Just looked at my computer clock…pinch and a punch…

March! So it is.
I was busy in the kitchen making goodies, including rose petal jam from my single fragrant cloud rose bush. I dried the petals until I had enough. Such a pretty colour.
Or jelly as the clear sweet is called. Just rose petals, sugar and lemon juice.

Happy Potter said:

March! So it is.
I was busy in the kitchen making goodies, including rose petal jam from my single fragrant cloud rose bush. I dried the petals until I had enough. Such a pretty colour.
Or jelly as the clear sweet is called. Just rose petals, sugar and lemon juice.

drool

Happy Potter said:

March! So it is.
I was busy in the kitchen making goodies, including rose petal jam from my single fragrant cloud rose bush. I dried the petals until I had enough. Such a pretty colour.
Or jelly as the clear sweet is called. Just rose petals, sugar and lemon juice.

Looks fantastic!

Good morning Gardeners. I’m going for a quick bike ride now it has just got light enough. Planning on putting together another arch today to go over the raspberries so I can net. There are a few set on the Heritage and the Purple are reaching for the stars and need to be tied.

I need a coffee, or three.

Oh and , I didn’t get photos, but my top bar ‘cow’ hive was full of wax moth grubs. The fella who built it and manages it for me, came for a lookie see as I’d noticed not many bees.. well lots of webbing full of fat grubs. As big as curl grubs, he said he’d never seen this bad an infestation before.
A win for the chooks though. I sat there pulling the webbing apart on old combs with chooks flocking for the tasty larvae that fell out. The contented look on hens faces with crops so bulging that they have to waddle away to find a resting spot, is a sight to behold.

The hive will be cleaned and sterilized and left to sit as garden art until we figure out what to do. It’s almost like it’s cursed. It’s a challenge now. It will hold bees, and produce honey.

Happy Potter said:

Oh and , I didn’t get photos, but my top bar ‘cow’ hive was full of wax moth grubs. The fella who built it and manages it for me, came for a lookie see as I’d noticed not many bees.. well lots of webbing full of fat grubs. As big as curl grubs, he said he’d never seen this bad an infestation before.
A win for the chooks though. I sat there pulling the webbing apart on old combs with chooks flocking for the tasty larvae that fell out. The contented look on hens faces with crops so bulging that they have to waddle away to find a resting spot, is a sight to behold.

The hive will be cleaned and sterilized and left to sit as garden art until we figure out what to do. It’s almost like it’s cursed. It’s a challenge now. It will hold bees, and produce honey.

The only real way to beat Wax moth is to start with new hives and have a very strong bee colony. Whenever food supplies get low, the colony weakens. This is when wax moth can take over.

Infested boxes will need to be fumigated. Phostoxin is recommended?

I can’t wait until the crispy dry stuff turns to this:

roughbarked said:

Happy Potter said:

Oh and , I didn’t get photos, but my top bar ‘cow’ hive was full of wax moth grubs. The fella who built it and manages it for me, came for a lookie see as I’d noticed not many bees.. well lots of webbing full of fat grubs. As big as curl grubs, he said he’d never seen this bad an infestation before.
A win for the chooks though. I sat there pulling the webbing apart on old combs with chooks flocking for the tasty larvae that fell out. The contented look on hens faces with crops so bulging that they have to waddle away to find a resting spot, is a sight to behold.

The hive will be cleaned and sterilized and left to sit as garden art until we figure out what to do. It’s almost like it’s cursed. It’s a challenge now. It will hold bees, and produce honey.

The only real way to beat Wax moth is to start with new hives and have a very strong bee colony. Whenever food supplies get low, the colony weakens. This is when wax moth can take over.

Infested boxes will need to be fumigated. Phostoxin is recommended?

Yes they said some strong chemical like that. It’ll be taken away to be cleaned.

roughbarked said:

I can’t wait until the crispy dry stuff turns to this:

A “Photographer’s Delight”?

So, I made up the archway. A bit better this one, having already done one and now sort of understanding the weird instructions. And it is over the raspberries and netted. And I lightly plaited the three very long (over 6ft) canes of the black raspberry and tied it up high. I’m not sure that is going to last in the garden if it is going to be that rampant. I’ll give it a chance, but it might have to go.

I received a letter from J1 from down the back, she is in Yeppoon, having left here as soon as Cyclone Marcia (the baitch) blew herself out. Her house in Yeppoon is undamaged but a tree fell on the shed. She is very grateful for the undamaged house plus also there were no leaks, etc.

She managed to get a letter to me which I received 1 week after she sent it, there has been problems with mail dispatch? and she left home so fast she didn’t set the drippers on her fruit trees, would I please do this?

So I am about to go down and set these drippers, and will go down about 21:00 hours tonight and check they’re not flowing too fast…

well mowing is done…
I really should do it earlier in the day. So hot!

hannos said:

well mowing is done…
I really should do it earlier in the day. So hot!

Not too bad here. I’ve been to the doctor and got drugs. Maybe I can try some outdoor stuff.

Cough snort choke..urg urg just a sinus inf’ and a whopper headache.
Never mind.

*waves to Bubba Louie! @ :) Your new place sound fantastic!

