some pics I took today too.

Water Lillies and other plant’s.

pretty flower from a tiny cactus the size of my thumbnail.

pretty flower from a tiny cactus the size of my thumbnail.
———
very nice and so is that little white spider webby thing (botanical name escapes me haha) next to it.
i know you’ve got green fingers – do you have particularly large thumbnails as well?

pepper said:

pretty flower from a tiny cactus the size of my thumbnail.
———
very nice and so is that little white spider webby thing (botanical name escapes me haha) next to it.
i know you’ve got green fingers – do you have particularly large thumbnails as well?

lol Pepe , hubby’s hands dwarf mine …he said I have tiny hands.

the cactus next to the flowering one is a pincushion cactus ‘ mammillaria’

Lovely pics HP guess what LOL, remember you told me to palnt mine and you saw my cacs/succ in the wheelbarrow, one flowered ROFL

Lovely photos HP:)

Nice and green and healthy looking.

The Estate said:

Lovely pics HP guess what LOL, remember you told me to palnt mine and you saw my cacs/succ in the wheelbarrow, one flowered ROFL

Great Thee ! Did you take pic’s of it ?

Lucky1 said:

Lovely photos HP:)

Nice and green and healthy looking.

Thanks Lucky :)
I had to trim the nasturtions back as they were going to cover the pond.

They’re nice photos HP, I love your pond, and waterlilies too! The cactus flower is gorgeous, so perfect.

That’s a cute little waterlily. Is that an ivy geranium in the foreground of the second photo? If so, what colour is it?

pom said:

That’s a cute little waterlily. Is that an ivy geranium in the foreground of the second photo? If so, what colour is it?

Yes it is Pom. I got it from Thee when I admired it and she thrust it at me :D It’s a pink striped flower and really pretty. I,ll take a pic of it for you when it’s in full bloom :)

Happy Potter said:

pom said:

That’s a cute little waterlily. Is that an ivy geranium in the foreground of the second photo? If so, what colour is it?

Yes it is Pom. I got it from Thee when I admired it and she thrust it at me :D It’s a pink striped flower and really pretty. I,ll take a pic of it for you when it’s in full bloom :)

I think I may know it. Is it called “Roulette?” I have a bright pink and white one with that name.

I love Cactus flowers and yours is so cool :)

I’ve been told that good deep watering in Springtime will encourage summer flowering in your cactus.

pain master said:

I love Cactus flowers and yours is so cool :)

I’ve been told that good deep watering in Springtime will encourage summer flowering in your cactus.

I’ve found most people underestimate just how much cacti enjoy a good drink in their growing season.

I’ve found most people underestimate just how much cacti enjoy a good drink in their growing season.
———————————————————
Oh yes Bubba, lost of people think they don’t need watering.

waves hi

lost of people
——————
Lots lucky the word is LOTS…… get back to the kitchen if you can’t spell!!!

Lucky1 said:

I’ve found most people underestimate just how much cacti enjoy a good drink in their growing season.
———————————————————
Oh yes Bubba, lost of people think they don’t need watering.

waves hi

Hi back.

Sam and I went to the Caboolture markets this morning. Amazingly cheap fruit, vege and plants. She bought a huge Adenium (sp), that would have been $100+ in a nursery, for about $20.

I got a big Vanda cutting for $8 and a tub stock syzygium wilsonii for $1.30.

bubba louie said:

Sam and I went to the Caboolture markets this morning. Amazingly cheap fruit, vege and plants. She bought a huge Adenium (sp), that would have been $100+ in a nursery, for about $20.

I got a big Vanda cutting for $8 and a tub stock syzygium wilsonii for $1.30.

They had food grade big blue plastic drums for $20. Cheapest I’ve seen them.

I just realised I’m in the wrong thread.

bubba louie said:

Sam and I went to the Caboolture markets this morning. Amazingly cheap fruit, vege and plants. She bought a huge Adenium (sp), that would have been $100+ in a nursery, for about $20.

I got a big Vanda cutting for $8 and a tub stock syzygium wilsonii for $1.30.

Markets are great places to buy bargains.

Budget fairy has put a 5 digit pin number on our purse….. she wants to see the Spunks & gals from GA later this month.

bubba louie said:

I just realised I’m in the wrong thread.

LOL @ Bubba:)

Lucky1 said:

bubba louie said:

Sam and I went to the Caboolture markets this morning. Amazingly cheap fruit, vege and plants. She bought a huge Adenium (sp), that would have been $100+ in a nursery, for about $20.

I got a big Vanda cutting for $8 and a tub stock syzygium wilsonii for $1.30.

Markets are great places to buy bargains.

Budget fairy has put a 5 digit pin number on our purse….. she wants to see the Spunks & gals from GA later this month.

I don’t think I’ll be going to GA again unless they move to a better location.

pain master said:

I love Cactus flowers and yours is so cool :)

I’ve been told that good deep watering in Springtime will encourage summer flowering in your cactus.

Aw thanks Pain Master :) Yep I give them a good watering and some fert for cactus in spring. I don’t know how many people have told me not to water them..but an elderly fellow told me told me about cacti a few years back and what a story it was ! He said , in short, in the dessert they wait for rain to flower , could be years, and when it’s dry they just stay dormant and wait for the rain’s to come. One’s in the home garden will flower more often with regular watering , testament to that is my pink flowering one that’s about to flower again for the 3 rd time in 3 month’s :)

bubba louie said:

Sam and I went to the Caboolture markets this morning. Amazingly cheap fruit, vege and plants. She bought a huge Adenium (sp), that would have been $100+ in a nursery, for about $20.

I got a big Vanda cutting for $8 and a tub stock syzygium wilsonii for $1.30.

I got a strange one today at our markets. It’s kind of waxy with purple leaves.It looks a lot like a begonia. It hairy top and bottom of the leaves and the stem is also hairy. I love mystery plants. Only thing is you have to watch that they aren’t invasive or weedy.

That reminds me…How did you get on with the Ipomoea you got a while back Bubba? I am pulling hundreds and hunreds of seedlings out of the garden every day ATM.

I don’t think I’ll be going to GA again unless they move to a better location.
———————————
I am with you on that one. I’d rather do the Nambour Garden Expo.

pic’s for Pom

there is actually 2 seperate gerainiums in the pot.. I’ve no idea of the name of them.

close up of the pink one.

and my pink cactus flowring for the 3 rd time so I added it just because I wanted to…
It’s got more flower spikes too, so it’s either deliriously happy or severely stressed and repeatedly flowering. Usually it flower’s once a year.

Happy Potter said:

pic’s for Pom

there is actually 2 seperate gerainiums in the pot.. I’ve no idea of the name of them.

close up of the pink one.

and my pink cactus flowring for the 3 rd time so I added it just because I wanted to…
It’s got more flower spikes too, so it’s either deliriously happy or severely stressed and repeatedly flowering. Usually it flower’s once a year.

Your a good girl HP. Thank you. I have the darker pink and white one that is called “Roulette” I don’t know the paler pink one but I will be keeping my eye out for it now. I also have white, mauve, deep red double and a deep red single that Bubba gave me. I have a couple of others but I got them as cuttings and can’t remember the colours. I have just put all mine into hanging baskets and I’m waiting to see some blooms soon.

I would also like to know if you dead head your geraniums? I have been doing this but I am finding that the stalk then dies back on me and I was wondering if I was doing the right thing?

