Cosmic Connections

Venus Beams

Blossom — Fri, 29 Aug 2008 06:49:11 GMT

My friend Martin sent this brilliant photo of Venus Beams on the water in Adelaide.

http://martins-skywalk.blogspot.com/2008_08_01_archive.html

Fenugreek.................

Blossom — Fri, 29 Aug 2008 03:36:50 GMT

Has anyone grown Fenugreek in cooler climate zones? We love this spice and I'd like to try using the leaves too. I can't source seeds ( have just put in my Eden order) but I figure if I plant some of the spice shop ones, they might grow.

Little win on Tatts

Blossom — Mon, 25 Aug 2008 04:56:54 GMT

I won $28 for two weeks now, so have treated myself to Tess of the D'Urbaville (DA), Ian Thorpe - my god what thorns! and another Korda rose - Amadeus. Not sure where to fit them in - might have to remove the washline!

The Gods must be Crazy!

Blossom — Tue, 19 Aug 2008 01:30:32 GMT

No coca cola, just a crazy bunch of stars! This is a small play quilt, I'll quilt it in a random theme. I used bright colours to teach myself how to do what are known as "Stacked Stars". You take 6 (or whatever number you want) 12" pieces of fabric on top of each other, cut two cuts so there are 3 piles, then take the bottom two of one pile and put it to the top and one from the top of the 3rd pile and put it to the bottom. You then make another two cuts and put two from the ...

So have you decided yet?

Blossom — Tue, 26 Aug 2008 11:31:07 GMT

Had a nice letter from Pepperina today, got me enthused. So, Gnome and other growers - are you motivated yet? - what have you decided on? I'm waiting until October but I still want to get on a roll. I'm be growing mainly for seed this year because of the new restrictions I want the seed base in Tassie to be available so I'll outsource a bit of stuff too. So get my tomato juices working - what is the plan?

Hairy Bikers

Blossom — Wed, 27 Aug 2008 15:00:25 GMT

God knows where they got crocodile in the Namibian desert! But anyone who watched it ( I know of one or two) did you see what he put in the Gem Squash? Got lots of seeds if anyone wants some.

What I love about that show, apart from the familiarity of the accents is the fact that they COOK! I still use their quiche lorraine recipe from last season.

Brag and drool lists

Mad Gnome — Tue, 26 Aug 2008 12:30:27 GMT

Here is my list of tomatoes for this season. Yes, there are a lot. No, I am not mad. I think.

Tomato � Becker's Blau

Tomato � Black Cherry

Tomato � Black Krim

Tomato � Cherokee Purple

Tomato � Dixie Golden Giant

Tomato � Earl of Edgecombe

Tomato � Golden Ponderosa

Tomato � Green Giant

Tomato � Grosse Violette

Tomato � Grub's Mystery Green

Tomato � Grusha Chyorhaya

Tomato � Heinz 1370F

Tomato � Huge Black

Tomato � Ida Gold

Tomato � Imur Prior Beta

Tomato � Jaune ...

Getting started for the Spring veg season

siri — Mon, 25 Aug 2008 09:54:14 GMT

I had a circular raised brick bed put in, just near the decking at the back of the house, last winter. In the middle I planted a weeping ornamental cherry, and intended to put bulbs and annuals all around. I planted vegies instead, knowing there would be another dry summer, and thinking that close to the house would be easy to bucket water. Also the soil was there, and I was in the mood for growing food.

So that went well, and the lettuces self seeded, the silverbeet was cut back to give another ...

climbing roses in pots

Fran — Fri, 16 May 2008 02:07:12 GMT

I planted 3 climbers in very large terracotta pots late last August - bareroots. Never grown climbers in pots before but I wanted these to climb a pergola and there was only stone and gravel round the pergola - no soil at all.

Thought the roots might be too constricted to make any height but their canes have reached the top of the pergola already. It's quite a long pergola and I have been fanning the canes out hoping their foliage would give good coverage - which it has - healthy enough.

So ...

Espalier spacing

Raymondo — Mon, 25 Aug 2008 09:41:41 GMT

I plan on putting in a row of fruit trees to espalier and was wondering how close I could go. Do you thing 150cm would be too close?

