The FastDay Forum

Sallyo that sounds great, home grown tomatoes, yum. We are on the downhill run to moving into our new home so yesterday we planted some herbs and a few veggies there. Must remember to call in this afternoon and water them.

Tomato envy here. One of my jobs this week is to take mine out now the season has finished. I have a few gardeners delight left but everything else is done. Black kale is looking wonderful though

I need to cut back the callistemon that is on my nature strip. It's making it hard to see when I'm coming out of the driveway. I feel bad about cutting off a branch before it flowers but it has to be done. I want to do it tomorrow before the green recycling bin goes out but it's sounds like it's going to rain most of the day. I guess I'll wait and see if I can dash out between showers.

It will be a few more weeks before I start digging up and transplanting my bushes and perrenials, so nothing to report this week.
@Sallyo would you like us to send some seeds from the UK, we have a much longer heritage tradition, plus they are already from a cooler climate so should suit Tasmania down to the ground.

Just have a look through some UK seed catalogues, the seeds should be on SALE because for us its the end of the season and they will be cheaper.

[janeg]

@julieathome
Trench composting was one of the things I did when I had a garden.
Don't think my downstairs neighbour would appreciate me digging up the roof of their balcony (floor of mine)
I have planted up some tubs though with petunias. Still too hot for violas and pansies though...

Mr Domane is a horticulturalist/turf management/gardener by trade and profession.... we "live in" for a lovely couple here in Shropshire and work as their gardener/handyman (him) and part-time housekeeper (me) He tends their 6 acres of formal gardens and kitchen garden full-time. We get LOTS of free fruit and veg! As well as the veg beds, there is a fruit cage (strawberries, raspberries, loganberries, gooseberries, red and blackcurrants), large greenhouse (peppers) and poly-tunnel (tomatoes, peppers, cucumbers and melons). Trees include various apple varieties, pears, plums figs and damsons.

Last week I made damson jam. I have a bowl of Bramleys that I'm getting through as well as making apple crisps with the eaters. The beds are currently full of the last of the courgettes, runner beans, pumpkins and butternuts....

Hi Domane. Sounds idyllic, but I'm sure it's hard graft. Still interested in tips for what to do with last of the courgettes. I have loads. Freezing in shreds is a great suggestion. Any more?

I'd like to join your gardening club please!
We have a small suburban garden and have some apple trees, rhubarb and red currants. The latter are very successful and crop heavily with minimum effort. They go in the freezer and are nice when added to Apple in pies, crumbles etc. I will also make some red currant jelly soon.
Linking to another thread regarding crab apples - these are another low maintenance fruit, beautiful blossom in spring followed by small attractive fruit in early autumn. I plan to make crab apple jelly (Sarah Raven has a delicious recipe for this and adds chilli for extra warmth... Lovely with roast pork)
Am enjoying everyone's advice, please keep it up.... (Off to grab a deck hair under wildmissus pergola!)

I guess we've become gardeners over time. Started with artichokes, tomatoes and cucumbers. Have added herbs, carrots, beets, kale, peaches, nectarine, pears, apples, pluots, figs, black berries and quince (the trees were here already). It's great to be able to make your side dishes simply by going outside.

Just been chopping back the out of control plants on the south side between the house and the side fence. There's valerian and honeysuckle, potato vine, mock orange, jasmine, fish fern, a stray pelargonium and some succulents. Got about 3/4 done before it started to rain. Had to be done; I couldn't actually walk down the path!
I do have an electric hedger which I use when I want it really neat but mostly I just do it manually as it's bloody good exercise!

I am digging up the honeysuckle this year, its not happy where it is, so its going into the hedge the other side of my fence (guerrilla gardening) along with a shrub I planted 2 years ago that has gone mad and is obviously too vigorous for my small garden. It has small dark green leaves, likes spreading up walls and fences (leans up against it, not clings) and is covered in blue flowers in spring. The shrub should actually still be view-able once it grows over the top of the fence again.

Just took this picture in my garden this morning with the spring sun shining behind. bewdiful red rhubarb.

anyone for Rhubarb Pie or Rhubarb fool? yum... i want to harvest but they say wait if first crop first year.

Oh that looks lovely. Rubarb crumble please!!

What have you done with the old rawkaren? 5:2 seems even more effective than I thought!

A friend told me about gingered rhubarb marmalade this year. I modified her recipe by combining it with another. I really like how it turned out.

Rhubarb Ginger Marmalade
Makes approx. 3 ½ pints
8 cups rhubarb - chopped in ½” or less pieces
4 ½ cups sugar
Rind of 2 oranges and 1 lemon – sliced into small strips
Fresh ginger – minced – about the size of your thumb (more or less to taste)
Mix together. Let it sit all day or overnight.
Add the juice from the 2 oranges and 1 lemon. Cook. Bring to a boil then cook to jam stage. Pour into sterilized jars and seal.