Possums Strike Again!

One negative about living amongst so many beautiful trees is we have so many possums. Last year they stole my tomatoes & ate my roses. This year, they're back! Eating my new Japanese maple leaves & rose buds again!

Rose buds eaten

Japanese maple leaves eaten

Have tried a few things to deter them but nothing has worked. A fellow gardener suggested quassia wood chips. If you emerge these chips in water, the horrid bitter flavour of the chips leeches into the water & if you spray this water onto your plants, the possums will be put off by the awful taste (& it is awful, I tried it) & stop eating your precious plants. So I figured I'd give it a go.

I purchased some chips online

Little helper helped me put them into water

We let them soak in there for a while & then out we went to spray all my pot plants.

Will update if its a success or failure.

Fingers crossed!

Happy gardening

Bel

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Spring Vegetable Garden Plans

Spring is here & it's time to plant. I'm a bit late but I have been so busy with baby girls 1st birthday & christening that I really haven't had a chance.


I know lots of people have been growing their seedlings undercover ready for planting out in spring, but not me. I just buy mine from the nursery or start from seed in the ground. It's just too much for me with two little ones & I have no real desire to do it.

What do I want to plant this spring? Here's my spring to summer garden last year.

Right at the start of spring- my first planting. I had several tomato varieties, climbing beans, cucumbers, pumpkin, basil, parsley, cucumbers & banana peppers.

All my tomatoes. I staked them with bamboo & soon learned that was a stupid idea! This year, I shall stake them properly.

Back in summer when my little baby was only 3 or 4 months old.

I successfully grew a big abundant bunch of climbing bean plants from seed last spring.

I grew so many gorgeous, perfect, mixed variety tomatoes last year, and then a big awful hailstorm hit & ruined them all. I was so sad, but this year, I shall grow them & eat them & it will be a good year!

My lovely next door neighbour shared her beautiful Passionfruit vine with me last summer (as a big part of it hangs over my side of the fence) I think I got around 80 passionfruits & they were devine. I even got to share them with my family. Hoping I might get them again this summer.

A lovely Passionfruit flower from last year

So that was last warm season, & now on to this year.

This year I plan to grow several tomato varaieties again, peppers, beet root, capsicum, climbing beans from seed, eggplant, pumpkin from seed (I have seed from my husbands uncle's plants), zucchini, cucumber & some giant & dwarf sunflowers. I'll also pull out my parsley plant & re-plant using my Nonna's seeds she shared with me.

In pots I think i'll grow some basil, coriander, lettuce, mint & some pretty little chilli's & a few strawberry plants.

I'm going to sit down & draw up a garden layout & try & follow good crop rotation practices this season. Will do that later in the week.

Hope you are all enjoying spring,

Bel

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New Spring Growth

My spirits have lifted significantly, thank you spring!

My most favourite season (I know I keep saying that but I only have 3 months to repeat myself right?)

Lots of wonderful things are happening on my balcony. New growth is everywhere. I've fed everything with seasol & fertiliser to give all the fresh leaves & flowers a boost. Everything looks sensational so far. Here are some photos I took with my baby girl

My Japanese maple, sango kaku is full of new growth. You can see the gorgeous, bright green of freshly sprouted leaves, but they haven't fully unfurled yet & I can't wait for them to open right up. They will look amazing & there will be lots of photos

My smallest & youngest Japanese maple, aureum, is full of bright green new leaves. It's so pretty. It's leaves have golden tips

My dwarf peach has blossomed even more since my last post. The flowers are so pretty & big for such a tiny tree

 

 

and sadly, my tulips have come to an end

Someone was not at all sad about it. She was finally allowed to touch the big pretty flowers

Woo hoo!

I have planned out my spring/summer vegetable patch now. My next post should be about that. I have some serious weeding to do firstly. I've realised winter is not a time I feel any desire to garden.

Until next time gardeners,

Bel

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Spring Is Here!

Spring! You are finally here. I am so happy.

The first 3 days of spring here in Melbourne have been gorgeous. Really feeling revitalised already. Even more so due to all the new growth on my balcony. It's so lovely to see flowers & fresh green leaves unfurling. Spring is my favourite season.

I now have all 3 tulips open. I am so in love with them I plan on doing a massive pot filled with them in different colours next year. I'm taking as many photos as I can of them before they leave me.

My remaining 2 tulips seem to be a bit sick? Not sure what's happening to them but one is withered & the other looks like its following, but I'm not worried because my tulip trio that is currently on show is just remarkable.

Here are some photos of the three of them in bloom

 

 

 

The baby tulip. Last to open

 

 

My dwarf peach tree is blossoming. I wonder if I'll get fruit this year? I won't hold my breath, but if so, a welcome surprise

 

My Japanese maples are all coming out of their winter sleep & I am beyond excited to see their perfect, new leaves this spring.

Hooray for spring!

Hope you are enjoying this lovely season so far,

Bel

 

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Tulips are bloomin'

Today My first tulip bloomed. It's so beautiful!

I also have a second daffodil. This one has a light pink centre. It's so nice to see flowers & new growth on my balcony.

Some photos,

 

My pretty daffodils

Little helper having a sniff. The yellow centred daffodil smells really pretty

Me too

More new growth on my aureum Japanese maple & flower buds on my peach tree. Won't be long til it's flowering

 

 

 

My pretty rosemary again

And best of all, my amazing tulip

 

Lots of photos

 

 

One tulip open, 5 to go!

A few cute photos of baby girl enjoying the sun on the balcony

Spring is ony 4 days away!

Happy gardening,

Bel

 

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