Garden Update July 2016

Geraldton Wax

The first blossom have begun to flower on the almond trees with their delicate white petals attracting the bees to do their pollinating work. Broad beans and multispecies cover crops are tickling the knees throughout the vineyard sequestering carbon from the atmosphere and depositing it in the soil where it is needed for the production of humus. Geraldton wax flowers are in full bloom providing beautiful cut flowers for the restaurant and cellar door, along with pentstemon, calendula, native hibiscus, gardenia, eucalyptus, diosma, chrysanthemum and coastal rosemary.

The homestead food forest is well under way for spring harvest with broad beans, turnip, radish, beetroot, broccoli, kohlrabi, fennel, garlic, mizuna and peas all thriving with the good rainfall we have received. Grapefruit, orange, lemon and kumquat are ripening up and an application BD501 has been applied to assist in even ripening and increase the sugars in the fruit.

It is a good time to apply horn manure, make compost, transplant seedlings, pruning, wine racking and harvesting for storage from the 19th-29th of July This is a descending or waning period and is influenced by the earth and water signs. From the of  5th-17th of July it will be a good time to apply horn silica, plant seeds, graft and harvest for early consumption. This is an ascending or waxing period and is influenced by air or fire signs.

WE ARE CURRENTLY HARVESTING… Lemons, orange, grapefruit, beetroot, fennel, radish, radicchio, chard, kale, water cress, shallot, spring onion, salad leaf, herbs, edible flowers, horse radish.

If anyone has any queries in regards to the garden, please feel welcome to ask…  Cheers, Jaimie