tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5089828552519076506.post3968508650970066454..comments2024-03-29T21:11:37.724+10:00Comments on down to earth: Vegetable and fruit garden in full swing againUnknownnoreply@blogger.comBlogger40125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5089828552519076506.post-18678042695749506302009-03-19T11:35:00.000+10:002009-03-19T11:35:00.000+10:00What a wonderful garden! I am jealous of alot of ...What a wonderful garden! I am jealous of alot of your fruits as we are in too cold of a climate but I am especially jealous of your loofahs! After reading your post how to harvest them, I would love to be able to grow and use them as you do!Debbiehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08919793216222224648noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5089828552519076506.post-62322737012045438482009-03-18T09:01:00.000+10:002009-03-18T09:01:00.000+10:00Hi Sandra, only someone who gardens with grasshopp...Hi Sandra, only someone who gardens with grasshoppers truly knows the joy of not having them. ; - ] Enjoy your season.<BR/><BR/>Caroline, I've written it on my list. I'll try to do it next week.<BR/><BR/>Melanie, what an exciting time of change for you. I wish you the best with the birth of your baby and with the move. It's good you're close to family so they can help when you need them too.<BR/><BR/>Donetta, the bananas are absolutely delicious. The variety we grow are called Lady Fingers.<BR/><BR/>Linda we live in a semi-rural area in the hinterland of the beach, which is about 10 kilometres away, as the crow flies. Our block is about one acre with a strip of remnant rainforest and a creek as the back boundary.<BR/><BR/>Hi Levin and Emily, we live in the hinterland of the Sunshine Coast.<BR/><BR/>Margaret, the welsh onions form clumps. During the growing season, we cut off the tops of some of them and transplant the bases. They then start forming more clumps. As long as we keep a few for propagation, we can keep these delicious onions going all year.<BR/><BR/>Hi Gavin, yes, we do live in a fruit fly zone, in fact that is why we removed both our peach tree and our nectarine tree - they drew in fruit fly from the neighbourhood. We knew that if we continued to grow that fruit, it would continue to attract fruit fly, they would establish in the soil here and we'd never be able to grow tomatoes.<BR/><BR/>Sandy, if you and the others who want to live near me moved in, we would have the best, most productive and harmonious little village you could imagine. Hanno whipper snips around the bricks and also pulls weeds by hand. NEVER EVER use Roundup/glysophate, it's a terrible chemical that will stay in your soil for years.<BR/><BR/>Good luck with the chooks and garden, Fifi.<BR/><BR/>Donna, Hanno loves kale boiled with smoked sausage and pork. It's an old tradtional German dish that he MUST have a few times every winter. The Germans know kale as Grünkohl, if you google that, you'll find some good recipes.Rhonda Jeanhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00175785349529109084noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5089828552519076506.post-75579698161959866512009-03-18T06:03:00.000+10:002009-03-18T06:03:00.000+10:00BEAUTIFUL gardens you have! We are finally beginni...BEAUTIFUL gardens you have! We are finally beginning to get some (very faintly) spring-like weather here in Oregon after an unusually cold period for this time of year, and I can't wait to plant. <BR/><BR/>I canned Amish pastes from our garden this last summer, and they have been great. Hope you enjoy yours! kristinThe Cherry Tree Farmhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13561834372312713466noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5089828552519076506.post-66932323938190772592009-03-18T05:46:00.000+10:002009-03-18T05:46:00.000+10:00Your garden is an inspiration to me, so beautifu a...Your garden is an inspiration to me, so beautifu and so peaceful. I am very grateful I found your blog today (while at work) and after my classes tonight I plan to sit down and really enjoy before I retire for the night. Thanks<BR/>LuannAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5089828552519076506.post-78071955879127416802009-03-18T05:34:00.000+10:002009-03-18T05:34:00.000+10:00You are inspirational! Truly!You are inspirational! Truly!Notes From The Frugal Trencheshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00047687598677272569noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5089828552519076506.post-15245433046265892842009-03-18T04:58:00.000+10:002009-03-18T04:58:00.000+10:00Good afternoon.Thanks for posting the wonderful ph...Good afternoon.<BR/><BR/>Thanks for posting the wonderful photos of your gardens. We are going to be building some raised beds in our yard this year and you have given me some great ideas.<BR/><BR/>Thank you!<BR/><BR/>JackieJackiehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09172948712721065156noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5089828552519076506.post-24456785089999300072009-03-18T04:55:00.000+10:002009-03-18T04:55:00.000+10:00Rhonda,You inspire and inform so beautifully. A t...Rhonda,<BR/><BR/>You inspire and inform so beautifully. A thousand Thank-You's for being so generous with your knowledge and experience...yet again. <BR/><BR/>Warmly,<BR/>TraceyTracey McBride ~ Frugal Luxuries®https://www.blogger.com/profile/03043055986653442733noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5089828552519076506.post-47552472760023105752009-03-18T03:16:00.000+10:002009-03-18T03:16:00.000+10:00Rhonda,What are some of the ways that you use kale...Rhonda,<BR/>What are some of the ways that you use kale? I'd like to use it more but have little experience with it. All I've ever done with it, is add it to my smoothies.