The little birds...

If you watch little birds you will see they are busy and happy! Using whatever they can find they create the most gorgeous little nest.
I would be the little bird with some glittery thread in her nest!
We can be like this. Happily working away with the things that are available to us to create a beautiful and happy home.
All the while with a little song in our heart.

Banner by Free Pretty Things for You.

Friday 24 April 2020

Pantries and Preparedness, Victory in the veggie garden.

As the weeks pass by we are all noticing different shortages or items that are either limited/rationed or not on the shelves at all.  Not much has changed at our local supermarkets, the same things apply with limits of one or two items in so many categories.  But now the limits and hard to get items have extended to the plant nursery.   I found this at our local nursery and they said three companies that supply them say they will have no seeds for the rest of the year and the fourth company doesn't even answer the phone anymore.    And seedlings were not much better.  I placed my name on a waiting list however and this led to some success!   Like finding  flour I was over the moon excited to get seedlings!



Now we have many seed savers in the group (and too many to mention) but SewingCreations and Jane have both inspired me to save seeds.  And when you have gardening friends seeds are a good gift!  Like soap and face masks seeds are now worth more than gold!

Many things will grow from a cutting, some things propagate themselves.  I once had a Lavender bush that had babies come up all around it year after year.  I dug them up and potted them continually!   So now we can think of ways to get some food growing in any way we can.

Vicky and I were talking about how to creatively get around the seed issue and she wrote....

Food shortages, seed shortages and basic supplies being hard to find or sold out before we get to them makes it stressful right now, but again if we look at what we have on hand or even what someone else may be tossing we may just be able to eek along and add to our pantry or meal table or save a little when prices are increasing. In lean times even just a handful of this or that can be so satisfying. From just adding a bit of flavor to possibly becoming an actual harvest it really is time to take a second look at things.
I have heard that some places are having seed shortages right now. If you have bought produce then you more than likely have a resource right at your fingertips you can use. Most have seeds in them or can be regrown easily. Instead of tossing them out consider saving the seeds and drying them until it's time for you to start them or if it's time to plant in your area get them sprouting to plant. After having talks with the produce managers at the stores I have found that many of the veggies I buy are actually heirloom, but not advertised as such. For example California Wonder peppers which most stores sell here are actually an heirloom veggie. I have started many things from store bought veggies just to see what they would be and I have not so far had any that didn't produce something. And something is better than nothing. 
Celery and lettuce root ends will continue to grow and produce new, onions and potatoes, garlic and carrot tops that sprout can be planted to regrow. Just don't hurry them along. 
Dried beans from store bought bags I've planted before by soaking them overnight first. You need to look at the bag though to see if it says irradiated. That is done so they will not sprout. Bags of sprouty beans on a store shelf wouldn't be wonderful. 
And the beauty of this is other than some time we are out nothing really. Looking at food differently helps too. Someone else may look and see a few small potatoes that grew I look and see what I can actually make with those few small potatoes! It is all a matter of perspective. 
I am currently starting celery which I will put in pots in a few weeks. I have tomatoes starting from a store bought tomato that wasn't good when the hubby brought it home, onions that are sprouting which I will trim and plant and potatoes that are sprouting.  
So don't get discouraged use what you may have on hand or can get someone to save for you this is another example of using our resources to our advantage!
XOXO
Vicky



We have all had plants come up when we didn't expect them too, especially if you put things in the compost or garden.   This does prove many store bought veggies and herbs do still produce viable seeds.   I certainly have had tomatoes grow and produce this way.     I now save any sprouting potatoes and plant them.  Suddenly I look at everything for potential!

My own garden right now is pretty much starting over.  I did get a lot of tomatoes, spinach, parsley, zucchini and basil over summer.  But things are quiet now and I am rebuilding.

My make shift fence to keep the dog out is so far working!


I have some things on my side... access to sheep and chicken poo,  good water (we have a bore)  a fairly sheltered spot that is protected from the wind,  space for other gardens if I want to extend...   this space gave me somewhere I could just let pumpkins sprawl everywhere and I am so happy I planted them!


We have only been here a year and a half.  It seems like much longer!   So everything with the garden is trial and error.   I would dearly love to add some raised garden beds.   

