February – The Wrap Up

Summer’s over for another year – in Australia our seasons are aligned with calendar months, so officially summer finished at the end of February.  And weather-wise it does seemed to have finished, at least for the time being.  The last days of February were wet and so was the first of March, and the forecasts suggest there’s more to come.  Hopefully the garden will enjoy it.  I’m pretty sure my newly planted cucumbers will.  

My main cucumber plants which have been keeping me supplied all summer have slowed production considerably and I’m hoping that these will give me a late season crop.  I am growing them in a Veggie Cage which came from the same place as the Tomato Rings.  I’ll reserve judgement on the merits of the cage until the cucumbers get a bit bigger.

Whilst the cucumbers are finishing the figs are just starting.  This tree isn’t technically mine, some branches from my neighbours tree have grown under the fence.  But I’m claiming the figs, those that aren’t eaten by whatever has been nibbling at this one anyway.  I have to say whatever it is at least has table manners, unlike my son who will take a few bites out of a sandwich then move onto the next one, this creature keeps coming back to this particular fig rather than sampling the others on the tree. 

On the subject of fruit my new passionfruit vine seems to be establishing itself reasonably well.  My old vine is having what must be its last productive year so I am doing everything I can to encourage growth from its replacement.  I don’t imagine I’ll get fruit from it next year but I am hopeful of some the year after.

The dwarf citrus are also looking good (if you ignore the citrus leaf miner that is).  The orange – a Washington Navel has fruit on it, as does the Tahitian Lime and the Meyer Lemon.

What is looking less happy though is the garlic chives which, unfortunately, are covered with Black Aphids and not a ladybird in sight.

I just can’t seem to get rid on these annoying little pests.

Having had a reasonably warm summer has meant that the tropical plants are looking pretty happy.  Both the Turmeric and the ginger are putting up lots of shoots and are hopefully developing some lovely rhizomes beneath them.

The other crop which I am growing outside its normal comfort zone is sweet potato and again it looks pretty happy the vines are everywhere -even growing up the fence.

 And finally the tomatoes – I pulled out the Broad Ripple Currant, Baby Red Pear, Sweet 100 Hybrid & one of the Tommy Toes during the course of the month.  I also pruned all the remaining plants.  The Rouge de Marmande has come back well and is starting to set fruit again.

Of the other remaining tomatoes the Black Cherry is still going well, it was one of the last ones planted and as such is behind the others not a bad thing given the other cherries are not producing at the moment.

Finally, and without an accompanying photo, I planted some of my winter crops during February.  I planted up a side bed with cabbages, broccoli, cauliflower, Tuscan Kale, radicchio & some chard.  I’m not quite sure whether the bed will get enough sun for them to produce well but if I don’t try I’ll never know.