Veggie patch progress

Due to the heat we experienced I didn't get to plant all my seedlings - and not even one lemon tree.  It wouldn't have been fair to the plants.  So we schlepped all the trees back with us...


And the balance of the unplanted seedlings have been left, under irrigation, in the far corner of the veggie hut, safely cocooned in the styrofoam boxes that RSon salvaged from his friend's restaurant.


But I did get to prepare, and plant up, the balance of the shadecloth veggie hut.  Well, me and my helper, John :)  Amazing what a bit of male strength can do!


I had started on the central portion on Friday afternoon, and continued with a bit more on Saturday morning, but by 9.30 a.m. it was too hot to continue working - even under the shade cloth.  Then we had our meeting at 10.00a.m. till 1.00p.m.  After the meeting RMan and I just platzed until about 3.00p.m. - it would've been dangerous to work in that 35oC heat!  From 3.00p.m. to 5.30p.m. we got busy on the patio - but that's another story...


Sunday morning we woke to overcast skies and drizzle.  Very welcome drizzle. And my helper arrived better-late-than-never at 8.30a.m. so the two of us got to work.  The entire area was picked and turned, and compost, bonemeal and Talborne Organics for Vegetables was added to the soil.


Drizzle turned into a downpour a couple of times - which resulted in everyone seeking shelter during the worst of it.  And, venturing outside again afterwards resulted in my Crocs getting heavier and heavier with the squishy, clinging muddy clay.  Eventually I ditched those too and just walked barefoot in the veggie patch area (not outside though, because of the devil thorns!)


But, we completed our task, and I got to plant some ginger, spinach, more tomatoes, peppers, parsley, lettuces and beans.  And scattered / sowed even more lettuce and raddish, mealies, popcorn and carrots.

The shadecloth veggie hut - picked, composted, fed
and planted.  And weedguard was laid as a path
to prevent grass / weeds from growing in the wet,
fertile environment that I have created
within the veggie hut.  I had to anchor it down with
the balance of our poles, as the wind still blows
through the shadecloth.

RMan, bless him, even after his own hectically busy day, managed to find the time (just before we departed at 7.00p.m.) to install the porous pipe irrigation.  And, boy, does that porous pipe work...

... this is the before picture - from the 8th November ...

Before - just after it was planted / seeded up

... and this is from the 20th November - 12 days!

12 days later - growth everywhere :)

All my seeds are popping themselves above ground - lettuce, rocket, carrots, marigolds (round the tomatoes) and beetroot - everyone of them :)  And I haven't lost one of the seedlings I planted due to lack of water.


And that is without anyone watering them, weeding them or keeping a watchful eye out for them.


Thank goodness for the shadecloth veggie hut and the pipe.  They are definitely the way to go!


If disgruntled means that you're discontented, angry and dissatisfied, then I reckon I'm very gruntled with my shadecloth veggie patch :)

Happy Thanksgiving for tomorrow to my American followers.  May the year ahead of you be a gruntled one.

Hot as...?

Wow - talk about extremes.


When we arrived on the farm on Friday it was a warm, but comfortable 27 - 28oC (82 - 83oF).


RMan got started on fitting the new belt to the mower, whilst I started on de-rocking and forking / raking through a new area in the shade cloth veggie patch.  Englishman knew of, and offered the assistance of a local labourer he uses, which, after all the effort of the first bed, I gratefully, and willingly, accepted.  But he was only due to work on Saturday.


Why didn't we do more while we could...!

Dashboard temperature gauge
displaying (driving) external temperature

Saturday was absolutely unbearable!  We had to go to a ratepayers meeting (which lasted from 10.00 a.m. to 1.00 p.m.) - and sitting in a smallish room with a corrugated tin roof, together with about 20 - 25 other people, the heat became stifling.

Pool thermometer hanging by
a window in the farm house

Driving home after the meeting, the car's external temperature display gave us a reading of 35oC (95oF).  Opening the door and stepping into the house the (pool) thermometer showed a very comfortable 24oC (75oF) - a clear indication that the double glazing, vaulted ceiling and the new ceiling panels are all doing their job. How can double glazing in new builds / renovations not be required by law in this country?  Yes, it is about 50% more expensive, but the power saving from not having to use heaters / air conditioners, should surely be the driving force behind such a law.  Given the sad state of our power supply, and the predicted sad state of same, I am at a loss.  And as for corrugated tin roofs - when on earth are they going to completely ban those heat traps?

Car dashboard thermometer driving home last night

Then finally, driving home at 10.30 p.m. last night, as we approached Cape Town on the N2, we drove through a heavy rain storm.  There the temperature was even more comfortable.  A measly 13oC  (55oF)


This range is almost like hopping on a plane in the southern hemisphere during a heatwave and arriving in Europe 12 hours later to their autumn / winter temps!


Heat makes me wilt - the cooler weather immediately rejuvenates me.


Thank goodness RMan is making eco-friendly provisions to ease the discomfort on the farm... (sorry, you'll have to wait until later in the week for info on that :)  )

Sawubona (hello in Zulu)

Continuing the introduction of new friends to old friends, please won't you join me in welcoming Jeannine from Scottburg, KwaZulu in Natal.

