

Full Moon · October 20, 2007

Cosmic one of those "Never Again" morning

We've been on water restrictions full time for a few years now. Here's what we're aloud at the moment. And it's not even summer yet!

Lawns
Lawns cannot be watered by residents, businesses and local councils. There are some exempt playing surfaces that can be watered.

Hand-held Trigger Hose
Hand-held hoses fitted with a trigger nozzle can be used to water gardens between 6am - 8am*.

Manual Dripper Systems
Manual dripper systems can be used between 6am - 8am*.

Automatic Dripper Systems
Automatic dripper systems can be used between midnight - 2am*.

* Even numbered houses can water on Saturday and Tuesday; odd numbered can water on Sunday and Wednesday. There is no watering on Monday, Thursday and Friday. There is no watering in the evening.

Households with at least one resident aged 70 years or over may water their gardens manually on specified watering days between 6am - 8am or 8am - 10am.

Vehicle Washing
Hand-held hoses or high pressure cleaning devices cannot be used for vehicle washing, at any time. A bucket filled from a tap can be used to clean windows, mirrors and lights; and spot-remove corrosive substances. A commercial car wash can be used.

Pools and Spas
New pools or spas of any capacity cannot be filled. Before filling an existing pool or spa consult your water authority.

I think Mantis has it even worst than I do.

Grub, I too would like to hear the story behind the stockings.

Spatzbear · October 20, 2007

Mike Press Shiraz 2004 last night. This is a winery just around the corner and at the moment my favourite. The winemaker delivers the wine personally. His Pinot Noir is fantastic, too!

We spent the whole day yesterday at a Plant Fair with our own stall. Sold tons of veggie seedlings, herbs, berries, and bunches of leucadendrons and proteas. It was stinking hot - 30C - and there were hardly any people there. (And hardly any shade. We tried to utilise the shade of a tall standard rose.) Despite all that we did pretty well. 10% of the proceeds went to a good cause.

Came home with an incredible tan, totally knackered, and after unloading the ute we cracked a ice-cold light beer.

Hoping to plant my tomatoes soon. Maybe not this week, as fuel reduction has now priority before the fireban hits. I am late with a few things, but that's okay. I hope.

cosmicgardener · October 20, 2007

Well done Spatz - nice when you can recoupe a bit of cost. I took the remainder of our tomato plants, some Capsicums, Onion, Broccoli, lots of lettuce seedlings to 'dress up' Carousel last week as they had an open day yesterday. I thought Charmaine could quickly plant them in the raised beds we've made out of pallets but she didn't get time to plant. However, a lot of the parents gave a cash donation to take several plants away and one suggested that next year's open day might be good to have a "Spring Seedling Trade Table". So next year "Grandma" work is booked already. She got 6 new enrolments mostly because of the garden. Each kid will have his/her own patch and be able to take the vegetables home. Add to that baby goats, rabbits, calves, chooks and ducks, an old gentle horse, all donated by locals, on a 'loan until they are too big' basis, makes the centre unique. The kids watched a cow birthing last week - a first for many of them. I digress - good luck with the planting - mine got savaged by the wind but seem to have survived it.

Mantis · October 20, 2007

Everyone is getting busy eh.
You are correct FM about our water restrictions.
No watering of lawns
Watering of gardens with buckets or watering cans only filled from a tap not a hose.
No washing of cars
Glad I put in the extra tank
Has hit 33 deg here at 11am but it is clouding over and should cool down soon.

Below is my best effort at a self watering tub yet I think. I found these "recycling tubs" at a local hardware store and they are very strong and should last for years. The wicking chamber is the basket out of an old bait holder. It is now loaded with potting mix and water and awaits the new seedlings.

cosmicgardener · October 21, 2007

I really feel for you guys. So far we are not on restrictions but I am expecting it by December. Hopefully everything has got a good start by then.

