When we finally settled back home after 6 years of roaming around I made two decisions
- I would not have a vegetable garden…
- I would not grow things in pots…
I would keep the garden easy care…
But 3 months later just look…
If you have seen previous posts about my garden (here and here) you may remember the front garden is a tropical style with lots of trees and palms shading a large area. Ferns, bromeliads and other exotic species cluster in the shade. It is riddled with tree roots and tends to get very dry. Not the best conditions for growing vegetables.
But, the back garden’s smaller and gets the sun most of the day, especially near Jack’s fish ponds. I’ve suggested we take out the ponds and turn that area into raised beds. But Jack loves his fish and water lilies.
So the solution : veggies in pots standing around the fish pond…
Above is my tomatoe forest, planted 6 weeks ago with parsley and rocket to keep them company.
This is the second crop of lettuce. Autumn and winter are the best time to grow vegetables. Summer is just too hot and humid and all the pests and diseases proliferate and consume or kill the produce before we can.
Tish over at “Tish Farrell” did an inspirational post about growing her radishes in pots, accompanied with mouth-watering photos (take a look). So here they are Tish only 6 days old. The garden in pots is expanding in all directions.
Another cluster of seedlings sun themselves under another tomatoe. Waiting to be potted on into larger permanent pots. Silver beet, land cress, more parsley, the radish sharing the container with coriander and at the front pansies being hardened off before going into a garden bed in the front garden. My nod to spring in the tropics.
But just a minute what can I see…
Let’s look closer…
Oh no!!! Some thing has been nibbling.
I look around and next to this tomatoe is my lemon tree in a pot and the lemons are starting to colour up.
But then I see it. I have never seen anything like this before. I imagine it will be a beautiful butterfly. So I am happy to share some of the tomatoes with him.
I’ve also put a mild chilly plant in a pot.
Spinach does not like the warm tropical climate. To grow well it needs a colder winter. But I have found a species called Ceylon Spinach ( Basella alba is an edible perennial vine in the family Basellaceae) It is not a true spinach but tastes similar and is used in the same way. But most importantly it thrives in the tropics. It is a vine and I have put it beside a post it can climb up.
So I guess I have tied myself to the garden for a while. Winter is traditionally the dry season in this area, so I will need to be here to keep pots watered.
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I have included some close ups to join in with Jude’s “garden photography challenge”. This is the last week for her close up theme.
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I am going in reverse and so I already know the butterfly update! and that is so nice of you to share! really – – and your veggies are vibrant. mmmmmmmmm
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Not a lot of butterflies around these days. I think it is because people are building HUGE houses and not having any gardens around their property. So I like to help them as much as possible.
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that is such a good point – and omg are you right about the large houses these days – a little ridiculous too – and ont he flip side – for a while this spring we were watching this show called “tiny houses” and it is fun to see people down size to 300 sq feet – I got burned out with the show -but hubs likes it – and it is crazy to see families do this small living – most it is just singles or couples – but sucha different perpective!
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I saw that show too and loved it. Made me think of when we lived in Matilda (happy memories) and the show got Jack all fired up wanting to put a small space shed in the backyard. But, thankfully, he has changed his mind!!!
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ha! glad he changed his mind…
have a nice day P
ta ta for now
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🙂 ttfn…
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❤
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Quite an ambitious veggie garden you have on the go there – interesting that winter is best for growing veggies. Nice of you to share your tomato plants with that fascinating looking creature…looks like something out of Alice in wonderland.
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It was quite big for a caterpillar too.
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Fantastic, Pauline. I must start my garden now! 😀
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It will grow well for you at this time of the year Dianne.
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Your garden is so fertile, it would be a shame not to make the most of it 🙂
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The lemon photograph looks great.
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Thank you
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They all look so healthy, Pauline. The green tomatoes remind me of the movie. 🙂
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I remember that movie, it was a good one.
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Once bitten by the growing bug.. haha… Lovely to see them all growing strong… lovely Pauline… Sending love your way.. See you upon my return.. xxx Hugs Sue
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It’s an infection Sue… Are you going on holiday?
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I always grew a few things when we had our own house, but every year we’d go on vacation for several weeks, sometimes more, in the summer and everything would die. One summer a friend was taking care of watering, but when we returned, my raised beds looked like photos of ground during a ground, full of wide cracks. She said that every time she was going to water, it looked like rain, so she didn’t water…and it didn’t rain. Sigh.