I am admiring how many people share garden spaces or have an allotment like in England where you garden a patch in a big garden,  I presume you rent or lease this plot.   And the good use of space in a tiny garden where everything is growing upwards.   Up is the way to go when space is short.    I have been reading how in the war years and depression people formed clubs.   There were things like chicken clubs and pig clubs... where one person might house them on their property but the feeding and caring for them was a group task... at the end the produce was shared.   We have had a lesser version of this when others saved their household scraps for our chickens and we return the favour with fresh eggs.  
Two families could agree that one will raise chickens and another will garden and eggs will be swapped for veggies.  We don't have to do everything we need some things that we can produce to be self sufficient in and able to sell or barter with.  Something is better than nothing!   Because of this I grow a lot of the things that grow well.  I had about thirty feet of lush Parsley and none was wasted.  I was able to use, dry, give away bunches and feed chickens, cows and sheep with it.   Then I harvested the seeds and packaged them.  I got so much from it!   So now I have a huge amount planted again and it is just coming up.

I want to do more and I want to do better.  If you have suggestions for how to multiply and propagate, save seeds, grow from cuttings and any tips at all please share them!   There is so much to learn.   One of my newer discoveries is how in Europe many use all kinds of things to fill a raised garden bed... including fallen logs.  They will after all break down eventually.   What a saving this would be!   You do not need to purchase heaps of expensive soil as most of your garden beds can be filled with found and salvaged things.  If this is interesting to you look up Hugelkultur method for raised beds.  Amazing!  One thing we have is plenty of fallen logs!  
Another is to look at potential containers for raised beds.   I have my eye on some large wooden boxes that the farm has had pumps arrive in... they look like garden beds to me! 

Each year Vicky calls her garden The Victory Garden.  So then her pantry became Vicky's Victory Pantry.   I love this!   The less we depend on the store the more victorious I feel.   
My niece has been here cleaning our gutters.... now I have some more compost material for the garden!  So I am off to spread this around and water my seedlings.xxx





57 comments:

  1. I have been saving seeds for a while now -it is one of my self-challenges for the year -to both save seed and succesfully grow from seed. I have found that bok choy will also grow from the base, just like celery and spring onions do, so if you have bought some in the grocery shop, plop it on soil and see what happens! I have also saved seed from pumpkins -you can roast them and eat them if you have too many.

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    1. Dear Earthmother, I saw you were having success too! The idea to roast the pumpkin seeds is a good one too. I planted up quite a lot of seeds this weekend... now to watch and wait! Thank you! with love Annabel.xxx

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    2. I roasted pumpkin seeds last week for the first time. A word of warning, don't have the oven too hot or they go off like popcorn. 😁 oh well the oven got a clean cheers Kate

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    3. Thank you for the information regarding bok choy, we have some growing at the moment and I am going to try this. Thank you. Lov, Bridge

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  2. Good advice here Annabel and Vicky. We are getting creative with containers to expand our food growing capacity. We had two metal water tanks which have become strawberry beds, my husband has made several raised beds from scrap wood we had, big bags which contained building materials are now potato planters and we have punched drainage holes in the bottom of big empty tubs of animal feed which can be tomato planters. We have expanded our range of veg to grow by swapping seeds( at a distance) with our daughter- she found Brussel sprouts seeds and we found aubergine so we divided them up.
    My husband dug out the bonfire heap and a layer of ash can fill the bottom of a raised bed which can then have compost on top for the plants to grow in.
    We're trying to grow and plan for the longer term as there will be repercussions from this for a long time to come. Good luck gardeners!

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    1. Dear Penny, You reminded me of how ash is full of nutrients too! I also ready to now and then put ash in the chook pen... we just cleaned out the fire so I get a regular supply. I like your ideas for garden beds. I am on the look out.
      Swapping and sharing seeds is a great idea too. I am agreeing with your thoughts! With love Annabel.xx

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    2. Penny in the war years, ash for tomatoes, potash, was in short supply as it was all taken for the war efforts. Potash is wonderful sprinkled around your toms to help develop good strong roots and stems.

