"In everything give thanks......." 1 Thess 5:18

Our journal and glimpses of an active, contented life in country Australia

Saturday, November 03, 2012

Garden Update

Yes I have a vege garden!

I often say how I love hearing the birds we have in our small yard.

Yesterday I was quite taken aback to find that all my new lettuce seedlings had been stripped, just the  ribs left.  They had been struggling in the heat and I had completely lost three or four of them already so they are a sad sight.  I knew it was the sparrows as the plant nurseries have a problem keeping them at bay.    Then as I looked out the kitchen window this morning, a sparrow helped itself to a strawberry.

Barry is building arches covered with a very low % shade cloth over some of the beds to keep the white moths off and help against the heat, but he hadn't put the ends on.  They will be mainly on the leaf plants that need shade and not bees. He is also getting together a timed irrigation system which will gently water the vege garden.

It is a compromise as we love the trees, the birds, and we have plenty of bees, and we have to work something out to keep the birds as well as the white moths and the heat off the vegetables.

The veges that have germinated this week are sweetcorn, lebanese cucumber, radish,and  kohl rabi. I thought I would take a shortcut with the lettuce, as my previous crop did not survive a few recent hot days.  I also have 8 corn plants with immature cobs on them, and I am getting  one or two each of apple cucumbers,  yellow squashes, and zucchini each day. We also have limited rhubarb, beetroot, silver beet, kale, spinach, rocket,  several herbs and the last of the tomato crop.

No pics yet....
 
Now joining in with Cate at Six Word Saturday with Yes  I have a vege garden.
 
 
Hugs and Blessings, Jan
 

12 comments:

Barbara said...

Thats great Jan, keeping you in my prayers too.

Karen @ Pieces of Contentment said...

Your garden is sounding pleasantly productive. Battling the "pests" and weather seems to be an ongoing issue but it's wonderful to have something for use in the kitchen. I picked and steamed some spinach for dinner last night. Maybe I should try growing some apple cucumbers - we've had little success with lebanese ones.

retired not tired said...

Hopefully you will be able to enjoy the "fruits" of your labours.

Glenda Mills said...

Retreaded, not retired...bonus years they call them and my husband and I are enjoying living in Wild and Wonderful West Virginia where we moved 5 years ago to be close to daughter and family with 4 of six grandchildren. Blessings to you!

Glenda Mills said...

Check out my blogsite at http:www.glendamills.com

Plant Seeds of Happiness said...

Hi Jan...Janice here thanks for your wonderful comments on my blog :)
the garden sounds great I just remembered that in your part of the world you are into summer :) try a little mixture of dishsoap in a spray bottle and water it helps with moths avids etc in the garden and is earth friendly!

Unknown said...

My hubby is the garden guru in our part of the world and we are going to have a bumper crop of vegies this year - there's nothing quite like eating food fresh from your own garden

Becca said...

I love growing a garden and it makes me so sad when it gets eaten up! Good luck with the covering!

Rosemary Nissen-Wade said...

Haven't managed veggies yet, but you give e hope. :)

Rosemary Nissen-Wade said...

*me

Jim said...

I am glad that you have a vege garden, Jan. Too bad about the sparrows. We used to get deer eating our garden crops in Nebraska.

So cross you fingers and work hard. Very likely you will have better luck with the rest.
..
BTW, have you tried putting a plastic owl in the garden. I have heard that birds won't come where there are owls. The Home Depot stores here sell them for scaring birds away.
..

❀~Myrna~❀ said...

Sounds Like a wonderful garden! My grandmother used to use aluminum pie tins to scare away birds,try hanging them on a scarecrow.