Green tomato pickles

By happy chance I picked a kilo of green tomatoes today, just the right amount for a batch of green tomato pickle. Well, it's the right amount for a batch in the breadmaker, which I haven't used for pickle or jam before, so we'll just have to see how it goes!

I haven't made my pickle for a few years so I know my husband will be licking his lips when he discovers today's achievements.

Greenhouse heaven

Remember all of those seeds that I sowed a few weeks ago? Well they are growing beautifully. I have 'potted on' lots of tiny seedlings into larger pots, one plant to a pot and the shelves in the greenhouse are filling with potential produce. Communal garden, here we come!

I am also attempting to continue with some tomatoes, aubergine (eggplant) and lemongrass in the green house, but I'm unsure how successful they will be. The greenhouse provides some warmth and frost protection, but time will tell how long it actually extends the growing season.

Aubergine are actually perennials in warmer regions, but are treated as annuals in frosty areas. So while the aubergine in the garden will soon be gone, I'm hoping to still make a few more of those aubergine curries that I enjoy so much.

Garlic planting time

Remember the strange little garlic clove things growing up the stems of some of my garlic? Well it's garlic planting time, so they are going in the ground today. I'm also putting in some regular garlic cloves, and a few days ago I separated out the new plants that were growing for the heads that I left in the ground.

The other bowl has little onions that are sprouting. They were from my garden, but they are going back in. We can use the growing tips as salad onions and the bulbs will actually divide and give me more onions. How clever!

What to plant and do now

Lately I have had a few people asking me what they can put in their vegie garden at the moment, with winter approaching.

Now is a good time for the good winter veg. Think brassicas, roots and peas and beans. More specifically cabbages, broccoli, brussels sprouts for your brassicas. Perhaps try some different varieties - I have put in a purple sprouting broccoli this year.

For the root veg, it's things that grow underground! Carrots, turnips, onions, parsnips, beetroot and a relative of these is silverbeet. I like the rainbow char varieties of silverbeet because of the strikingly coloured stems, but I'm sure the flavour is the same. Be careful not to confuse spinach and silverbeet as your spinach won't do any well.

It is more specific when it comes to peas and beans. Check seed packets to ensure that your variety of pea will grow over winter, but most will. Beans on the other hand, really just leaves it to broad beans. I told you all that I wouldn't be planting broad beans again, but I am once again tempted by the welcome green bushiness and pretty flowers at a normally drab time.

You can also put in year round varieties of lettuce, and herbs help add a green touch to the garden, with lovely smell and culinary uses to boot. And garlic. Don't forget the garlic! Lots of garlic if you have the space. You won't get to harvest till close to Christmas, though, so remember that when working out what is going where.

In terms of flowers, for the complimentary, companion type garden there are still a few to choose from. Plant sweet peas up a trellis for their pretty flowers and sweet scent. Try calendula for some colour, although I have found young seedlings can be frost tender, even though a mature plants are frost hardy. Pop some pansies in now for continued colour and now is also the time to be putting in spring flowering bulbs. Strawberries can be pretty in borders and have the bonus of fruit. Put them in now but you won't get fruit till spring.

And before the frost hits... move potted basil and tomato plants into a frost protected area or inside. Do the same with aubergine, chilli and capsicum if you can. Aubergine is a perennial in warm climates, but doesn't tolerate frost so is usually treated as an annual in frosty zones. Pull out pumpkin vines, cutting pumpkins with a few centimeters of stalk. Leave pumpkins in the sun to cure and the skin to harden (they should sound hollow when you tap them) or use soon.

Happy gardening!

PJG

Inspired by a friend

Inspired by a friend living in Noumea where the local patisserie serves up all sorts of delightful treats, I have had my first attempt at home made marshmallows.

The two extremes

In the last few days our chickens have laid our biggest and smallest eggs so far. The biggest is a massive 93 grams and the smallest is a tiny 22 grams. Our hens usually lay eggs in the 60 to 73 gram range.

I'll be interested to see whether the big one is a double yolker!

A lush green grass

I just walked past a yard with unusually lush green lawn for this time of year, and very neat at that. In contrast, the rest of the garden is overgrown and messy, with dry crumpled leaves everywhere and overgrown shrubs and trees.

It took me a moment to realise that this incongruity was due to the grass being AstroTurf.

This made me wonder. Do you rake or sweep the leaves off AstroTurf?

From the garden

I'm thinking pasta sauce...

Insects for my garden

My gorgeous husband gave me these wall hangings for our wedding anniversary. Very well chosen, I must say!

Our community garden

Recently we had a brilliant idea. It was warmly welcomed by our neighbours and it has got me planning and thinking.

We are going to set up a three way community garden with two of our neighbours! I have more gardening in me than space to garden. My neighbour has more space in her yard than she cares to think about and an interest, but little knowledge of vegetable gardening.

My Mum is over the fence as well. She is, of course, my inspiration to start gardening. She ignited the gardening spark, so to speak. (And I think I still have my copy of the children's gardening book "Gardening is easy when you know how")

Together we are planning more of a free form permaculture garden, each with gates into the yard. I suppose it is really my husband and my brain child, but I am looking forward to all of us enjoying the space and the produce!

Seeds sowing in Autumn

Any time is seed sowing time when you believe in the miracle of the seed.

Corn silks

The silk of the baby corn or popping corn (yes, they are the same plant!) is just amazing. Maroon-ish in colour it almost looks like the hair of a Dr. Seuss character.