KIG's Garden

[KIGardening]

Garden is going ok. It will be tested this week with the heatwave of blasting temperatures.

Seedlings are ok so far, but will see what happens this week.

Watering system is not in place. I still have to fix 3 garden beds and it is to hot to work close to the ground during the day. I will try to fix the garden beds and wait till end of February to install the watering system. I have not much growing in my garden beds, due to improving soil and letting it rest.

 

[Mandy Onderwater]

Oof! And I bet it wouldn't be nice to be out in the garden during a heatwave either!
A mate of mine who lives "near" Adelaide said his area was expected to reach 41C. We're only in a balmy mid-30s

Letting the soil rest is important too, for healthy future plants.

 

[KIGardening]

The todays forecast at the moment is now 39 instead 41+, so I won't be complaining to much as feeling wise it would help a lot. The biggest thing you feel is the UV. I find that the most unbearable. However the heat and national holiday today gives me time to work on my secret project a bit.

On my way to the local winery yesterday I passed a kerbside give away. Most of it was stuff I didn't need. So I left it for someone else. However I was grateful with the four seedling trays I picked up. They are in decent condition and after a clean and sterilise treatment put to good use, since I want to expand my nursery section. So a quick search indicated I saved myself about $15 if I had to buy them and for now they have been kept out of landfill

For the rest I did some bits in the garden last night when the sun was getting down. Just light work like turning compost, watering the garden, filling up the water bowls for the wildlife and watch them feed on the to high hanging fruit I couldn't net this year.

 

[Mandy Onderwater]

39 is still bloody hot! I don't blame you for wanting to avoid the UVs either. Australia has the highest skin cancer rates in the world.
You are just teasing with the secret project. I am very curious, haha.

It always surprises me how much certain garden items cost! I was given seed trays for free as well, as a lot of (private) farmers end up not knowing what to do with the excess.

What animals generally visit your garden? We always have possums come 'round when the passionfruit starts ripening and dropping. Or at least, that's what we think they are. I've also seen echidnas, skippies, kukkaburras and fruit bats munch on our produce. Mind you there's more animals around though

 

[KIGardening]

Animals that are visiting my garden are rats, mice, cats (who chase the two types of vermin), possums, magpies, noisy miner, new holland honey eater, blackbird, lorikeet, cockatoo, silvereye, red wattle bird, willie wagtail, sparrow and a few types of pigeons. From time to time falcons enjoy the smorgasbord of wildlife on offer. Not to forget are the reptilians like skinks, geckos and blue tongue lizards. Beside that there is a whole variety of insects who call my garden home.

The best part is that when I converted my garden away from lawn and added trees, shrubs, groundcovers and veggie beds in, the more biodiverse environment emerged.

 

[Mandy Onderwater]

That's amazing!
We have our fair share of geckos, skins, toads and frogs too. We actually have 2 frogs permanently residing in our bathroom. They like living in the gaps behind and underneath the shower "glass". They're quite tiny and love peeking their heads out when we shower. I always love seeing them.
Our resident huntsman spiders always get a cautious wave or "hi" from me. But our newest resident huntsman is a bit more cocky than I like; crawling over my keyboard, and stretching two legs out at me if I walk underneath it when it's on the ceiling. He's yet to be named though.

I am happy to share our overabundance of grasshoppers and cicadas with you