Wednesday 2 October 2013

What happened in our September Garden ...

Now it is October, the time of warmer weather, strong winds and Spring growth.
We are picking broad beans by the dozen ...


... and Snow peas by their strings.


Strawberries are so sweetly inviting -

 
 

 
While cumquats are such sweet things!
 
 
 
 
The Papaya seemed to take months to ripen,
but we did enjoy some green papaya salad while waiting! 
I prefer Papaya thinly sliced and sprinkled with a little lime or lemon juice to balance it's acidity.
 
 
This gorgeous little bay tree is over 10 years old.
It has been repotted a few times and has now been given a permanent home in the ground outside my kitchen window.  I encourage everybody to keep a bay tree.  The freshness of the bay leaves is far superior to any dried variety and you notice the improved flavour in your dishes.
 

 
 This Peach tree has over 200 peaches steadily growing.
They will be ready to start picking in 2 weeks and will continue to ripen for the next 2 months.
Note the bird and flying fox mesh protection
Installing plumbers pipe over short wooden pegs in the ground,
then wrapping it with this net is wonderful protection.
This system can be moved around to different fruit trees as their fruit grows. 

 
 
Our first olive buds after 3 years of growing Olive trees. This one is our favourite, a Kalamata.
There is always something to look forward too when you enjoy gardening!
 
 
 
I keep an edible Curry Tree(murraya koenigii) on a pot on my balcony where it gets lots of sun.
It is so easy to pick a sprig with 12 leaves on it whenever needed, everyone should have one.
The seed pods are poisonous, but the leaves are delicious.
 
 
 This coriander plant is in full seed.
When you let a coriander plant go to seed it will continue to self seed (propagate) for the next year.
Plus, there is the advantage of all of those seeds for your curry pastes.
 
 
I trust that all of my fellow garden share collective members are enjoying this gardening time in the sun and I so look forward to seeing everyone else's gardens.
Enjoy, the Earth!  Kind regards, Merryn
 
 
coriander seeds

14 comments:

  1. It looks as though your area has a great climate, I like your idea of the plastic pipes to hold the netting. I always forget to add curry leaves to curry even though I have a huge tree. Do you just add them at the end?

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    1. I usually add the curry leaves half way through, or 5 minutes from the end so they soften. We will put one in the ground soon and see how well it grows. I would love a huge tree like you have, the flavour and aroma are wonderful!

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  2. looks like you are about to harvest a bounty of fruit. I am still yet to get our pawpaw to grow, its one of my favourite fruits. I planted my first bay tree on our property in july close to where we plan on building our house. i have never used fresh bay in cooking so I am looking forward to trying it.

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    1. Oh Liz the papaya are wonderful. I like them fresh with lime juice squeezed over the top, or pureed in a smoothie with yoghurt, milk and honey. Fresh bay leaves stand alone, you will never use dried again and they are such pretty trees. Nice to plant it near your new home :D

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  3. That strawberry looks most inviting!! 200 peaches is incredible! What a great garden Merryn x

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    1. Thanks Lisa! The strawberries are delightful, especially eating them with the walk around the garden during late afternoon. I am so pleased we are protecting the peaches this year x :D

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  4. You have a real harvest of beans going on there! What a bounty! What are you planning to do with 200 peaches?

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    1. Heck, what will we do with 200 peaches? Between the 5 of us, my parents, neighbours and friends, they will be well appreciated. One could always make peach jam I guess, much like fig jam but probably sweeter. We ate the first beans last night. The first time each season for any new vegetable is so enjoyable. Thanks for browsing my blog Melissa :D

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  5. wow merryn, look at your broad beans and peas! i'm sooooooo envious of your bounty.
    your cumquats remind me of the ones my mum grew when we grew up in penrith iin NSW - and the wonderful marmalade she made from them. she can't grow them successfully here in tassie so they are but a distant childhood memory.

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  6. Thank you for stopping by my blog! The cumquats are delicious and this year there was enough to store in brandy as we have enough jam/marmalade from last summer to see us through to this summer. As for green vegetables, you can never get enough :D

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  7. Your curry tree puts my little twig to shame. I love your snow peas too! I used to have two large cumquat trees in huge pots but we gave them away when we moved up to Queensland. I miss them. :) I love your garden!

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  8. The curry trees are a delight Maureen. Mine are only 3 feet in height in pots but provide sufficient leaves for our needs. Yes, cumquats are delightful, a little sweet, a little sour and perfectly balanced. Thank you for viewing my garden :D

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  9. Although I haven't been picking broad beans, we've certainly been making the most of the season and eating them! :D

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  10. I love, love, love broadbeans! It is wonderful you are enjoying them too Lorraine, they are truly a seasonal delight :D

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