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  3. Annabel, I started two raised beds last year. They were built from scrap and leftover lumber. I read that it can cost $200 to fill a bed with bagged soil. Buying soil by the yard was problematic because of hauling or delivery charges. Looking for a third way, I read the following online: Use whatever native soil is available, add as much compost is available (whether finished or not) and top with a couple of bags of garden soil. I had some dirt from digging fence post holes, mixed in a lot of half-done compost, a helping of dried-up alpaca poop, and topped with a few bags of garden soil. (I got the alpaca poop by asking on Freecycle for rabbit poop). Each bed cost me more like $20 to fill this way. I had bumper crops last year and NO WEEDS. Everything has broken down and this year the soil is fabulous. Only problem is that it has settled and I have to add more. I've got more half-done compost (I never seem to get mine finished), I can get free chicken you-know-what and bagged garden soil is on sale this week.

    I've got some older compost that wasn't kept wet enough and didn't break down as much as I had hoped. I have been composting kitchen scraps all winter, but it lacks "brown stuff" such as leaves. So, I'm dumping it all on a tarp this week, mixing well, and putting back in the bins. That's what I'll be using this year.

    Beets didn't do well for me last year. Apparently I missed one and it went to seed. This year I found about 30 volunteer beets! I read that they transplant well...and they did! They were 2 inches high well before our last frost date, and a good 3-4 weeks before I normally would have planted.
    --Maxine

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    1. Dear Maxine, I love the way you filled the raised beds! Thank you for this. And the results were good so this is perfect! I can see how it would settle and compact after watering etc... but a top up is good as we find more to add.
      This is a great tip on the beets!! I will see if I can let one go to seed, It is exciting to learn new possibilities. Many thanks. Love Annabel.xxx

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    2. Maxine I found that adding cardboard from boxes, old egg cartons, ours are a cardboard type, shredded newspaper which I just tore into strips, old paper work no longer required, also torn into strips, really added that extra 'brown' component to my compost.

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  4. I made a hugelkultur bed about 2 or 3 years ago, it did look rather like I had buried a body in my garden at first, but now it's all rotted down and I have lovely, fertile soil there. I'm about to build another as I have some gently decaying wood that will go nicely in the base of a raised bed I am planning for pumpkin and butternut squash. It won't be a strictly traditional hugelkultur bed, as it's utilising what I have on hand, but it should do the job.
    I am rather envious of self seeding lavender! My lavender died over our very wet winter and I don't think I will be able to get another as imports are banned due to the olive tree virus.
    I think I would just encourage everyone to experiment a bit, there are very few hard and fast rules in gardening. If something doesn't have a big outlay and you fancy trying it, well have a go! If it works, great. If it doesn't, well you tried.

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    1. Dear Su, Thankyou for telling us this. lol I guess now that you mention it it could look suspicious! I think using what you have and having a good is great and we learn as we go.
      Of all my lavender plants only one ever did this self seeding... I dont know why!
      Thanks so much Su, with love Annabel.xxx

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  5. Thanks for reminding me that I have seeds in the bell pepper in my fridge! We are short on plants here as well, at least for now.

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    1. I hope they grow for your Debbie. They are wonderful and useful! xxx

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  6. Thank you for the excellent post, Annabel, ad thank you Vicky for the good info! I'm new to gardening, this is my 2nd year, and last year we spent the only $ budgeted for gardening on the fence to keep out our dogs and cats and the wildlife. I'm so happy we did that because it would've been a constant fight against animals to not have it! Since the fence took the $, we started our raised beds with used tires. My husband cut one side where it had a larger opening, and we just laid them on top of the very rocky ground. We were only able to add our not good clay soil last year so didn't have much of a harvest, but this year we were able to get a big load of compost from cow farm (free) and mixed it into the beds. We added more tires and some big feed tubs, along with the buckets we had. It's not pretty but it is starting to grow lots of stuff!

    I am always inspired by everyone here on this site with their resourcefulness and the positive attitude to do what we can with what we have. It helps me to keep moving forward and trying things even if it's not "perfect" (like my unsightly vege garden beds! lol)

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    1. Dear Jenny, Thank you! We are in our second year too... so there is a lot of learning, spoil improvement... keeping the dog out for us too! Thank you for your kind words and encouragement! Don't worry about a messy garden... it is still glorious! With love, Annabel.xxx

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  7. The pig clubs also staggered the butchering of the animals, so that the meat supply was mire or less evenly distributed through the year.

