Blog May 2017

Its late Autumn (Fall) in Melbourne, and its been cool and wet, but today its a mild 17C and sunny, so I thought I might take a few photos around the garden for my May Blog.

I changed the net covers to polycarbonate ones on my propagators last week to provide some protection against the cooler nights of late autumn.  The condensation inside the covers indicates the temperature difference overnight.

The Mexican sage is as vigorous as usual this time of year, and the bees are making the most of it.

The cabbages have stayed fairly clean under their net covers.

There are 10 of these Tommy Toe cherry tomatoes on the last of my succession crop, and they are holding up my plans to plant a second double row of peas in the space.  Still, they are on the point of colouring up a bit and as soon as they do, I will whip the plant out.

These onion seedlings have transplanted themselves very well.

The garlic are up and running.

The maincrop of Australian brown onion seedlings have just been planted and are responding very well.

The cauliflowers and broccoli are on their way, and despite their exposure (no net cover), I have been able to remove whitefly and caterpillars before they have taken hold.

When everything around them seems to be in decline, the succulents soldier on even in the colder weather.

The jade bush is about to burst into winter flowers.  The bees will love it (on sunny days)

Sorry to keep showing you pictures of my apples, but I have just started to harvest them.  An apple a day keeps the doctor away.  At this rate it will be January before I finish the harvest.

The thornless blackberry plants are still delivering.  Note there are no stings in this cluster Fran Pimblett.

The parent plants of these layered cuttings are languishing under a fence near our garbage wheely bins.  I will give them a new position in keeping with their status.

The next 2 successions of a row of lettuce, and a row of cabbages are well on the way.

Next years coleus plant cuttings are well established.

The succulent cuttings are putting on new growth.

More Mexican sage.

I've lost contact with the name of these subtly beautiful plants.

The front garden is still a lovely refuge despite the busy road nearby (Its a good thing I'm going deaf in my old age).