Great Gardening, lots growing!

What great gardening weather here in Christchurch this week. A shame, I havent been out there a lot this week. Monday saw us out and about in Rangiora, which made for a very interesting and fun day. Its a pretty little place, and we had a good look around, the children had a swim and did some fun activities, theres a neat skate park out there too... must go again!
Tuesday wasnt so quiet either. We had coffee morning with the community group, which is always neat. We got together and had coffee at Allshots, a brilliant little place for intimate chats and divine coffee (and chocolates that are handmade!)  It ended all too soon, and of course, we wont be back together until after the school holidays. I almost cant wait :)
The children had their Duffy books show, and some awards were given. The Garden Children and I planted out some potatoes, and put in the raspberries, a boysenberry and I weeded around the beds. The children have also planted 40 corn seeds. I hope they go well,  room 2 this morning planted their sunflowers next door, as companions. And their beans are already scaling up the wire fence. Yay! Theyve been having a race to see whose bean grew fastest. Im happy to report, all seeds grew, not a one missed which is awesome.
No sad faces :) They were very good at planting their plants and now have something to check in the garden when they get back from holidays.
 I notice we have a sneaky lettuce muncher (or 2)  in our midst. Possibly snails, I think. Theyve not missed a one, but thats ok, we can replace them if they dont rally! We thought last time it was hail stone damage. This time, I think its snails. Time for the good old beer trap.

Have taken some time to do some gardening at home seeing I have the afternoon to myself. It has been a really nice day, and the rain did threaten to spit earlier, but its backed off again. It is a really grey sky, but quite high and still warm. Love it. Perfect for planting out some of the lavender cuttings, have put out the borage seedlings too, and some of the new berry plants are ready for sale. I have about a dozen red and black currants that *took* and are growing well. Have sown quite a number of tomatoes. Not bothered as much this year, will take it as it comes. Have tried a couple of new varieties, but also sowing for over the road too.

Tomatoes for this year -  Yellow Pear, Reisentraube, Guernsey, Black Krim, Sungold, Tommy Toe, Black Cherry, Red Brandywine, Russian Red, Moneymaker, Black Zebra, White Cherry, Black from Tula, Albenga Oxheart and when I get some seed, some yellow Brandywine and Large White.

The raspberries are threatening to take over, so Ive potted up some of those. I think a market might be a good idea for selling them. The strawberries are generally all flowering. The plants are not as big as I had thought they would be, but the flowers are definitely bigger than last year. All except the little white Alpine strawberry. It is sulking, and wont be doing much until it gets a bit warmer, Im thinking. I hope it doesnt die, its Miss 6s favourite plant, and she loves the taste of the fruit.

Well thats it for me,
Hope your School holidays are happy ones, if you have them.
Take care,

Happy Gardening
E BUTTERFLY
XXXXXXXXX

Thats the Last Time I... Early Hosing... Garden Report!




Thats the Last Time I...
How many times do we say that? And usually its NOT the last time, for whatever it is.
This morning, my first thoughts were...
Whats that noise? Why am I awake? Is it morning already?...
Then...

...Thats the Last Time I sleep with the window open!
I bounced out of bed when I realized it was light. I could hear little birds singing their hearts out, so I decided it must be a respectful hour. I had been woken initially by next doors shower, their gas heats the hot water, and when it starts is makes quite a racket... Not that I had noticed before today.
So, up I get.
Greeted by a purry furry cat who wants fed. Nuzzling. But not friendly nuzzling, insistent. I want FOOD Skin-Mother. Food, not cuddles.
My life is easier if I feed the four of them first, so out I go. Cat meat in hand, Cats in tow, and just out the door when an aftershock hits. Gulp. Cats Scatter - no, theyre gone, various directions. It was a bit rocky, but nothing specially big, just a rude awakening to someone who has cat meat all over their hands and is barely awake, a 3.9, centred somewhere in North Brighton, poor Buggers!



Old Soldier Cat

 So. Its watering day. Hose in hand, I make my way through the garden, sprinkling water...
Hmm, pink morning sky, big clouds, easing into golden sunlight and still more big clouds. Then its just greyish dullness, but it gives the impression its going to clear because it is still very warm. Odd for early morning, but great stuff for the task at hand. Exit Jacket. Shorts on. Coffee in one hand, hose in the other. Great Stuff!