Spatzbear · October 22, 2007

I am glad to hear that your are all very organised. This is a strange year here - I haven't had time to prepare all the beds yet - I haven't even got my act together to count the varieties and plants - I am swamped with pumpkin and melon seedlings - everything is looking great (especially the grass and weeds), but it's turning into a jungle out there - soon I'll need a machete to hack a path to the respective patches. I don't even know yet when I'll find the time to plant out all my plants?!

Mantis, how are are you doing? Are you getting on top of this disease that's attacking your tomatoes? I really hope so.

Mantis · October 22, 2007

Yes thanks Spatz. I think I have it under control now. Pulled the 4 worst plants but have plenty of others so its all go again for now.

Raymondo · October 22, 2007

Thanks to over enthusiastic planners some decades back, our town has no water restrictions. They put in a dam for a population that simply never eventuated. Of course, I'm still having a tank put in in my new house as I think we all should live, as far as is practicable, within our water budget, i.e., what falls on our roofs and gardens from the sky.
As for tommies, I'll be planting out over the next few weeks. I'll have around sixty plants in the ground, all in one spot. I hope any stray whales don't fall on them!

Grub · October 22, 2007

Next I'll be reading how they never went in!

Get cracking Gnomes.

Mantis · October 25, 2007

Really pleased with my garden plants this year. Milder spring is allowing them to get away and they are growing in noticable amounts each day now. The dwarf Grumpys and Lime Green Salads and cherrys have fruit on and the rest are flowering. Will take some pics this weekend.
How are the rest of you going. 3 days is a long time

Grub · October 25, 2007

Good news Manto.

No fruitset here, but some very healthy plants. Soil is a bit richer this year so the leaves are h-u-g-e. Not the norm for me. But I have plenty of flowers coming and starting to open on some varieties.

The plants are at one-stocking-tie stage but in need of another tie. Mrs Grub has washed last year's stocking ties on hot and spun dry them. I also scored some more tights. I am so gay.

The last 36 hours of light rain has accelerated growth. I need to spray. Some of me mates, grubs, about, as well as a touch of EB on two out of 60-odd. I will go Daco and pyrethrum.

In short, I'm well on my way to another forest and motherload, while our poor NH friends shovel snow and stoke the fires. Recharging the battery on my camera, of course.

Heaps of eggies setting and peppers are mad with fruitset. Two cukes and a squash from old seed are doing well, and got a wall of Blue Lake and Purple beans.

Also bought some more fat short stakes so I can extend the patch to accommodate melons and pumpkins later.

I really don't think there's going to be any room to even move or harvest this year.

Got a sick chook with closed eye. Thinking about doing the humane thing there.

Basil is pumping, all the herbs are, plus the salad bars. Fruit trees are very healthy but all out of lemons now. That's about it.

tessa · October 25, 2007

wow mantis...fruitset already?????
mine are only thinking of moving to a bigger flat right now.

is there nothing that can be done for the chook, grub?
i'm unnaturally attached to my chickens.
i think this is because they liked to watch the footy with me when they were chicks. of course, they can be forgiven for being pies and eagles fans.
it's a bird thing.

Grub · October 25, 2007

Thanks Tessa,

I love my chooks, but last year a dog broke into the run and I spent $180 on vet fees only to end up having to pay to get a sick chook put to sleep. I feel sorry for them and look after them, but I think they are really lousy at fighting some infections. They have a weak immune system.

My sicky is better today, gone from 30 per cent to 50 per cent... eye is slightly open. So she might be on the comeback trail. Fingers crossed.

October 20, 2007	#437
cosmicgardener Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: Tasmania, Australia Posts: 407	OOOhhh, I have a headache. I'm a two glass regular and had 3 times my limit - but I slept well, it's 9 am daylight saving time and I've just got up. Are you on watering restriction already? We set up an automatic 5 minutes a day spray in the hothouse for the baby caps and eggies and second sowing of tomatoes and a half hour a morning spray for the tomatoes, the rest of the garden will have to rely on rain. We've diverted the drainage (if any) from the hothouse into the berry garden where the white and red currants, blueberries fig cuttings, jostaberries are all setting fruit. Sodding birds will probably get them. Oh I think I'll go back to bed............ Grub, scoring a pile of stocking on a Saturday night? the mind boggles................. __________________ http://cosmicgardening.blogspot.com Last edited by cosmicgardener; October 20, 2007 at 07:07 PM. Reason: to Razz Grub.......

