I have been doing a bit of digging and photographing. The picture above is of my Diggers Rosemary bush in flower. It says of the label that it was grown from a cutting brought back by a wounded digger during WWI that was growing at ANZAC Cove. It is nice to have a piece of history in your garden that is also edible and smells simply divine!
All the kids and I attended the Dawn Service in Melton at 0545. The same crowd of dignitaries as last year, but I reckon that there was about 25% more people at the service than there were last year. I decided not to write an oratory about ANZAC Day this year, but I urge you to reflect on what I wrote about the day this time last year. I believe it is still relevant today as it was when I wrote it.
After work yesterday, I planted some Spinach seeds direct into the patch. The first lot I sowed in punnets about 20 days ago failed to germinate. A bit disappointing, but thought I would give it another go. Last year I had a bumper crop of spinach and it tasted so good. It would have been a shame not to grow some this year.
Today, I transplanted the red onion seedlings. Every single seed germinated, and I put about 48 plants into the patch. The photo doesn’t do them justice as they are so small. The leek seedlings I sowed at the same time as the onions need a little longer to grow stronger before I plant them in the patch. You can see to the right the garlic that I planted at the start of the month. Every clove sprouted with in a week. At this rate I should have about 30 big fat bulbs of garlic.
I gave up trying to grow broccoli and savoy cabbage seedling, so I went to the nursery and bought those and some bok choy and put them in the same bed that I planted the spinach in yesterday.
I also bought some chamomile seedlings and planted them in two large pots. It will be nice to harvest the flowers in spring to make my own tea. How nice will that be!
I have one more bed to plant out, into which I will plant the swiss chard that has sprouted from seed I sowed on the 5th of April. Out of 12 seeds, I got 4 plants. Pretty ordinary germination rates, but the seeds were quite old so I kind of expected it.
The capsicums are still growing strong, and the two bushes of Italian fryers finally have some fruit on them. I think I will wait a little longer before harvesting. I really don’t know how long they will last before they drop their leaves like they did last year.
You will note the self sprouting spring onions in the background. I ate one the other day, and the flavour was excellent.
The swiss chard that I planted in spring is still going strong in the same bed. I hope it lasts through the winter without going to seed. I just keep fertilizing and watering it, and harvest the outside leaves once a week. Some for the chooks and some for me. I’m not greedy!
Other than those few events today, Ben and I are off the visit Kim in hospital in about 15 minutes ago. I better dash, and we will send her all of your love!
Gav
gavin, just found your blog and am loving it. i just harvested the olives and they are proudly sitting on the window sill on the first day of curing…think i’ll throw some bay leaves in with the brine later on. My spinach, elephant leeks and peas popped up a couple of days ago, i always feel like a proud mum! I’m in Nth Caulfield doing my bit, i’m just in the process of selling my car to buy some solar panels and another tank.Hope your wife is feeling better soon! chin up, shelley
Hi Gav,
Busy weekend in the garden for you.
A tip I learnt about spinach. Next time you plant spinach seeds try soaking the seed for 24 hours before sowing. They have a really tough outer shell and the soaking seems to soften it.
Cheers
Anita