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    1. Thank you... this would have made a lot of sense. I think back then of course there were not freezers like today! So smaller amounts more often would have worked. I think it is a great idea! xxx

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  8. Dear Annabel, Thank you for the encouraging and helpful post and comments! I know you also read ThePrudentHomemaker. She has said her first attempts at gardening weren't successful! She kept trying and also prayed over her garden and is now able to have wonderful harvests for her family. Like you, she reminds us that something is better than nothing. I have sweet potatoes growing year round, even thriving in Arizona's heat.They can not only be started from slips, they can be rooted from the vines. Their leaves can be eaten raw or cooked and used like spinach. They also have pretty purple blooms. Mint and multiplier onions spread and multiply. I have heard trimmings of grape vines can be rooted to make new plants. I am experimenting with growing roses from cuttings and have one stem putting on leaves. Aloe Vera is another plant that spreads and thrives in the heat. We have a pomegranate bush/tree growing in a big pot. I almost got rid of it last summer because it had never produced fruit and only had a couple blossoms, but my husband kept it watered. This year, it is loaded with blooms, many more than ever before. We hope we will be getting fruit. My bean plants and some tomatoes are from seeds I saved. Some of the tomatoes are volunteers. I save tomato seeds by spreading them on a paper towel. I let them dry and label them as to type. When I'm ready to plant, I just tear a bit of the towel and seed off and plant it. I have heard you can also grow tomato plants from cuttings. Melons, peppers and some squash are easy to save seeds from, too. Several of my packets of seeds are old, but when I give them a try, often sprout and grow. I have been looking through my containers and pots to see what else I can use to plant in. A few years ago, I had way more basil than we could use because it self seeded. I am trying to get it going again in the hope of having it to use and share. Snapdragons and nasturtiums self seed and you can also save seeds. Geraniums and chrysanthemums can be split to grow more. I think I have some pumpkin seeds and may give them a try after seeing yours. I don't have a big bed for them, but maybe they can do like the sweet potatoes and spread their vines outside the pot.
    Have a blessed week and Happy Gardening!
    Love from Arizona,
    Elaine

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    1. I have pinched the suckers off my tomato plants and stuck them right in the garden soil and they rooted in a few days.

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    2. Elaine, you very definitely can grow grapevines from cuttings. It is how all of the wineries propagate their vineyards. Many years ago I worked for a winery in Livermore, CA, which has hot temperatures like much of AZ. I don't remember what time of year they planted the cuttings, but this would definitely be worth researching.

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    3. Dear Elaine, This is true! I have several Aloe Vera and they all have little babies around them. I can pot some up.
      If your pumpkins could roam even up the fence or somewhere they should go well! I am already building up the soil for my next crop! Thank you so much for the great ideas. With love Annabel.xxx

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  9. Plants are available here but they are very expressive. I am also still seeing some seeds in the racks. I had everything I needed on hand and except parsley seeds. My parsley from last year is about to flower and go to seed so my new plants will come from those. I was much more careful this year not to over plant my seeds. It is so easy to plant way too many seeds. I made sure that every seed that was heirloom was labeled that way so I know which seeds to save. Now it is water and hope they all germinate. Here's hoping for a bumper harvest for us all!

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    1. We went to Walmart and found that there were plenty of seeds to be had so don't assume there are no seeds available like I did. Go look! We found everything else that we would like to have for this year and bought extra to put away.

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    2. Thanks Lana, I will just keep my eyes open wherever I go. I found toilet paper by actually looking in the toilet paper isle despite that usually being a aware of time! xxx

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  10. I live in a small apt. so no grading for me - but - the good news is the city has announced that allotment gardens may open and allow people in o work their plots - as long as they follow social distancing rules. That will make many people very happy. It's still too cold to plant - we don't usually start until nearly the end of May - but at least people can get in and clean things up and get the ground ready to plant.
    The big zoo here often offers "poop" from various sources to gardeners but since it is closed down at the moment I'm not sure if that will happen this year.
    If I run across any packs of seeds I'm going to snap them up for some friends who do garden.

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    1. I love the whole idea of allotments. Our city also sells "zoo poo" so that is going to be an interesting mixture!
      Yes grab seeds if you can and I hope you might get an allotment or even share in one! xxx

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  11. Annabel, both of my local supermarkets sell (in the produce section) single punnets of parsley, + basil. I bought and planted both and have abundant crops right now. I have made Pesto, dried parsley, and pinched out pesto, popped in water to shoot and now have 10 or so punnets to give away to friends. Soo satisfying!