I ordered some lacewing eggs from bugs for bugs qld to clean up a bad infestation of woolly aphids on one dwarf tree fern, of three, in my fernery. Despite daily water blasting, they come back.
The fernery has turned out to be a lizard haven. I see blue tongues and skinks at times, but mostly marbled geckos. No white oil in there, as was suggested. The lizards love it in there so I feel obliged to protect them.

We always knew it, but now we know why…

Antidepressant Microbes In Soil: How Dirt Makes You Happy

Hello. I’m been awol due to a virus for the last 2 weeks. Still not 100%.

Lucky1 said:

Hello. I’m been awol due to a virus for the last 2 weeks. Still not 100%.

hope you are on the mend now.

When I was a kid I played the recorder. Had weekly lessons from my grandfather who played the flute. For some reason I have been thinking about it and today picked up a plastic “school” recorder at the op shop and spent some time playing. I really enjoyed it. Think I might invest in a good one that doesn’t sound tinny and have weird harmonics in the lower notes.

bluegreen said:

We always knew it, but now we know why…

Antidepressant Microbes In Soil: How Dirt Makes You Happy

Love it! Gunna share that :)

bluegreen said:

When I was a kid I played the recorder. Had weekly lessons from my grandfather who played the flute. For some reason I have been thinking about it and today picked up a plastic “school” recorder at the op shop and spent some time playing. I really enjoyed it. Think I might invest in a good one that doesn’t sound tinny and have weird harmonics in the lower notes.

my friend made a travelling saxamaphone. It was kinda like a tin whistle to which he could attach his sax mouthpiece. The interesting thing was (he was saying) that the sax and the recorder have the same fingering, but his travelling sax sounded like a sax and not a tin whistle. It was kinda nice.

They maybe commercially available?

Might sound better than a recorder?

bluegreen said:

Lucky1 said:

Hello. I’m been awol due to a virus for the last 2 weeks. Still not 100%.

hope you are on the mend now.

Yeah getting there.

Lucky1 said:

bluegreen said:

Lucky1 said:

Hello. I’m been awol due to a virus for the last 2 weeks. Still not 100%.

hope you are on the mend now.

Yeah getting there.

That’s good :) My sinus is clear now too, headache gone. Yay.

Good morning Gardeners. I have been bike riding in the drizzle and breeze…neither of which announced they would start after I’d gone about 2km. Wasn’t too bad though.

In about an hour some neighbours are coming up for a tomato tasting…I’ve got 6 varieties ripe, although not in abundance. I don’t know how many they have.

Seeing that we are all gardeners here and that buying sugarcane mulch from Bunnings could be something we all may consider.

This is what germinated from weed seed germination suppressing sugarcane mulch.
Yes it came with the mulch and germinated despite the assurances on the bag that it suppresses germination.

https://www.flickr.com/photos/roughbarked/sets/72157650812698811/

They have to be stuff from wherever the sugarcane came from. I would never have collected these so they aren’t things I tossed out.

roughbarked said:

Seeing that we are all gardeners here and that buying sugarcane mulch from Bunnings could be something we all may consider.

This is what germinated from weed seed germination suppressing sugarcane mulch.
Yes it came with the mulch and germinated despite the assurances on the bag that it suppresses germination.

https://www.flickr.com/photos/roughbarked/sets/72157650812698811/

They have to be stuff from wherever the sugarcane came from. I would never have collected these so they aren’t things I tossed out.

No I still haven’t identified them though one I believe is a type of vetch.

roughbarked said:

roughbarked said:

Seeing that we are all gardeners here and that buying sugarcane mulch from Bunnings could be something we all may consider.

This is what germinated from weed seed germination suppressing sugarcane mulch.
Yes it came with the mulch and germinated despite the assurances on the bag that it suppresses germination.

https://www.flickr.com/photos/roughbarked/sets/72157650812698811/

They have to be stuff from wherever the sugarcane came from. I would never have collected these so they aren’t things I tossed out.

No I still haven’t identified them though one I believe is a type of vetch.

Suppressing isn’t eliminating, but you don’t want it introducing!

bluegreen said:

roughbarked said:

roughbarked said:

Seeing that we are all gardeners here and that buying sugarcane mulch from Bunnings could be something we all may consider.

This is what germinated from weed seed germination suppressing sugarcane mulch.
Yes it came with the mulch and germinated despite the assurances on the bag that it suppresses germination.

https://www.flickr.com/photos/roughbarked/sets/72157650812698811/

They have to be stuff from wherever the sugarcane came from. I would never have collected these so they aren’t things I tossed out.

No I still haven’t identified them though one I believe is a type of vetch.

Suppressing isn’t eliminating, but you don’t want it introducing!

correct.

Forum is back.

Thanks CB88

roughbarked said:

Seeing that we are all gardeners here and that buying sugarcane mulch from Bunnings could be something we all may consider.

This is what germinated from weed seed germination suppressing sugarcane mulch.
Yes it came with the mulch and germinated despite the assurances on the bag that it suppresses germination.

https://www.flickr.com/photos/roughbarked/sets/72157650812698811/

They have to be stuff from wherever the sugarcane came from. I would never have collected these so they aren’t things I tossed out.

my question is “why are you buying sugarcane mulch?”. I thought you were a grape marc fan???

painmaster said:

roughbarked said:

Seeing that we are all gardeners here and that buying sugarcane mulch from Bunnings could be something we all may consider.

