The pigs are going to get relocated any day now. G has done a fantastic job of constructing their new pen and a big shelter, and they should have a lot more space to roam once we've put up a bit more fencing. Their current enclosure is now a total mudpool and has been horrendously slushy in all the recent rains! Not a worry for the pigs, only for us I think! It will be good to get them out of this space and into some pasture again, plus the benefit of doing all the hard work for us. Watch this space as we work on turning their old run into a productive area for growing yet more veg!
The veg garden is looking quite good now. The broad beans are all in flower so won't be long before we have those tasty pods. Garlic and leeks looking good. Loads of coriander coming up everywhere. Carrots coming along. Peas coming along well. Celery galore, gee this has self-seeded everywhere too.
I have made a start with sowing some of this season's seeds. The ones with an asterisk I have not tried before (or I did not manage to grow). So far:
Carrots (Touchon, Purple Haze*, Nutri Red)
Pea - Dalmation, Wando Select*
Peppers - Topepo Rosso*, Bell Colour Mix
Chillies - Pasilla Bajio*, Ancho St Luis*, Jalapeno Early
Tomatoes - Cocktail Mix, Aunt Ruby's German Green* (great name!), Brandywine Pink, Garden Peach*, Black Krim, Black from Tula, Roma
Beetroot - Chioggia, Bulls Blood, Albino
Onions - shallot, Red amposta*, Yellow Sweet Spanish*
Eggplant - Tsasoniki*, Long Purple*
and many more to go!
The chickens are all laying well, even my IG hen is now laying again - I wasn't sure she would as she is quite old now. Unfortunately though, Mr Roo the rooster died yesterday which was not a surprise. He will be buried underneath the kumquat tree.
Oh you make me feel so inadequate ;) That garden looks fantastic!
ReplyDeleteI'd better go make some more seedling pots.
Lovely to see you back again. I was only thinking about you last night! I thought you may have been busy as you had said that you were going back to work. How is it going?
ReplyDeleteMaa
Hi Ms Lottie
ReplyDeleteThanks! We've still got lots more to do but it is coming along nicely.
Hi Maa
Work is going OK, a bit tiring working nights but otherwise all good.
How are the Tsasoniki egg plants going? I'm trying to raise some from seed at the moment. I've never grown egg plants before, I'm just hoping it's going to be a warm summer down here in Nelson.
ReplyDeleteHi Harvey, well I managed to get the seedlings going OK under plastic cloches, but have only recently planted them out in the garden. I have not grown them here (successfully!) as yet, last year the ones I planted suddenly died (before fruiting) which I read can happen sometimes.
ReplyDeleteIt's been incredibly dry up here in Northland, so I think they need a bit more watering to get established. Will post a photo, but they don't look very impressive as yet!
Hope you have some success with yours.