Spring has certainly sprung in the garden. My winter vegetables are rapidly finishing and I am cleaning up and making room for the spring and summer vegetables. My spring seeds are starting to emerge in their tiny biodegradable pots.
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| new asparagus |
I suspect tomatoes are something every gardener wants to grow successfully. Previously I have had seasons of tomato abundance as well as seasons that have been quite disappointing. It is that time of the year again and this season I am spreading my risk by raising heirloom seeds as well as planting out store bought seedlings. The seedlings have been planted quite deeply with only the tops of the leaves poking through the soil. I have read that this technique makes the plant stronger and helps to develop more roots.
The gardening engineer has also developed a clever combined trellis and shade structure to protect the crop from our fierce summer heat. Thanks Terry. The mystery and challenge of the perfect tomato crop continues!
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| freesia |
Capsicum
Grapevines
Kale
Passionfruit
Rockmelon
Snake Beans
Tomatoes
Watermelon
Beetroot
Broccoli
Carrots
Cauliflower
Lettuce
Rocket
Snow Peas
flowers.
seaweed solution.
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| a serious load of mulch |
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| Kipfler potatoes |
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| grapevine cuttings |
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| broccoli bits after picking the main head |
Liz from Strayed from the Table hosts this little garden tour. Please visit her garden and the other gardens on her blog for some spring inspiration.
What are you up to in your patch at the moment?
Zara
The seed raising mix and packets of tomato seeds are all ready to plant. I'm hoping for a bumper crop here too.
Hope it's not too long before your grapevine cuttings develop bright green buds. x
Jane S
Thanks Zara…good luck for your tomato season too! x
Kate
Freesias are my absolute favourite Jane 🙂
Jane S
Beautiful aren't they Kate…they always remind me of the 'big garden' at Mt Manara 🙂
aj.bart
Jane the best tomatoes ever have been last years bushes over winter! I have had more fruit over winter than I had all last summer!
Jane S
That is interesting Annie! x
e / dig in
hello jane! as always, i am envious of your beautiful photos, that soft light – i can smell those freesias from here, but perhaps that is because i have lots of them here at the moment scenting the air. they are the sweetest old fashioned blooms aren;t they?
i loved reading your lists, too. and i think dad told me last summer about planting the tomatoes down deep so they grow stronger and rootier too 🙂
Jane S
You always leave such a thoughtful comment e. Happy gardening to you…and your lovely dad! x
Kate
I think we are still a month or two behind you.
Still enjoying the heart of winter veg.
But every day I've been searching for that first asparagus.
Cannot wait!!
Gorgeous post Jane.
Happy, happy spring to you and your gang. xx
Jane S
Asparagus is like gold in the earth isn't it Kate? Happy spring to you too x
Amber
Love your term 'broccoli bits'! Aren't they the pieces they bundle up and sell at a premium at the supermarket as 'broccolini'? 🙂
Sounds like it's all happening in your garden! We're pretty well down to the kale dregs here, haha!
Jane S
Yes, I think you are right on the broccolini Amber!
Donna
Hi Jane! My word you've got alot going on at the moment! I smiled when I saw the Asparagus shoot as I had an Asparagus sandwich the other day (had abit of a granny moment when I was in the supermarket and felt like having an Asparagus sandwich like my nana used to make us for lunch) and it was delicious! It was just the tinned stuff, not fresh and lovely like yours will be I'll bet. Good luck with the tomatoes!! xx
Jane S
Hi Donna…nothing wrong with the good old tinned asparagus, we had plenty of it as kids too!
Lisa the Gourmet Wog
Hi Jane, great tour, that certainly is a whole lot of mulch!
Jane S
Thanks Lisa! Can you believe all of that mulch has nearly disappeared and I am looking for more.
Adriana
I've tried growing coriander and beans but there is always bad weather here. As for the tomatoes, I always try to plant some that have survived extreme weather. I somehow feel that it makes a difference.
Jane S
Thanks Adriana, your tomato growing sounds interesting!
Andrea Mynard
Your Spring garden looks lovely and so productive – what an amazing and enticing selection of edible goodies you're growing!