Janine has two blogs - the first is a blog about organic gardening and permaculture.  There is a mine of information on her blog.  And she has also written a book about companion planting and organic gardening - and how do I know?  Well, I entered a competition on Sprig a week or so ago to win one of 4 signed copies she is offering.

Her other blog is showcase for her artwork - and she has some wonderful work which she has on display - my favourite piece is this one :)


Jeannine, I reply to all comments (even those placed on old postings), but given the size of this planet, and the different time zones, it may not be today by your time, but will certainly be by tomorrow.  And, if I am on the farm it may take a little longer...LOL

It works!

You all remember that RMan bought a second hand ride on lawnmower a couple of weeks ago?

Well, after getting a new 12 volt battery, changing the oil, giving it a major clean, changing the belt and sharpening the blades, and then firing it up, he decided to give it a whirl at our town house before schlepping it to the farm.

Cutting, cutting, cutting...

It worked a treat - it even has a reverse gear LOL


So, naturally, we put it in the trailer and took it to the farm with us.


Bless him.  RMan was itching to try it out, but we had to finish the veggie shade cloth structure first - well, a happy wife is a happy husband - or so I'm told.  And a happy wife doesn't nag the happy husband, who is then naturally free to do what he wants - and thus the happy husband ends up even happier LOL


But eventually RMan got to play on his toy...

It worked really well.  Really, really well.

Elytropappus rhinocerotis

Image source:

httpwww.plantzafrica.complantefgelytrorhino.htm

Even the renosterbos closest to the house was no match for it.  Not that that is a long term solution.  This renosterbos actually needs to be ripped out of the soil.  (I'm not talking about the threatened renosterveld plants, rather I'm talking about one particular bush Elytropappus rhinocerotis, which is perfect for a snake to slither under to obtain shade in the heat of the day.)  Slashing the top will probably make that more difficult in future as the roots are just going to get bigger, deeper and more tenacious I fear.  And this member of the renosterveld family is very common and not threatened.  It is widespread (and spreads like crazy) and is a drab, uninteresting plant.  And, due to it's resin content, a definite fire hazard on a farm.

But, bear in mind that MKid is joining us for Christmas - and we want him to be able to play freely without fear that a snake could be lurking in the undergrowth.  So the renoster bush has to go - at least that which is growing closest to the house!

But, RMan discovered that the belt that drives the blades kept slipping off.  So he is going to move the jockey wheel to keep it away from the drive slip-ring. Hopefully this will sort out the problem.

So - the fun had to stop until RMan had time to consider and plan / prepare for some modifications.

Which are now arranged :)

So - this weekend, where they are predicting temperatures in the mid-30's (centigrade), we are once again travelling up to the farm.

For apart from the fact that we still have to get the veld grass down to a safe (grandchild) level, there are still so many auction goodies which we have to clear out of the garden and garage of our town "house-which-is-(still)-for-sale". The balance of the wooden battens / planks.  a couple of basic cupboards. More tyres.

And seedlings. More seedlings.  And even more seedlings.  I think I have about 160 in all.  If not more.  Which means that I have to dig up / pick axe some more of the veggie hut soil, and rake, rake and rake the stones out / away, add plenty of compost / bonemeal and Talborne Organics nutrients, complete the installation of the porous pipe and then get busy planting....  But at last I will be doing it in the relatively shaded veggie hut :)  And I will have my broad brimmed hat on!

Lemon tree saplings

And, talking about seedlings, we also plan to plant another 15 lemon trees too.  That will give me a total of 30 lemon trees planted thus far.

So, a busy time all round.  Hopefully we can fit it all in - but I think that will depend on how hot it actually gets.  Working in the garden at 34 - 35oC (93 - 95oF) is very hard work and not ideal.  Stressing the plants with that kind of (planting) heat is also what we hoped to avoid.  But we will link them up to the irrigation system (with the porous pipe) as soon as possible after planting.  I have a feeling that we will be up just before first light, work until the heat becomes unbearable, have an early lunch and a siesta, and then continue in the cooler late afternoon until sunset.  Which is, naturally, the perfect time to sit on the patio, glass (or bottle of beer in RMan's case) in hand and end off a day with a braai (barbecue).  I have a overwhelming desire for some barbecued baked potatoes with crisp skin, and corn on the cob, both slathered in cholesterol reducing butter and a sprinkling of freshly ground salt and pepper...

We're leaving at, or before, sparrow fart tomorrow (Friday) morning - so I'll see you next week :)

Pumpkin progress - here and there...

On our last visit to the farm I was fascinated to see my pumpkins which are growing in a pot (situated below a pin prick in the irrigation pipe) were doing so well.

I couldn't wait to compare the photo to my pumpkins growing at home.  Both the ones at home and the ones on the farm were planted at the same time (well within a couple of days of each other).

This is my pumpkin (in a pot) at home...

...and this is my pumpkin in a pot on the farm...

Can you see the pumpkin plants amongst the
weeds outside the pots?

There is no comparison, is there...!  And the pots on the farm contain two plants each, whereas the larger pot at home contains only one plant.

