;-p

;- )

I think it’d be LSD rather than ecstasy you’d want for that.

Ah Russell, you show off your superior expertise once again!

I reckon it would be some kind of ecstasy to eat green or blue or golden watermelon.

I think it'd be LSD rather than ecstasy you'd want for that.

I am SO excited. I’m going to go for tomatoes all year round. My worm farm is going to be in heaven.

And I’m going to…

.And as to being old, that year is attached to my very being. Or my being at all.

Ah! 2 years my junior. I'm the year of the devil.

Richard Brautigan, In Watermelon Sugar.

1968? You should never presume I am that well read (or that old). I love the idea of different coloured suns and watermelons. I reckon it would be some kind of ecstasy to eat green or blue or golden watermelon.
My house is 'coloured'. Multi-coloured.…

You’ll then have to contract in external worms who will have no public service ethic.

I miss the old Ministry of Worms...

Richard Brautigan, In Watermelon Sugar.

Sugar?
Rich yard, brought a gin. Tonic?

Sorry? I clearly need to get more sleep.

If you added cans of coke I’d say the worms were actually year three computer science students.

Funny.

Any tips for watermelon?

How do bulk coffee grounds do in a worm farm?

Bulk anything is probably not the best. I try to give worms a varied diet. An occasional sprinkle of lime keeps the food sweet, and you could sprinkle a layer of soil over as well. The soil could keep the…

I’m tempted to add another box o’ worms, get a bit of competition in there…

I think you'll find that you owning two boxes of worms is just further monopoly. You need to sell your worms in a fire sale to David Richwhite he will break them down to parts…

I understand fruitflies only live 24 hours,
maybe you could try putting the clock in
the kitchen forward

Daylight saving must really ruffle their feathers

coffee grounds and shredded copies of old computing magazines and software manuals.

If it were tea leaves, I guess it be old copies of NZWW…

I'm getting a lot of fruitflies in our worm farm. This is a pain, as it's only about ten feet from our kitchen door, so we always have fruit flies in the kitchen. Any suggestions for keeping the fruit flies down without affecting the worms?

I understand fruitflies only live…

There was a guy there with a box full of worms being fed on nothing but coffee grounds and shredded copies of old computing magazines and software manuals. They seemed quite happy.

If you added cans of coke I'd say the worms were actually year three computer science students.

How do bulk coffee grounds do in a worm farm?

I found out about the coffee thing at the Aotearoa Digital Arts symposium a couple of years ago. As you do. There was a guy there with a box full of worms being fed on nothing but coffee grounds and…

Anyway I mix it with lime (1 part lime to 2 of coffee) for ordinary use, composting etc
Straight it is good for alkaline loving plants and…

I'm getting a lot of fruitflies in our worm farm. This is a pain, as it's only about ten feet from our kitchen door, so we always have fruit flies in the kitchen. Any suggestions for keeping…

peppery and delicious.

Have any of you been affected recently by the psilid bug that gets into tomatoes and spuds and have you found an organic way of dealing with it? Decimated my toms and spuds last year.

Just read this on an intensively-horticultural friend’s blog:

I’m really going all-out on the companion…

until it gets the picture.

we also have blackcurrants, redcurrants, blueberries, feijoas, blackberries, peaches, and garlic, potatoes, beetroot, bokchoy (broccoli failed, badly),…

Or dig up another patch, just for her. Chances are, and cats being what they are, she’ll just use the veggie garden to spite you.

I confess to using a chemical this year on my toms and spuds as they were starting out and they seem fine at the moment. Didn't want another season of no spuds and rubbish tomatoes.

Sometimes there just are no natural, organic remedies that work – or work well enough…

spent the afternoon putting bird netting
over a promising crop of raspberries.

Go the canes!

Perhaps there are companion plants?

Like those thyme travellers in Dr Who ?

Perhaps there are companion plants?

Lots of basil – it grows fine outside in pots here, not so much in the garden.

Oh, how wonderful! More gardening! Good on you, Damian. Once you get hooked, that's it really. It's a fabulous addiction.

