Predator

I've noticed a few of praying mantis in the garden lately. Always good to see some predators instead of the usual hoards of destructive insects. A good reason, if another one is needed, to lay off the spraying.



Tomato update

I've had a problem with the first Amish Paste fruit set with what looks like blossom end rot. This usually appears as the fruit matures as a result of uneven watering making it hard for the plants to take up calcium. This plant is in a pot but I was very careful with the watering and as you can see the Jaune Flamme growing in another pot right next to the Amish Paste is unaffected.

 I noticed the problem right after a hot day of about 36 deg C, which sprung up in the middle of some mild weather. Maybe it was just the sudden temperature fluctuation that caused this and Amish Paste are more susceptible, some varieties are. I checked the ph and it was just below 7.0 so all should be well. I've moved the pot so it gets slightly less of the hot afternoon sun and given it a sprinkle of dolomite lime as a precaution.

Amish Paste



Jaunne Flamme

Onions

I've never grown onions before and while I'm happy to have a crop I'm not sure I'll bother again. They take up bed space for such a long time so eat deep into spring planting time. I planted out two varieties from seed what seems like an eternity ago back at the beginning of April and pulled the majority of the crop today. I chose the two varieties at random, Hunter Valley Brown and Early California Red. Most of the brown ones, which were the majority of the crop, bolted to seed but despite Peter Cundall’s advice I kept them anyway. This is supposed to affect the keeping qualities. The reds seemed less inclined to bolt and, because of this, and they're a bit more versatile, they may get another run
Like garlic you're supposed to wait until the tops die off completely to improve the keeping qualities and the red ones clearly haven't. I just had to get them out of the ground though.
Now what to do with all these onions that may not keep so well? I suppose I could make a big batch of onion soup and freeze it. Then I could..um..eat a lot of onions I guess. I've already given half a dozen away and there's another half a dozen growing in an old styrofoam box.
They're pretty variable in size, between tennis ball and softball.



Broad Beans Finished

The broad beans got hacked down and dug in last weekend after yeilding just over 8kg of pods. This was from a plot around 1.5m x 1.8 m plus another row around 2m long. I don't know if this is a good yield or not but I do know I've eaten an awful lot of broad beans over the last month plus given plenty away. Broad beans must be one of the best crops to grow. Apart from supplying plenty of beans they are great nitrogen fixers and supply loads of material for the compost heap or to simply dig straight into the soil like I do. Possibly the perfect crop.