Aussie Contingency

[Grub]

Now what Aussies do we have left, who is stirring, who like me is about to start sifting through the packets of seeds in front of the fireplace and television, about to rinse the seed-raising trays and turn the bathroom floor heating up to high or some such thing?

In the NH, how are the dwarfy seed projects going for timing this year? How far away are you from harvesting the tasty mid- and late-season ones and posting a report of same?

I need also to ammend some beds, remove old mulch, order in a truckload of stuff... but the tomato bug is stirring again, which is a good thing. Looking forward to reading some more reports. Cheers, Grubs.

[tessa]

hi grub.
i'm still here.
there's a blurry line around when to start sorting seeds in perth...since there's so much to grow over winter too.
my tomato machine of two years is still pumping them out...albeit it a one quarter the speed.
i'm harvesting peas and spuds now as well.
piccie from last week: (the tomatoes above the pea-line are the last of the tigerella's. well...maybe not exactly the last since the plant has decided to re-shoot )



and the capsicums and big jims are still at it:


then there's all the winter veg to cram down the gullet.

turnips


more potatoes on the way. growing seven varieties this year


golden beets


and the happy f3 is appropriately named. happy in the greenhouse


when exactly does tomato season *start*? LOL.

[Volvo]

Me three , More tommies than i can handle at present especailly them cherries(sweet 1000)..They are starting to take over the neighbours side of the fence as well..Just hope he likes widdle Tomato's ??..
Starting to plant out some more seeds for next plantout just have to muster up the courage to lift up some existing plants and prepare planting holes ..

[Grub]

Wow! I'm impressed, especially with the tomatoes, as your lows are pretty low and not dissimilar to ours. Wde;ve had a wet winter. You? And if those above the line are tigerellas then what is the two-season old plant that's still pumping them out.

[tessa]

the two season, actually two years x four seasons = eight season plant is, you know what?...i don't actually know...but i'm thinking it's a sweet bite. the cherries are from the two year plant. the tigerellas are from a two season (half year) plant.
i planted those cherries before i actually got interested in growing tomatoes. LOL. it's certainly taught me lots...but the most important lesson:
labels!!!
but i *think* it's a sweet bite. it's potato leafed. they're a medium-large sized cherry. they're super sweet.
this plant is not in the greenhouse, btw, so if you've got a similar temps, grub, why...i've got seeds saved.
not a very wet winter so far. no end of the el nino here. not yet anyway.

hey volvo...where are you?

[Volvo]

Have i spelt the above correctly???..been sooooo loong ..
Gladstone Queensland tessa, presume thats what you is asking me ??...

[Volvo]

Annnndddd before i fergets ,here's one for you grub ..Mate here wanted ta go for a run give his new 250 4 stroke a bit of a run and stopped off fer a wee Fish whilst we were out there...Talk about flat Seas for a change..
Oh yes, and a wee feed of Fish to go with that Greek Salad we add those Tomateees in ...

[tomatoaddict]

Volvo,
That is some serious looking fish. What kind are they?

[johno]

Hi Aussies, I've been wondering if you guys have 'the big swap' in your winter, too. When is your normal swapping time?

[Volvo]

tomatoaddict, there's two varieties there that have uploaded pics of and they are Coral Trout and Sweetlip.
The Coral Trout are the longer Orange n Red varieties and the one with the mixture of colour leaving the others to be the Sweetlip which in my opinion are the tastier of the two..
Coral Trout out of a Fish co-op a exier $$wise mainly due to their pretty looks lol but a tad overated in my books though i'm sure ide get some good debate among other fisho's here lol..
johnno, mate up this way i mainly grow winter time due to the semi tropical climate we get here as our Summers are normally a tad too hot n humid allowing all sorts of problemos growing the good fruit..
I'm mostly starting fermenting seed nowleaving some fruits to overipen for said purpouse . If there's any seed i may have and you need ide only be too happy...
Down south and western states they grow as per normal come spring n summer...

[Grub]

Tessa, did you say its a potato leafed cherry? If so, not Sweet 100 and sounds interesting...

Volvo,

Howdy mate... you are killing me again with pics of all those trouts and sweetlip... we often entertain the thought of taking our boat further north, as in the Whitsundays, and stopping by Volvo's joint to take him for a fish or two and GPS all his hotspots...

Fish and tomatoes; in my book it doesn't get much better. What's you favourite tomato thus far?

[Grub]

So, at this point, our numbers are up to three... three amigos... and I can add Patrina, of course. A family of four... Spatz? Wake up, Spatz...

[tessa]

yeah....where's spatz????

volvo...whoa! nice catching! and nice tommies.
maybe you could build the presto-reverso summer greenhouse...that has air conditioning 'stead of heating...and keep your tomato growing a year round thing?
i'm just squeaking by over here, with a 12 month season.

grub...sweet 100...is that the same as sweet-bites?
i have to admit (and you'll have to forgive me, see, cuz i was a fledging back then ) i got the seedlings from *gasp* bunnings.
that's the only thing i'm sure of.

[Grub]

Bunnings!
*Fights for breath*

Sweet 100 is same as sweet bite, yeppity, not a bad cherry actually.

[Volvo]

grub, haveta say its a tossup between the Olyers and the Stump of the World...
They Olyers has VERY LITTLE seed and full of meat but me thinks the taste is a tad better with the stumps...
The Reds in the above Pic which havent a name as yet are a top taster also and do get some size to them but as i mentioned , this years favourites for me are the abovementioned and have heaps of fishing possies stored up for ya....Be good ta wet aline...
Had the westerlies kept at bay i should have had the mates esky loaded with Reds ...
Next time ...