Hi Pom, yes I do dead head the gerainuims, but snip them off where they join rather than pull them from the plant, as I have pulled whole branch’s off ..

pic’s of the weird rock I found at the beach, it’s heavy like a rock and very hard like a rock but not a rock…rather looks like a mushroom with it’s stalk pulled out.
I,m curious as to what it may be.

it’s a piece of dead coral – remember seeing them on camping trips as a kid. coral grows by the mini organisms laying down their bodies as they die while the living ones live inside the structure left by the bones of the dead ones. living coral is coloured by the living organisims.

Hi BG, yes I thought that too but it’s so heavy, coral is light..just has me intrigued

Ok I posted it on scribbly and was told to contact the Museum of Vic.. so I emailed them and sent a picture file as brain coral is not known in Vic water’s.
Can be weeks till a reply tho, but I’ll let you know what it is soon as I find out.

Happy Potter said:

Ok I posted it on scribbly and was told to contact the Museum of Vic.. so I emailed them and sent a picture file as brain coral is not known in Vic water’s.
Can be weeks till a reply tho, but I’ll let you know what it is soon as I find out.

Ok I’ve had a reply from Museum of Vic..it is a stony coral. Interesting !

“The following information relates specifically to the coral you found, Plesiastra versipora. It is from information provided in the book Melbourne’s Wildlife: A field guide to the fauna of Greater Melbourne, Museum Victoria, 2006.

Identification: Individual polyops only a few millimetres in diameter. Colonies often grow in extensive sheets over rock. They are commonly green in colour, but brown colonies are also frequent.

Habitat and range: Stony corals are found in the open water to about 25 meters depth. They are common in Port Phillip Bay and along the southern coastline (hence Werribee South) in clear water.

Notes: Because of its size and preference for exposed conditions this is the coral that is most often seen by divers. The colour is due to zooxanthellae – symbiotic single-celled algae that live in the body of the polyop. Zooxanthellae convert light energy to chemical energy, used by the coral to produce most of its own food. “

Giant son mucking about with my camera…

lol!

Happy Potter said:

Giant son mucking about with my camera…

Good on him:)

Love the shades…

Oh yeah and when the pic of the chook is enlarged…. she looks rabid….lol

Lucky1 said:

Oh yeah and when the pic of the chook is enlarged…. she looks rabid….lol

Yeah.. weird that !
He was wiggling his finger at her and she did peck him a beauty lol

Happy Potter said:

Lucky1 said:

Oh yeah and when the pic of the chook is enlarged…. she looks rabid….lol

Yeah.. weird that !
He was wiggling his finger at her and she did peck him a beauty lol

LOL that’ll teach him….. my chooks think my purple toenail are open slater…

LOL, lovely pics HP! Gee that chook looks mean!

Happy Potter said:

Giant son mucking about with my camera…

What a fantastic shot! I’m sure someone could think up a witty caption for http://icanhascheezburger.com/

:)

bon008 said:

Happy Potter said:

Giant son mucking about with my camera…

What a fantastic shot! I’m sure someone could think up a witty caption for http://icanhascheezburger.com/

Thanks Bonn , I submitted it :)
Some great ‘kodak moment’s’ in there eh !

Giant son mucking about with my camera…
—-
tell him i said – cool – or ‘totally sick’ – whichever is the greater compliment.

pepper said:

Giant son mucking about with my camera…
—-
tell him i said – cool – or ‘totally sick’ – whichever is the greater compliment.

I did Pepper and he giggled and said thank’s :)
He want’s the camera again now to see what he can capture lol…reckons he’s going to lay out on the nature strip and snap a magpie swooping at him LOL

this is a pic of some oranges I picked, all spotty and lumpy , like chickenpox lol.
The thing is, and this is the weird part, these are on about one quarter of the tree, the rest of the tree having smooth and plump beaut fruit.
I’ve left the pic on large size so might take a minute to open

oh and those spots do rub off , so i’m think it’s a sort of scale ?? The foliage in the same area of the tree is spotty too.
Might try white oil but when it’s cooler weather, too bluddy hot atm.

Happy Potter said:

this is a pic of some oranges I picked, all spotty and lumpy , like chickenpox lol.
The thing is, and this is the weird part, these are on about one quarter of the tree, the rest of the tree having smooth and plump beaut fruit.
I’ve left the pic on large size so might take a minute to open

do the brown spots rub off? could they be scale? or has the skin itself gone dry and brown in those spots.

Happy Potter said:

oh and those spots do rub off , so i’m think it’s a sort of scale ?? The foliage in the same area of the tree is spotty too.
Might try white oil but when it’s cooler weather, too bluddy hot atm.

you have answered my question, and yours I think.

Go for the white oil as you said and see how it goes.

bluegreen said:

Happy Potter said:

oh and those spots do rub off , so i’m think it’s a sort of scale ?? The foliage in the same area of the tree is spotty too.
Might try white oil but when it’s cooler weather, too bluddy hot atm.

you have answered my question, and yours I think.

Go for the white oil as you said and see how it goes.

Sorry BG , I do tend to ‘think out loud ‘ and be ahead of myself lol.

Happy Potter said:

this is a pic of some oranges I picked, all spotty and lumpy , like chickenpox lol.
The thing is, and this is the weird part, these are on about one quarter of the tree, the rest of the tree having smooth and plump beaut fruit.
I’ve left the pic on large size so might take a minute to open

Are you sure they’re not coming from the rootstock

Happy Potter said:

oh and those spots do rub off , so i’m think it’s a sort of scale ?? The foliage in the same area of the tree is spotty too.
Might try white oil but when it’s cooler weather, too bluddy hot atm.

Oh welll, disreguard my last post.

Bubba Louie said:

Happy Potter said:

this is a pic of some oranges I picked, all spotty and lumpy , like chickenpox lol.
The thing is, and this is the weird part, these are on about one quarter of the tree, the rest of the tree having smooth and plump beaut fruit.
I’ve left the pic on large size so might take a minute to open

Are you sure they’re not coming from the rootstock

No they’re not rootstock, that’s one thing I keep an eye out for.
The mandarine had a rootstock piece trying to grow out and I cut it off quick smart.

The onion bed all finished, garlic fitted in too.

Max chook whispering again.

Bulb bed all planted, root barrier and rock border in place.

Happy Potter said:

The onion bed all finished, garlic fitted in too.

Max chook whispering again.

Bulb bed all planted, root barrier and rock border in place.

well done all so neat and tidy as well !!

very nice hp

you certainly get things done HP – looking good.

The Estate said:

Happy Potter said:

The onion bed all finished, garlic fitted in too.

Max chook whispering again.

Bulb bed all planted, root barrier and rock border in place.

well done all so neat and tidy as well !!

Very nice and so green;)

hey thanks for the kind remarks gardening friend’s :)

Lucky it’s illegal to water lawn’s here as well ..so that patch of lawn only gets the washing machine rinse water…keeps it green ..only now it’s a smaller patch , there will be more of that water for the pond garden , which is just elephant’s ears , philodendron and cabbage tree :D

Happy Potter said:

The onion bed all finished, garlic fitted in too.

Max chook whispering again.

Bulb bed all planted, root barrier and rock border in place.