This is what germinated from weed seed germination suppressing sugarcane mulch.
Yes it came with the mulch and germinated despite the assurances on the bag that it suppresses germination.

https://www.flickr.com/photos/roughbarked/sets/72157650812698811/

They have to be stuff from wherever the sugarcane came from. I would never have collected these so they aren’t things I tossed out.

my question is “why are you buying sugarcane mulch?”. I thought you were a grape marc fan???

The missus purchased it while I was up north.
Yes I am a big grape marc fan but due both to my efforts at proving locally how good it was as a soil conditioning mulch and to the long dry in soutthern Qld where the graziers were trucking grape marc to feed stock, it is now hard to get.

roughbarked said:

painmaster said:

roughbarked said:

Seeing that we are all gardeners here and that buying sugarcane mulch from Bunnings could be something we all may consider.

This is what germinated from weed seed germination suppressing sugarcane mulch.
Yes it came with the mulch and germinated despite the assurances on the bag that it suppresses germination.

https://www.flickr.com/photos/roughbarked/sets/72157650812698811/

They have to be stuff from wherever the sugarcane came from. I would never have collected these so they aren’t things I tossed out.

my question is “why are you buying sugarcane mulch?”. I thought you were a grape marc fan???

The missus purchased it while I was up north.
Yes I am a big grape marc fan but due both to my efforts at proving locally how good it was as a soil conditioning mulch and to the long dry in soutthern Qld where the graziers were trucking grape marc to feed stock, it is now hard to get.

fair enough. I do find it odd that you have weed in your sugarcane mulch… Sugarcane farmers up this way seem to be hell bent in poisoning the GBR and keeping weeds out of their cane… seemed strange for seed to end up in your mulch.

painmaster said:

roughbarked said:

painmaster said:

my question is “why are you buying sugarcane mulch?”. I thought you were a grape marc fan???

The missus purchased it while I was up north.
Yes I am a big grape marc fan but due both to my efforts at proving locally how good it was as a soil conditioning mulch and to the long dry in soutthern Qld where the graziers were trucking grape marc to feed stock, it is now hard to get.

fair enough. I do find it odd that you have weed in your sugarcane mulch… Sugarcane farmers up this way seem to be hell bent in poisoning the GBR and keeping weeds out of their cane… seemed strange for seed to end up in your mulch.

Yet it was there. Several species of small furry weeds gathered together and grooving without a pict.

roughbarked said:

Yet it was there. Several species of small furry weeds gathered together and grooving without a pict.

I have heard others complain about new weeds sprouting from sugar cane mulch.

Speedy said:

roughbarked said:

Yet it was there. Several species of small furry weeds gathered together and grooving without a pict.

I have heard others complain about new weeds sprouting from sugar cane mulch.

Then I’m not the lone stranger.

Morning green ones. In the midst of a backyard makeover, I’ve sore blistered hands, even with gloves.
The almond tree is going, it’s been massacred. I’ve used loppers to trim the height and get out thicker branches, and today a chainsaw to chop out the main framework branches. I’m harsh on my garden, but if I don’t get fruit from it, or it’s not useful to me in some other way, it doesn’t stay. The parrots were taking all the almonds, but the tree got too tall to net. For a ‘naturally small’ all in one almond, it got to six meters and still growing.

Now that the tree is out of the way, the old chook pen is coming down. It was supposed to be temporary, but ended up lasting over eight or more years with wire mesh and netting over the top, now it’s a complete eyesore with torn netting and warped sides. In it’s place will be temp fencing panels that are twice the size of the ones hire or buy. I think they’re 3.5 mt by 2.4 mt high. I haven’t measured yet, but three panels will make up two sides and the roof. The pen will be smaller to fit with the panels, but for six hens it’ll be fine.

Finally, a fox and predator proof pen. I’ve just been lucky where foxes are concerned. There’ll be a small door on the east side into the rear mini orchard for the chooks, where they can forage in deep mulch and compost all day, with sun in winter, shade in summer. Then to make it bird proof as well, black netting over the sides and light coloured shade cloth will cover the top. Wire mesh from the current pen will be recycled into buried skirting, so foxes can’t dig under. I only need the skirting on two sides, the other two sides are concrete floored sheds.

On the front wall of the pen I’m going to plant a cherry espalier. This will provide better shade for their pen in summer. The cherry is nearly 2 my high and I’ve weighted branches down to shape in readiness. I was going to put the cherry out the front, but it will do better espaliered onto the chook pen wall where I can keep it trimmed easier, and net it. A pollinator cherry will be grafted onto it, to eventually travel around to the east side. Empty patch where almond was, along the people path will be planted out with my favourite ‘red jared’ boronias. I can’t wait!

Works will stop this arvo as I’ll be off to pick up a load of horse manure. Swapping my flat trailer for a high sided caged trailer for the day for extra manure to share with another gardener. The property owner loads it with a bobcat. easy! So far, between my friend and I with both our trailers, have provided manure mulch for half the town! I hate being idle, so I’m happy to do it :)

roughbarked said:

I have heard others complain about new weeds sprouting from sugar cane mulch.

Then I’m not the lone stranger.

No, you are not. Well at least I believe you, but only because the other complainants were reliable people ;)

roughbarked said:

Speedy said:

I have heard others complain about new weeds sprouting from sugar cane mulch.

Then I’m not the lone stranger.