Been and Gone and Dunnit!

Blossom — Fri, 08 Aug 2008 09:37:32 GMT

Well, the caravan that we bought in a knee jerk reaction 2 years ago, still hasn't sold, even though it's been with the yard for 15 months, I think a distinct lack of effort on their part. So last night we did a bit of surfing and found the ideal layout that we want in a van in Launceston. Went through there today and have done a deal. They will take the other van as a trade in and we have a slightly older, but much more comfortable one in exchange. It has a shower and loo, bedroom behind ...

Pied Oyster Catcher

Blossom — Tue, 26 Aug 2008 03:51:59 GMT

This rare bird has been on our beach for 4 years but we have never seen any chicks. This morning, they have 2 juveniles with them and as it's breeding season hopefully there will be more this coming summer. I have been watching these birds for years since the arrived and was coming to the conclusion that they wouldn't raise any chicks. But they have. They are an interesting bird, they pair for life and most gorgeous to look at. I think the bays around South Australia have them, in small ...

No more Scrabulous!

Blossom — Sat, 23 Aug 2008 08:43:36 GMT

I'm really p***ed off. Without warning, the Facebook game Scrabulous had been erased from Facebook, just when I was about to Astound the Mad Gnome with a full letter word including Z and X - Seems there is a copyright issue with Mattel who own the Scrabble copyright. But Scrabble has never been an online game. Only a board game. I'm keeping my fingers crossed for its return.

Hi from Abbi

Abbi — Sun, 17 Aug 2008 12:02:22 GMT

Just registered....know a few of you already.

Hi to everyone.

tapestry garden

Abbi — Thu, 21 Aug 2008 01:46:13 GMT

First attempt to post pic.

This is a tapestry I designed based on a photo of my mums back garden in summer.

[img][/img]

The Hairy Bikers

Mad Gnome — Tue, 26 Aug 2008 04:11:58 GMT

Don't forget to watch the Hairy Bikers on SBS!

The first series will be shown again - and starts on Wednesday, 27 August 2008. SBS 7.30pm.

The two bikers are travelling through various countries (they start with Namibia in the first episode) and experience the cuisine of each country. They are a delight to watch. They appreciate the country, people, cuisine and culture of every country.

There is one scene in the first episode which is my absolute favourite. They are in the Namibian ...

hay bale homes

Fran — Tue, 15 Jul 2008 06:04:03 GMT

Think of it: a beautiful home with no mortgage; a house that's environmentally-responsible; a house with almost no heating and cooling costs due to fantastic insulation;

Straw bale homes have foundations, roofs, and full frames (with some modifications for the bales) just like any other house. But instead of expensive and often toxic building materials (glued plywood, fiberglass insulation, heinous plastic siding, paints, etc.) the exterior walls are stacked piles of finished straw bales. ...

What's for tea?

Mad Gnome — Fri, 22 Aug 2008 06:43:33 GMT

We seem to go through phases where either we are bursting with ideas of what to cook for tea, or we just can't think of anything we could have.

We are going through a 'dry' spell at the moment.

Can I be nosy and ask - what's for tea? (I'm sure to get inspired by your answers.)

Edit: It's now after tea and it was gorgeous! Not telling anyone - as you haven't told me either!

Potatoes for 2008

Blossom — Sat, 23 Aug 2008 02:29:04 GMT

We have finally rotated back to our first bed for the spuds ( 5 years). When we first planted here, the ground was solid clay. 5 years later we have really good fertile free draining, deep soil. I am amazed how well this bed has drained considering the rain we've had, I expected it to be totally waterlogged. We have planted 3 rows of Dutch Creams, 3 of King Edwards and 3 of Pink Eye. The rest of the bed will be given over to beans.

Tasmanian Gourmet Potatoes online ordering.

Blossom — Mon, 25 Aug 2008 08:36:41 GMT

http://www.taspotatoes.com.au/index.html

Flowers and Fruit Trees

Rose_Bud — Sat, 23 Aug 2008 01:44:15 GMT

Hi Everyone

I have finally got sick of looking out at a bare backyard so this year I have went berserk and brought roses & fruit trees. Now what I'm wondering is.. is it ok to plant bulbs like daffodils & jonquils under the fruit trees? I have apricot, necterine, plum, peach as well as mandarin & soon lemon trees.