Lovely, HP. You have put such a lot of work into it, and it shows. I hope all your onions are big and beautiful and like wise your bulbs :)

Happy Potter said:

hey thanks for the kind remarks gardening friend’s :)

Lucky it’s illegal to water lawn’s here as well ..so that patch of lawn only gets the washing machine rinse water…keeps it green ..only now it’s a smaller patch , there will be more of that water for the pond garden , which is just elephant’s ears , philodendron and cabbage tree :D

Good on ya HP:)

Our house isn’t set up for recycling the washing water out onto the lawn:(

Thank’s O40 :D
I love growing thing’s, and if it wern’t for all of you great people , I would never have found out I could grow vegetable’s at all !
I love the planting and planning and seeing what happen’s and the produce is second to none for taste !

nor is mine Lucky.. but I got a rubber cone shaped thingy that I put into the outside pipe at the elbow ,,a screw off cap come’s off and the cone goes in, got it for $7 at bunning’s.. it blocks the pipe …I attach a garden hose to the end of that and the machine water drain’s into a double trough.. it drain’s slowly so I have to pause the machine during the rinse cycle.. and I pull it out to let each soapy load of water go. Easy out easy in :)

Happy Potter said:

nor is mine Lucky.. but I got a rubber cone shaped thingy that I put into the outside pipe at the elbow ,,a screw off cap come’s off and the cone goes in, got it for $7 at bunning’s.. it blocks the pipe …I attach a garden hose to the end of that and the machine water drain’s into a double trough.. it drain’s slowly so I have to pause the machine during the rinse cycle.. and I pull it out to let each soapy load of water go. Easy out easy in :)

My laundry is closed in, the rumpus room was built onto the back of the house and we’d have to have the back door open to allow a hose to run out onto the lawn.

How true !!

what’s this plant ? it grew out of a pot with a butterfly plant , I was thinking begonia at first but the tiny flower started opening. I have seen them before but no idea what it’s called. The leaves are quite hairy.

Happy Potter said:

what’s this plant ? it grew out of a pot with a butterfly plant , I was thinking begonia at first but the tiny flower started opening. I have seen them before but no idea what it’s called. The leaves are quite hairy.

I recognise it too, but never was much good on names when I had lots of indoor plants – just bought the pretty ones, lol!

Happy Potter said:

what’s this plant ? it grew out of a pot with a butterfly plant , I was thinking begonia at first but the tiny flower started opening. I have seen them before but no idea what it’s called. The leaves are quite hairy.

Common name Aluminium plant I think, if so dont let is loose in your garden !! Is it a silvery colour, hard to tell by the pic ?? could be me glasses LOL

Hi Thee, yes it’s a silvery colour , I will leave it be for now then later on repot it , or get rid of it depending on how it goes with frost’s.

If I’m correct it get little yellow flowers, going on memory here, and great for hanging baskets .

The Estate said:

Happy Potter said:

what’s this plant ? it grew out of a pot with a butterfly plant , I was thinking begonia at first but the tiny flower started opening. I have seen them before but no idea what it’s called. The leaves are quite hairy.

Common name Aluminium plant I think, if so dont let is loose in your garden !! Is it a silvery colour, hard to tell by the pic ?? could be me glasses LOL

I’m not so sure Thee.

Bubba Louie said:

The Estate said:

Happy Potter said:

what’s this plant ? it grew out of a pot with a butterfly plant , I was thinking begonia at first but the tiny flower started opening. I have seen them before but no idea what it’s called. The leaves are quite hairy.

Common name Aluminium plant I think, if so dont let is loose in your garden !! Is it a silvery colour, hard to tell by the pic ?? could be me glasses LOL

I’m not so sure Thee.

Maybe a Lamium of some sort, but I’m not certain of that either.

Might go and see if there is a bit of stray stuff in the garden and take a pic ??

The Estate said:

Happy Potter said:

what’s this plant ? it grew out of a pot with a butterfly plant , I was thinking begonia at first but the tiny flower started opening. I have seen them before but no idea what it’s called. The leaves are quite hairy.

Common name Aluminium plant I think, if so dont let is loose in your garden !! Is it a silvery colour, hard to tell by the pic ?? could be me glasses LOL

It’s not what I usually can ‘Aluminium Plant. Mine doesn’t have hairy leaves.

Bubba Louie said:

The Estate said:

Happy Potter said:

what’s this plant ? it grew out of a pot with a butterfly plant , I was thinking begonia at first but the tiny flower started opening. I have seen them before but no idea what it’s called. The leaves are quite hairy.

Common name Aluminium plant I think, if so dont let is loose in your garden !! Is it a silvery colour, hard to tell by the pic ?? could be me glasses LOL

I’m not so sure Thee.

Ah huh!

pomolo said:

Bubba Louie said:

The Estate said:

Happy Potter said:

what’s this plant ? it grew out of a pot with a butterfly plant , I was thinking begonia at first but the tiny flower started opening. I have seen them before but no idea what it’s called. The leaves are quite hairy.

Common name Aluminium plant I think, if so dont let is loose in your garden !! Is it a silvery colour, hard to tell by the pic ?? could be me glasses LOL

I’m not so sure Thee.

Ah huh!

I’m with Bubba on this one.

Some of the cupcake’s I made today , I still have as many to do yet with smooth icing. The pic doesn’t do them justice though, they look nicer from here :)

Happy Potter said:

Some of the cupcake’s I made today , I still have as many to do yet with smooth icing. The pic doesn’t do them justice though, they look nicer from here :)

They look yummy from here :) You have been having fun haven’t you ? LOL

Happy Potter said:

Some of the cupcake’s I made today , I still have as many to do yet with smooth icing. The pic doesn’t do them justice though, they look nicer from here :)

they look good enough to eat! :D

bluegreen said:

Happy Potter said:

Some of the cupcake’s I made today , I still have as many to do yet with smooth icing. The pic doesn’t do them justice though, they look nicer from here :)

they look good enough to eat! :D

i could do with some cupcakes HP can you put About 100 in the mail, take me a few days to eat them all.

lol Veg they are nearly gone. They are yum !

Happy Potter said:

lol Veg they are nearly gone. They are yum !

can i have a bite please.

They look yummy from here :) You have been having fun haven’t you ? LOL

————————————-
Very very relaxing and lot’s of fun Orchid 40 :)

bluegreen said:

Happy Potter said:

Some of the cupcake’s I made today , I still have as many to do yet with smooth icing. The pic doesn’t do them justice though, they look nicer from here :)

actually they look too good to eat – i’m glad you digitally recorded them – we can drool forever now.

they look good enough to eat! :D

i counted 30 cupcakes i reckon that would take me about 1-2 days to eat the lot.

They do indeed, 3rd August might be nice LOLOLOLOL pokes tongue out

Couple of pic’s.

Pomolo this is the zygo cactus you sent me a leaf , it’s a lovely clear pink (in a pot with a salmon coloured zygo next to it ) I will take the pink one out and turn it into multiples, I love the colour !

And a pic of my 10 litre worm wee bottle almost full, I got the bottle from a rubbish collection , no stopper in it so I use an old spud as a plug :D

Nice Zygo, HP ! Your worm wee looks like good strong stuff – it has a Guiness look about it methinks. I wouldn’t want a taste though ! LOL

orchid40 said:

Nice Zygo, HP ! Your worm wee looks like good strong stuff – it has a Guiness look about it methinks. I wouldn’t want a taste though ! LOL

Thank’s O40.
It look’s a bit like a distillery with tapped tub’s and bucket’s too!
I diluted it, added a cap of seaweed concentrate , fish emulsion and watered all my veges with it.
The worm’s number in the thousand’s, so the chook’s get a handful now and then too. Happy all round !

t look’s a bit like a distillery with tapped tub’s and bucket’s too!
I diluted it, added a cap of seaweed concentrate , fish emulsion and watered all my veges with it. The worm’s number in the thousand’s, so the chook’s get a handful now and then too. Happy all round !
—————-
err – ‘scuse me – the worms that are being fed to the chooks might not be happy LOL. i presume the worms won’t survive in the ground.
10 litres of wormwee a month is a good return.