No, you are not. Well at least I believe you, but only because the other complainants were reliable people ;)

* fixed *

Speedy said:

roughbarked said:

I have heard others complain about new weeds sprouting from sugar cane mulch.

Then I’m not the lone stranger.

No, you are not. Well at least I believe you, but only because the other complainants were reliable people ;)

U sayin I’m not? ;)

I took photos. ;)

Happy Potter said:

… I hate being idle, so I’m happy to do it :)

You are welcome to visit, anytime. :)

I’ve used sugar cane mulch, didn’t see any weeds come up from it. But then they wouldn’t have a chance to germinate with chooks annihilating any weed that dares to come up here.
I stopped using it though as it caused my sinusitis. I don’t know if it was the dust in it or possibly chemical residues. Horrible stuff.

roughbarked said:

painmaster said:

roughbarked said:

The missus purchased it while I was up north.
Yes I am a big grape marc fan but due both to my efforts at proving locally how good it was as a soil conditioning mulch and to the long dry in soutthern Qld where the graziers were trucking grape marc to feed stock, it is now hard to get.

fair enough. I do find it odd that you have weed in your sugarcane mulch… Sugarcane farmers up this way seem to be hell bent in poisoning the GBR and keeping weeds out of their cane… seemed strange for seed to end up in your mulch.

Yet it was there. Several species of small furry weeds gathered together and grooving without a pict.

There are “organic” sugarcane mulches sold and presumably would be from organically run farms, therefore no sprays and potentially weedy.

Happy Potter said:

Morning green ones. In the midst of a backyard makeover, I’ve sore blistered hands, even with gloves.

I am exhausted just reading all that. I wish I had half your energy.

bluegreen said:

Happy Potter said:

Morning green ones. In the midst of a backyard makeover, I’ve sore blistered hands, even with gloves.

I am exhausted just reading all that. I wish I had half your energy.

Turmeric paste helps! Or as it’s often called, golden paste. I was looking for things to boost Max’s health, spirulina and multi vitamins to replace the stem cell nutrition tabs, but the paste is making a difference on it’s own. It’s simple to make.
Now the man and I are on it. It’s only day four for he and I. I have a patch of spider veins above my inside ankle that suddenly became painful with a burning feeling. Small clots, but as they are superficial they aren’t the same as a scary deep vein clot and don’t travel. The spider veins are disappearing, taking the pain with it. I’ve been to the drs, I don’t self medicate, always check things first with my gp. Hubbys got arthritis on one hand, base of his thumb, but he said the pain and stiffness is easing.

I never got around to putting up a picture of our Tomato Tasting Plate last Saturday:

We et the carrot and little squares of white bread between types. But they were all Pretty Good, actually.

And my Hei Long taking the veil. He does this with curtains, blankets, whatever. Not sure why….

buffy said:

And my Hei Long taking the veil. He does this with curtains, blankets, whatever. Not sure why….

Haha. Max does this too! Towels are good, also dressing gowns, jackets, blankets and bedspreads, etc. Hubby threw a large cotton weave blanket over him and he was quite happy dragging it about. Weird dogs

buffy said:

And my Hei Long taking the veil. He does this with curtains, blankets, whatever. Not sure why….

cute :)

Well, that’s all the herb pots emptied, refilled and bits of various herbs pulled off and repotted. I’m a bit rough in the way I do that, but herbs are tough.

:)

So, I’m quite impressed with how well the long line method of staking the tomatoes has done:

Easy to move the ties up and around straggly escapees, easy to access both sides of the plants. And they don’t really seem to mind being a bit crowded either.

buffy said:

So, I’m quite impressed with how well the long line method of staking the tomatoes has done:

Easy to move the ties up and around straggly escapees, easy to access both sides of the plants. And they don’t really seem to mind being a bit crowded either.

Easy access and looks great :)

Our chook pen rebuild continues. We’ve slowed a bit though due to appts with GS. He is going ok, have another drs appt on Wed to review his tablets.

We’ve removed the roof area of the pen and replaced rotting wood door frame with hardwood and reinforced gaps above and below with heavy duty mesh, then covered that with hardwood. We ran out of fencing panel to cover the whole roof, so grabbed a couple large pieces of concrete reo mesh and got them up, overlapping so the gaps are smaller and to eliminate waste. They are held in place temporarily with plastic cable ties until we can get some more metal ties. I will get the skirting down next, have to dig a shallow trench on two sides. Any left over wire mesh can also go on the roof. It will all be covered with the bird cloth, eventually.

By the time I’m finished a mouse wont be able to get in there!

locusts/grasshoppers have arrived. the chooks were chasing them this morning when I let them out but weren’t catching many.

bluegreen said:

locusts/grasshoppers have arrived. the chooks were chasing them this morning when I let them out but weren’t catching many.

At least they wont let them settle :)

How to test if a chook pen is foxproof when you don’t have a fox handy. Leave the door open with food dish full, let it fill with pigeons and lock them in. Call the pigeon killing dog..

Max found two weak spots too so it was a great idea One slide bolt in the middle of the door, so the bottom corner could be forced open. Only by an inch or two, but a fox will persist. Will add slide bolts to the top and bottom for nights or when we’re not home. Other spot was where the big fence panel doesn’t sit square to the fence and the mesh we covered that with isn’t strong enough. I will do the ‘fox’ test again after fixing.

Not a single bird was harmed in this testing.