Thanks in advance

Jane

A must have book on veg gardening

siri — Sun, 24 Aug 2008 00:58:10 GMT

I rarely buy new veg gardening books these days. I use the yates garden guide for most of my needs and some nice books I have accumulated over the years.

Yesterday I bought "One Magic Square" by Lolo Houbein, and I feel I am on the verge of an epiphany.

This woman makes it easy for beginners, gives the harder stuff for the most ardent enthusiasts, and most importanly puts it in very simple terms why we should be growing our own food, and saving our own seed, and doing it all organically.

Without ...

Hedgerow photos at last

siri — Sat, 23 Aug 2008 09:47:08 GMT

Well - sticks and straw, but some leaves should show soon.

I planted 10 various hazelnuts, 2 chestnuts, 1 black mulberry, 1 nashi, 2 sour cherries (Kentish & Morello), 3 crab apples, 2 English Oaks, 1 plum (prune) and 3 pink lady apple seedlings that grew in my fernery from a core thrown from the upstairs balcony.

Looking West:

Looking North:

Looking NW:

Leiscester Jones

Raymondo — Sat, 23 Aug 2008 12:13:43 GMT

Leicester Jones is the name of a tomato I received from Phoenix Seeds. It was apparently developed by a Tasmanian naturopath called (no prizes for guessing) Leicester Jones. Have you heard of him or it Blossom? Or indeed any other Taswegian out there?

the first rose/s you ever grew

Fran — Mon, 12 May 2008 06:51:42 GMT

My first garden was all native and very suitable for a busy household with working mum and three children but one day I looked around and thought it straggly and uninteresting. As it happened I had already fallen in love with an old-fashioned rose and wanted to find out more about them. Didn't know one from the other. Thought I better do some homework before I made any decision so I agonized for weeks over catalogues and gardening books. Wished for them all but pared the list down to a manageable ...

No dig garden with help from poultry companions

siri — Sat, 23 Aug 2008 09:53:19 GMT

After 2 weeks with the chook tractor, the ground is packed, the weeds gone, and the straw and chook poo trodden in well.

The bales along the side serve to keep unwanted digging creatures away from the chooks.

Also to retain the no dig garden.

I put in more kitchen scraps, the dried top stuff from the compost mountain, some rotting pea straw, then top with well the soil from the old chook run, full of worms (yum, yum).

Add some well rotted compost (looks like ...

Done it! - (must continue - was told title was too short)

Mad Gnome — Fri, 22 Aug 2008 06:46:21 GMT

(I wrote a post earlier but it seems to have disappeared. Frosty gremlins at work, I'd say!)

Anyway, on Sunday I sowed all my tomatoes, capsicums, chillies and eggplants.

How are you all doing? Have you sown yours yet?

Roses - What are people ordering this year?

siri — Mon, 05 May 2008 04:12:01 GMT

Lovely - a forum about roses. So here I am standing here, not knowing which way to turn - LOL The room is empty - let's fill it with roses

What are people ordering this year? Where from?

I'll start - I have put in a biggish order with Treloars, including 5 patio standards of Busy Bee, 10 europeana, 10 regensberg, some modern shrub roses - Lady Phelia, Mme. Paule Massad, Martine Guilot, Kookaburra, & Marie-Luise Marjan, and a few ground covers to fill bare spots.

I have asked them ...

Learning the art of the mixed rose garden :)

TasV — Sat, 23 Aug 2008 08:19:14 GMT

I'm over the formal rose garden look. I love my roses but I am beginning to think that they are but part of the bigger picture and are far more suited to complementary plantings than as formal rows/beds of JUST roses. So I'm playing with things/ideas to create a richer tapestry WITH roses and not OF roses. Using things like penstemon, peony (herbaceous) geraniums, forget-me-nots and thinking of a kniphofia or two... Would love to hear about others that people use to create this kind of effect. ...

who dreads pruning

Fran — Wed, 21 May 2008 02:55:39 GMT

One of the hardest things about caring for roses is knowing how when and what to prune. I�ll be the first to admit that pruning is not my idea of fun. Studying the subject only confused me and rows of regimented nude sticks didn�t appeal. It wasn�t what I had in mind when I decided to plant a rose garden. I expected happiness and pleasure not torture and disease. So as not to lose enthusiasm or enjoyment for growing roses I decided there and then to ignore most of it. Figured there was ...