<BR/>Donna G in New MexicoAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5089828552519076506.post-66550126705956276742009-03-18T00:48:00.000+10:002009-03-18T00:48:00.000+10:00Hello Ms. Rhonda,I stumbled on your blog yesterday...Hello Ms. Rhonda,<BR/>I stumbled on your blog yesterday, oh my, it's wonderful. I went home last night and tried you furniture polish, ended up polishing all my kitchen cabinets. Your garden is awesome, and I'm so excited to get mine going. I live in Kentucky, U.S.A., and planting season is quickly approaching. I'm going to prepare my gardens at the begining of April, and plant soon after. It's still a bit cold here, although temptures may reach in 70's today. Do you know where I may find loofahs here? I looked in my seed catalog, but haven't found yet. Thanks again for your post, you are definately an encouagment to get busy!<BR/><BR/>Blessings, from Linda @ Kindlelight BlessingsLindahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00554608232826488962noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5089828552519076506.post-60333033312311955602009-03-17T23:28:00.000+10:002009-03-17T23:28:00.000+10:00Just wanted to say I thouroughly enjoyed your gard...Just wanted to say I thouroughly enjoyed your garden tour. How nice that you can grow so many different fruits and vegetables.<BR/>VictoriaAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5089828552519076506.post-76165744033521133062009-03-17T23:22:00.000+10:002009-03-17T23:22:00.000+10:00Wow, look at those passionfruits! I'm so jealous t...Wow, look at those passionfruits! I'm so jealous they grow in your backyard, I love them. My mother had a big plant with lots of flowers, but they never got to bearing fruit unfortunately. I guess the climate here isn't warm enough. <BR/>Those tomatoes look good too! Happy gardening. :-)<BR/><BR/>ChristineChristinehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11078340690256967729noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5089828552519076506.post-20920120550522334402009-03-17T22:28:00.000+10:002009-03-17T22:28:00.000+10:00Great post Rhonda, I got my first veg patch going ...Great post Rhonda, I got my first veg patch going this last weekend. I don't know if I planted my garlic out too late. I guess time will tell!<BR/><BR/>Also, I got myself 6 hens a month ago, so I'm really going for this now! All inspired by you Rhonda :-)<BR/><BR/>I wanted to add, to those of you in the UK - have you seen that programme that's been on Monday nights called Grow Your Own Drugs? Its about using plants as remedies. The chap says, quite rightly, that the pharmaceutical companies have robbed us of the knowledge we used to have only a few generations ago of how to use plants to cure common ailments, and he wants to give us back that knowledge. The presenter is a botanist, who trained at Kew Gardens in London. He also loves Pot Marigolds. Apparently they're not named Pot Marigolds because you grow them in pots - its because they were so commonly used in cooking and are really good for you! He has a section on the BBC website which should be easy enough to find, if anybody wants to know more.<BR/><BR/>I'm chuffed because he uses lavender in a lot of his preparations, and I've got two enormous bushes of it in my garden I've wanted to use for years but not really known what to do with them! Look for his recipe for lavender bath bombs :-)<BR/><BR/>Blessings all xFiFihttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09525757684048252596noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5089828552519076506.post-60168607707806045292009-03-17T21:21:00.000+10:002009-03-17T21:21:00.000+10:00Thank you for a tour of your garden! We love it! ...Thank you for a tour of your garden! We love it! If only you lived closer to our hemisphere and we could swap veggies! We grow some lovely chard, kale, turnip greens, okra, and watercress!!!<BR/><BR/>We get wild parsnips and eat them cooked with sugar and butter -- like turnips.<BR/><BR/>Blessings!<BR/>LacyRazorFamilyFarms.comhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17417905789640513832noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5089828552519076506.post-21063321680828262812009-03-17T20:55:00.000+10:002009-03-17T20:55:00.000+10:00Thankyou for another inspiring post and fantastic ...Thankyou for another inspiring post and fantastic photos. Honestly, it just makes me want to pack up and move next door to you :)<BR/><BR/>My vegie beds have been a little neglected for the last couple of months, but I am now armed with a worm wee mixture and will build them all up for winter planting!<BR/><BR/>Can I ask, how do you keep the grass out of your beds? Is it meticulous mowing, whippersnipping? I have been advised to use a paint brush and spot the grass with roundup. I am just a little hesitant!!