Pomolo this is the zygo cactus you sent me a leaf , it’s a lovely clear pink (in a pot with a salmon coloured zygo next to it ) I will take the pink one out and turn it into multiples, I love the colour !

——————————
It looks really good HP. I’m glad it went to a good home.

The worm’s number in the thousand’s, so the chook’s get a handful now and then too. Happy all round !

Do you know I had a tutor comment on an assignment that chook’s eating meat wasn’t natural! I thought to myself – she’s never seen them attack a mouse that made the mistake of wandering into their pen.

finally found this thread..a few pics from today.

10 yo grandson aka celery muncher standing next to the celery, he is as tall as me.

Part of the mulched mini orchard

Prepped bed for corn in spring

Tomato bed

opposite mini orchard

new sewer cover makes a good w’barrow stand

lisbon lemon, great producer, giving away heaps, made lemon cordial syrup to freeze for summer and many lemon dishes :)

Hey HP I have a celery question for you.

How do you stop the celery becoming bitter????
I have baby celery in the garden from Pepe.

Pepe can answer this too…..

2 heads are better than 1.

Great photos HP…… looks good enough to eat!!!!

Lucky1 said:

Hey HP I have a celery question for you.

How do you stop the celery becoming bitter????
I have baby celery in the garden from Pepe.

Pepe can answer this too…..

2 heads are better than 1.

Actually Lucky I have no idea , do they go that way if left in the ground ? I have as many questions as you !
Re blanching them.. my plot is small and I plant things close together anyway , I grew red cabbages right up close to them.

Lucky1 said:

Hey HP I have a celery question for you. How do you stop the celery becoming bitter????
I have baby celery in the garden from Pepe. Pepe can answer this too….. 2 heads are better than 1.

celery is meant to be salty – remember celery salt?
so it is never sweet as such – more savoury.
the answer to preventing bitterness is good soil and lots of water i suspect – in other words grow it fast and tall.

finally found this thread..a few pics from today. 10 yo grandson aka celery muncher standing next to the celery, he is as tall as me.
———————————————————
10 out of 10 from me.
i love the way you have soil prepared well in advance. i often think the best gardeners (best anything actually) are always well prepared.

Happy Potter said:

Lucky1 said:

Hey HP I have a celery question for you.

How do you stop the celery becoming bitter????
I have baby celery in the garden from Pepe.

Pepe can answer this too…..

2 heads are better than 1.

Actually Lucky I have no idea , do they go that way if left in the ground ? I have as many questions as you !
Re blanching them.. my plot is small and I plant things close together anyway , I grew red cabbages right up close to them.

So the celery stalks aren’t tough and stringy???? Well done:)

pepe said:

Lucky1 said:

Hey HP I have a celery question for you. How do you stop the celery becoming bitter????
I have baby celery in the garden from Pepe. Pepe can answer this too….. 2 heads are better than 1.

celery is meant to be salty – remember celery salt?
so it is never sweet as such – more savoury.
the answer to preventing bitterness is good soil and lots of water i suspect – in other words grow it fast and tall.

Thanks Pepe:)

Going to post a photo tomorrow of your celery on my blog…hows that for a teaser;P

yes hp they look great.

Wow I’m very impressed HP. What a productive garden! The celery is amazing. Clever kid!! LOL

pepe said:

Lucky1 said:

Hey HP I have a celery question for you. How do you stop the celery becoming bitter????
I have baby celery in the garden from Pepe. Pepe can answer this too….. 2 heads are better than 1.

celery is meant to be salty – remember celery salt?
so it is never sweet as such – more savoury.
the answer to preventing bitterness is good soil and lots of water i suspect – in other words grow it fast and tall.

Celery isn’t salty I have to say Pepe. Celery salt is made from flavour and salt.

This black forest cake cake is a dud. Why’s it a dud ?
It’s too small, it’s high enough but it needs to be twice as wide.. the choc coating isn’t thick enough, and it’s supposed to be dark choc.

I haven’t made a black forest cake before ( strange but ,same as a batternburg cake, I’m yet to try that one too) so this was a test , now I know what to do to better it :)

It will be demolished by tonight :)

Happy Potter said:

This black forest cake cake is a dud. Why’s it a dud ?
It’s too small, it’s high enough but it needs to be twice as wide.. the choc coating isn’t thick enough, and it’s supposed to be dark choc.

I haven’t made a black forest cake before ( strange but ,same as a batternburg cake, I’m yet to try that one too) so this was a test , now I know what to do to better it :)

It will be demolished by tonight :)

oh! I bet the family love it when you make a dud! lol!

They sure do BG.. except for youngest daughter who yells “ how am I supposed to diet when you cook all this stuff !!”
So none for her, we will eat it before she gets home tonight. Saving her the anguish LOL.

I’m already onto the better bigger 10 egg version with larger pieces of dark choc curls.

Happy Potter said:

This black forest cake cake is a dud. Why’s it a dud ?
It’s too small, it’s high enough but it needs to be twice as wide.. the choc coating isn’t thick enough, and it’s supposed to be dark choc.

I haven’t made a black forest cake before ( strange but ,same as a batternburg cake, I’m yet to try that one too) so this was a test , now I know what to do to better it :)

It will be demolished by tonight :)

Your duds look better than my successes HP !
It will still be yummy :)

Happy Potter said:

This black forest cake cake is a dud. Why’s it a dud ?
It’s too small, it’s high enough but it needs to be twice as wide.. the choc coating isn’t thick enough, and it’s supposed to be dark choc.

I haven’t made a black forest cake before ( strange but ,same as a batternburg cake, I’m yet to try that one too) so this was a test , now I know what to do to better it :)

It will be demolished by tonight :)

Bugger I am getting good at the cappuccinos and that would have been just spot on about 30 mins ago….;)

Happy Potter said:

They sure do BG.. except for youngest daughter who yells “ how am I supposed to diet when you cook all this stuff !!”
So none for her, we will eat it before she gets home tonight. Saving her the anguish LOL.

I’m already onto the better bigger 10 egg version with larger pieces of dark choc curls.

any for me?

Happy Potter said:

This black forest cake cake is a dud. Why’s it a dud ?
It’s too small, it’s high enough but it needs to be twice as wide.. the choc coating isn’t thick enough, and it’s supposed to be dark choc.

I haven’t made a black forest cake before ( strange but ,same as a batternburg cake, I’m yet to try that one too) so this was a test , now I know what to do to better it :)

It will be demolished by tonight :)

I’m not fussy how it looks. I bet it tastes like black forrest cake. I’d be willing to help your family eat it.

VG , and others , should we ever have a garden meet at my place, I’ll make a H U G E one for us all ok :D

It’s a vegetable curry tonight for tea, seeing as we have that for dessert :)

Happy Potter said:

VG , and others , should we ever have a garden meet at my place, I’ll make a H U G E one for us all ok :D

It’s a vegetable curry tonight for tea, seeing as we have that for dessert :)

ok, make it when i am out of school :) i shot gun raiding the house for food first.

Happy Potter said:

This black forest cake cake is a dud. Why’s it a dud ? It’s too small, it’s high enough but it needs to be twice as wide.. the choc coating isn’t thick enough, and it’s supposed to be dark choc. I haven’t made a black forest cake before ( strange but ,same as a batternburg cake, I’m yet to try that one too) so this was a test , now I know what to do to better it :) It will be demolished by tonight :)

oh – not good – better send all future rejects to – ‘pepe’s poodle parlour’
c/o my address LOL

lol Pepe!