Why the difference?  I have no idea.  Perhaps it's the sunny position, smog free air and me not fussing with them LOL  They are certainly growing far better than my town pumpkins.  

CGuy took some more builders to his plot last weekend to continue with the progress on his house.  He had a look at my new shade cloth veggie patch and says I have a lot of seedlings already surging up to greet the world above ground.  That's amazing.  Five days!  And I'm very chuffed that my porous pipe is working so well!

All in all, I am very encouraged!

If this is the norm then I can see I'm going to be very busy on the farm. Can't wait!

My Hero

Image source: http://www.imdb.comtitle/tt0303078/

"The future of life on Earth depends on our ability to take action.  Many individuals are doing what they can.


But, real success can only come if there's a change in our societies, and in our economies, and in our politics.


I've been lucky in my lifetime to see some of the greatest spectacles the natural world has to offer.  Surely we have a responsibility to leave, for future generations, a planet that is healthy and habitable by all species."




Quotation taken from the series: "The State of the Planet" presented by Sir Richard Attenborough

More recycled tyres

Robert, one of the guys who works for RMan, accompanied him to assist in collecting the goodies from the auction.  RMan purchased a whole bunch of used tyres which we intend to grow potatoes in.  But Robert had another idea.  

He made this:

Robert's chair made from recycled car tyres

Now I think that it is extremely clever.  These chairs are definitely leave outside, all-weather outdoor furniture that are, apparently, extremely comfortable.  I could use one of those, situated under one of a couple of existing trees (albeit (in this country) undesirable alien Australian Black Wattles) on the plot which provide shade, as a spot to just take a moment or two to sit and silently contemplate the view of the Traddouw Pass, and to quietly think of anything and everything in general :)

I love an entrepreneur who is willing to give of his spare time and effort, and thus, if anyone in Cape Town wants to contact Robert to order one for themselves, please e-mail me and I'll give you his contact number :)

Porous pipe

I don't remember where on Google I found, and then read about, this, but with all things recycled, especially such items as car tyres my ears perk up (or should that be my eyes pop out LOL)  I cannot abide the habit of sending tyres to landfill - for any reason!  And, if they can be recycled, I'm thrilled to bits.

So when I spotted this, I had to find out if it was available in South Africa.

And, happily, it is!

It is called porous pipe - a drip irrigation system par excellence.

The drops of water are visible as they start
oozing out of the pipe (note the damage to my
garden fork - caused by the rocky soil :)  )

It can be laid above, or below ground with no problem - even clay :) Apparently it consumes / distributes 2 ltrs of water / mtr / hour (3½ pints / 39 inches / hour).  An added advantage is that it only requires ½ to 1½ bar water pressure.  It can even operate from a suspended bucket.


We laid out 16 mtrs (17½ yards), connected it to our existing (solid) black irrigation pipe and turned on the water.  (It could also be connected to a normal hosepipe with a clip-on attachment.)  Half an hour of watering later, the ground within a 30cm (1 foot) radius either side of the pipe was beautifully damp - underground - near the roots of the plants / seedlings.  Exactly where they need it :) Invariably, on a hot or windy day, water which lands on the surface is wasted through evapouration - a criminal waste of this precious, life sustaining resource. This pipe delivers the water below ground - it can be felt from about 3 - 6cms (¾ - 1½ inches) deep.  Naturally, the depth that the pipe is laid determines how deep the water will penetrate.

Half an hour of watering (on the
surface of the ground) produced this

I have used this pipe both ways.  Inside the shadecloth veggie patch I have left it on top of the soil - so that hopefully the seeds (lettuce / rocket / carrot) will get enough water for their germination.  Being inside, and protected somewhat from the wind and sun, hopefully the evapouration wont be that pronounced.

And on the outside I have buried it below the ground - for the Borage plants, and the Aubergine and bean seedlings, as well as the (buried) bean seeds.

Some examples of how you could lay out the porous pipe -
the only limit is your imagination :)

For my readers who are in Europe it also goes under the name of Porous Pipe and Leaky Pipe.  For further information on how this pipe works please go to this or this link.  I can't seem to find an outlet in the US of A.  But, in both Europe and the US it may also be available at your local garden centre.

I managed to get hold of it through our local importer / distributor, Tina (click on her name to contact her via e-mail), who is situated in George.

Given that this is made from recycled tyres, and thus has a l-o-n-g lifespan, as well as being tough enough to withstand being pronged by a fork (or even nibbled by a mongoose), I reckon everyone who is able should ditch their conventional sprinklers and use this for their garden bed watering requirements, for we are all aware of the ever increasing shortage of fresh water world-wide. Every drop that can be saved is a drop which is available for use on another day :)  And the cost of the pipe will definitely be recouped by the saving in water / replacing of the perishable old type (green) garden hose in it's lifetime.

We will definitely be using it for all the new plants which go into the ground on our farm...

(Note:  I am not benefiting in any way for naming / promoting any products I mention on my blog.  I mention these products I find, and give links [where possible], because I have personally tried them out, and found them to be worthy of sharing :) )