Patience is a Virtue

After the drama of the 'great flood' of last week it's back to normal around the garden. This meant some weeding around the veggie patch and applying organic fertiliser and the fortnightly application of diluted seaweed and fish emulsion. I felt a bit silly 'watering' the plants considering how damp the soil is after the deluge. The rain this summer has been amazing. In previous years we would have been well into the fire danger period, hot days on end without rain and the grass browned to a crisp. The lush green of now is a far cry from the horror conditions of two years ago that brought Black Saturday and a few weeks later a large fire right here in the neighbourhood that threatened homes in Upwey, Belgrave and Belgrave South.

However, the rain has brought cooler conditions which is great for bushfire safety but not so good for the tomatoes. I planted Apollo tomatoes which I've learnt are an early season variety with fruit that sets in cool conditions. Perfect for the cool nights and mornings in the hills and last year they performed really well. They've have been fruiting for a while now, there are lots on the plants and lots more on the way. But I've yet to see a single one ripen yet - in other years I'd be picking them from mid January. The way they're going we'll be eating the sweetcorn before the tommies. On the other hand, I 'm hoping the long maturation period will deliver superior fruit in quality and flavour then patience will be truly rewarded!

Meanwhile, I'm already thinking about giving some other tomato varieties a go this spring. On the web I came across the Greenfingers site that has a comprehensive list of tomato varieties. So many to choose from, but give me a home grown tommie anytime, even if I have to wait!

Cheers.

Wikileeks - leaks edition

Not a great weekend for gardening after last night's and this morning's massive downpours courtesy of ex-tropical cyclones Anthony and Yasi. Who would have thought weather systems in the far north of the continent could have such an impact here in Victoria? Large areas of the state have had a drenching. Mildura has had record rainfall - usually bakes under 40+ degree heat day after day at this time of year. As I write Koo Wee Rup residents are being advised to evacuate due to rising waters of the Lower Bunyip River.

The hills around Belgrave and the south east suburbs of Melbourne were hit pretty hard. The Dunns Hill weather bureau station not far from here recorded 150mm in 14 hours, must be some kind of record. The house did have a couple of leaks in the kitchen and dining area but thankfully nothing serious. The garden is soaked but everything looks fine. Stepping out on the deck this morning after the rain stopped I could hear the sound of water coming from the bottom of the gully. It was Monbulk Creek in flood. Usually it's just a small creek, no more than 2m wide in most places. But today I could actually see the waters flowing past the  Christian College. First time ever.

With nothing better to do my wife and I grabbed a camera and headed off to have a bit of a sticky beak...

Monbulk Creek in flood at McNicol Rd, Birdsland Reserve, Belgrave.

Old man Monbulk Creek.

Birdsland Reserve.

Kaola St landslip.

Wife contemplates crossing bridge. Monbulk Creek at Belgrave Lake Park.

Park bench that bore the brunt of flood water.

Belgrave Lake Park weir overflow.

Flood damage downstream of Belgrave Lake Park.

This was a footbridge, smashed by flood.

Just goes to show what nature can do and we're not immune to its effects even from events so far away.

Cheers.

Beanz Meanz Deliciouz

Okay, okay, crappy title but we've savoured the first harvests of fresh dwarf green beans. They're usually the first proper crop to be ready for the picking but this also means the first of the ripe tomatoes aren't too far away - hopefully helped along by some hot weather this week. The sweetcorn is tall and healthy ears are forming. Have picked a couple more Lebanese cucumbers and there's loads more of them to come.

All in all I'm very pleased with the progress of the veggie patch. As I mentioned its been a little hot making some watering necessary, something I haven't had to do much this year. Even though the city dams are filling I try to use as little water as possible.  The veggie patch isn't too big so I hand water with a watering can. Sure it's a bit of work but it's the best way to get water directly to the base of the plant. Using a hose is quicker, however there's always going to be wastage from the overspray. Watering in the early morning or evening allows for the moisture to seep into the soil so it gets down deep to the roots. Personally, I prefer watering in the mornings. Evening watering can result in damp foliage that will dry off slowly overnight creating conditions for fungal problems to take hold, particularly for tomatoes.

