tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5089828552519076506.post6502439229181624836..comments2024-03-29T19:22:11.409+10:00Comments on down to earth: Vegetable gardeningUnknownnoreply@blogger.comBlogger23125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5089828552519076506.post-49200339506076972022008-05-19T04:19:00.000+10:002008-05-19T04:19:00.000+10:00how is planting a vegetable garden helpful to our ...how is planting a vegetable garden helpful to our earth?Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5089828552519076506.post-64126010738155434252007-10-04T10:12:00.000+10:002007-10-04T10:12:00.000+10:00Just to inform your international readers, not eve...Just to inform your international readers, not everyone lives in such a neighborhood in the U.S. I would never choose to do so (& it is most certainly a choice, not something we Americans are "made to do"). Such neighborhoods exist to keep a certain appearance and class of people living there (hence, all the rules). Not that they are fair rules, however, they are not unknown to potential buyers I am sure.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5089828552519076506.post-80453101522997473132007-10-02T07:34:00.000+10:002007-10-02T07:34:00.000+10:00Lisa j, yeah, those cucumbers are delicious.lisa, ...Lisa j, yeah, those cucumbers are delicious.<BR/><BR/>lisa, I love your visits and comments too. : )<BR/><BR/>wildside, it's beautiful to me but I'm aware that most people would not think it was pretty.<BR/><BR/>debbie, hot and dry weather garden can push you to the edge. Do you have some water tanks or large container harvesting water from your roof? Our tanks have made the biggest difference to how we garden. I hope the drought breaks soon there and I wish you and your husband the best with your gardens.<BR/><BR/>anna, we spend about 30 minutes per day in the garden - that's either watering, looking, weeding and enjoying. every so often, we spend a half day there planting, moving, putting up trellises, tying up plants, fertilising etc.<BR/><BR/>jennifer, I loved reading about the generosity of others. Well done. I hope your neighbours learn from your wonderful example.<BR/><BR/>Hi alexandra, thank you. I will be putting recipes in my ebook that I hope to have ready in December. : )<BR/><BR/>KH, it's incredible to me that a democratic country would allow such restrictions on personal freedom. You are much better off out of that neighbourhood. There is a wonderful home waiting for you and your husband where you can exercise your freedoms just as Hanno and I do. Good luck with your move. : )Rhonda Jeanhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00175785349529109084noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5089828552519076506.post-74234863295522853692007-10-01T22:50:00.000+10:002007-10-01T22:50:00.000+10:00Thank you, thank you for the tomato advice! I wil...Thank you, thank you for the tomato advice! I will print that out and keep it for next planting season.<BR/><BR/>We are moving out of our cookie-cutter neighborhood here in the States to a home where we can have freedom outside our home. For instance, here we are not "allowed" to: hang our clothes out to dry, have a vegetable garden (they must be planted out of sight within mulched flower beds), build anything without permission, have any kind of outdoor animal, etc...<BR/><BR/> We must, by "code": have the *right* number of bushes, get all plantings pre-approved by a board of directors, keep our outdoor lights on all night long, use chemicals on our lawn, water our lawn often to keep it perfect, not have any containers outside, etc... We call it the Nazi Neighborhood. I don't know if you have these awful neighborhood associations there in Australia, but they are everywhere here in the USA.<BR/><BR/>Just looking at how self-sufficient your home/yard is really is the most inspiring thing to my husband and me. Thank you for being transparent and SO VERY helpful!<BR/><BR/>God bless,<BR/>KHAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5089828552519076506.post-720053217136111952007-10-01T07:50:00.000+10:002007-10-01T07:50:00.000+10:00I love pictures of your lush green garden, so neat...I love pictures of your lush green garden, so neat and efficient looking.<BR/><BR/>We have dry shade, lots of beautiful trees, but it's difficult to grow much.<BR/><BR/>I can't wait to see your recipes and dishes with your fresh veggies and fruit.Alexandrahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12356420873078531863noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5089828552519076506.post-6174902991800411532007-10-01T05:43:00.000+10:002007-10-01T05:43:00.000+10:00I think your house and garden are a "pretty site."...I think your house and garden are a "pretty site." It is the scenes of working, practical people that touch me the most.