Summers not started properly at our place.

[Australian Cattleman]

We haven't had much hot weather yet. Its bound to come. Parts of Australia have had heatwave type stuff. But we still need blankets here at 3,000 feet. Planted lots of seed last week. They are just starting to come through.My strawberries are fruiting as are my beans. Have lettuce and tomatoes in as well. Broccoli are still producing.
Planted some Acacia Elata seeds last week (Cedar Wattle) they are a fast growing long living wattle,better than the usual wattle which needs replacing in about 12 or 13 years. They have cream flowers and a nice soft fern like leaf similar to a Poinciana. I have some that were planted two years ago that are about 8 foot high and some others that are over 12 foot now.They are safe trees to have around the garden as their branches are small and they aren't a big tree when mature.
Colin

 

[ga. prime]

I like to plant Bald Cypress around my garden. They won't need replacing for 1500 years. That's interesting that you have lettuce and tomatoes simultaneously. Here in So. Ga., if you had lettuce, it would be too cold for tomatoes. And too hot for lettuce if you had tomatoes.

 

[Australian Cattleman]

Lettuce is our main salad item here. We can grow them all year round. Can't grow tomatoes all year round because of the frosts.A lot of tomatoes that were planted got hit by the frost in mid November. I had mine in pots because I didn't want to lose them and they have survived.The secret to a good vege or flower garden I reckon is mulch and seaweed fertilizer. Keeping most plants damp but not wet.

Colin

 

[ga. prime]

Colin, I think you like gardening as much as I do. Nothing I like better.

 

[Australian Cattleman]

Put seasol (seaweed concentrate) on about a quarter of my garden this morning. Boy it sure does a good job. Excellent for roses,makes them flower well. Another good product here is called Charlie Carp (this is made from crushed up European Carp which are a pest in southern rivers,they are an introduced pest) This is a good way to get rid of them.)
Colin

 

[Australian Cattleman]

Still too cool for this time of the year. We've had 9 mls of rain over the past couple of days. Just water for the garden thats all. Garden looks good. Just in the process of updating the names of my roses. Some of their tags have faded. Did 50 of them so far have 55 to go. Best roses that are virtually problem free are my David Austins. They flower well,have little black spot and the aphids don't care much about them. The only maybe drawback is their length for cutting to put in vases.Grew to like the DA's after seeing them in an open garden amongst shrubbery and annuals. They looked very impressive.Whenever I get time I'll post some photos.
Colin

 

[Beefy]

Colin, I think you like gardening as much as I do. Nothing I like better.

ga prime have you ever germinated bald cypress seeds? i collected about 8 seedlings this year. i transplanted some about 3 or 4 years ago and they grew like wildfire. however beavers moved in and chopped them down overnight while i was staying with my grandma one night. they should sprout back out, i guess. anyway, i'm going to plant the seedlings in my yard as soon as figure out where.

 

[Australian Cattleman]

Seen a swamp cypress at my local nursery the other day. Think I might get one to put in one of my lines of trees. They have nice soft leaves,unlike a lot of pines.
Colin

 

[Tracy740]

Really strange to read about people planting gardens and such. Here in Colorado we are on a 7 day cycle for storms and it has been cold, lots of snow and I am just dreaming of that summer sun, being able to go outside without bundling up, driving the truck without it being in 4 wheel drive, and NOT having to chop ice out of the water trough.......

 

[Australian Cattleman]

Yes I guess its strange to hear of others planting and it being summer.Its about 17 celcius here this morning, at 6am. The mildest its been. Its been down around 13/14c for most mornings which is abit coolish this time of year. We had a nice day yesterday got to 29c. Cloudy and expecting a change with possibly a storm. We had 180 points this last week which was good,pepped the grass up considerably. Mowed the lawn yesterday,looks good,flowers have pepped up too.
Keep warm
Colin