Back to the beans. I'd like to share with you a recipe for an East Prussian bean salad that's been handed down in my wife's family. It's simple and about the best bean salad you could ever try (in my opinion anyway). The key ingredient to the dish apart from the beans of course is German Speck, not to be confused with Italian speck which is more like prosciutto. It's cured and smoked pork fat, lard basically and is very similar to Italian lardo. I think of it as extreme streaky bacon - all streak, no bacon! You should be able to find it at good delis. Closer to home my wife gets it at Pete 'N' Rosies deli at the Box Hill Market, Victoria. 



German Speck - all streak, no bacon!

Warm green bean salad with Speck.

• 250g freshly picked green beans, topped and tailed sliced into halves or thirds depending on length.
• 50g German Speck cut into small dice.
• Half small onion finely diced.
• One tablespoon (or two according to taste) of balsamic vinegar or any other vinegar you prefer.
• Salt and cracked black pepper to taste.

Bring a pot of salted water to the boil, add the sliced beans and boil for 15 minutes or until tender. Drain beans in a colander, briefly refresh with cold water. Add beans to a serving bowl with the onion, vinegar, salt and pepper.

In a frying pan melt the speck on medium heat. Cook gently until the remaining solids of the speck start to brown and turn crispy, at this point the speck will give off a little smoke. Pour the speck over the beans and other ingredients in bowl and toss. Serve warm.

Excellent with barbecued steak and a lovely glass of shiraz.

Cheers!

Too much of a good thing?

Since my last posting I think we've all been knocked sideways by the scale of disaster that hit south east Queensland nearly two weeks ago, the killer 'inland tsunami' that literally swept towns away in the Lockyer Valley to the inevitable flooding of Brisbane suburbs by the river. The weather system that caused all this destruction has affected the entire eastern seaboard bringing high humidity and record flooding rain to northern New South Wales, northern and western Victoria (an area previously hit hard by more than a decade of drought) and Tasmania. Alas, that's nature - were it brings destruction it also gives life.

The rain bucketed down here for two days in Belgrave and a week of warmth and high humidity triggered a massive burst of growth in the veggie patch. The first cucumber has been picked, the first harvest of dwarf green beans a day away. The tomatoes have started fruiting but it'll be a long way off before they're ready. It's great to see rain this far into January and it's keeping the risk of bush fires at bay, yet it can bring fungal problems like black spot to plants. It's a relief that some warm dry weather has arrived with light showers next week.

Planted another batch of regular cos lettuce and some mini cos too. I planted out a pot of rocket, looks like rabbit food but it's considered a herb. I must admit I never used to be a fan of rocket until I tried it teamed up with other things, most notably the wonderful fried calamari with aioli and rocket at Reel Cafe, 1628 Burwood Highway, (next door to the local institution Cameo Cinemas) here in Belgrave. So, I'll give it a go growing it in the garden and look forward to trying it out in ... well whatever really!

There's not a lot else to do in the veggie patch at the moment apart from a bit of weeding and an application of an organic solution of seaweed and fish emulsion via the watering can which always seems to give the plants a real boost.

Please take the time to have look at the photos below, you'll agree there's been a big change in a short time. And what about that spider? Beats me what that one is, but I'm sure it's doing its bit for the garden.

Before (dwarf beans, Vietnamese mint, sweet corn, parsley and tomatoes)  about 3 weeks ago.

After (like this morning).

Apollo variety tomatoes beginning to fruit.

Guardian of the potted mint.

Parsley, sweetcorn, basil (sweet and lemon), tomatoes.

Cheers.

2011 and summer's finally here.

With Christmas and New Year's Day behind us and another week on leave it's time to get serious about the garden. The rain has stopped and the heat arrived in time to see in the New Year in Victoria as Queensland deals with one of the worst floods that state has ever seen. Australia really does swing between the extremes of drought and flooding rains as in the Dorothea Mackellar poem 'My Country'.