<BR/><BR/>SandySandyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17207518372772814233noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5089828552519076506.post-19879693635878924072009-03-17T20:48:00.000+10:002009-03-17T20:48:00.000+10:00Wow what a great veggy garden! Your posts are trul...Wow what a great veggy garden! Your posts are truly inspiring Rhonda, thankyou! This will be my first proper year of growing vegetables and alot of that is your inspiration! It is just starting to warm up here in the UK so I have been out and bought more seeds last week. I have sprouting seeds on the windowsills inside keeping me gowing until the veg patch starts!!!!!Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16175747752387425591noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5089828552519076506.post-60856566024021331222009-03-17T19:57:00.000+10:002009-03-17T19:57:00.000+10:00I love passion fruit! I used to eat those when I w...I love passion fruit! I used to eat those when I was a kid and now I could rarely find them. If I could, I buy a lot like a week of supplyAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5089828552519076506.post-61077887577750637512009-03-17T19:55:00.000+10:002009-03-17T19:55:00.000+10:00Hi Rhonda. Are you in a fruit fly area? Do they ...Hi Rhonda. Are you in a fruit fly area? Do they attack your tomatoes? My Dad lives in Qld, and the only type of tomato the fruit fly didn't attack in his veggie patch were cherry tomatoes.Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08995214671079288985noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5089828552519076506.post-24612602091461400392009-03-17T19:03:00.000+10:002009-03-17T19:03:00.000+10:00WOnderful post Rhonda. I have a question about per...WOnderful post Rhonda. I have a question about perennial Welsh onions. How do they come up again as I imagine you pull the whole plant when you harvest or do you let one or two go to seed?<BR/><BR/>MargaretMargaret's Ramblingshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11736694208684946814noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5089828552519076506.post-25476156846437359992009-03-17T18:57:00.000+10:002009-03-17T18:57:00.000+10:00Your garden looks amazing, am only in the first st...Your garden looks amazing, am only in the first stages here of a new vegetable part (a little jealous LOL), Love the idea of useing big bricks for raised gardens.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5089828552519076506.post-35059784346577343072009-03-17T17:15:00.000+10:002009-03-17T17:15:00.000+10:00you have an absolutely wonderful garden - i think ...you have an absolutely wonderful garden - i think my husband is rather envious. i have been enjoying your blog for some time now - we are trying to establish a veggie garden and i've taken up preserving and the likes. can i ask where about you live? some of the plants you have suggest a tropical climate??? <BR/>cheers<BR/>l<BR/>xLevinhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10167382670215032422noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5089828552519076506.post-58366395240882220352009-03-17T15:48:00.000+10:002009-03-17T15:48:00.000+10:00Hi Rhonda, from South Africa, where we are going i...Hi Rhonda, from South Africa, where we are going into Autumn, as well! I love your blog, and am inspired by it daily. Do you mind telling me how big your property is? I would love to live your lifestyle, but feel too cramped in the suburbs of Johannesburg to do so!Craftricahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06690197112015633633noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5089828552519076506.post-17393053784421711552009-03-17T15:46:00.000+10:002009-03-17T15:46:00.000+10:00What a beautiful garden! I am as green with envy ...What a beautiful garden! I am as green with envy as could possibly ever be!<BR/><BR/>Please keep up your inspirational posts.TheWhineyFairyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17833985267200242071noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5089828552519076506.post-21465673429337603632009-03-17T14:56:00.000+10:002009-03-17T14:56:00.000+10:00Oh I would so love to try one of your bananas. I p...Oh I would so love to try one of your bananas. I picked my very first strawberry I ever have grown.It was amazing! The flavor was so intense!Donettahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13530145585581721795noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5089828552519076506.post-69834784095028061912009-03-17T14:31:00.000+10:002009-03-17T14:31:00.000+10:00Rhonda, I always enjoy looking at what you have i...Rhonda,<BR/> I always enjoy looking at what you have in your garden. I think it's so awesome to be able to grow bananas in your yard. I have to buy mine at the grocery store and they are frightfully pricey in the winter! I'm busy making sure all of my garden beds are ready for planting and hope to plant peas and onions this week. Maybe some radishes and carrots...some of the lettuce that went to seed last fall have been growing in one of the beds! I'm on the lookout for snails this year...last year they wiped out most of the main garden and they are not invited to the feast this year!! LOL Have a good week.<BR/>Hugs, Aunt BeaAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5089828552519076506.post-11707892188065934622009-03-17T13:42:00.000+10:002009-03-17T13:42:00.000+10:00What a beautiful garden. The pictures were making...What a beautiful garden. The pictures were making my mouth water. I can't wait to start mine!slaterlifehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14735048778919157843noreply@blogger.com