It’s being demolished as I type.. by hubby! surprising because he’s not a cake person. He is raving about it lol.
Well I can see I’ll be making this again.. It is yummy, despite it’s crappy looks.

The smaller baked cheesecake I made this morning. It’s yummmmmmm :D

Happy Potter said:

The smaller baked cheesecake I made this morning. It’s yummmmmmm :D

oh yummmmm..

good thing I don’t live at your place… lol!

bluegreen said:

Happy Potter said:

The smaller baked cheesecake I made this morning. It’s yummmmmmm :D

oh yummmmm..

good thing I don’t live at your place… lol!

It’s an even better thing I have a lap band !! LOL

Happy Potter said:

The smaller baked cheesecake I made this morning. It’s yummmmmmm :D

drool – maybe we should all meet at HP’s after all.

Oh that cheesecake looks divine !

Happy Potter said:

what’s this plant ? it grew out of a pot with a butterfly plant , I was thinking begonia at first but the tiny flower started opening. I have seen them before but no idea what it’s called. The leaves are quite hairy.

I’m thinking possibly a Plectrantus, sorry I’ve dredged this up from ages ago whilst trying to have a look at cheesecake piccies that were mentioned!

Having just had a look at the whole thread I have to say, HP, your cake making and decorating skills are divine!
I loved all the little individually iced and decorated cupcakes (so cute!) and that Black forest cake ‘dud’ was better than anything I could do!

Happy Potter said:

The smaller baked cheesecake I made this morning. It’s yummmmmmm :D

Gee a piece of soft yummy home made cheese cake would make me feel heaps better.

“I’m thinking possibly a Plectrantus, sorry I’ve dredged this up from ages ago whilst trying to have a look at cheesecake piccies that were mentioned!”

——————————————
Oh ok, thanks Horty. It has taken over the pot and shoved the butterfly plant aside, it’s dead. I’ll clean it out but I have left the ‘Plec’ thing to grow and it’s very healthy. In summer those baskets will be holding petunias.

hortfurball said:

Having just had a look at the whole thread I have to say, HP, your cake making and decorating skills are divine!
I loved all the little individually iced and decorated cupcakes (so cute!) and that Black forest cake ‘dud’ was better than anything I could do!

Aww thanks for the kind words Horty ,you’re a sweetie :)
You flatter me dear, my mum would have yelled at me for that dud lol. Wait until you see the next black forest cake!
The cupcakes are to be fine tuned too..but I need to do a cake decorating course first.

some chook yard before pics ..

Mud cleaned out for sand

still some work to do , but sanded and paved area

weird funghi

and tiny new rhubarb just emerging

Ah much better HP, they chookies will love you !!

The Estate said:

Ah much better HP, they chookies will love you !!

They better..my muscles hate me.

still some work to do , but sanded and paved area
———————————-
much better.

I get the same fungi in my lupin mulch, HP.

That was some strange fungi for sure…… your rhubarb plant looks like mine…very tiny.

looks good.

That “strange plant” with the hairy leaves: does it have blue-purply flowers on a stalk?

I am wondering if it is a “mother of all herb” aka spanish oregano…related to the vicks vaporub plant…cane toads dinna lak t’am…

Dinetta said:

That “strange plant” with the hairy leaves: does it have blue-purply flowers on a stalk?

I am wondering if it is a “mother of all herb” aka spanish oregano…related to the vicks vaporub plant…cane toads dinna lak t’am…

Hi Dinetta , gees thats close , it is as you describe , but the leaves are quite fleshy. I have removed the butterfly plant and let this thing grow . I’m going to have to take a pice to the nursey to ID. I can find lots that are close , mexican oregano, but none the same..

Happy Potter said:

Dinetta said:

That “strange plant” with the hairy leaves: does it have blue-purply flowers on a stalk?

I am wondering if it is a “mother of all herb” aka spanish oregano…related to the vicks vaporub plant…cane toads dinna lak t’am…

Hi Dinetta , gees thats close , it is as you describe , but the leaves are quite fleshy. I have removed the butterfly plant and let this thing grow . I’m going to have to take a pice to the nursey to ID. I can find lots that are close , mexican oregano, but none the same..

Mother of all herb has fleshy leaves, if you water it…but take a piece to the nursery…if you don’t water it, the leaves get thinner and thinner…takes a lot of “no water” to kill it, too…

This brings back memories, where PainMaster used to descirbe a plant and we had to guess what it was, and the botanical name won you the kudos…nothing like a plant ID to get this forum firing…

:)

Dinetta said:

Happy Potter said:

Dinetta said:

That “strange plant” with the hairy leaves: does it have blue-purply flowers on a stalk?

I am wondering if it is a “mother of all herb” aka spanish oregano…related to the vicks vaporub plant…cane toads dinna lak t’am…

Hi Dinetta , gees thats close , it is as you describe , but the leaves are quite fleshy. I have removed the butterfly plant and let this thing grow . I’m going to have to take a pice to the nursey to ID. I can find lots that are close , mexican oregano, but none the same..

Mother of all herb has fleshy leaves, if you water it…but take a piece to the nursery…if you don’t water it, the leaves get thinner and thinner…takes a lot of “no water” to kill it, too…

This brings back memories, where PainMaster used to descirbe a plant and we had to guess what it was, and the botanical name won you the kudos…nothing like a plant ID to get this forum firing…

:)

Sounds fun !
I just had another look at that plant .. omitted to say before there’s no scent whatsoever.. and the leaf undersides are a dark red…

Sounds fun !
I just had another look at that plant .. omitted to say before there’s no scent whatsoever.. and the leaf undersides are a dark red…
++++++++++++++++

Ooooh, OK, definitely not Mother of all Herbs then, no dark red undersides there…the scent of MOAH is distinctive in that it belongs just to that plant but you can’t make up your mind what it reminds you of…grrrrreat for adding to rissole mix…

Oh you’ve made it very nice HP. I hope the chooks appreciate it.

and a simple engagement cake I made today…just the names to go on now , hiding little marks.

Happy Potter said:

and a simple engagement cake I made today…just the names to go on now , hiding little marks.

Oooh, beautiful !!!

Happy Potter said:

and a simple engagement cake I made today…just the names to go on now , hiding little marks.

Awww, pretty :)

However I didn’t even realise there was such a thing as an “engagement cake”!!!

bon008 said:

Happy Potter said:

and a simple engagement cake I made today…just the names to go on now , hiding little marks.

Awww, pretty :)

However I didn’t even realise there was such a thing as an “engagement cake”!!!

any excuse to have cake? lol!

However I didn’t even realise there was such a thing as an “engagement cake”!!!

any excuse to have cake? lol!

========

The idea wouldn’t have come from the wedding industry would it?

Nar.. Surely not. 8^)

Happy Potter said:

and a simple engagement cake I made today…just the names to go on now , hiding little marks.

Oh your so clever :)

ok finally I got a spare minute or two..
This is the pot plant that was given to middle daughter , and I have no idea what it is. I want to either plant it out or pot it up.
Whacha reckon ?

And just because it’s pretty, dwarf peach in blossom, a carpet of petals on the ground too.

Is it some type of tulip?

Happy Potter said:

ok finally I got a spare minute or two..
This is the pot plant that was given to middle daughter , and I have no idea what it is. I want to either plant it out or pot it up.
Whacha reckon ?