I start realizing things... Its very warm, light and rather pleasant. But very quiet for a Wednesday morning. Its Rubbish day, and maybe the rubbish trucks are late? ... Keep watering. Sip of Coffee.
Along one neighbours fence... watering my wee heart out, no noise from them. Hmm, he will be late for work... Other side... Hang on. I wonder...
I wonder what time it is? Gulp. Maybe Im up too early? ... Rubbish trucks are usually here at six.
So I wander back in, feeling very sheepish. Check children, still fast asleep, tucked up all nice and warm.
No movement at all since I looked earlier.
Turn computer on. Note to self - GET A WATCH
It was five thirty. And I had been up for almost an hour.
I can hear the neighbours now, over their porridge or their oat bran, or their Kornies...
Did that crazy woman next door wake you up with her hosing early this morning?
Did you hear her??
- Whats WITH that?
Oophs.
Sorry folks.

Garden Report this morning - MUST WEED LOTS. I have a need to Weed before the weeds breed...
(No? Sounded better in my head!)
This morning my pumpkins have four flowers, three have big bottoms - thats pumpkins-in-the-making right - Im hopeful?
Theyre trailing madly along the pathway now, which is great. Just what I wanted. Theyre Winter Pie, and I hope theyre going to be giving us enough to store for a bit. We love the idea of Pumpkin soup using our own Pumpkins. Also we have a Red Warren plant under my window... Ive mulched him, the smell of the rat is putrid, but once mulched I cant smell it Thank God! Let him rot, and do his job. Feed my Pumpkin!
We have many poppies out today, I didnt count. Miss 5 and I were looking last night and seeing what would be out today, to see if we could guess who would show their heads today. We counted 11...

Our beautiful rhubarb just keeps growing and growing. It is amazing. We cut some off last week, and have three plants. As soon as one gives us a load of yum, the others get into gear, and we are set for more.
Ive stewed it, but unfortunately the children arent as fond of it as I am.
Weve had several handfuls of raspberries. That truly has to be The Taste of Summer, a fresh raspberry!

Boysenberry

Well enough of me... I guess its time to go and hunt some breakfast and decide what today will bring. Im sad it is Wednesday already. The days I have the children home from school are so quickly passing by.

Love to You and Yours,
Hope you are Happily Gearing up for the New Year
Love,
E BUTTERFLY
XXXXXXXXX

Dreams and Aspirations...

Night Light

Im grumpy.
Ive just spent the past day trying to organize my thoughts into an online forum for self reliant gardeners. It didnt work, and Im annoyed with my lack of skill, and that I spent so much time to amount to nothing much at all. Oh it looks pretty. Thats it. I cant decide where I have gone wrong.

So... Scrap that idea for now.
Ill continue when Ive done a bit more learning. Im quite keen to have a NZ based board to network with other gardeners who want to get some self sufficiency going. Know any? ... Id love to hear from you. I want to network with other people who are struggling to make their food budget stretch. Those who eat from their gardens... any tips, ideas, sharing experiences would be fantastic. Theres a growing trend of people going *back* or moving forward towards utilizing their gardens again. Fruit and vegetables are so expensive. Amongst us gardening folk, that doesnt have to be so. We gather seed, we could share it. We can share our bounty, or perhaps take a look to guide the hand of a new gardener... It doesnt take much to share your expertise, your skills to help someone who isnt so sure of whats what.

The library is a good place to start if youre a newbie to gardening, but then, so is the internet these days...
I love reading other peoples blogs about their gardening passions. It can be a small garden plot in the back yard that they pluck their herbs from, or a self-made brewery that makes cider from their own apple trees they propagated and grew themselves. It is all awesome, and its exciting to see the progress. We can empathise and commiserate in the losses, but celebrate in the successes! Nothing like watching your own sown seed grow into something you can harvest, or drink, or bottle, dry or sell... Or donate, bake, cook... The list goes on.
Ok, so now Im finished my bleat, and now that I have *talked it through* I dont feel so bad about my lack of success. Perhaps I ll stick to Gardening in the Real World, instead of trying to take it into the Cyber World. 

I love my garden. Oh wait, you knew that.

But I do.

Peas (Easy Peasy)  and Beans (Borlotti *Red Rooster*)

Seedlings - Radish, Beet, Carrots & Lettuce

Onion, Coloured Chard & Lemon Balm

It is still in its infancy, but it is starting to take shape. Not a definitive one yet, it would probably be classified as a Blob. Not a Square or a Circle yet. I still have to shape it to perfection. But I think that is the goodness of gardening, it is always small snippets of perfection - never the entirety, just glimpses... that make you want more...

Garlic on the Up!

New Raspberry Cane

Rhubarb

Roll on Spring, we have daylight saving which turns the bodyclock topsy turvy for a week
Then Wha-lah!! Time for planting, long days, crisp mornings... sunny skies.

Red Currant

Alpine Strawberry - Yellow Fruits

Rhubarb

So there we be.
Tomorrow is the start of another week. We are counting down til school holidays again...
I hope all your plans are fruitful, and you are keeping safe and well,

Til next time!
Love and Violets
EButterfly