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    1. What good and handy crops to have a they are so versatile! I could use any amount of basil! I have seen the method to make basil cuttings so I am going to try that! Thank you! xxx

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  12. Annabel I started saving seeds years ago. I save the best piece of fruit or plant and take the seed from that. Each year the fruit/plants produced get better, as they become acclimatized to local conditions.
    My local friends aren't so interested in seeds but love getting seedlings off me. It seems a few people are a little 'afraid' of trying to grow from seed. I always plant too many seeds so when I am thinning them out I offer the seedlings to neighbours and friends. I have never asked for anything in return but we have ended up with a bit of a swap cycle happening. Some bak choy seedlings and half a pumpkin went to a neighbour last week, and I now have a large bowl of beautiful organically grown mandarins.
    This has just reminded me. Fruits are another plant were you can plant the seeds. I have three small citrus trees growing where they were started from seed. We dont know how well they will grow and what our fruit yeild will be but we are hopeful.
    Other fruit trees we have grown from seed from bought fruits are avocado and mango. I have given away/swapped a few of the calypso mango seedlings in the last couple of months. We have a quarter acre(1200 square m) block in town. A number of our trees are in the ground. Keeping them pruned keeps them to a reasonable size. We also have a lot in pots. We get good fruit from these potted trees. Thinking that because you live in a suburban setting should not hold you back.
    Growing from seed is not difficult. Remember that growing flowers to bring in the pollinators as well as the good bugs is necessary. This too can be done by saving seeds or collecting and spreading about.
    My bak choy and coriander plants are flowering and going to seed right now. These seeds will be collected, dried out and bagged. Last week the last of the New Guinea Bean and pumpkin were pulled out. Their Seed is currently drying before it will be bagged for storage.
    Saving seeds is saving yourself a lot of money. It is a way to grow on your favourite fruit and veg without having to think about seed availability. Give it a go.
    Life is seedy good.

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    1. Dear Jane, You have continually inspired me with your seed sowing and bartering and community that helps each other. Oh and your container garden!
      Also you put me on to some you tube channels like self sufficient me that has been really good for me!
      I am now getting better at growing from seed and determined to add some raised garden beds or large containers.... depending what I find!
      Thank you so much! With love Annabel.xxx

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  13. Dear Annabel and Bluebirds
    The banana tree came down yesterday - the roots are still to be removed. My plan is to use as much of the banana bits to start raised garden beds with. I want to have 1 ready to use asap and the others I want ready for summer. My husband just needs to build two for me that will be over where a metal fence and metal shed radiate heat so I am more inclined to use those for winter planting. Especially as they are going into the corner that floods.

    The fence was raised higher by the neighbour behind. Of course everyone knows that if you plant something on a fence the fruit will always be better on the other side so I am not planting anything that will grow over the fence.

    I was talking to the neighbour who's yard backs onto our side fence and she was saying that their garden didn't produce much at all - they set up raised beds between two sheds and a fence all of which are metal so I am certain that given the heat we had everything was cooked.

    I would love to make a trip over to the Island to a couple of places that have seedlings but that cannot happen so my first trip out apart from cleaning the shop will be over there.

    I joined the Diggers Club last night and ordered some seeds of things that we use - a couple of items were unavailable but I wanted to make sure that we had seeds, just in case.

    My intention had always been to put raised garden beds in once the building work was done - it just happens that this virus struck and everyone decided that they were going to grow their own food.

    Seeds were sold out in a couple of weeks where ever I looked on line or my husband went. He even saw someone come into our local supermarket and swipe every seed packet off the rack into a basket and not even offer him anything even though he was standing there (he is too polite and stood back to let the lady go first, little did he know).

    I have a dried up passion fruit sitting on my bench, it is a couple of years old - will be interested to see if it is still viable.

    I will have to channel a great grandfather - he use to have a market garden.

    Baking today - testing two recipes - need to squeeze so much in on weekends while my husband is working from home.

    Lynette
    XXXX

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    1. Just a side note for something I learnt yesterday, seeds like constant temperature, if you are saving them they are best kept in the 'fridge because that is a constant temperature.