Getting out of town for a couple of days over Christmas took me to the north country town of Benalla for a raucous family get together that saw your's truly stripping down to his jocks for a midnight splash in the pool. Then it was off to visit the parents at Lake Tyers Beach in the far east of Victoria. And what a drive it was taking the Great Alpine Road through the old tobacco growing district of Myrtleford, then on to the picturesque towns of Bright and Harrietville and up into the high country over Mt Hotham, Dinner Plain, down to Omeo and along the Tambo River to Lakes Entrance and Lake Tyers Beach.

Some magnificent views from Mt Hotham. A bit chilly up there though!

My father took me and the wife to visit a community garden near by at Lake Tyers Beach on the 12 acre property 'Oneonta' (75 Bream Road, Lake Tyers Beach, Victoria) bequeathed to the local shire council as a public reserve. Along with his home garden, Dad tends to a 4 by 1.5 metre plot at Oneonta planted with capsicum and 'Truss' tomatoes, a variety that will climb more than 3 metres up a stake and produce a hefty load of fruit. It was good to see what other people were growing with all kinds of summer veggies. The garden also has communal crops such as raspberries and black currants, to which my wife happily helped herself to.

                                                             Oneonta Place of Peace.

Oneonta community garden.

  Tall stakes in Dad's garden plot in readiness for the 'Truss' tomatoes.

Here at home in the veggie patch it's been a little weeding, tying up the tomatoes and adding organic fertiliser. Everything's growing nicely and has allowed me to get stuck into my other great backyard landscaping project which you'll get a glimpse of in the long promised photos of the veggie patch below.

 Can U Dig It? veggie patch (part thereof).

                            

  Alternate view (tomatoes at top right).

Summer is a great time to be in the garden, watching things grow and then there's the anticipation of tasting the fruits of one's labour.

Cheers.

It's beginning to look a lot like Christmas.

Right now Christmas is less than a week away. Not that that it bothers me garden wise at the moment with some pretty steady rainfall, and a bounty of some delicious lettuce. However parts of the veggie patch have been looking a bit like a free range snail farm. Any French restaurants interested in a steady escargot supply? Got 'em right here. I must say the beer traps are doing a reasonable job in the face of this slimy onslaught, still, I haven't seen slugs and snails like this in the garden before.

Great weather is forecast over the Christmas period, although I will be in the north east and far east of Victoria at this time but the burst of warmth expected should be an added plus to the veggie patch. As promised there will be photos shortly - when the weather is better!

Cheers,

Merry gardening, merry Christmas and have a happy New Year!

Water, Water, Everywhere

It's been hot, humid and very wet across the eastern Australian states for the last few weeks. Something of a cruel irony for our farmers - after enduring years of drought and what promised to be a great grain harvest the rains have come in a big way, causing floods and ruining crops. Then again it may keep the locusts at bay in Victoria threatening to devour everything green.

Living on high ground in the hills east of Melbourne means floods aren't a problem here and everything is growing like mad, especially the tree ferns and the weeds of course. In the veggie patch the corn, tomatoes, beans, cucumbers and cos lettuce are doing well despite the soggy conditions and the ever present threat from slugs and snails (and thank goodness it's not from a locust raiding party).

Speaking of slug and snail control, I've found a safe non-toxic method is to place some take-away containers with openings cut into the sides around sections of the veggie patch. A little beer is added to the containers, which the slugs and snails find irresistable and they get happily drunk and drown. I know chemical slug and snail baits work well but there's always the worry about our cats sampling it and then there's the  birds like magpies that may happen to eat a poisoned slug and end up dead too.

Now that I've introduced to you some of the crops  in the veggie patch I'll be taking and posting photos (when it stops raining) to show you its progress. Plus, lookout for the Spain garden special coming up soon of photos from my trip to Europe in September this year. You'll be blown away!

That's all for now, happy gardening.

Cheers.