Kordes Roses

Blossom — Sat, 05 Jul 2008 06:21:40 GMT

I've just planted some more roses and noticed one was labelled Kordes Rose. What is a Kordes Rose? Is it just a company or is there something special about the plants?

I also planted Jude the Obscure ( DA), Abraham Darby (DA) The Children's Rose, Papa Meilland, Angel Face ( Climber) but don't have any other Kordes Roses ( La Luna).

Iris season about to start

siri — Sat, 23 Aug 2008 05:29:40 GMT

Thanks Cosmic for putting up a seperate board for irises, as we discussed earlier in the year. No one thinks much about these lovely flowers until they start to appear in peoples gardens in mid Spring, with their bold clumps of colourful bloom. As some of you may know, Irises are my specialty plant.

Late in winter the winter irises (I. unguicularis) are in bloom with their delecate mauve shades, and the tiny bulb irises - I.reticulata being the most common of them. In September the bearded ...

My Weird Ducks

Shell Bell — Wed, 16 Apr 2008 20:04:50 GMT

I just thought I would share this

I have two drakes and one hen, the boys never fight over their girlfriend and work together to protect her. She is sitting on 16 eggs at the moment and the boys have been very patient with her new meaner temperment. It's a very 'modern' relationship.

Rhubarb Clafoutis

Mad Gnome — Fri, 22 Aug 2008 06:40:58 GMT

I was just thinking that a rhubarb clafoutis would be delicious. Problem is - I don't have a reliable clafoutis recipe. I know, there are tons of recipes out there, but I tried a recipe once and it was a disaster. The quantities just weren't right.

So, who does have a tried and tested recipe they'd be willing to share?

I can send a picture in return.

Passion Fruit from seed

Blossom — Mon, 18 Aug 2008 04:57:26 GMT

I got hold of a couple of Nelly Kelly purple passion fruit and have saved some seed from one. I'm wondering if they will grow. All I can find in the nurseries are grafted ones - different colours, and after growing one tasteless dried out thing I dug it out. These are the old fashioned ones that just about grew wild. They are used for root stock on the modern varieties, but I like the purple ones best. I'm fermenting the seeds but have it somewhere in the recesses of my mind that it needs ...

Why don't bulbs do as they are supposed to?

Blossom — Tue, 19 Aug 2008 01:36:37 GMT

I planted this bulb garden in a fairly untended spot, with the intention of having a fabulous shoe of colour that they neighbours would enjoy. There are Daffs, Dutch Iris in three blues and yellow, hundreds of Ixias and massed Bluebells. But they will only flower in sequence not all together - first cabs off the rank are the daffs to cheer the drear.

All things bright...............

Blossom — Wed, 13 Aug 2008 01:15:31 GMT

Here's the latest gone off to the quilting lady..............should brighten a few dark nights!

Furoshiki - a Japanese art

Fran — Tue, 01 Jul 2008 04:08:45 GMT

the Japanese art of wrapping gifts in fabric

how to diagrams - http://www.env.go.jp/en/focus/attach/060403-5.html

used as interior decoration -http://homepage2.nifty.com/furoshiki_sg/furoshiki-english/tomen%20journal/interior%20image/interior%20decoration%20image.html

Kintting for the needie.

Lucky1 — Wed, 06 Aug 2008 10:36:56 GMT

Just finished and posted these 3 hats off and a new born blue babies cardigan to Guardian Pharmacies for World Vision.

The 3 hats are for children aged 2 to 4 years of age. The models are from Amy's room.

These hats are off overseas for the up coming winter in a poorer country.

Tasmanian Chocolate gets good reviews

Raymondo — Sun, 03 Aug 2008 23:02:02 GMT

At Tomatopalooza this year, just a week ago in fact, Tasmanian Chocolate got very good reviews. Well done Blossom.

