Happiness in this New Year

Shouts and Fireworks could be heard all across the city - Happy New Year!

We saw it in with a scorching 40 degree day and the veggies have withstood it beautifully.

The plums seemed to turn colour before my eyes and have been the best of the harvest so far.

This year's Christmas feast included some climbing beans which I had lead up wires in front of the yoga studio. The tomatoes were still too green for the garden salad, but are on their way along with zucchini and beats. It has, up until now been too cold for the chilli to take off - but after New Year's Eve declared that it is finally Summer they are sure to take off.

The most important project this Summer is clearing the drip line of the Almond Tree. It has once again come down with a Bacteria Infection and I need to clean to soil of diseased husks and plan to spray a Bordeaux solution next winter. It was such a healthy crop after all the rain - the blossom had promised and delivered - better luck next year! They do have a tendency to keep on ticking along.

Happy New Year, Happy Digging, Happy Discovering.

Dangerous business

"It's a dangerous business, going out of your door. You step into the Road, and if you don't keep your feet, there is no knowing where you might be swept off to."
J.R.R. Tolkien

... And an even more intrepid soul who steps forth into her garden. One curious look and an afternoon is swallowed up, leaving her bitten and sodden in satisfaction... and forgetting why she went out there in the first place, loosing cups of tea and broken thoughts in the cuttings.

Making seedling pots from Milk Cartons

Instruction for making pots for seedlings out of Milk Cartons - see photos below...

The first step is easy and obvious - cut the bottom off and voila - your first pot is made - simply puncture a few holes for drainagel

Next to make the best use of the top half cut off the spout

Slit the sides about half an inch down on each corner

Now fold the flaps out to create a crease line

One flap at a time work around the carton in a circle lowering and fixing the sides into the middle, fixing the last flap underneath the first.

Experiment with how far down you need to make the slits in order to get a perfect little drainage hole in the middle!

And start asking your friends to save their milk cartons!

A great Christmas gift - or as the students at the yoga centre are going to receive them as "pots of potential" - as the basil this year has been very slow to germinate.