<BR/><BR/>I, too, have buckets to catch the rain, a wheel barrow and compost pile in my backyard - in full view of the neighbors. These are my tools to live a better life. So far in my urban neighborhood I am the only one to live like this. But I have hope.<BR/><BR/>The neighbors are fascinated with the grapes growing along the back fence so I told them to help themselves. The people that stop to ask where I get my plants have all been offered seedlings next spring.<BR/><BR/>I love your blog and thank you for sharing so much of yourself. It gives me hope.<BR/><BR/>Jennifer in ChicagoJenniferhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03827459364595288621noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5089828552519076506.post-57562802763595468592007-10-01T04:58:00.000+10:002007-10-01T04:58:00.000+10:00Ah, lovely. :) I dream of the day when I can have ...Ah, lovely. :) I dream of the day when I can have my own garden -- a girl can drem, right? ;) For now, I have to be content with houseplants and some herbs in pots. <BR/><BR/>I wonder - how much work does it all take, daily?Mrs. Anna Thttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15377583333000789903noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5089828552519076506.post-14332508364943332942007-10-01T04:43:00.000+10:002007-10-01T04:43:00.000+10:00We really enjoyed looking at the pictures of your ...We really enjoyed looking at the pictures of your gardens and house. My husband asked me to click on the pictures to enlarge them. Its the end of one of the hottest and dryest summers on record here. Its been quite a job to keep any plants alive. The drought continues, as fall is usually dry anyway. Thanks, Debbie J.Debbie Jhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01610913789958390802noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5089828552519076506.post-91214367779207419072007-10-01T00:41:00.000+10:002007-10-01T00:41:00.000+10:00"It's not a pretty site, but it works well for us...."It's not a pretty site, but it works well for us."<BR/><BR/>Oh, I know what you mean!!!<BR/><BR/>But big pockets of pretty in between just the same...<BR/><BR/>(Wildside)Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5089828552519076506.post-8973418269219166852007-09-30T23:10:00.000+10:002007-09-30T23:10:00.000+10:00Your garden is wonderful, Rhonda!Thank you for giv...Your garden is wonderful, Rhonda!Thank you for giving us the grand tour - I feel like a special friend every time I visit your blog. Thanks for making me smile.Lishttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00066863074405512584noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5089828552519076506.post-91787434594855435152007-09-30T20:05:00.000+10:002007-09-30T20:05:00.000+10:00Rhonda, I remember eating fresh apple cucumbers as...Rhonda, I remember eating fresh apple cucumbers as a kid and enjoying them neat. The skin is fairly thin and they're very juicy. Yum. And Blueberries: that's got me thinking!Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5089828552519076506.post-43166482139789679592007-09-30T18:26:00.000+10:002007-09-30T18:26:00.000+10:00Rhonda it is good to see how my babies are growing...Rhonda it is good to see how my babies are growing and taking over the country.<BR/>Judi BAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5089828552519076506.post-86717373209980453512007-09-30T16:03:00.000+10:002007-09-30T16:03:00.000+10:00All it takes is a bit of work, Kamrin, and that ne...All it takes is a bit of work, Kamrin, and that never hurt anyone. I'm sure you'll have a great garden one day. : )<BR/><BR/>Cheryl, thank you. How many bushes have you planted?Rhonda Jeanhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00175785349529109084noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5089828552519076506.post-58340898888737756612007-09-30T15:53:00.000+10:002007-09-30T15:53:00.000+10:00Everything looks so wonderful! We have a nice bun...Everything looks so wonderful! We have a nice bunch of Sunshine Blue blueberries growing, too. We have very hot summers here, and the Sunshine Blue have done well for us. We harvested several quarts this summer.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5089828552519076506.post-19632290408085061642007-09-30T14:05:00.000+10:002007-09-30T14:05:00.000+10:00Gosh! Your garden is gorgeous! We are heading into...Gosh! Your garden is gorgeous! We are heading into fall here and I am busy trying to move my garden out from under a huge canopy of trees so I can make some kind of shelter to keep the squirrels and raccoons out. I hope my garden will look that fabolous one day!Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5089828552519076506.post-40912032290644323072007-09-30T11:57:00.000+10:002007-09-30T11:57:00.000+10:00hello marg. Thanks. The besser blocks are set in s...hello marg. Thanks. The besser blocks are set in sand in a very shallow border strip, so not dug in at all. None of them has fallen. Then we filled each bed with compost, old chook nests and the rakings from their coup and mixed in with the good soil that was already there. We throw lawn clippings into the chicken coup so they scratch through it, poo on it and turn it into fast semi-compost. We started out with clay ten years ago but it's excellent now. The beds run N-S.rhonda jeanhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08962112306968959985noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5089828552519076506.post-43668160680081633352007-09-30T11:41:00.000+10:002007-09-30T11:41:00.000+10:00Hi RhondaLovely pictures. I am just planning some ...Hi Rhonda<BR/>Lovely pictures. I am just planning some new beds - my one big vegie patch is going strong but I have run out of room for the summer veg. and can't see the point of keeping all the lawn (weedy grass) that's left. Are the edges of your beds set deeper than the besser blocks or did you just lay them at ground level and do the no-dig thing? Also do your beds run EW or NS?Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5089828552519076506.post-19256104228239469052007-09-30T11:06:00.000+10:002007-09-30T11:06:00.000+10:00Hi Ali, thank you.Hi Ali, thank you.Rhonda Jeanhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00175785349529109084noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5089828552519076506.post-39204627328636389912007-09-30T11:05:00.000+10:002007-09-30T11:05:00.000+10:00Hello Anon, I tend to stick with the heirloom toma...Hello Anon, I tend to stick with the heirloom tomatoes and my favourite is Brandywine Pink. We have always have cherry tomatoes growing too, I usually plant Tommy Toe but they have self seeded everywhere and I'm staying away from them for a couple of years. This year I'm planting an F1 hybrid, Sweet Bite, which is the same as Sweet 100. I know that won't self seed.<BR/><BR/>Tomatoes take a fair bit of looking after. I plant the seeds in a tray, then transplant them to their own pot when large enough, then pot them on once more before I plant them out. By that time they've developed a strong root system. When I plant them out, I remove the bottom two leaves and plant up to the leaf node. The tomato will develop more roots all along the buried stem and give more fruit.<BR/><BR/>I plant in rich organic soil and add sulphate of potash to the planting hole. I water in with water and seaweed solution. I give them very weak drinks of worm juice every two weeks and make sure I stake them as they grow. If nothing attacks them, with this regime, I get good crops - enough for eating, giving away and for preserving.Rhonda Jeanhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00175785349529109084noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5089828552519076506.post-84261644981521732312007-09-30T10:10:00.000+10:002007-09-30T10:10:00.000+10:00I always like looking at the pictures of your gard...I always like looking at the pictures of your garden. it is so green!!Alihttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07636304236237630746noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5089828552519076506.post-31740659408834354932007-09-30T09:08:00.000+10:002007-09-30T09:08:00.000+10:00What sort of tomato do you like to plant? I usual...What sort of tomato do you like to plant? I usually plant "Sweet 100" cherry tomato which I can eat like candy all season long. However, I have had year after year of terrible slicing tomatoes... all gritty, bitter, tasteless, mushy.... So, I'm looking for a "new" variety for next spring (USA) and would love to know what works well for you!<BR/>ThanksAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5089828552519076506.post-43412648365659598252007-09-30T08:35:00.000+10:002007-09-30T08:35:00.000+10:00Good morning Gary. We plant potatoes all year so ...Good morning Gary. We plant potatoes all year so they may be late by "normal" recommendations, but we just put in another lot when the previous potatoes are harvested. We have about 10 kilos of kipflers in the cupboard from our last crop. I would like to dedicate two gardens to potatoes but we don't have the room, so we often have gaps when we need to buy them.rhonda jeanhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08962112306968959985noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5089828552519076506.post-29475976442370660772007-09-30T07:36:00.000+10:002007-09-30T07:36:00.000+10:00Thanks for the tour, Rhonda Jean.I've never seen s...Thanks for the tour, Rhonda Jean.<BR/><BR/>I've never seen silver beet that big!<BR/><BR/>Our your potatoes late, or is that normal for your area?<BR/><BR/>Regards, Garygaryhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07724194046009036993noreply@blogger.com