Basil – if you can manage to grow it (try around your tomatoes.…

I rather hope I don’t have to choose anytime soon between the two,

One can always combine the 2.First tip for drink gardening, eliminate the need for any power tools.Second ,don't buy green or brown gardening tools. go for as bright as possible or be prepared to repeat trip to…

check out oooby.ning.com (oooby stands for out of our own backyards) ... it's got loads of special interest…

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=14DYUQtGuV4

there's hours of fun here at Talking Animals
even something for Canadians...

Now, I like to grow things I end up having to throw bits of away if I buy in – lettuce, spinach, silver beet – being able to cut what you want and leave the rest to grow is fabulous.

This is absolutely one of the best bits – you…

I've not been that keen with my garden, though I have done one through that feeling of necessity.

Wot? I hauled all that dirt out of your feeling of necessity?

experiment with different types and positions

seems like good advice in general

snap (beans)

My general advice to anyone starting vegie gardening – experiment with different types and positions.

There you go, Russell. That should be sufficient inducement ;-)

I had very good luck with peas (from seed) last season. My daughter is a fresh pea nut (won't eat them cooked), and we would bring in about 40 pods a week

Peas are the greatest with small kids. Back then (I've been gardening as long as I've had dirt)…

Wow, that's most interesting – my previous dalliance with strawberries I think netted about 5 berries, once the birds had dealt to the other 5. I'd put them into the "small yield" basket, but I may well try again. Too late for this year?

My first attempt was with [[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fragaria_vesca|woodland…

Last year I planted strawberries at Christmas (in sunny Wellington) and we got a few berries by about February. Over the winter the plant has steadily expanded and now covers about a square metre so I am…

Good vegetables need good recipes. Lately I've been getting into Marcella Hazan's recipes. Beautiful, simple, yet detailed :

**Celery and…

Hopefully will water them more than the citrus we put in, the smallest ones have gotten into a bit of peril.

I can't overstate the benefit of having automatic irrigation in keeping my herbs and veges alive. Perhap some with a more settled schedule might enjoy the tranquility of spraying…

My latest effort is putting some long-term stuff down the far end of the garden. Rhubard and – somewhat without regard for the recommened planting methods – asparagus seedlings. (Bought after trying some from seed.…

Pumpkins I had to “help” the “fertility” process along (and yes I felt dirty afterwards and had to have a shower)

Yes, I've heard that pumping kin
never ends well...
;- )

too earthy?

I’m glad to discover I’m not the only one.

I'm a bit surprised at that Russ, what with your most awesome culinary skills I would've thought a bit of grow-yer-own would be a natural complement? Fresh herb at least, surely? Just having to spend $4 every time you need a…

AA, I removed the formatting from your YouTube link so it would work. All you need to do in discussion here is just post in the URL. It auto-embeds.

Many thanks. Will do.

On that basis I got about two punnets of strawberries a week for three months.

Wow, that's most interesting – my previous dalliance with strawberries I think netted about 5 berries, once the birds had dealt to the other 5. I'd put them into the "small yield" basket, but I…

*Des (emptier) shopping Cartes*

look at the essence of vegetables, mostly;
leer at spotty legumes

watch items;
my poxy potatoes

study stuff;
her silly swedes

pore over objects;
his paltry peas

eye things;
their four-eye yams.

If that fails to stimulate…

Also celery is one of those useful things to grow and chop off individual stalks and have the rest go off in your fridge.

Yes, that's an excellent suggestion. I dream to live in a world where celery can be purchased in smaller quantities.

I particularly love vege gardening and fruit trees. Easy grows for me have been courgettes, tomatoes, potatoes (and they are so full of awesome you…

I have baby spinach... does that just turn into spinach when it grows up (serious but dumb question)?

And…

@Steve Barnes – where you gone? Same goes big nose.

May your garden bring
you as much pleasure
as Prof Walker (R.I.P.)
enthused about for years...

Interesting to see "grassroots" movements
like the Ringing Cedars…

I'm loving my rhubarb and my asparagus. The asparagus is still gigantically ferny as the frosts move in for…

radishes are pretty damn easy and tasty.

@Jackie – yeah that's Teisha, she's been with my beloved for about 14 years,

And if I am not mistaken, taking a shit in your nice newly cultivated garden.

Sweeeeet.

Next thing you know, my mate is giving me a tour of his new vege plot. “Rotational planting, thass the secret,” he slurred. “I bloody love you mate,” I replied, probably.

Sweet