Germination and Onions

The Copenhagen Market cabbage and All The Year Round cauliflower have started to germinate. The germination rates are low, the cauliflower rate is so low that the seeds are essentially non viable.

Also planted some Red Wing F1 and Italian Longkeeper onions in trays. According to the Tui NZ Vegetable Garden, you can plant onion seeds February - July.

And the Winner is... Vege Patch

The Otago-Taieri A&P Society Show was today. Last week I phoned up and placed an entry in the "Any other Vegetable not Specified" category. Yesterday I went into the vege patch and chose the best 2 turnips, cleaned them up and took them to the showgrounds. Today I returned to discover a red ticket - first place! Vege Patch turnips are the best turnips on the region! For a whole year I can make the claim that I (officially) grow the best turnips around!

Germination

The Kohlrabi have germinated (4 days) and the beetroot in the tunnel appear to be germinating (9 days).

Cauliflower Ears

I've (nearly) got cauliflowers comeing out of my ears. All the Cheddar Cauliflower (except 1) have already been turned into dinners, one of the white cauli was eaten over the last two days and now this one and 4 more like it coming over the next few days.

It also looks as though the carrots under the poly-tunnel are beginning to poke through the surface - or it might just be weeds. Its hard to tell because carrot shoots look like grass shoots!

Leeks

The leeks have started to germinate. Over the weekend I put the asparagus to bed outside in the vege patch. Left it too late, but now its done.

Brassica Fantatisica

Spend the evening planting cauliflower (all the year round), cabbage (copenhagen market), and Kohlrabi (purple and green), into seed trays. In total 20 of each being 2 seed trays.

Unexpected Ginger

Just when I was about to give up on the ginger... here it is. This is a day (or two) growth, its about an inch above the surface. Fresh ginger here we come!

Capsicum

Capsicum are supposed to flower when they have 7-13 leaves (which these do). Apparently the first flower will fail (the bud's a dud) and the fruit will produce on subsequent flowers.

Fast Growing Sprouts

Its just amazing how quickly brussel sprouts grow. One seed was planted per section, all of them germinated and they have grown to this size in just 6 days.

Plant in summer for harvest in winter

Its time to start worrying about planting for winter. Apparently the best things to plant now are brassica and beet. So in went some.

In an effort to keep the cats off of the seedlings up went the polytunnel. Its only a small one but it now protects beet and carrot seeds. With some luck the added heat will also help germination and growth.

Yesterday in went some brussel sprout seeds into seed trays and into the green room. Also in went some winter leeks. Then there's the strawberry experiment with the tiny red strawberry seeds from my parent's place.

strawberries

Mashed, Seived, Dried, Planted some strawberries from my father's garden.