      Lynette
      XXXX

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    2. Dear Lynette, I have the issue of if things are in too much open space they could be cooked here too. I either need some shade or create some. I will have to ask you soon what you think of Diggers Club. I might join you there. We have some really solid rain now... so the mulching and fencing I did was just in time!! The organic material to help fill the garden beds will be really good. This is exciting as you have been waiting a while to get to this project! With much love Annabel.xxx

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    3. Dear Annabel
      I joined a FB page a while ago Small Space Veggie Gardening Australia and have been reading what everyone has been doing. Lots of thinking outside the box and using everyday items for problems that are being encountered. One was using pool noodles slipped over some timber stakes so that you have an arch to drape netting over to protect against white cabbage moths etc. Another used plastic conduit in much the same way but used pieces of old hose slit length ways as a clamp to hold the netting on. I think these would be interchangeable with sheets, etc to protect from the heat. Banana roots have slowed down progress, a massive clump that have been there too long to get out easy.

      Lynette

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  14. Thank you for another wise post. I have grown celery and have five now in my cold frame. One came back from last year. I have not had as good a luck planting lettuce. Did not know about the California Wonder green peppers. I don't usually buy those but may buy one for the seeds. Do I let the seeds dry out first or plant them right away? Nancy

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    1. Nancy,
      You can do either. Just be sure fresh or dry to start extra in case any of the seeds are duds.
      XOXO
      Vicky

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  15. I'm eager to start our garden for this year. We had such a lovely spot. Farmer had been moving soil onto the old garden spot. Our local road dept dug out a drainage ditch by one of our fields and Farmer asked them if they could relocate that extra dirt to a spot at our home. It mellowed through the fall and early winter and then he moved it bit by bit. It was loamy and loose and then!... The man we hired to remove scrub trees in our pasture, took it upon himself to tamp it down!! No one told him to do it, he just thought it looked like it needed to be done. I about cried. I did have an opportunity later to tell him it was my garden spot and I didn't want it flattened. He wasn't very apologetic. But it is what it is... Ds2 tilled it with our rototiller earlier in the week and it's coming along. Not as nice and loose as it was but with the snow and rains we've had in the last 2 weeks (yes, snow!) the clods have broken down.
    I have seed potatoes cut up and all sprouted, ready to plant. I had some from a bag of eating potatoes that sprouted and I was able to buy 2 bags of seed potatoes. I have onion sets and lots of seeds. I also purchased 4 tomato plants so far. I will be getting more but I wanted to get these in the ground asap.
    I also purchased strawberry plants as my old bed winter-killed. I will be putting rhubarb in that spot.
    We have walking onions and the asparagus might still be vital. Its an old bed too. Next year we'll move it to a new spot.
    Several local truck farms are having drive up veggie sales (they have hoop houses) and also plant sales. I hope many people take advantage of these. It'll be interesting to see how they do? I know my first gardens where basically a weed bed. I've learned to mulch deeply.

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    1. Dear Kay, Oh great! Maybe he thought he was being helpful lol but that was not helpful at all. I hope it turns out now it has been tilled.
      I hope the farmers that sell direct to the public this way have great success. I would be there in a heartbeat! I am also learning to mulch plenty! It is so much better! Many thanks! Love Annabel.xxx

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  16. Hi Annabel and Bluebirds
    We use old gutters to start off our peas. We hang them off the floor in our greenhouse and, so far, it seems to work at keeping the mice from eating them. Old tyres to grow squash. And those large bags they deliver rubble in- for potatoes!
    Thank you for the post- a good reminder about the seeds in our shop brought produce.
    Blessings,
    Heidi xx

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    1. Dear Heidi, This sounds great to start the peas! I havent really had mice yet although it can happen especially when it gets very wet. I think container gardening and using what you have is great! Many thanks. Love Annabel.xxx

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  17. I had some garlic that started to sprout, so I planted it in several large pots. I am hoping to get some garlic. We will see. I have gotten several tomato plants of out my compost pile over the years. I just move them into the garden. I find raspberry starts all of the yard. I just move them to the other raspberry plants. I have celery and lettuce in cups of water right now growing roots. I always save seeds especially veggies from the farm stands.