Happy Potter said:

How to test if a chook pen is foxproof when you don’t have a fox handy. Leave the door open with food dish full, let it fill with pigeons and lock them in. Call the pigeon killing dog..

Max found two weak spots too so it was a great idea One slide bolt in the middle of the door, so the bottom corner could be forced open. Only by an inch or two, but a fox will persist. Will add slide bolts to the top and bottom for nights or when we’re not home. Other spot was where the big fence panel doesn’t sit square to the fence and the mesh we covered that with isn’t strong enough. I will do the ‘fox’ test again after fixing.

Not a single bird was harmed in this testing.

Novel approach but did you get a psychiatrist to check the pigeons?

roughbarked said:

Happy Potter said:

How to test if a chook pen is foxproof when you don’t have a fox handy. Leave the door open with food dish full, let it fill with pigeons and lock them in. Call the pigeon killing dog..

Max found two weak spots too so it was a great idea One slide bolt in the middle of the door, so the bottom corner could be forced open. Only by an inch or two, but a fox will persist. Will add slide bolts to the top and bottom for nights or when we’re not home. Other spot was where the big fence panel doesn’t sit square to the fence and the mesh we covered that with isn’t strong enough. I will do the ‘fox’ test again after fixing.

Not a single bird was harmed in this testing.

Novel approach but did you get a psychiatrist to check the pigeons?

Haha.
There may have been a sudden mass moult event going by the amount of feather mulch, and a couple may have lost their tails entirely..but none were actually killed :)

Happy Potter said:

roughbarked said:

Happy Potter said:

How to test if a chook pen is foxproof when you don’t have a fox handy. Leave the door open with food dish full, let it fill with pigeons and lock them in. Call the pigeon killing dog..

Max found two weak spots too so it was a great idea One slide bolt in the middle of the door, so the bottom corner could be forced open. Only by an inch or two, but a fox will persist. Will add slide bolts to the top and bottom for nights or when we’re not home. Other spot was where the big fence panel doesn’t sit square to the fence and the mesh we covered that with isn’t strong enough. I will do the ‘fox’ test again after fixing.

Not a single bird was harmed in this testing.

Novel approach but did you get a psychiatrist to check the pigeons?

Haha.
There may have been a sudden mass moult event going by the amount of feather mulch, and a couple may have lost their tails entirely..but none were actually killed :)

At that they may think twice about free offerings in the chook pen. It may be more difficult to repeat the experiment.

roughbarked said:

Happy Potter said:

roughbarked said:

Novel approach but did you get a psychiatrist to check the pigeons?

Haha.
There may have been a sudden mass moult event going by the amount of feather mulch, and a couple may have lost their tails entirely..but none were actually killed :)

At that they may think twice about free offerings in the chook pen. It may be more difficult to repeat the experiment.

No, they’re back, silly things. The lure of food I suppose.
We’re putting the finer wire netting on the front now, but in one piece that goes into into the dirt then an L shape for the skirt. Finer so a fox can’t drag a hen through the larger gauge wire, if any hens happen to be sleeping against the side.

Happy Potter said:

roughbarked said:

Happy Potter said:

Haha.
There may have been a sudden mass moult event going by the amount of feather mulch, and a couple may have lost their tails entirely..but none were actually killed :)

At that they may think twice about free offerings in the chook pen. It may be more difficult to repeat the experiment.

No, they’re back, silly things. The lure of food I suppose.
We’re putting the finer wire netting on the front now, but in one piece that goes into into the dirt then an L shape for the skirt. Finer so a fox can’t drag a hen through the larger gauge wire, if any hens happen to be sleeping against the side.

I found that the bird mesh is impossible for a fox to dig through but chicken wire can be torn apart.

And I would like to report that underplanting the apple tree with a ring of garlic chives has been a Very Successful Experiment. At present the bees are ecstatic about it….bzzzz, bzzzzz, bzzzzz all day in the sunshine. And it looks very pretty.

buffy said:

And I would like to report that underplanting the apple tree with a ring of garlic chives has been a Very Successful Experiment. At present the bees are ecstatic about it….bzzzz, bzzzzz, bzzzzz all day in the sunshine. And it looks very pretty.

:)

buffy said:

And I would like to report that underplanting the apple tree with a ring of garlic chives has been a Very Successful Experiment. At present the bees are ecstatic about it….bzzzz, bzzzzz, bzzzzz all day in the sunshine. And it looks very pretty.

Sounds lovely. Got a pic?

Happy Potter said:

buffy said:

And I would like to report that underplanting the apple tree with a ring of garlic chives has been a Very Successful Experiment. At present the bees are ecstatic about it….bzzzz, bzzzzz, bzzzzz all day in the sunshine. And it looks very pretty.

Sounds lovely. Got a pic?

I’ll try to remember to take one tomorrow.

buffy said:

And I would like to report that underplanting the apple tree with a ring of garlic chives has been a Very Successful Experiment. At present the bees are ecstatic about it….bzzzz, bzzzzz, bzzzzz all day in the sunshine. And it looks very pretty.

Bees and many insects really love garlic chives. They are pretty. Prone to become a weed though so i regularly dig them up and thin them out. I do wish normal chives would grow so well.

buffy said:

Happy Potter said:

buffy said:

And I would like to report that underplanting the apple tree with a ring of garlic chives has been a Very Successful Experiment. At present the bees are ecstatic about it….bzzzz, bzzzzz, bzzzzz all day in the sunshine. And it looks very pretty.

