Found 14 results tagged with 'summer'

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January 2017

January 2017

Details   It's been a hot, dry summer (again). Despite the ongoing drought things are looking fairly good. Most of the trees have a decent amount of fruit set with apricots already harvested and drying. There are lots of flowers buzzing madly with insects. Guest numbers have picked up again post earthquake and now all we could wish for is a drop of rain.
Date   January 31, 2017
Tags     Summer  January 
View 4 photos
Sprinkling (at high pressure)

Sprinkling (at high pressure)

Details   It has been really drying out and we have been busy moving hoses to  water as many trees and veges as possible.
We have a well with a pump that delivers 25mm of water at high pressure. While I was trying to come up with a way to apply this water gently to the garden I came up with this simple circular terminus mister (click for photo).
It effectively produces a 4 meter high column of mist. Wonderful on a scorching afternoon.
Date   December 05, 2010
Tags     summer  water  garden  sprinkler 
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Garden update

Garden update

Our garden is bigger and better this year with more planning, improved soil and larger variety of plants in the ground. We are just starting to reap the rewards.
December 09, 2010
  garden  summer 
olmec
More Photos
A hint of garlic

A hint of garlic

Details   It's high summer, we've passed the longest day and our garlic had been in the ground for 7 months.

This represents about 40-50% of the crop and is the first time we have grown garlic at our place.
Date   December 27, 2011
Tags     garlic  summer  harvest 
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More grass than you can shake a scythe at

More grass than you can shake a scythe at

The abnormally wet summer has caused tremendous grass growth. Not that we complain, as other things are also growing well.

Everyday is an opportunity to hack back a bit more grass... if only there were 7 of me!
January 05, 2012
  scythe  summer 
olmec
Hugelkultur gardens in summer

Hugelkultur gardens in summer

Details   Every year, since their construction, our hugelkultur raised woody garden beds have been improving in performance. While waiting for the perennial plantings to establish we have been gardening with seasonal crops including maize, pumpkins, tomatoes, salad, cucumbers and of course lots of beans. Modest additions of straw mulch, trenched in pig manure, compost tea and all plant residues are contributing to the overall fertility of the beds and on occasion where I have exposed the wooden core while digging it is clearly breaking down into a crumbly organic 'compost'.
Date   February 18, 2018
Tags     garden  hugelkultur  2018  summer 
Some specifics

Summer plant propagation

Date   February 14, 2017
Details   From Cuttings
  • Kiwifruit
  • Fuchsia
  • Gazania
  • Hebe
  • Fig
  • Currant
  • Rosemary
  • Buddleia
  • Grape
  • Elaegnus (soft & semi)
Available     January   December   February  
Tags     propagation  summer 
Drying Fruit

Drying Fruit

Another way of dealing with surplus fruit is to dry them in the sun for use over winter.

Use a simple wooden frame with fine mesh / gauze stretched over and then place the cut fruit and put the whole contraption out in the sun.
February 17, 2010
  Fruit  Drying  Preserve  Summer 
olmec
Preserving produce
A hot day at the river

A hot day at the river

When it gets hot it's time for a dip down at the swimming hole. A 5 minute drive down the road to the Leader river for refreshing, clean clear water. Perfect way to cool off.
January 31, 2013
  summer  swimming  river 
olmec
Hot dry summer

Hot dry summer

Details   Early January and things are starting to look and feel dry
Date   January 07, 2015
Tags     summer 
Multi function pruning

Multi function pruning

Details   It's summer and dry. The pigs are unhappy due to lack of fresh green grass. We are supplementing their diet with purchased grains but found they enjoy fresh prunings from various trees.

We combine the chore of summer pruning fruit trees with a treat for the pigs and have found they love to eat most stone and pip fruit leaves as well as grape and willow.
Date   March 21, 2021
Tags     2021  pig  summer 

Summer 2021

Details   Our eleventh summer and things have been growing well. Here is an overview of how it looks now with some recent drone footage
Date   February 28, 2021
Tags     summer  2021  video 
Related info
Production has started

Production has started

It's high summer in 2012 and we have had a pretty good crop of nectarines from the 2 grafted trees and I was surprised to see a couple of almonds on the seedling tree. It is only 3 years old!
The food forest area looks completely different now with all the sweet broom (nitrogen fixing small shrubs) and the primary swale feeding nutrient rich water down to the fruit and nut trees.
December 07, 2012
  summer  food forest 
olmec