Here’s Tess, once again waiting patiently for Christmas. Gardening has essentially been cancelled for the week due to nearly constant rain and drizzzzzzzzzle. Well we got what we asked for. Fortunately I made an enormous pile of hot compost last week. Worthwhile making plenty now so you’ll have something to spread in autumn when the summer crops come out of the ground.
Everything, including the weeds, has enjoyed the rain so watering will be less of a problem over the summer break. If you’re going away, set up an automatic system or trade your produce with a neighbour to water for you. Pick every zucchini, including the flowers and you’ll still come back to marrows (but fewer than you would have otherwise done). Plant out any seedlings you still have and sow a few more seeds outside and hope for the best. If you’ve composted and mulched well, everything will stay relatively moist now whatever happens. Keep your strawberries well protected from birds and continue to pinch out the side shoots on your tomatoes. Feed with seaweed tea or mulch with seaweed – should be plenty on Wellington beaches after a windy day.
If your international visitors have reached you in Wellington, despite the snow, send them to Kirkaldie and Stains department store to take advantage of International travel prices. If they’re travelling within the following two weeks, they’ll get 15% off if they spend more than $50 and take their tickets as proof. You could take advantage of it yourself if you’re doing the travelling.
I’ve tried a couple of new recipes for the holidays. Pesto pinwheels and panforte that brought back memories of my first ever visit to Wellington. Stock up with feed for your chicks and chooks. Or start your own flock by buying Norah the hen and four Rhode Island red chicks.
If you’re heading out for a picnic, you can still pack your own salad if you’ve got the right container. If you’ve taken the trouble to grow your own, it would be a crime not to eat it. And it will be just the thing in which to pack your lunch in the New Year, so you can opt out of the lunch time salad and sushi queues.