February

Lavender field as at end February 2011


Vegetable garden as at end February 2011

The first two weeks of February were spent weeding the lavender. Weeding and weeding and weeding. Harvested half of it on the 10th and the rest on the 19th. Got a pretty good yield from the Super, but not as much of the Grosso as I may have expected, perhaps we harvested a bit late. However there was absolutely no way I could have finished the weeding any sooner than I did. I spent many evenings weeding after the girls went to bed, including one evening in the pooring rain.

The poor lawn suffered from the four weeks of school holidays and then two weeks of focus on the lavender. When I finally got a chance to mow, it was knee high. I had to mow two consecutive weeks in a row just to get it back into good condition.

Although I spread the planting of lettuces out by planting one a week, they still all came ready at pretty much the same time, and one ended up going to waste because I didn't pick it in time. Planted some more lettuces but they are still small so we don't have any at the moment. Next year will have to spread them out to maybe two weeks and make sure I keep planting more even when they start to be ready to ensure a continuous supply.

The zucchini and cucumber plants are doing very well. We currently have approx 10 of each in the fridge and will have to do something about it soon.

Have picked about 2-4 cups of blueberries. Have made one batch of blueberry muffins and still have lots left. Gathered lots of walnuts. Planted some more broccoli and corn.

We don't have an apple tree on our property, but bought a share of an apple tree at AgResearch in Palmerston North. Have picked about two fruit bowls full of apples and now have to do something with them.

Potatoes: Are ready to be harvested
Lettuce: Original 6 harvested, 6 small ones growing.
Brassica: Ate one of the original broccoli, the other one went to seed. Ate one of the cabbages, the other one never really grew (too many potatoes in the same plot). The two cauliflowers never really grew for the same reason. Planted another two broccoli in a different plot. All of them have been ravaged by cabbage moths. Have decided I'm not going to grow brassicas again. Even if they do grow, I'm very reluctant to eat them because of the number of caterpillars on them (can never be completely sure I've gotten rid of them all before cooking them).
Tomatoes: The ones on the deck are growing well, the ones in the garden are growing slowly.
Zucchini: 1 plant and going strong
Cucumber: 2 plants and going strong
Capsicum: 1 plant with approximately 3-4 fruit
Pumpkin: 4 fruit growing
Corn: Discovered that the place where I chose to plant them is also the place the dogs like to sit when they are watching the neighbour's yard. Tried planting another couple somewhere else, don't think they will do well though.
Strawberries: Keep forgetting to check on them.
Blueberries: Got one good harvest with lots more fruit still to turn the right colour.
Walnuts: Have gathered about a fruit bowl full so far


-M