December 4th & its rained every day, we've had 60mm+ in four days but not nearly as much as other areas. Never known such a wet spring ,record rain for Aug,Sept & Oct, have had to re think the gardening as its normally hot & dry with veg browing off.
Garlic not behaving normally, planted in March & usually dies off Oct/Nov, only small bulbs but OK, this year the plants have not formed bulbs, infact they are like small leeks, with all the growth in the stem & they are still green & growing, others in the area having the same trouble, except one friend who has dug hers. We wonder if it is just the weather or the fact that we all read an article telling us to plant deeper in the tropics to keep the bulb cooler, what ever we have no garlic this year. I will leave mine in the ground to see if they form bulbs in the autumn. Made the mistake of buying Spanish garlic from the supermarket because I was tired of using Australian bottled, dont waste your money despite large cloves they have no flavour at all, not remotely like garlic.
Have rampant cucumber plants but no fruit, mainly male flowers. Friend sugested I look to see if bees were about as so many bee hives have been devastated by the hive beatle, luckely our hive seems OK, but the bees are not visiting my veg patch for some reason, or even the flowering cactus which they normally love, no native bees either - so strange. I've solved the problem by hand polinating, but not why the bees are not interested.
Lots of Basil & self sown Bok Choy, but lettuce are very slow, we may have had lots of rain but hardly seen the sun for a month, also I think the rain is leaching nutrients. Can anyone sugest why my tomatoes have no taste - I think it must be lack of something in the soil, calcium or potash?
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What a shame about your bees Jane, though I can understand your husbands point of view! You might want to ask Mick Porter (member) about the oven as he has one and has been doing a lot of experimenting I believe.
Good news about the cucumbers, I have nothing growing at the moment - it has been raining forever (or it feels like it) and whenever there has been a sunny day on the weekend I have been stuck washing clothes from piles that I feel sure reach up to the roof!
Other news, we fired & baked in the cob oven for the first time this week - will post some pics
At the moment the oven is only covered with plastic, will we have to put a roof over or is there some means of waterproofing it?? anyone know, I have tried googling it but not much help.
Sad to say we have lost our bees to the small hive beetle, neighbours also the same, its very prevelent in this area at the moment. Only thing we salvaged is some honey which we will separate tomorrow. Will not be gettiing any more as my husband never liked working them - was stung badly once, & his face all swelled up, dispite a veil etc.
Better luck with the cucumbers, several have now set, some good sunny weather last week helped produce female flowers - now back to storms & rain. We live on the road to the Awoonga Dam, lots of sightseeing traffic this week as the high dam has filled for the first time & is overflowing, a wonderfull sight, it was built about 2005.
Always add photos using the "From my computer" option, even if you are on a mobile phone or other device.
Added by Doug Hanning
Added by Doug Hanning
Added by Doug Hanning
Vetiver grass helps to stabilise soil and protects it against erosion. It can protect against pests and weeds. Vetiver is also used as animal feed. (Wiki.)
GrowVetiver is a plant nursery run by Dave & Keir Riley that harvests and grows Vetiver grass for local community applications and use. It is based in Beachmere, just north of Brisbane, Australia.
Talk to Andy on 0422 022 961. You can Pay on this link
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