And just because it’s pretty, dwarf peach in blossom, a carpet of petals on the ground too.

How pretty are those flowers HP:)

because you could, I am so glad you did……how old is the peach tree???

bubba louie said:

Is it some type of tulip?

I’m with Bubba. Looks like a tulip. Specially the leaves. It looks a bit weak though.

How pretty are those flowers HP:)

because you could, I am so glad you did……how old is the peach tree???

——————————————————————————

It’s only a few months old Lucky..I guess if it starts to get fruit I remove them, I’m really not sure.. I shall have to ask the nursery people I think, before I do anything.

Happy Potter said:

How pretty are those flowers HP:)

because you could, I am so glad you did……how old is the peach tree???

——————————————————————————

It’s only a few months old Lucky..I guess if it starts to get fruit I remove them, I’m really not sure.. I shall have to ask the nursery people I think, before I do anything.

Gosh….. I am going to remove the fruit off the nectarine tree….. don’t want too,,,,,,, maybe I too could ask the nursery and see what they say.

Lucky1 said:

Happy Potter said:

How pretty are those flowers HP:)

because you could, I am so glad you did……how old is the peach tree???

——————————————————————————

It’s only a few months old Lucky..I guess if it starts to get fruit I remove them, I’m really not sure.. I shall have to ask the nursery people I think, before I do anything.

Gosh….. I am going to remove the fruit off the nectarine tree….. don’t want too,,,,,,, maybe I too could ask the nursery and see what they say.

I’ll ring them tomorrow ok and ask , I have a dwarf nectarine in blossom too. I’ll let you know what they say.

pomolo said:

bubba louie said:

Is it some type of tulip?

I’m with Bubba. Looks like a tulip. Specially the leaves. It looks a bit weak though.

Yes it does look weak , if it is a tulip it will have a bulb , right ? I might take it outside and give it a dose of seasol.

Happy Potter said:

pomolo said:

bubba louie said:

Is it some type of tulip?

I’m with Bubba. Looks like a tulip. Specially the leaves. It looks a bit weak though.

Yes it does look weak , if it is a tulip it will have a bulb , right ? I might take it outside and give it a dose of seasol.

It’s got that lack of sun look to me.

bubba louie said:

Happy Potter said:

pomolo said:

bubba louie said:

Is it some type of tulip?

I’m with Bubba. Looks like a tulip. Specially the leaves. It looks a bit weak though.

Yes it does look weak , if it is a tulip it will have a bulb , right ? I might take it outside and give it a dose of seasol.

It’s got that lack of sun look to me.

It will have to go outside tomorrow , theres a frost forcast for tonight and it’s already freezing cold out. I’ll give it some TLC and place it in part sun .

Happy Potter said:

How pretty are those flowers HP:)

because you could, I am so glad you did……how old is the peach tree???

——————————————————————————

It’s only a few months old Lucky..I guess if it starts to get fruit I remove them, I’m really not sure.. I shall have to ask the nursery people I think, before I do anything.

I have a dwarf flowering peach that’s still pretty small – it does make about 4 or 5 fruit a year, but they all fall off at about golf ball size. That could be due to insect damage though – they go squishy first.

bon008 said:

Happy Potter said:

How pretty are those flowers HP:)

because you could, I am so glad you did……how old is the peach tree???

——————————————————————————

It’s only a few months old Lucky..I guess if it starts to get fruit I remove them, I’m really not sure.. I shall have to ask the nursery people I think, before I do anything.

I have a dwarf flowering peach that’s still pretty small – it does make about 4 or 5 fruit a year, but they all fall off at about golf ball size. That could be due to insect damage though – they go squishy first.

I’d say Bon that theres something amiss with your little peach tree..at the lesson on them at the nursery we were told that the fruit will be in such abundance that ruthless thinning will be needed.

And the brown small fruit, that could be a number of things..I hope you can find out whats up with it and bring it back to health.

Happy Potter said:

bon008 said:

Happy Potter said:

How pretty are those flowers HP:)

because you could, I am so glad you did……how old is the peach tree???

——————————————————————————

It’s only a few months old Lucky..I guess if it starts to get fruit I remove them, I’m really not sure.. I shall have to ask the nursery people I think, before I do anything.

I have a dwarf flowering peach that’s still pretty small – it does make about 4 or 5 fruit a year, but they all fall off at about golf ball size. That could be due to insect damage though – they go squishy first.

I’d say Bon that theres something amiss with your little peach tree..at the lesson on them at the nursery we were told that the fruit will be in such abundance that ruthless thinning will be needed.

And the brown small fruit, that could be a number of things..I hope you can find out whats up with it and bring it back to health.

Ooh, thanks for the heads up! I just assumed that since it’s called “flowering” peach, it wasn’t supposed to crop properly!!

It will probably be the insects then – I find insect holes in all the squishy fruit, so I think I need to find some of those little fruit netting bags for it.

I got my showbag.
Grandson and I looking good.

Happy Potter said:

I got my showbag.
Grandson and I looking good.

ROTFL

Why do boys always have to get a whooppee cushion ??

I haven’t any lush vege pics to show yet, but I have a few garden pics to share, and a question re ladybugs.

Are these the bug eating ladybugs or the plant eating ones? There’s about 20 or so on one conifer out front.

Last of the bulbs, and a bee doing what bees do..

A few of the rocks I collected yesterday..( more behind me ) placed on top of the existing smaller rock border so the path is clear, so I don’t break my neck on them! I will be rolling them aside, removing the small rock boarder then rolling the big rocks in place. This path is next to be paved. I don’t worry too much about the weeds here because I collect them for the chooks.
The smaller rocks I will recycle as mulch under the cirtus.. let those chooks try and displace that mulch! hehe.

HP, a rough count of the spots on your ladybirds suggests to me that they are good guys/gals. The baddies apparently have 28 spots.

Nice rocks you have there :)

bluegreen said:

HP, a rough count of the spots on your ladybirds suggests to me that they are good guys/gals. The baddies apparently have 28 spots.

Nice rocks you have there :)

Oh thanks BG , I was looking at images of ladybugs, I couldn’t tell after a while, I was seeing too many spots! lol.

I’m very pleased to report no sore limbs or stiffness today after loading all those rocks into a car boot, over many trips, and unloading them, the big ones I just tipped out of the car boot and rolled them out of the way.

I’ll tell hubby about his car’s boot trim damage later LOL!

wow – i’m impressed – so neat – love the rocks.
you’ll not only be slim but toned as well – don’t forget to lift with the legs not the back LOL

Happy Potter said:

I’m very pleased to report no sore limbs or stiffness today after loading all those rocks into a car boot, over many trips, and unloading them, the big ones I just tipped out of the car boot and rolled them out of the way.

Well done :)

Happy Potter said:

I’ll tell hubby about his car’s boot trim damage later LOL!

that’s why I now have a ute – Mr BG got sick of bits of straw and the smell of manure in the back of his company vehicle!

Happy Potter said:

I haven’t any lush vege pics to show yet, but I have a few garden pics to share, and a question re ladybugs.

Are these the bug eating ladybugs or the plant eating ones? There’s about 20 or so on one conifer out front.

Last of the bulbs, and a bee doing what bees do..

A few of the rocks I collected yesterday..( more behind me ) placed on top of the existing smaller rock border so the path is clear, so I don’t break my neck on them! I will be rolling them aside, removing the small rock boarder then rolling the big rocks in place. This path is next to be paved. I don’t worry too much about the weeds here because I collect them for the chooks.
The smaller rocks I will recycle as mulch under the cirtus.. let those chooks try and displace that mulch! hehe.