Sounds lovely. Got a pic?

As I said, many insects;
I’ll try to remember to take one tomorrow.

roughbarked said:

Happy Potter said:

roughbarked said:

At that they may think twice about free offerings in the chook pen. It may be more difficult to repeat the experiment.

No, they’re back, silly things. The lure of food I suppose.
We’re putting the finer wire netting on the front now, but in one piece that goes into into the dirt then an L shape for the skirt. Finer so a fox can’t drag a hen through the larger gauge wire, if any hens happen to be sleeping against the side.

I found that the bird mesh is impossible for a fox to dig through but chicken wire can be torn apart.

Yes it’s because they cant get their mouth or claws through to tear it. With the hens confined to their yard and the rear mini orchard, I will be able to grow more things around my other apple trees. Like chives that will actually get to flowering, and nasturtiums, before they get mauled. I’ll be able to grow a bed of chook greens for ‘big yard forage days’ where they can go for broke eating it, and the lawn.

Hello Gardeners. It tried to rain here. Failed somewhat…

Anyway, here is the apple tree with the garlic chives around the bottom of it:

And a not very obvious bee!

I think the chives enjoyed a spray of water most evenings when I was doing the veggies by hand held hose.

buffy said:

Hello Gardeners. It tried to rain here. Failed somewhat…

I think the chives enjoyed a spray of water most evenings when I was doing the veggies by hand held hose.

They do prefer a wet spot.

buffy said:

Hello Gardeners. It tried to rain here. Failed somewhat…

Anyway, here is the apple tree with the garlic chives around the bottom of it:

And a not very obvious bee!

I think the chives enjoyed a spray of water most evenings when I was doing the veggies by hand held hose.

I see the bee! Are the garlic chives helping keep away pests like coddling moth?

Tried to rain here too. A few spatters on the roof. Really could do with some rain.

>>Are the garlic chives helping keep away pests like coddling moth?<<

Maybe helping. But it’s been such an incredibly dry season, there seems to be less coddling than usual. There is still some though. The chives have multiplied phenomenally in the last 12 months, so next year might be a better test. I only put them there last year when I was trying to eradicate them from another part of the garden that they were taking over. Where they are now, an island in the grass, I can just mow them down from the outside.

I’m thinking I might put bunches of normal chives under the espaliered apple further up the yard.

http://www.sgaonline.org.au/companion-planting/

The flowers of the parsnip plant left to seed will attract a variety of predatory insects to the garden, they are particularly helpful when left under fruit trees, the predators attacking codling moth and light brown apple moth. The root also contains Myristricin, which is toxic to fruit flies, house flies, red spider mite, pea aphids, a simple blender made extraction of three blended parsnips roots to one litre of water

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_companion_plants

buffy said:

Hello Gardeners. It tried to rain here. Failed somewhat…

Anyway, here is the apple tree with the garlic chives around the bottom of it:

And a not very obvious bee!

I think the chives enjoyed a spray of water most evenings when I was doing the veggies by hand held hose.

Very pretty :) thanks for sharing the photos

roughbarked said:

http://www.sgaonline.org.au/companion-planting/

The flowers of the parsnip plant left to seed will attract a variety of predatory insects to the garden, they are particularly helpful when left under fruit trees, the predators attacking codling moth and light brown apple moth. The root also contains Myristricin, which is toxic to fruit flies, house flies, red spider mite, pea aphids, a simple blender made extraction of three blended parsnips roots to one litre of water

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_companion_plants

I didn’t know that about parsnip, but that picture says a lot about how important it is in terms of biodiversity.

bluegreen said:

roughbarked said:

http://www.sgaonline.org.au/companion-planting/

The flowers of the parsnip plant left to seed will attract a variety of predatory insects to the garden, they are particularly helpful when left under fruit trees, the predators attacking codling moth and light brown apple moth. The root also contains Myristricin, which is toxic to fruit flies, house flies, red spider mite, pea aphids, a simple blender made extraction of three blended parsnips roots to one litre of water

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_companion_plants

I didn’t know that about parsnip, but that picture says a lot about how important it is in terms of biodiversity.

The picture is of garlic chive flowers but yes, the above was why it was posted otherwise.

Personally, garlic is far better for eating and I’ve always got an over abundance of it. I don’t really need the weedy garlic chives other than for the insects. Which of course it is excellent for.

In China garlic chives are cut and used as a veggie. I’ve not done it, but I probably nearly have enough to give it a go now. Sold in the markets in bunches. I’ve only used it as a flavouring.

buffy said:

In China garlic chives are cut and used as a veggie. I’ve not done it, but I probably nearly have enough to give it a go now. Sold in the markets in bunches. I’ve only used it as a flavouring.

Yep. This is very true. It is more used as greens than flavouring.

This is Korean, but like this:

I was instructed to maintain the garlic chives for a chinese chef.

The same chef was happy to lightly stir fry an egg with a few young mulberry leaves.

I wish my garlic chives would grow like that. I’d settle for weedy even! But mine are in a pot, so I may set them free hey. Chooks are great mowers but now that they are more contained I might actually get to see some flower stuff happening.

