Spring Flower Power

I've been busy planting Summer veggies, and I am now half way there.

However, it's that time of year here where the beautiful flowers end up stealing the show:

The crabapples are putting on a spectacular show

The orange trees are in full bloom with next year's crop

The raspberry canes are now flowering. Yum, we look forward to our first big harvest of berries this year.

The strawberry plants have come to life and are already developing their fruit.

The apricot tree is providing us with our first crop this year, fingers crossed!

And Lavender( back) and Toffee (front) are enjoying the Spring sunshine. They are our two very spoilt bunnies. Lavender is our female, and Toffee is our male. They have both been de-sexed so that no little bunnies appear unwanted. Female rabbits also have a high incidence of developing ovarian cancer as well, so this is why both have been done. 

lime green everywhere

It's spring in Melbourne, Australia and everything is turning lime tree with the new growth.

I have planted my first Roma tomato. I know it is early, but I always plant them early and I do protect them.  I'll probably plant a few more in two week's time. Five plants seem to give me enough fruit to bottle as sauce.

And for the final picture; completely off the track as far as gardening goes. I love to decorate my home, and for quite some time now I have wanted a tree sculpture in my house to hang decorations from, clip cards to , etc,. They are quite expensive for what they are, so I thought I would make my own. I am very pleased with the finished job. It needs one more coat of paint though.

Spring has Sprung!

Spring has sprung, and just in time for my sanity.

Some photos of my veggies and what is currently happening in the garden. Plenty of Spring / Summer planting to be done in the coming weeks though.......

This is the January King Cabbage. Its colours are absolutely striking.

Awhile ago I blogged about my new veggie area. This is how it's looking. I have been picking the rocket from the front, the cauliflowers and broccoli are doing well and look healthy, and the snowpeas at the back are beginning to climb.

The asparagus is continuing to pop through, and enough now for the two adults in the house once a week to feast on. The kids don't seem to have the taste for it yet.

This is the first of the new leaves on one of my newly planted pear trees...very exciting!

The raspberry canes are well and truely starting to shoot new leaves now, and the new season canes are quickly coming through.

Lots of English spinach to add to meals.

The dark patch at the front of this bed has just had more Rocket sown.

These are three cauliflowers that were left over, so I just planted them here. The one on the right is twice as big as the other two. Interesting to see how big the Cauli gets.

Leeks are a little slow, but will eventually get there.

Little capsicum seedlings were planted today.

Down in the back beds there are plenty of savoy and red cabbages on the grow, as well as more carrots, spring onions, and the celery which I grow for the tops to give to the bunnies and is already being picked.

Yah Spring!!!! Soon for the tomato planting!!!!

Clean cleaning

I started growing my own food approximately 5 years ago. In the last six months I have re-evaluated what I wanted to achieve through doing this. My baby sister gave me a book to read called 'No more dirty looks', a book about cosmetics and skin care and what really is in them. I read it and I was shocked. It opened my eyes to a world of organics. Having daughters myself I wanted to give them a better, healthier future. So I have changed my ways a little here, the skin and body care is under control now with the use of only 'clean' products, but I still have a long way to go as far as replacing all my make-up. It's hard to say good-bye to that favorite lippy.

I then started to read a lot more about this topic and went green with my cleaning products as well. This is something I'm really happy that I did. I have just cleaned my house completely through and I know that I haven't exposed myself to anything nasty. Once you buy the products needed it's easy. A few storage bottles are needed as well, but it's worth the effort. Below I have listed my homemade product that I use weekly, and the ingredients needed to make them.

I would love to know any other tips or recipes that people have.

Disinfectant:
2 cups water
1/4 cup white vinegar
1/4 teaspoon tea tree oil
1/4 teaspoon lavender oil

Combine all ingredients and store in a spray bottle. Shake before use.


Mirror and glass cleaner:
I use either my enjo glass cleaning cloth, or sometimes I use vinegar and paper towel.

Floor cleaner:
I use only hot water on my polished floor boards. Sometimes I add a dash of vinegar. On my tiles I add a few drop of either tea tree oil or lavender oil.

Bath, sink and tile cleaner:
1 2/3 cups baking soda
1/2 cup liquid soap ( I use dr. Bronners magic soap, made with organic oils, and available at the Vic market)
2 tablespoons vinegar
1/2 cup water
Few drops of tea tree oil

Mix altogether and store in a large sauce/ squirt top bottle. Shake well before use.


Toilet bowl cleaner:
Liquid soap
Borax

Spray soap around bowl, then sprinkle borax on top. Then simply scrub with a toilet brush.

I have other recipes too, but I find these are the only ones I really need,and I'm a clean freak!

Sill haven't tried the oven cleaner one I have, but if anyone has a recipe that works I would love to know it.

Happy cleaning......

Seven signs of the coming of Spring

Spring is definitely in the air here in sunny Melbourne, Australia. I could smell the blossom in the air today as we went for a Sunday walk.......So here's my 7 signs this week why Spring is definitely in the air.....
1.The strawberries are beginning to flower

2.The apricot tree is covered in blossom

3.The raspberry canes are sending out new shoots, and the new canes are appearing in the ground (sorry photo is blurry and my camera has run out of battery power)

 4. Our weather is on the inprove, with days expected in the low 20s this week!!!!!
5. The flowers are in full bloom

6. The chard has really taken off now and is looking great

And
7. The hydrangers and roses are starting to shoot

10 days to Spring!!!!!

Brilliant Broccoli

Not a lot is going on in my garden at present. Winter is slowly coming to a close, and there are many bare patches in the veggie garden now, waiting to be planted out for spring.

The broccoli is still producing good little off shoots though. They will keep producing until I remove them to make way for the spring crops.

Hurry up Springtime!

garden snaps

These are some pictures of my youngest daughter's garden. I think she has a green thumb.

A couple of months ago I made a new veggie garden area. It only receives limited sunlight during winter though. So I filled it with leafy greens such as broccoli, cauliflowers, rocket, Bok choy, as well as peas. They are so far doing great, and the Bok choy is doing brilliantly.

These are what my 'normal' carrots look like after harvest.

 

Also, I love a funny veggie shot. See what do think of this one ( sorry if you find it offensive).