October 20, 2007	#439
Spatzbear Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: Adelaide Hills, Australia Posts: 349	Mike Press Shiraz 2004 last night. This is a winery just around the corner and at the moment my favourite. The winemaker delivers the wine personally. His Pinot Noir is fantastic, too! We spent the whole day yesterday at a Plant Fair with our own stall. Sold tons of veggie seedlings, herbs, berries, and bunches of leucadendrons and proteas. It was stinking hot - 30C - and there were hardly any people there. (And hardly any shade. We tried to utilise the shade of a tall standard rose.) Despite all that we did pretty well. 10% of the proceeds went to a good cause. Came home with an incredible tan, totally knackered, and after unloading the ute we cracked a ice-cold light beer. Hoping to plant my tomatoes soon. Maybe not this week, as fuel reduction has now priority before the fireban hits. I am late with a few things, but that's okay. I hope. __________________ http://madgnomes.blogspot.com/

October 20, 2007	#440
cosmicgardener Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: Tasmania, Australia Posts: 407	Well done Spatz - nice when you can recoupe a bit of cost. I took the remainder of our tomato plants, some Capsicums, Onion, Broccoli, lots of lettuce seedlings to 'dress up' Carousel last week as they had an open day yesterday. I thought Charmaine could quickly plant them in the raised beds we've made out of pallets but she didn't get time to plant. However, a lot of the parents gave a cash donation to take several plants away and one suggested that next year's open day might be good to have a "Spring Seedling Trade Table". So next year "Grandma" work is booked already. She got 6 new enrolments mostly because of the garden. Each kid will have his/her own patch and be able to take the vegetables home. Add to that baby goats, rabbits, calves, chooks and ducks, an old gentle horse, all donated by locals, on a 'loan until they are too big' basis, makes the centre unique. The kids watched a cow birthing last week - a first for many of them. I digress - good luck with the planting - mine got savaged by the wind but seem to have survived it. __________________ http://cosmicgardening.blogspot.com

October 21, 2007	#442
cosmicgardener Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: Tasmania, Australia Posts: 407	I really feel for you guys. So far we are not on restrictions but I am expecting it by December. Hopefully everything has got a good start by then. __________________ http://cosmicgardening.blogspot.com

October 22, 2007	#443
Spatzbear Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: Adelaide Hills, Australia Posts: 349	I am glad to hear that your are all very organised. This is a strange year here - I haven't had time to prepare all the beds yet - I haven't even got my act together to count the varieties and plants - I am swamped with pumpkin and melon seedlings - everything is looking great (especially the grass and weeds), but it's turning into a jungle out there - soon I'll need a machete to hack a path to the respective patches. I don't even know yet when I'll find the time to plant out all my plants?! Mantis, how are are you doing? Are you getting on top of this disease that's attacking your tomatoes? I really hope so. __________________ http://madgnomes.blogspot.com/

October 20, 2007	#436
Grub Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: Sydney, Australia Posts: 2,722	Great news about the flowers Full Moon... I, too, got up early for watering chores. Scored a pile of stockings last night, so it's onto my first tie-ups for the season.

October 20, 2007	#438
Full Moon Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Feb 2006 Location: Montréal, Canada Posts: 347	Cosmic one of those "Never Again" morning We've been on water restrictions full time for a few years now. Here's what we're aloud at the moment. And it's not even summer yet! Lawns Lawns cannot be watered by residents, businesses and local councils. There are some exempt playing surfaces that can be watered. Hand-held Trigger Hose Hand-held hoses fitted with a trigger nozzle can be used to water gardens between 6am - 8am.* Manual Dripper Systems Manual dripper systems can be used between 6am - 8am.* Automatic Dripper Systems Automatic dripper systems can be used between midnight - 2am.* * Even numbered houses can water on Saturday and Tuesday; odd numbered can water on Sunday and Wednesday. There is no watering on Monday, Thursday and Friday. There is no watering in the evening. Households with at least one resident aged 70 years or over may water their gardens manually on specified watering days between 6am - 8am or 8am - 10am. Vehicle Washing Hand-held hoses or high pressure cleaning devices cannot be used for vehicle washing, at any time. A bucket filled from a tap can be used to clean windows, mirrors and lights; and spot-remove corrosive substances. A commercial car wash can be used. Pools and Spas New pools or spas of any capacity cannot be filled. Before filling an existing pool or spa consult your water authority. I think Mantis has it even worst than I do. Grub, I too would like to hear the story behind the stockings.

