Planting out (4th May)

Yes - Yes, I know I said the 15 of May and Yes, I may be severely punished for this. But such a beautiful day yesterday and 24 in forecast for today. My neighbour already has his air-conditioner running. Nighttime low above 10 in forecast all week, and soil temperatures in at 15 degrees. I was puttering outside and decide the moment had come.

No small part of this was the realization that I needed to up-pot a lot of things. Second was that tomatoes and peppers in peat pots where much smaller than those in regular terracotta pots. I will not be using peat again and perhaps I should consider plastic pots which hold the water better than terracotta. Less "organic" perhaps.

So added to the beds
8 Ping Tung Eggplants
30 Pepper Plants (mix of sweat and hot)
5 Tomato plants (about half I intend to plant)
8 Squash/zucchini (8 Ball, summer, portofino zuch, another zuch??,  straight-neck, spaghetti squash, butternut)
Cipollini, Candy and Wala Wala onions (2nd Batch)

My Muscat grapes seem to be dead still, no sign of budding, although the seedless one is. Otherwise only my Persimmon is not got leaves or flowers. The asian pear is about to burst.

I also drilled holes in some end peaces of 6 x 6 and screwed them onto the shed and near the compost for insect hideouts. I am not sure they will hide in treated lumbar, but we will see.

4 May

I took this picture while the BBQ was on and I managed my first 100% back yard salad. Mostly from the cold frame as you can see the mustard here is still pretty small. Left is my kohlrabi, mustard, french grey shallots, garlic, then broccoli etc you cant see. Second bed starts on left with Pak choy and way in background up against the trellis is my Tomato's. I have over 100 garlic this year, what was I thinking???

Sitting back on the deck having my BBQ, watching birds chase each other around, I see a pretty white butterfly. All idyllic bliss. Then it hits me, cabbage moth!!!! I dont have row covers up yet. So Today, that is my project, try put up some row covers and hope that the eggs are not already laid.