Jane S
Thank you Andrea, over the years it has slowly built up to a good selection!
tea with hazel
jane..you certainly have an abundance of vegetables that you're harvesting and planting..what variety of grapes are you striking and planting? i've just pulled out my broccoli plants even though they would have continued to produce for a bit longer..i needed to get the soil ready for the summer crop..x
Jane S
Thank you Jane, lovely to hear from you as always. We have planted Crimson and Menindee seedless grapes from cuttings given to us from a friend. So far they are not doing much at all. It is hard to pull vegetables out when they are still producing isn't it? I have done the same this year to prepare for summer but I don't like doing it. I need to learn to just let-it-go! x
Kyrstie Barcak
It is looking gorgeous as always Jane! I love the idea of a flower bed.
Jane S
Thanks Kyrstie, your gardening is looking lovely too!
Lizzy (Good Things)
Jane, if that was my patch and there was an asparagus spear poking through the soil, you would be able to hear my cheers of joy from your place! Love that you are so organised. Until a day ago,it has still been quite cold here, but I suspect that Peter and I will do some work in our kitchen garden this weekend. Beeeeeeautiful photographs xo
Jane S
You probably could almost hear my asparagus cheers too Lizzy! It is a very exciting time as I have waiting the recommended 3 years before harvesting and my patience has finally paid off x
Melissa L
Seeing a spear of asparagus come through the mulch gives you the best feeling ever. Especially when there's always such a long wait to be able to harvest them – I still have a year to go and I'm getting so impatient.
For a moment, I thought your freesia was a frangipani with those colours. It's so pretty!
Jane S
Thanks Melissa, yes I have just got through my long asparagus waiting period and I didn't think I would make it! Some things are worth waiting for 🙂
Tess
This is so awesome to read! I am just getting my first seeds EVER popping up!!! I hope that your's are all going well and you are receiving as much crazy excitement as I am over each little shoot of green that pops through!
Jane S
Thanks for calling in Tess, I never get over the excitement of seeing those little green shoots 🙂
Catherine Bedson
You've been busy. We don't have a veggie patch at the moment but have enjoyed one in the past. Good luck with everything you've planted, I hope you have an abundant crop.
Jane S
Thank you Catherine!
Anne @SlamseysFarm
You have such a productive garden all through the year Jane. I like the idea of a bed just for flowers – I think I shall copy your idea. I have visions of using it as a cutting bed but I suspect that I'll just leave them in situ to admire as I manage to kill off cut flowers pretty quickly.
Enjoy your asparagus – we have almost eight months to wait for ours!
Jane S
Thanks Anne. Yes, I don't cut many flowers either. We spend so much time in the garden we enjoy them just as they are! When you mentioned your asparagus it made me think about the natural cycles in our seasons and subsequently in our gardens and kitchens, on opposite sides of the world. Life keeps rolling on doesn't it?
celia
Jane, our asparagus has sprung too! We don't have a lot coming up yet, but it's definitely started! 🙂 xx
Jane S
Asparagus feasting will be in full swing soon Celia x
Tracy
What a great garden. I pop flowers all around the vegetable garden too for the pretty factor and also to give our bees something different to forage.
Good luck with this year's tomatoes. Mine are just starting to pop up in their little seed trays.
Jane S
Good luck with your tomatoes too Tracy!
cityhippyfarmgirl
Oh freesias are gorgeous aren't they. That smell I can never get enough of. I was gifted some wild ones on the weekend and I'm loving walking by them just for that smell.
Jane S
Thanks Brydie. I have not seen wild freesias before.
Lizzie @ Strayed from the Table
you just reminded me to get my snake beans in, I totally forgot them last moon planting phase. I have been eating plenty of side shoots from my broccoli too, though its coming to an abrupt end now that the weather is heating up. Gone are the days of winter greens. Look forward to seeing how your tomatoes go. I am going to be planting a few different varieties out in the coming weeks. So far I have stuck with the ones that do well here after last years terrible weather of severe drought then a deluge of rain for a month.
Jane S
This is my first time with snake beans Lizzie! I will be watching your tomatoes too!
petal and plume
totally loved this. your blog is a joy!
xx