Pretty flowers. I love to see flowers growing.

bluegreen said:

HP, a rough count of the spots on your ladybirds suggests to me that they are good guys/gals. The baddies apparently have 28 spots.

Nice rocks you have there :)

It must be spring down south too. Ladybirds are hard at it down there and so are a kind of beetle on my Abutilons. It’s that horizontal folk dancing that gets them every time.

pomolo said:

bluegreen said:

HP, a rough count of the spots on your ladybirds suggests to me that they are good guys/gals. The baddies apparently have 28 spots.

Nice rocks you have there :)

It must be spring down south too. Ladybirds are hard at it down there and so are a kind of beetle on my Abutilons. It’s that horizontal folk dancing that gets them every time.

You’ve been listening to Longy for too long. LOL

And some pics from today :)

Cactus corner. The large candle sort is the one I was given a couple days ago and I repotted it..with a thick hose wraped around it and a lot of difficulty.

Fishies

Little nectarines are hanging in there.

Little corn plants

Fernery where I hang out and have brekky :)

Ballerina apples, and one dwarf lime in the middle to fill up the space under that air con.

and lastly the water cooler bottles buried iunder the orange tree, I tested them and they work perfectly :)

great garden HP
looks like its ready for the prime minister to visit.

Happy Potter said:

and lastly the water cooler bottles buried iunder the orange tree, I tested them and they work perfectly :)

What’s the deal with the water bottles?

“What’s the deal with the water bottles?”

As a watering system SueBK, to recycle the bottles and then the tree gets water direct to it’s roots. I can bung citrus fert in there too , when I need to add it. The bottles have holes drilled all round them. Other citrus will get the same treatment in due course.

pepe said:

great garden HP
looks like its ready for the prime minister to visit.

lol Pepe thank you , but I wish it were that clean!
Yesterday I left the chooks out and forgot ..my fault…I had to replant gerberas that were about to flower..and 3 of them missing, presumed eaten..what a mess.

Happy Potter said:

“What’s the deal with the water bottles?”

As a watering system SueBK, to recycle the bottles and then the tree gets water direct to it’s roots. I can bung citrus fert in there too , when I need to add it. The bottles have holes drilled all round them. Other citrus will get the same treatment in due course.

So you just drill holes around the bottom and then bury them?

SueBk said:

Happy Potter said:

“What’s the deal with the water bottles?”

As a watering system SueBK, to recycle the bottles and then the tree gets water direct to it’s roots. I can bung citrus fert in there too , when I need to add it. The bottles have holes drilled all round them. Other citrus will get the same treatment in due course.

So you just drill holes around the bottom and then bury them?

Yes, and I put sand in the bottom of the holes too.

Happy Potter said:

And some pics from today :)

Cactus corner. The large candle sort is the one I was given a couple days ago and I repotted it..with a thick hose wraped around it and a lot of difficulty.

Fishies

Little nectarines are hanging in there.

Little corn plants

Fernery where I hang out and have brekky :)

Ballerina apples, and one dwarf lime in the middle to fill up the space under that air con.

and lastly the water cooler bottles buried iunder the orange tree, I tested them and they work perfectly :)

Those cooler bottles are a great idea HP. How on earth did you fit them in between the roots of the citrus?

Happy Potter said:

SueBk said:

Happy Potter said:

“What’s the deal with the water bottles?”

As a watering system SueBK, to recycle the bottles and then the tree gets water direct to it’s roots. I can bung citrus fert in there too , when I need to add it. The bottles have holes drilled all round them. Other citrus will get the same treatment in due course.

So you just drill holes around the bottom and then bury them?

Yes, and I put sand in the bottom of the holes too.

Why sand HP? I know there is a reason but I can’t think what it is.

pomolo said:

Happy Potter said:

SueBk said:

Happy Potter said:

“What’s the deal with the water bottles?”

As a watering system SueBK, to recycle the bottles and then the tree gets water direct to it’s roots. I can bung citrus fert in there too , when I need to add it. The bottles have holes drilled all round them. Other citrus will get the same treatment in due course.

So you just drill holes around the bottom and then bury them?

Yes, and I put sand in the bottom of the holes too.

Why sand HP? I know there is a reason but I can’t think what it is.

stop all the water flowing out at once so it stokes into the ground.

veg gardener said:

pomolo said:

Happy Potter said:

SueBk said:

Happy Potter said:

“What’s the deal with the water bottles?”

As a watering system SueBK, to recycle the bottles and then the tree gets water direct to it’s roots. I can bung citrus fert in there too , when I need to add it. The bottles have holes drilled all round them. Other citrus will get the same treatment in due course.

So you just drill holes around the bottom and then bury them?

Yes, and I put sand in the bottom of the holes too.

Why sand HP? I know there is a reason but I can’t think what it is.

stop all the water flowing out at once so it stokes into the ground.

Thats right Veg, to allow the water to drain out easier and not have mud clogging the holes. The water went down slowly soaking in over an hour, perfect.
(sorry I couldn’t get back on last night, dramas with GS , all good now tho)

“Those cooler bottles are a great idea HP. How on earth did you fit them in between the roots of the citrus?”

Very carefully Pom, the only roots I saw were finger thickness and near the top. I tucked them back in .The bottles are just a tad outside the dripline of the tree.
(I note that navel orange is picking up after me chopping a heap out of it because of borers. Lots of TLC and it will come back to great, lot’s of new growth on it )

veg gardener said:

pomolo said:

Happy Potter said:

SueBk said:

Happy Potter said:

“What’s the deal with the water bottles?”

As a watering system SueBK, to recycle the bottles and then the tree gets water direct to it’s roots. I can bung citrus fert in there too , when I need to add it. The bottles have holes drilled all round them. Other citrus will get the same treatment in due course.

So you just drill holes around the bottom and then bury them?

Yes, and I put sand in the bottom of the holes too.

Why sand HP? I know there is a reason but I can’t think what it is.

stop all the water flowing out at once so it stokes into the ground.

Water flows through sand more easily than other soil types. My guess is to stop the holes from clogging.

Rhubarb last week.

This week same plant, after worm wee feed.

And a tiny spidy caught a fly pic. ( sorry for not clear pic, but I wasn’t going to stick my head into a bee laden lemon tree to get closer)

Wow….. what dreams are made of.

“Wow….. what dreams are made of.”

What muffins are made of :D

Happy Potter said:

“Wow….. what dreams are made of.”

What muffins are made of :D

hehe :)

Happy Potter said:

“Wow….. what dreams are made of.”

What muffins are made of :D

Or apple & rhubarb with custard.

nice spider/fly shot – very clear actually.

Is thrip damage ?, or is there something else wrong with my mandarine tree ?
Spotty new growth, older leaves are unnaffected.

sorry i don’t know so wait for an expert
- or – failing that – spray with white oil.
most new growth is more yellow than old leaves and most bugs are suffocated by white oil.

My first haul of spuds this season from bandicooting 4 plants. I don’t remember what sort thy are , but I’m hoping that partial redness doesn’t mean I’ve picked them too early.
Theres plenty of spuds on those plants, but further down.

Happy Potter said:

My first haul of spuds this season from bandicooting 4 plants. I don’t remember what sort thy are , but I’m hoping that partial redness doesn’t mean I’ve picked them too early.
Theres plenty of spuds on those plants, but further down.