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    1. Dear Making Cents of it All, I am no good at garlic. It starts off ok and that is as far as it gets... I dont know why! I love garlic! You garden sounds wonderful. You would be ahead on seeds and this is a big advantage! With love Annabel.xxx

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  18. Annabel, if you are going to make raised beds with the big wooden crates then you could maybe look into making them into wicking beds. The initial expense is a bit more, but they save so much water. You can also make them out of IBCs. Sophie Thomson from Gardening Australia gives good instructions on her website.
    All the best,
    Peach

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    1. Dear Peach, I will look into this as Tania does this with great success. Thanks so much for the show suggestion. It is really exciting to learn new ways! With love Annabel.xxx

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  19. Very wise and I think that this year will be the one where I begin to save more and more seeds. I really wish I had started last year.

    God bless.

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    1. Dear Jackie, I feel the same. I started and learned a little bit but now I have to really get serious! So you are not the only one!
      With love Annabel.xxx

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  20. Annabel and Vicky
    Great post! :) Thank You for sharing.
    Much love
    Patti

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  21. Hi Annabel, great post. We harvested the first of our sweet corn this week. I also have pumpkin ripening on the vine. We just re-netted our tomatoes because the King Parrots come in around 4:30 in the afternoon to nibble on them. I also have a strawberry growing, lettuce growing and some lettuce I am letting go to seed. I have chives, and also peas. This week I planted some more onion seedlings. I also have planted some culinary beans (borlotti), and purple king beans. Also have some baby capsicum, silverbeet and rainbow chard growing. I have some carrot seeds sprouting. Some borage seed sprouting and hopefully some parsnip seed sprouting - though it could be weeds sprouting where I sowed the parsnip seed, I am not sure yet. Also have a couple of butternut pumpkins sprouting.
    A few weeks back I had to make sure I was out in the mornings hand pollinating the pumpkin flowers as there were no bees around. I planted some sweet alice, viola's and portulacas in the veggie plot to encourage the bees. Happily the bees have returned.
    I have had a lot of grubs. I am experimenting with Jerry Colby-Williams molasses spray. He posted the recipe recently on his blog. I only used it for the first time this week. So will monitor the situation.

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    1. Dear Sherri, I would love to see King Parrots! Not eating your tomatoes though!
      I am really hoping to grow parsnips, I love them. The seeds I have planted have mostly sprouted quickly, I am amazed. Your garden sounds wonderful.
      I will be interested to hear how the molasses spray goes. Vicky sprinkles cornflour on things also... With much love, Annabel.xxx

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  22. Wonderful information. This encourages me to do something, even if it is just some herbs and patio containers. We can't plant here for a couple weeks because it is too cold yet. Our nursery centers here in Michigan US were just allowed to open so I will be able to get some things. But I am also going to try seeds from produce from the grocery store. Thank you all for the inspiration.

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    1. Dear Deborah, It is amazing what you can grow in pots and a small space. I used to have four pots.... stacked. Big one on the bottom and then a bit smaller on top and so on to create a stack/tiered herb garden. The amount it grew was just amazing. I always had fresh herbs to add to things and garnish things. Cherry tomatoes are good in pots too. So good luck as these little things can help a lot and add freshness and goodness to meals. With love Annabel.xxx

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  23. Hello Annabel, and erstwhile Bluebirds. I haven't had a desktop computer operational for ages, and find commenting on the phone very challenging, but I read along. I just wanted to add that Daughter and I found a great supply of packets of seeds, at the fruit and veg market of all places. Who would have thought? Mimi xxx

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    1. Thank you I am happy to know you are reading Mimi. It sounds like we should keep our eyes out wherever we go! Thank you! xxx

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  24. What a wonderful post, thank you Vicky, Annabel and all the wonderful contributors in here. I am wondering the best place to store seeds? I have read in glass in the fridge, but am not sure? I live in a hot and very humid climate. Annabel, I love seeds as gifts. I am hoping to do some little packs for Christmas. The parsley seeds that you sent me were fantastic. It really is a gift that keeps on giving. Love, Bridge

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I really appreciate your comments thank you! The aim of my blog is the be a place of encouragement and happiness. Very rarely is anyone rude. Actually only twice so far! If you post a rude or aggressive comment I will read it but not publish it, thanks for understanding.xxx

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