Tomato Bed Next step, Spring Plantings

Some people might think that being Fathers Day and our 28th wedding anniversary that it might be a day of rest or celebration but not us. The celebration was held in the evening and although we tried not to rush around too much it proved to be a productive day with a little reading and even a quick nap.

The first one up gets to set up the decorations for the day

The day started extremely well with the water pumps on the dam started before coffee. On the walk back two bales of old Lucerne were put out for our three cattle. Martinique a 7 year old heifer named because she came from a dairy at Glen Martin. Warren and Hector two Friesian Angus cross steers named after the dairy farmer who donated them.

After coffee and blogging, the broken gate valve on the watering system was replaced. Then we both worked on the irrigation system for the Tomato bed. After laying out, securing it to the ground and installing all the spray nozzles a quick test to ensure all is working, a thorough clean of the filter and we were off.

Irrigation pipe installed.

Testing

Jean continued with a few loads of washing and changing the bed then went onto hand watering various pots and beds and incorporating some weeding. My list was all these odd little jobs.  The bees feeder needed refreshing with sugar and water which didn't take long. This is only being done to help increase the brood numbers. Then the following seeds needed to be set out into seed trays for later transplanting to the Tomato Bed i.e. that part set aside for vines or other than Tomatoes. Corn, Cucumber (3 types), Zucchini (2 types), Okra (2 types), Rockmelon (6 types), Watermelon (7 types), Dry Pumpkin and Bitter Melon.

Seed trays

We had an Eggplant which was planted last Summer into a pot. It did really well and also stayed on through Winter and is flowering and setting fruit again. On the strength of that we repeated the trial with another variety and also are trialling some Capsicum done in pots. It maybe the rich compost or the depth of the pot or just the fact that being near the house it didn't experience the cold as much. We shall see. With the two of us on this task it didn't take very long to fill, plant and water five pots. All those big composts we made over Autumn and Winter are coming in very handy.

Last year's Eggplant doing well after Winter

Trialling a new one

One of four Capsicums done in the same way

Last jobs of the day included mulching the various Onion plantings with fine Lucerne hay that had been processed through the mulcher. This little job had been sitting around for two weeks. Any longer and we would have had to weed the beds again. The bed (in the house that is) was re-made and vegetables picked from the garden for dinner. A quick shower and Champagne was opened at 6 pm and washed down a selection of home made cheeses. Happy Anniversary!