Oh wow …well done:D

Thanks lucky :)
Several of those big ones weigh 450 grams.
Chippies!!!!

Happy Potter said:

Thanks lucky :)
Several of those big ones weigh 450 grams.
Chippies!!!!

Cool.

The ones I have are for salads and boiling.

Happy Potter said:

My first haul of spuds this season from bandicooting 4 plants. I don’t remember what sort thy are , but I’m hoping that partial redness doesn’t mean I’ve picked them too early.
Theres plenty of spuds on those plants, but further down.

looking good! I think the colouring is the variety.

Happy Potter said:

My first haul of spuds this season from bandicooting 4 plants. I don’t remember what sort thy are , but I’m hoping that partial redness doesn’t mean I’ve picked them too early.
Theres plenty of spuds on those plants, but further down.

look good.
i can’t identify the type.
no such thing as too early and those are big enough. yum yum – i’ll be picking and eating mine in about 2 weeks.
the word ‘delicious’ had to be invented by a spud grower LOL.

OOoooh Nice spuds HP!! No you haven’t harvested them too early, they’re pink because of the variety. Well done :)
I’m too scared to look at mine.

Happy Potter said:

My first haul of spuds this season from bandicooting 4 plants. I don’t remember what sort thy are , but I’m hoping that partial redness doesn’t mean I’ve picked them too early.
Theres plenty of spuds on those plants, but further down.

i googled
king edwards variety – i think?

pepe said:

Happy Potter said:

My first haul of spuds this season from bandicooting 4 plants. I don’t remember what sort thy are , but I’m hoping that partial redness doesn’t mean I’ve picked them too early.
Theres plenty of spuds on those plants, but further down.

i googled
king edwards variety – i think?

Oh ok..ta. Looks like them.
Well they were very nice :)

I know I have desiree ,nicolas and sebago out there somewhere.

Oh ok..ta. Looks like them. Well they were very nice :)
I know I have desiree ,nicolas and sebago out there somewhere.
————————————-
you are getting extremely high yields. i hope the rest bear as well as the king edwards.

pepe said:

Oh ok..ta. Looks like them. Well they were very nice :)
I know I have desiree ,nicolas and sebago out there somewhere.
————————————-
you are getting extremely high yields. i hope the rest bear as well as the king edwards.

Thanks Peps :)

The other spuds I planted in succession and the next lot are in flower, the bed of them right at the back fence are still young.
We will be kept well in spuds for months ( as long as the big kid doesn’t give me a heart condition!)

those 24 spuds probably weigh 7 kilos+ and retail @ approx $18 so (even if your seed spud were big ones) you have paid back your initial cost just by bandicooting.
you’re actually proving pete c right when he said that yeilds were up around 50:1.

Couple pics.

Garlic ( about 15 more to harvest yet, planted later than this lot)

Blackbird on her nest of 5 babies in a pot of zygo , high up under the eve in the fernery.

Happy Potter said:

Couple pics.

Garlic ( about 15 more to harvest yet, planted later than this lot)

Blackbird on her nest of 5 babies in a pot of zygo , high up under the eve in the fernery.

the garlic looks great – whoopie!
do you have a recipe for blackbird pie? LOL

Patio pics… before we cleaned it.

After pics.
And on the list of ‘ things to do one day ‘ this whole area will be getting ripped out and replaced an outdoor living area, with closed in decking, bbq area, built in seating and higher ceiling.

( Hmm helps if I actually put in a the right after pics lol)

I like this pic HP

looks like a nice big outdoor living area now.
those ferns look good everywhere.

Very nice indeed HP, a lovely spot to sit and relax or entertain or whatever you like! Your plants all look 100% healthy and happy. Well done you’ve worked hard :)

orchid40 said:

Very nice indeed HP, a lovely spot to sit and relax or entertain or whatever you like! Your plants all look 100% healthy and happy. Well done you’ve worked hard :)

Thanks Orchid :) I have been known to have a beer or 3 on the swing seat and unable to get myself unable to get off it lol.

On really hot days though it’s a hostile no go zone. We have recorded temps of 54C out there during summer scorchers, hence the capital works we are planning with it. I don’t know how the plants survive it, but they have. It also gets frost under it during winter, then when the sun comes up it ‘rain’s under there with the whole ceiling dripping!

Happy Potter said:

orchid40 said:

Very nice indeed HP, a lovely spot to sit and relax or entertain or whatever you like! Your plants all look 100% healthy and happy. Well done you’ve worked hard :)

Thanks Orchid :) I have been known to have a beer or 3 on the swing seat and unable to get myself unable to get off it lol.

On really hot days though it’s a hostile no go zone. We have recorded temps of 54C out there during summer scorchers, hence the capital works we are planning with it. I don’t know how the plants survive it, but they have. It also gets frost under it during winter, then when the sun comes up it ‘rain’s under there with the whole ceiling dripping!

Make that.. unable to get myself off it lol..

A selection of cupcakes I made today. I got an ‘ urgent order” LOL.

30 more to be done and picked up by 6 pm.

Happy Potter said:

A selection of cupcakes I made today. I got an ‘ urgent order” LOL.

30 more to be done and picked up by 6 pm.

looks like more frosting than cake! very eye catching :)

Happy Potter said:

A selection of cupcakes I made today. I got an ‘ urgent order” LOL.

30 more to be done and picked up by 6 pm.

Wow they are just beautiful….

Happy Potter said:

A selection of cupcakes I made today. I got an ‘ urgent order” LOL.

30 more to be done and picked up by 6 pm.

sheesh – so much decoration – rococo cupcakes
terrible (psst – i’ll have the one front left) LOL.

pepe said:

Happy Potter said:

A selection of cupcakes I made today. I got an ‘ urgent order” LOL.

30 more to be done and picked up by 6 pm.

sheesh – so much decoration – rococo cupcakes
terrible (psst – i’ll have the one front left) LOL.

pepe ill have all but the one you want. HP you’ll have to deliver fast or send them by airmail.

And some of the xmassy cupcakes.
They’re all gone to their new home now. And I got a good ‘ something extra’ for the time I spent :D
I’m on ‘unavailable’ now re orders, until after NYD.

Happy Potter said:

And some of the xmassy cupcakes.
They’re all gone to their new home now. And I got a good ‘ something extra’ for the time I spent :D
I’m on ‘unavailable’ now re orders, until after NYD.

I like the Christmas Wreath one best :)

bluegreen said:

Happy Potter said:

And some of the xmassy cupcakes.
They’re all gone to their new home now. And I got a good ‘ something extra’ for the time I spent :D
I’m on ‘unavailable’ now re orders, until after NYD.

I like the Christmas Wreath one best :)

Oh there is a fly on the yellow one…better give that to me:D I’ll eat it…..

LOL lucky..
I had a blast doing them..first time I did any xmas ones.. improvements needed..but I like the santa hat one :)

On my ‘time off’ over xmas and the new year, I shall make heaps of the little sugar flowers ect.

Happy Potter said:

A selection of cupcakes I made today. I got an ‘ urgent order” LOL.

30 more to be done and picked up by 6 pm.

Yummmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm!

Happy Potter said:

And some of the xmassy cupcakes.
They’re all gone to their new home now. And I got a good ‘ something extra’ for the time I spent :D
I’m on ‘unavailable’ now re orders, until after NYD.

I made 6 different slices today for the bikie catering job. They’re not getting all of them tho. I’ll take some to #1 daughter on the way to the airport on Monday.

Oh those cupcakes look too good to eat!!!