Moving along on the pen rebuild. Nearly finished! Just one last bird mesh panel to go and it’s done, then I can start backfilling over the skirting and clean up the piles of wood and stuff about.
Then I can plan what I’m going to plant in the bed where the almond tree was. I’m still planting the tall potted cherry against the chook mesh, but I’ll do that once its leafless.

Happy Potter said:

I wish my garlic chives would grow like that. I’d settle for weedy even! But mine are in a pot, so I may set them free hey. Chooks are great mowers but now that they are more contained I might actually get to see some flower stuff happening.

Moving along on the pen rebuild. Nearly finished! Just one last bird mesh panel to go and it’s done, then I can start backfilling over the skirting and clean up the piles of wood and stuff about.
Then I can plan what I’m going to plant in the bed where the almond tree was. I’m still planting the tall potted cherry against the chook mesh, but I’ll do that once its leafless.

Setting them free will mean that you need a lot of space for them.

roughbarked said:

Happy Potter said:

I wish my garlic chives would grow like that. I’d settle for weedy even! But mine are in a pot, so I may set them free hey. Chooks are great mowers but now that they are more contained I might actually get to see some flower stuff happening.

Moving along on the pen rebuild. Nearly finished! Just one last bird mesh panel to go and it’s done, then I can start backfilling over the skirting and clean up the piles of wood and stuff about.
Then I can plan what I’m going to plant in the bed where the almond tree was. I’m still planting the tall potted cherry against the chook mesh, but I’ll do that once its leafless.

Setting them free will mean that you need a lot of space for them.

Nothing is scared from chooks, they would keep them down. I want to cut garlic chives to use as a side dish but have had no luck growing them in pots.

We finished the pen in the nick of time. Saffron coming up and the hens had nibbled that too. Anyone would think I didn’t feed them! Now the hens are contained, the lovely red threads will grow.

>>Nothing is scared from chooks, they would keep them down. I want to cut garlic chives to use as a side dish but have had no luck growing them in pots. <<

They don’t like being in pots in my experience. But they are invasive and they seed like crazy. That’s why mine are now on an ‘island’.

buffy said:

>>Nothing is scared from chooks, they would keep them down. I want to cut garlic chives to use as a side dish but have had no luck growing them in pots. <<

They don’t like being in pots in my experience. But they are invasive and they seed like crazy. That’s why mine are now on an ‘island’.

Yes. The island idea is good. The flowers can be enjoyed as long as the seed heads are removed before the seed starts rattling.

Hello Gardeners.

I reckon you lot might appreciate a little scenario that developed in our backyard last evening. I gave Long and Babuschka quite meaty bones for dinner along with their kibble. Long eats locked into the run, Buschka roams free. So Buschka was lying on the ‘grass’ (it’s dirt at the moment) contentedly munching away, with her tail out behind her. One of the backyard ravens sidled – and that is the best possible word for it – up behind her, and pecked at her tail. She ignored it. So it had another peck. At this stage I thought there must have been a piece of bone on the ground there that I couldn’t see, but when she wagged her tail a little bit and the raven had a third go, I could see that the raven was trying to distract her into dropping her bone so it could grab it. She then rushed at the raven. But kept the bone in her mouth. She settled down again and the raven started the routine all over again. She wasn’t having that…she just ignored it. It persisted for a while, but then we went out for tea at the pub, so I don’t know now it ended up really.

I know they are bright birds, but the distraction technique was very interesting. And didn’t work. So I wonder if this has been going on for some time and we haven’t noticed it.

buffy said:

Hello Gardeners.

I reckon you lot might appreciate a little scenario that developed in our backyard last evening. I gave Long and Babuschka quite meaty bones for dinner along with their kibble. Long eats locked into the run, Buschka roams free. So Buschka was lying on the ‘grass’ (it’s dirt at the moment) contentedly munching away, with her tail out behind her. One of the backyard ravens sidled – and that is the best possible word for it – up behind her, and pecked at her tail. She ignored it. So it had another peck. At this stage I thought there must have been a piece of bone on the ground there that I couldn’t see, but when she wagged her tail a little bit and the raven had a third go, I could see that the raven was trying to distract her into dropping her bone so it could grab it. She then rushed at the raven. But kept the bone in her mouth. She settled down again and the raven started the routine all over again. She wasn’t having that…she just ignored it. It persisted for a while, but then we went out for tea at the pub, so I don’t know now it ended up really.

I know they are bright birds, but the distraction technique was very interesting. And didn’t work. So I wonder if this has been going on for some time and we haven’t noticed it.

They are highly intelligent birds. Perhaps it didn’t work for Babuschka but does for other less intelligent dogs in the neighbourhood?

At my last house I was always wondering where the bread in the bird bath came from, until I saw a raven fly in with some dry bread one day and used the water to soften it.

I have also seen a video of a bird (not a raven) that by observing how fish would come to eat the bread that children threw into a pond, learned that if it stole a piece of bread and dropped it in the water, it could attract fish that it would catch and eat.

These ravens dunk bread. And bits of meat pie. And whatever else they scavenge from the milk bar/takeaway behind us. But only in one particular water dish. It must be the right depth or something.

buffy said:

These ravens dunk bread. And bits of meat pie. And whatever else they scavenge from the milk bar/takeaway behind us. But only in one particular water dish. It must be the right depth or something.

Anyway, the concept of the use of birdbrain to describe a lack of intelligence is a concept best discarded.

