Not a lot going on at Cabbage Tree Farm at present, sorry for the lack of posts of late.
The veg garden is a bit neglected, I need to get in there and clear up big time and prepare the beds for some winter veg.
Getting some chillies, coriander, other herbs; the galangal is settling in and putting out new shoots, and the artichokes are sprouting new foliage. My Italian Flat beans are flowering so shouldn't be far off now. A few onions still to harvest. Kumara seem to be doing well. We've had a handful of tomatoes, I think the shield bugs are doing their best to finish off the last remaining ones and I haven't been very organised getting out there with the neem oil. Boy we've had a lot of shield bugs this year.
On a more positive note, the chickens have started laying again. Today we got 3 eggs, 2 blue ones from the Araucanas and one (a brown egg) from an unidentified chook. A couple of the hens are moulting, one is still being mummy to 4 chicks and I've got one broody.
The weather is cooling down a bit now thank goodness, plus we've had a bit of rain which is much needed.
I think it's been a bad year for the tomatoes Bridget. Mine are fruiting but I don't expect them to last much longer with the change in season.My Potatoes are growing nicely in the tyres. I've just added another tyre on and more soil and manure. Neems Oil is really good. I hate shield bugs they destroy everything and worse are mealy bugs. I had to spray my staghorn with Carbaryl in the end to get rid of them. I've planted peas,parsnip and broccoli so far so we'll have to see how the now restored vegetable garden goes this winter. Also I've posted about your farm on Ian Walthew's Farm Blog I just have to put up your recommendations then I'll email you with the links. Thanks so much for taking part. Ian was really thrilled. He's had to go to hospital so he asked me to help him out. At least you've had a few good results and the rest of the chickens should start to lay again once their moult is over.
ReplyDeleteTake care
Liz
Yes I've been hearing of other tomato disaster stories this year too so that's kind of reassuring!
ReplyDeleteGood to hear your potatoes are doing well in the tyres.
Be interested to hear how the parsnips do, I thought they need a colder climate.. but maybe I'm wrong.
Thanks for adding me to the Ian's farm blog, will have a look when I get a minute.
cheers