Chooks won't roost

Blossom — Fri, 15 Aug 2008 06:48:00 GMT

The chooks we got from the child care centre were used to sleeping in the calf pen in boxes. Consequently, despite a 5* resort with roosts, they insist on sleeping ( and pooping) in the nesting boxes at the rear of the hut. I never had any problem with the girls on the farm, they all roosted and the nesting boxes stayed relatively clean for weeks. I am having to shovel the poop out of the nesting boxes every day so the eggs aren't covered in it How important is it for hens to actually ...

shahtoot or not to shahtoot

syrah — Thu, 14 Aug 2008 07:35:18 GMT

hello everyone

has anyone got one of these in their yard? Are they as sweet as everyone says? Taste?

Helen and Scott Nearing

Mad Gnome — Thu, 07 Aug 2008 07:37:10 GMT

A few years ago I read the book "Building and using our sun-heated greenhouse' written by Helen and Scott Nearing. This was a fascinating read. Not only to see how they built their greenhouse with stones, etc. But also the hard work they put in to extend their seasons.

Finally I got hold of another book. This time by Helen Nearing "Loving and leaving the good life". I started it last night, so can't tell you much about it yet.She wrote it after her partner's death. (He decided ...

Espaliering fruit trees.

Lucky1 — Fri, 25 Jul 2008 00:29:37 GMT

Yesterday Pat & I bought 3 fruit trees. 2 plum & a nectarine.

Today we start the joyful job of planting them out in the garden.

2 trees will be espaliered and 1 plum tree will be planted out in the duck run.

Lots of other plans for today in the garden as well. Later on today (late) and over the next few days I'll be posting the photos of how my day goes and how well I get my list of play knocked over.

Kefir grains

Mad Gnome — Fri, 08 Aug 2008 07:04:08 GMT

My kefir is growing and growing and growing. I have one lot 'resting' in the fridge. But the other lot is working like mad and growing like mad, too. Kefir is wonderful stuff and I use it nearly every day in my morning fruit smoothie. I am not big on breakfast but at around mid-late morning I get slightly peckish. That's where a fruit smoothie is just the thing to have. It also ensures my daily fruit intake.

Anyway. Does anyone know whether the kefir grains can be used for something? Or ...

Chook Resort to Let!

Blossom — Sun, 03 Aug 2008 03:53:31 GMT

Finished the chook house, waiting on the chooks. We have made it moveable and it wheels around the garden easily. For the first couple of weeks the chooks will have the run of the berry patch. We'll put the temporary fence up tomorrow, then install the tenants, which look like being donated by Charmaine.

What a weekend!

syrah — Mon, 11 Aug 2008 02:46:23 GMT

I have had an "exciting" weekend.

We turn up on our block of land on Saturday afternoon and find that the Nature Reserve owned by Department of Land and Water has had a logging road put through it.

We got to talk to the guy doing this and said that he had a leasehold agreement to put in a road to his property. I found this interesting because the reserve was originally part of the parcel I know own and was annexed for historical and environment purposes. The land in question ...

The end of tomato imports

Raymondo — Sun, 03 Aug 2008 22:50:04 GMT

AQIS have just introduced new import conditions on tomatoes and all its immediate relatives, namely, the entire genus Lycopersicon. All imports must now have an import permit and be accompanied by a phytosanitary certificate stating that the seeds are free of Potato Spindle Tuber Viroid. This makes it too difficult and costly for the home gardener to import seeds. I think this puts an end to Australia's participation in the Cross Hemisphere Dwarf project. Bummer!

Beef Ribs, Coconut Braised

syrah — Tue, 05 Aug 2008 03:50:34 GMT

Hello All

I tried this recipe from the Cook and the Chef last week. It was delicious and much better on the second day. I think it would be a winner in the crockpot. All that slow cooking would make the meat melt in your mouth.

Bon Appetit

Beef Ribs, Coconut Braised

Ingredients

Simon�s recipe is inspired by David Thompson

Serves 4

8 bone beef ribs with as much cap fat as you can get!

4 Coriander roots

4 cm piece ginger, roughly sliced

3cm piece galangal, roughly ...

Server down

Blossom — Mon, 11 Aug 2008 10:44:20 GMT

Sorry the server was down today - the forum one, it looks like they've fixed it but the new posts aren't showing red, so they may still have work to do.