The demise of the mighty zucchini plant

Yes it had slowly turned into a fungal breeding ground of epic proportions. Also the fruit themselves were developing slowly and we had had enough of them anyway. So out it came. I was able to work out how may zucchini it had produced during it's life. I figured well over 80, not bad for one plant.
Still getting lovely large sweet supertom tomatoes, as well as red peppers. They smell amazing when they are just picked and warm from the sun!
A photo of today's pickings including the last of the zucchinis


One of the simple joys at this time of year is to pluck a cocktail tomato off the plant and a small basil leaf and pop them both into your mouth for a lovely taste sensation. Like pizza without the base.
There was also a visitor to the garden, a weta!


Some weta facts:

• The weta is only found in New Zealand and is sooooo old, it has outlived the dinosaurs!
• Weta are large by insect standards but some of the giant weta are ENORMOUS and are amongst the heaviest insects in the world
• The weta is sometimes known as the dinosaur of the insect world
• The weta is more primitive than the tuatara

• The weta has changed very little in the past 100 MILLION YEARS!

More weta stuff if you are interested http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Weta

Combat gardening!

Had a good hard gardening this weekend, though mostly in the rest of the garden rather than the vege patch. Mowed all the lawns, cleared out a large jungle in the far back corner of the section, enough to fill the big green bin twice over, as well as cutting our huge eau de cologne geranium down to ground level. Whew. Smelt really nice while dealing to it though.

Did plant another ten beetroot seedlings and did some good picking, heaps of large ripe supertom tomatoes and more beans and zucchinis and some radishes (for roasting, apparently they're really nice like that) and a good bunch of rhubarb for a nice afters. Just nipped out and lifted a couple of the parsnips, smallish but well formed. They smell nice just picked. Grabbed a few small carrots as well so we will have a nice roast vegetable combination. All home grown, even the garlic, good old summer!



The espaliered tomato has truly gained new heights, I had to get up there to show it's magnificence! :)



I ran around and gave all the beans and peppers some flowering and fruiting thrive, it seems to really make them produce well.

Clearing after rain

A couple of days of rain and wind that all our plants survived well. The sun is trying to peep out today. Picked the largest supertom tomato, it weighs in at exactly 500 gm, a one pound tomato, not bad! It had to have it's portrait taken I'm afraid, found a good spot to take the photo too, on an eggcup to show it's size and the shot was taken at the end of the bath. Makes a great curving white background with nice lighting effects. My Canon G5 camera has a neat fold out screen that can rotate so I can place the camera on the bottom of the bath and still compose the photo. :)



Here's the biggest and the smallest














Also picked a ginormous capsicum, good hand full of new green beans, a bunch of nice small zucchinis (the plant is still pumping them out), some small carrots to thin out the rows and lots of cherry tomatoes.
The new pea plants are now flowering happily, it will be nice to wander out and eat a pod now then then.

March, madness is upon us (so what's new)

After two days of continuous rain (most welcome), today was bright and clear and a bit humid as well of course. All the plants are happy.
Mowed lawns and spread mulch around the tomatoes etc. Most good after rain!
Planted seedlings of beetroot and lovely lettuce and three more coriander. Had to put up the brolly to keep them happy, the late afternoon was still quite hot for these babies.















The little beetroot seedlings look so pathetic, hopefully they will astound and amaze in about 7-9 weeks.
The chilli plants are starting to produce heaps. Used some last night, all still green but hotter than the fat red ones we have been using. They are supposed to be Tabasco ones, with extra smokey flavour. Bring on the red ones I say.















Had some yummy fat slices of tomato on fresh bread today, the beef steak ones are wonderful with a bit of cheese and a couple of rocket leaves picked fresh from the plant.

















Smalls and bigs














Here's the next level almost ready for picking:















Gave all the fruity and flowery things some thrive, cut out all the worst dodgy old leaves out of the zucchini plant etc etc, and read the Sunday papers and had a most pleasant day!