30.3.08

Gardening and sewing

We've had beautiful autumn rain this weekend, I bet there are mushrooms popping up everywhere today. I have been pulling out tomatoes, beans and weeds. I uncovered the blueberries that had got a bit neglected in the last few months. I'm going to mulch them well with bark chips off our firewood. Hopefully this will give them a head start for a good crop in spring. I love autumn, getting the garden tidy again and noting what worked and what didn't over the season. I definitely planted too many tomatoes closely together. I think the lack of air flow made them go brown and mushy too quickly and it was too difficult to harvest them without standing on other plants. They did work well in this spot though and like to be in the same spot each year so that's easy for next year. Also they enjoyed being inter planted with beans, peppers and basil. Never really got on top of the stink bugs but in pulling out beans and weeds I'm destroying alot of their habitat for now. I intend to plant much better catch crops at opposite ends of the vege patch next year to try and keep them away longer. I noticed mustard and brassicas going to seed attracted them well.

I like the way the brassicas behave themselves in the garden, they don't wander all over the place and grow nice and fast keeping ahead of the weeds. I planted them a bit early though as some are already ready to eat. (Should get some more in) I've got spring onions, celery and peas companion planted with these and my colony of paper wasps are doing a pretty good job on the cabbage white butterflies.


Yesterday was productive. The market season is over so I sewed the "red head" some pairs of winter jarmies he's pretty pleased with them.I even sewed for the" teen" and the "skatey boy". Teen lost his pencil case last week, he was very cheesed off to have lost his beloved scientific calculator and highlighter pens and I was cheesed off to have to go and buy more. He really surprised me saying yes when I offered to sew him a pencil case. He complimented me by suggesting I make more to sell. Skatey boy nagged until I made him one too.

Plain gray denim, a coloured zip, matching top stitching and their name sewn on with my lovely new (pre-loved) Bernina.

Hope every one else had a lovely weekend.

6 comments:

Anonymous said...

Its always great when you post little snippets of what you're doing in the garden, (cos it means I should be doing that too!) I did get in the garden a bit this weekend and did some tidying, weeding , making space for winter stuff. I love autumn!

Jodi said...

I know what you mean with the tomatoes. I had a terrible season with them this year with mould, lack of water and possums. The little buggers ate the only two pumpkins I grew and just a week out from picking. With the chooks gone now, I feel I'm gonna have to start from scratch. You live and learn. Cute PJ's!!

Anonymous said...

Hey Gilly-

I got my bag today! (Today because we went away and my friend was collecting my mail for me.)

It's gorgeous - you are an awesome seamstress!

Will ping you back a little something - just to share the snail mail love.

Thanks again - I was so excited to win.

xx Helen

Lilbitbrit said...

I like to hear your garden advice. Also love the bags you sew with the leather, so different. Will be out in my garden when the weather warms up this Spring.

Anonymous said...

The 'red head' sure does love those pyjamas. It's nice to be feeling that autumn is here.
I have nominated you for a blog award. Details are on my blog.

Linda said...

The top photo is lovely, it helps me visualise our new garden planted up. A lot of it is grass at the moment with a back gate and lane and a building in a similar place.