January is usually a time of abundance in the food garden, however with the cold start to the season, quite a few vegetables are late. The only ones that have grown well and performed admirably are the seedlings I grew in the greenhouse in August and transplanted in late September.
So here is a panorama of photographs that I took in the garden on Monday just past. Click to enlarge.
ANZAC Peaches, that we are picking every day.
Jonathan apples that are blushing already.
My first wicking bed is going strong. Rainbow chard, celery and lettuce
Pumpkin patch motoring along.
Two red cabbages remain. I love red cabbage and these are the best ones I have ever grown. Heads the size of soccer balls.
Different cabbage angle.
Lazy housewife bean stalks. We harvest once a week, but are letting the big pods fatten up so that we can collect the beans for drying and storing.
Three Russian Giant Sunflowers all in a row. These are 7′ tall. They obviously like a bit of chook poo!
From another angle.
The suppliers of said chook poo!
Poppy is clucky as ever. Will this bird ever stop?
These are from the three zucchini bushes that I pulled out over the weekend. More like marrows now.
Our heavily laden blood plum tree.
The leek flowers still in bloom.
The first of the summer cucumbers. The first of many I hope.
A Chinese climbing cucumber trained up trellis.
I still have three zucchini plants in the garden. These are going strong.
A variety of eggplants and tomatoes.
Tomatoes, Sweet Basil and Tomatillos.
Super Sweet Corn all in a row. I planted two varieties of hybrid corn, but cannot remember which on is which. Next time I will label them!
And finally, Rhubarb getting bigger and bigger, trying to smother the loganberry bush.
As you can see, everything is strong and healthy, as are all the fruit trees in the front orchard, which I will take pictures of this weekend.
I love my garden. In fact, I just finished watering it and my legs are covered in mozzie bites!
Sigh. I’m so jealous. It’s 18 degrees (F) here.
A question: I know it’s partially under cover, so how many hours of sunlight does your wicking bed get each day? And does it get AM or PM sun?
I’m asking ’cause I’m thinking of building a greens bed in the partial shade of a white pine just outside my kitchen but I don’t know how much sun greens need to get by.Yours look very happy.
I think your garden looks amazing. I am thinking you have done a great job with mother nature.
Melissa
most of my summer veggies are also running late but i think there will be time for a second planting of some, like zucchini and they will go until about May. Great pictures.
Fantastic! Ours in finally getting there too…
Awesome red cabbages – i’m very jealous, I lost my crop to white cabbage moths….we had a plague of them and they munched through everything faster than we could pick them off.
You have such a beautiful garden, everything looks so lush and healthy! I have just turned over a new fresh environmental leaf, and really want to grow food this year. This is silly yet simple question – why does food grow better in the wicking beds? Does it allow the water to percolate through? Also – do all your beds receive full sunlight? Thanks!
Looking good!
I am so jealous of your garden. I live in northern Alberta, Canada, and my growing season doesn’t start until the end of May beginning of June, depending on the last frost.
All I can do is drool over other people’s gardens and the seed catalogues.
Cheryl
Your garden is a real credit to you Gav.
Just how rich do you feel when you wander through your garden? A thriving vegetable garden is priceless!
Well done!
I have sunshine envy, especially as your winters are warmer than our summers!
I am also envious of you sunshine- and of your peaches which look absolutely delicious. However as they are currently £3 for 6 in our local supermarket (+ the air miles of course)I’ll be sticking to apple crumble with the last of our apples this month:-)
Always fascinating to get a glimpse of someone elses garden.
Best wishes to you and your family.
@ Kathy
The wicking bed gets about 4-5 hours of direct morning sunlight in summer, and about 6 hours filtered. The salad greens seem to have no issues with this. I am very happy with where it is located.
@ Melissa
Cheers. Me and Mother Nature are apparently mates!
@ Anne
I am going to put in another crop of salad greens very soon. I think this summer will drag into March.
@ Dixiebelle
I have been following your progress, you are doing great. Loved those preserves!
@ Michelle
I find that the cabbage moths do not eat the red ones as much. I don’t grow normal green ones any more.
@ SherryGreens
Well done for having a new environmental outlook on life! I will answer you garden bed questions in my next post.
@ VGC
Thanks
@ Cheryl
Only a few months to go for you. Better get your gardening plan for the season ready. I wonder if you grow any veg indoors during the winter?
@ Diane
Cheers. I feel like the richest man in the world when I walk through my garden! I love working in it and it helps to ground my thoughts.
@ Frugal Queen
My son Adam is over in the UK at the moment and is saying the exact same thing. We send him pictures of blue sky just to make him homesick 😉
@ Oddny
Those prices are amazing. I saw peaches (in season) in our local supermarket yesterday for $5 a kg. Even that is high for this time of year. Nothing like a free peach!