It's been a while... still alive

Gardener:Old Mangakino Orchard (McCallum's Garden)

Date:12 Apr 2023

Blog Type:Vegetables, Flowers

That applies to me and the garden.

Sorry gardening family for being absent over the past couple of months. I'm trying to catch up on everyones blogs and it is good to see this community is still chatting and sharing their garden progress. 

There is still a lot of work to be done at Old Mangakino Orchard but we are getting there. We have started on our chicked coup and intend to get chickens in Spring. Pretty excited about that. We could get them now but I understand they don't lay a lot over winter so happy to wait a bit longer. 

Keeping on top of the weeds on the bank and around the beds was becoming a full time job so I've now laid thick mulch to keep the weeds away. We have a deal with the local tree guy and he delivers a full truck load of mulch for 2 dozen Steinlager. It's a pretty sweet deal as he offloads it where we want it and I don't need to bother with trailers. Win win for both of us I say. 

This is the first year that I have been dilgent about successive planting of the basics and our last batch of tomatoes for the season are still coming on strong. We also have the last round of cucumbers in the greenhouse about to come on too. I have to say that fanastico tomatoes have been a win for us this year. With our main crop being wiped out by late blight we needed a solution and these F1 hybrids are resistent to late blight. I have done the odd light spray with copper and they have not succumbed to blight. They are a determinate variety so do well in pots but we have them in the garden as well. 

What I have learnt this year is that we need to start working on our staples and picking varieties that we want to grow year and year and ones that work for our climate. 

I have given up on carrots. We only grow bitter ones and to be honest they are generally pretty cheap at the supermarket so the space would be better used for other more costly veges. 

Rachael I have still not forgotten that we have a chocolate cosmos for you. I'm just trying to get it into decent shape. I have found they are susceptible to fungal attack and they are looking quite spindly. I'm hopeful I can get get one of the two spares into a semi decent plant. I'd be embarrassed to pass it on in it's current state. 

It's been a while... still alive