Some Quick Winter Gardening

Well it's July, and the garden can always do with a few extra things planted. I have my very first winter vegetable patch and feel quite proud. Bumbling around in wet socks and the rain is somehow pretty therapeutic. I've planted broccoli, cauliflower, lettuce and snow peas that are busy twining themselves up some sticks I've put in the ground near the fence. My silverbeat is also doing really well!

Below is a quick list of what is apparently good to plant in July in temperate zones of Australia- that is warm summer, cool in winter! This includes inland Queensland, New South Wales tablelands and coastal region south of Sydney, and much of southern coastal Australia from Melbourne, Adelaide through to Perth.

Beetroot
Direct in rows.
Harvesting from August - September

Broad beans
Direct in rows.
Harvesting from October - December

Cabbage
Bring on in seed trays, then plant out seedlings.
Harvesting from September - October

Lettuce
Bring on in seed trays, then plant out seedlings.
Harvest from September.

Mustard greens
Sow direct.
Harvesting from August - September

Onion
Bring on in seed trays, then plant out seedlings.
Harvesting from December - March

Parsnip
Sow direct.
Harvest from November.

Peas
Sow direct.
Harvest from September.

Radish
Sow direct.
Harvest from August.

Shallots (also Eschalots)
Bring on in seed trays, then plant out seedlings.
Harvesting from September - October

Snow Peas (also Sugar Peas, Mangetout, Chinese Peas)
Direct.
Harvest from October.
Preparing for August

Please go to http://www.gardenate.com.au/ - quite a good site to plan when to plant your vegetables and herbs all year around.

By Briony

The Blood Red Sea

Seagulls twirl against the blue cloudless sky

Black silhouettes, basking in the light

Of that bright white solar circle

That we call the sun

Below sails softly billow with the breeze

White calico wings, made by a mans hands

Flutter and ripple loosely with each

Slow warm breath of god

A sailor of the sea, sits with a wide brimmed hat

His fingernails are nothing short of black

“Oh, oh, oh” he mutters sadly

Words tumbling to the deck

For today he sees his fate, mirrored in the sea

Where fish and beauty swirl, upon the deep

Blue which now fills red, and reflects

A huge wooden mast shattered upon his neck

Hopefully this sends some wintery chills down your back!

Poem written by Briony

Etching from "uknown" source

Wonderous Rain

There can be something wonderous about the rain...
Just thought I would share some pictures with you!

Hope you enjoyed....

Briony