You’ve inspired me to try to at least do some pots this year.
janet
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At least with veggies you can eat them, or compost them when you go away and not feel guilty about leaving them to a slow death…
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Everything appears to be thriving. I love growing vegetables. They are beautiful, fast-growing, and you get to eat them. What could be better?
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Well sometimes you get to eat them if the birds and bugs don’t get to them first. But in winter there are less things around so our chances of getting a meal are greater… 🙂
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Now let me say – wonderful post, I’m so impressed with your gardening.
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They are Orchid Swallow Butterflies (or they will be):
https://musingsofafrequentflyingscientist.com/2015/04/16/ive-got-bugs/
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Oh PP. I did a whole post about that caterpillar last year. I had a little family of them on my lime tree. I loved them – they squirt a citrus smell as a defence mechanism. Hold up, I’ll go get the name of them…
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Thanks so much for the info DJ I should’ve known your scientific side would track it down… I’ve passed on the info in another post…
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Aw no worries. I’m so glad someone else found one. Just one? Or did he have friends? Have you seen the baby form? So cute!
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once a gardener always a gardener 😀 I think I could not live without plants,I’m sure you’ll gets lots of veggies in return !
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A garden is certainly good for the soul Gwennie.
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for the soul but also for the mind I think, I’d go crazy if it wasn’t for my garden !
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Me too
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Bravo, Pauline! Your radishes look wonderful, as does everything else. Thank you for all those kind words 🙂
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If and when they are ready to eat I will take another photo… 🙂
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I could do with you over here for a bit PP, to start me off. Though I only want to grow some herbs, and maybe tomatoes and chillies and peppers. There are a couple of raised beds at the back of the garden, but they need repairing so I shall probably start things off in pots like you have. I did, however, say that the house comes first this year!! And thank you for sharing your lovely caterpillar – I wonder what he is?
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Always so much to do in a new place Jude, but pace yourself, the garden is good for relaxation (though can be hard work) it is also good for the soul
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I’m not doing too much in the garden, I wander around each day noting what’s coming up (several wild plants I think) tidying up winter debris and noting down things to do. It’s just so lovely to have somewhere to do that in and when it is warm enough we can sit outside and admire the view.
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I wonder how I would feel without a garden. I think I would feel lost.
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btw I would love to come over and work in the garden with you. Desleyjane identified the caterpillar for me. An up date is on todays post.
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Like you we love travelling and of course the garden suffers. Mind you we have not lawn just pea gravel. So we put heaps of shadecloth over raised beds and along our fence. But last summer it was so hot we lost a passion vine 2 others coming back lots of leaves but no flowers still. Also lost a mandarin and grapefruit and a lot of vegies. So decided to travel over the winter. Well that went pear shaped too because we renovated our kitchen and now my husband has a hernia and op needed so grounded for 3 months and cant go anywhere. Love you garden hope it continues to grow. What part of Oz do you live in.
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Oh I do sympathise with you on your woes. Hope Hubby soon recovers. When we started travelling almost full time 6 years ago I down graded the garden to all easy care plants ie lots of bromeliads, rhoeos and the like. Emptied out all pots and did away with the veg garden. Replaced grass with gravel in the back yard and put wood chip around the front and lots of mulch, So it basically was easy care. Now I am starting to up grade again!!! I live on the Gold Coast, Queensland.
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There is a nasty painful sting in each of the spines on that caterpillar. Stay clear but show no mercy, Pauline 😉
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I kept my fingers well clear of those spines Ken, they looked quite lethal. But I let him live…
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You have so much energy, Pauline!
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I totally agree!
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I am green with envy….no, I’m not, that’s a corrosive emotion
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She’s definitely got green fingers though 🙂
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Certainly has!
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I’ll allow you a little tinge, just pale green though…
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OK, just the very palest shade, Pauline….
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It comes and goes, much more energy in the cooler weather… 🙂
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I can relate to that. Humid weather drains me of energy. I feel like a limp lettuce!
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Me too… 😦
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It comes and goes Sue. I have much more energy in the cooler months, in the heat and humidity I am like a wet rag.
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Well, that’s to be expected!
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🙂
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Ha ha ha
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Makes me chuckle too Deidre, never thought I would get hooked again!!!
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