Who is it here that grows the saffron crocus? Happy Potter? Are yours poking up yet? I’ve just had to repot mine because the Big Gum Tree decided those pots were an ideal place to raise her babies this year. I’ve gradually pricked out the gum trees for the local reveg people, but there were far too many. Then I thought I’d better discard the rest and rescue the crocus bulbs. Some appeared to be just starting to make new roots now.

buffy said:

Who is it here that grows the saffron crocus? Happy Potter? Are yours poking up yet? I’ve just had to repot mine because the Big Gum Tree decided those pots were an ideal place to raise her babies this year. I’ve gradually pricked out the gum trees for the local reveg people, but there were far too many. Then I thought I’d better discard the rest and rescue the crocus bulbs. Some appeared to be just starting to make new roots now.

Yes they are poking up now. I moved them to a raised bed.

Happy Potter said:

roughbarked said:

Happy Potter said:

I wish my garlic chives would grow like that. I’d settle for weedy even! But mine are in a pot, so I may set them free hey. Chooks are great mowers but now that they are more contained I might actually get to see some flower stuff happening.

Moving along on the pen rebuild. Nearly finished! Just one last bird mesh panel to go and it’s done, then I can start backfilling over the skirting and clean up the piles of wood and stuff about.
Then I can plan what I’m going to plant in the bed where the almond tree was. I’m still planting the tall potted cherry against the chook mesh, but I’ll do that once its leafless.

Setting them free will mean that you need a lot of space for them.

Nothing is scared from chooks, they would keep them down. I want to cut garlic chives to use as a side dish but have had no luck growing them in pots.

We finished the pen in the nick of time. Saffron coming up and the hens had nibbled that too. Anyone would think I didn’t feed them! Now the hens are contained, the lovely red threads will grow.

Bumping for buffy.

Thank you.

I’ve had an incredible day helping a friend pull down a 50 + year old garage and a tool shed behind the garage. The home owner moved in only days ago and wanted this eyesore gone asap. It is a hard job as old iron sheet walls were clad over with colourbond sheeting, obviously to pretty it up. The wooden frame is of a hardwood that hand saws have trouble getting through. An electric saw blunted pretty quickly too. My friend wants to build a chook pen with this material. It’ll be very strong in any case.

We found some things in the garage that the new owner might want to know about, but when she saw the rat poo in a cupboard she shrieked and said take it all, no matter what it is. So we pulled out this 3 metre long very heavy bench seat of sorts, had a solid back with cut outs and carvings at the top. Turns out it’s an old church pew. Then we found the matching ends. What a beauty. There were old tools of all sorts and bottles of vodka with Greek writing still sealed in a box, inside a crate. I picked up a long thin tube with a stopper at one end again with Greek writing on it and was a telescopic fishing rod! I know just the fisherman to give it to, a lovely Greek fellow taking myself and 4 other ladies out on the bay for a days fishing, soon.

We got the garage emptied of it’s contents and one side of the garage down before calling it a day. We will be back there nearly every day this week. There’s also several large window awnings they want gone. The awnings aren’t even a year old but they don’t like them. A couple will do very well on my front windows, west facing. There’s two water fountains, one with kissing doves and the other angels, or something, can’t quite remember, to go, and heaps of balustrading to be taken off their front verandah. My friend will take all these items, except the fishing rod.

Big job, but fun! :)

Oh the other thing was, I was given several kilos of hawthorn berries that have 2 seeds. All the recipes or pages I read for haw jelly mention single seed berries. Can I use these double seed berry for jelly? Any advice muchly appreciated. They have a lovely apple scent.

Happy Potter said:

Oh the other thing was, I was given several kilos of hawthorn berries that have 2 seeds. All the recipes or pages I read for haw jelly mention single seed berries. Can I use these double seed berry for jelly? Any advice muchly appreciated. They have a lovely apple scent.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Crataegus_monogyna

There are many hawthorn species, perhaps 50 in New England. And, in all of North America, possibly a thousand species, according to George Symonds (from his wonderful book Tree Identification Book : A New Method for the Practical Identification and Recognition of Trees, my favorite guide for learning tree ID). Fortunately, you don’t need to be able to identify particular species. You just need to know it’s a hawthorn, because all hawthorns have edible berries.
from: http://ouroneacrefarm.com/hawthorn-berries-identify-harvest-make-extract/

roughbarked said:

Happy Potter said:

Oh the other thing was, I was given several kilos of hawthorn berries that have 2 seeds. All the recipes or pages I read for haw jelly mention single seed berries. Can I use these double seed berry for jelly? Any advice muchly appreciated. They have a lovely apple scent.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Crataegus_monogyna

There are many hawthorn species, perhaps 50 in New England. And, in all of North America, possibly a thousand species, according to George Symonds (from his wonderful book Tree Identification Book : A New Method for the Practical Identification and Recognition of Trees, my favorite guide for learning tree ID). Fortunately, you don’t need to be able to identify particular species. You just need to know it’s a hawthorn, because all hawthorns have edible berries.
from: http://ouroneacrefarm.com/hawthorn-berries-identify-harvest-make-extract/

Cool, thankyou RB. I’d read that site but overlooked the ‘up to five seeds’ bit trading sleep time for reading time. I should get a few good jars of jam out of this lot. The loaded tree is near Kilmore that I got these fruits from. I’d go there if I had time.