Garden Updates
Growing updates
Sage in full bloom
The young aubergine plants were infected by green plant lice. The homemade garlic spray got rid of them within 2 days after spraying the leaves in the mornings and in the evenings. The spray is quite strong on the plant itself and shouldn’t be used too often. You can tell by the brownish looking leaves, however, the plant will recover within a short time.
Small apples are already forming on the young tree.
The big pear tree is full of tiny little pears. They will be ready for harvesting mid July.
a lemon is maturing on a 3 year old tree.
Avocado
The avocado tree is recovering after having suffered outside during the winter. It’s a three year old tree that is still in a pot. I am currently trying to find a wind-protected site that gets full sun to plant the tree into the ground. Avocado trees require a lot of water to grow and trees growing in pots have a tendency to accumulate salt deposits in the soil, which need to be flushed out regularly. A three year old tree has to be watered every day for about 15 seconds during the hot season. In the winter months it will only require water about once a week. The soil needs excellent drainage as roots can rot in water-logged compost.
I fertilise my tree once a year. So far it hasn’t produced any flowers but typically the plant should be fertilised before the flowers appear.
Using an organic citrus plant fertiliser will be beneficial as avocado trees require similar amounts of nutrients as citrus trees do.
Spinach growing together with leek and onion
Brussels Sprouts forming on plant
Strawberries
Strawberries covered with netting to protect them from birds and other vermin.
I bought a strawberry variety that produces runners as means to propagate itself. These runners, also called stolons are horizontal stems that run above the ground and produce new clone plants at nodes spaced at various intervals. As the strawberry plant runners are sent out, the nodes will develop the roots, and establish the new clone plant once contact with soil is made.
Artichoke
Globe artichokes are large, perennial plants. They like a warm sunny spot, in reasonably fertile, free-draining soil.
The Bokashi Bed
The organic waste from my Bokashi bins has been distributed under 10 cm of soil in the raised bed. Having already undergone a fermentation process, the organic matter will turn into rich, organic composting material within a matter of weeks. That bed will be left fallow for another 3 – 4 weeks before I plant the aubergines. I have a separate page dedicated to Bokashi bins with instructions.
Garlic harvest
I plant the garlic in November and it usually takes 5 months to turn into decent sized bulbs. A good indication whether or not the garlic is ready to be dug out is by checking it’s leaves. Once a third of them turn brown and start to fall over, the garlic is generally ready. Don’t wait too long as the garlic could split. If unsure, one bulb can be carefully dug out with a shovel and can be planted back in if the size is still on the smaller side. However, once more than half of the leaves turn brown, do not wait any longer. Never pull the stalks as they could break, use a shovel and loosen the soil around the bulb until it can be gently pulled. The garlic shouldn’t be left out in the sun too long either.
I cut off the green part, tied the bulbs together on a rope and hung them in a darker corner in our storage room for it to dry.
I peeled off the brown leaves and use the garlic greens in a vegetable stir fry.
Half of the garlic has been harvested on the 16th of May. The other half was planted 2 weeks later and were harvested towards the end of that month.d
Carrots were interplanted with garlic. They make great companions as the strong smell of the garlic will keep the carrot root fly at bay which is a common pest.
Garlic bulbs tied to a string and hung into the storage room to dry.