October 22, 2007	#444
Mantis Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: Oz Posts: 1,241	Yes thanks Spatz. I think I have it under control now. Pulled the 4 worst plants but have plenty of others so its all go again for now.

October 22, 2007	#445
Raymondo Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: Saumarez Ponds, NSW, Australia Posts: 946	Thanks to over enthusiastic planners some decades back, our town has no water restrictions. They put in a dam for a population that simply never eventuated. Of course, I'm still having a tank put in in my new house as I think we all should live, as far as is practicable, within our water budget, i.e., what falls on our roofs and gardens from the sky. As for tommies, I'll be planting out over the next few weeks. I'll have around sixty plants in the ground, all in one spot. I hope any stray whales don't fall on them! __________________ Ray

October 22, 2007	#446
Grub Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: Sydney, Australia Posts: 2,722	Next I'll be reading how they never went in! Get cracking Gnomes.

October 25, 2007	#447
Mantis Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: Oz Posts: 1,241	Really pleased with my garden plants this year. Milder spring is allowing them to get away and they are growing in noticable amounts each day now. The dwarf Grumpys and Lime Green Salads and cherrys have fruit on and the rest are flowering. Will take some pics this weekend. How are the rest of you going. 3 days is a long time

October 25, 2007	#448
Grub Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: Sydney, Australia Posts: 2,722	Good news Manto. No fruitset here, but some very healthy plants. Soil is a bit richer this year so the leaves are h-u-g-e. Not the norm for me. But I have plenty of flowers coming and starting to open on some varieties. The plants are at one-stocking-tie stage but in need of another tie. Mrs Grub has washed last year's stocking ties on hot and spun dry them. I also scored some more tights. I am so gay. The last 36 hours of light rain has accelerated growth. I need to spray. Some of me mates, grubs, about, as well as a touch of EB on two out of 60-odd. I will go Daco and pyrethrum. In short, I'm well on my way to another forest and motherload, while our poor NH friends shovel snow and stoke the fires. Recharging the battery on my camera, of course. Heaps of eggies setting and peppers are mad with fruitset. Two cukes and a squash from old seed are doing well, and got a wall of Blue Lake and Purple beans. Also bought some more fat short stakes so I can extend the patch to accommodate melons and pumpkins later. I really don't think there's going to be any room to even move or harvest this year. Got a sick chook with closed eye. Thinking about doing the humane thing there. Basil is pumping, all the herbs are, plus the salad bars. Fruit trees are very healthy but all out of lemons now. That's about it. Last edited by Grub; October 25, 2007 at 08:58 PM.

October 25, 2007	#449
tessa Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Jan 2007 Location: perth, western australia Posts: 1,031	wow mantis...fruitset already????? mine are only thinking of moving to a bigger flat right now. is there nothing that can be done for the chook, grub? i'm unnaturally attached to my chickens. i think this is because they liked to watch the footy with me when they were chicks. of course, they can be forgiven for being pies and eagles fans. it's a bird thing.

October 25, 2007	#450
Grub Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: Sydney, Australia Posts: 2,722	Thanks Tessa, I love my chooks, but last year a dog broke into the run and I spent $180 on vet fees only to end up having to pay to get a sick chook put to sleep. I feel sorry for them and look after them, but I think they are really lousy at fighting some infections. They have a weak immune system. My sicky is better today, gone from 30 per cent to 50 per cent... eye is slightly open. So she might be on the comeback trail. Fingers crossed.