Are there any backyard veggie gardeners here?

[berringamababe]

28's here   Not happy as they just love trimming the tops off all the tomato bushes. And they pick the green ones and toss them on the ground for a laugh. Wish I could shoot them! The dogs do catch them and eat them, but not enough!
Sheep poo cookie1 - I've put heaps of it in my vege garden and it has gone nuts. The veges seem to be coping with the heat - and we've had over a week of 40-43's up here. It is a great mulch and a slow release fertiliser and no weeds.
I'm picking tomatoes, capi's and eggplants.
I should look like a tomato - I eat about 5 a day on my toast for breakky and then for lunch.  
Picked about 8 eggplants today so going to make my yummy eggplant pickle tomorrow.

Nikkit the 28's just destroyed my roses and could shot them too.  I used sheep poo in my garden also and I think that is the secret. Even this hot wether every thing is holding up well but the heritage tomatoes are really struggling but the gross lizzies are seemingly loving it.

[CreamPuff63]

Love those photos GF, makes me laugh. I can just see the eyeballing up in the tree, and then the possums yelling "fake!" Before pushing him out of the tree. Try a rubber snake

[courton]

Goldfish, we live in possum owned Sydney too! I read somewhere that possums don't like the smell of camphor, so we place the camphor cylinders in metal or cardboard tubes (from cling wrap etc) and leave it near the plants. It seems to work quite well.

[goldfish]

Thanks  Courton.... Will give that a go!!

[djinni373]

Lol. Possums 1 - owl 0. Back to ye olde drawing board....

LOL Goldfish That is a sight that we see every morning as well.  There must be a possum plague in Sydney. We have 4 of the little blighters in our backyard at the moment who are part of the possum version of Cirque del Soleil. Their antics are not only destroying the garden but also the pool solar heating on the roof.
Thanks for the tip about the camphor Courton. I'm going to give that a go as well.

[berringamababe]

Lol. Possums 1 - owl 0. Back to ye olde drawing board....

You need a dog GF. I have rabbits but thanks to my dog they stay away.

[berringamababe]

I have to recommend the gardenate app. It is fantastic for the backyard gardener I have been getting email planting reminders for over a year and just started using the app I LOVE IT!!!!

I have spent the morning planting sunflowers, tomatoes, more squash and zucchini, radish, corn, lettuce, spinach and cucumber. Hilled my 2 Nd patch of potatoes.   
Think I might have a nap

[Jude59]

Just downloaded it and it is great!  I'm forever checking what we can and can't plant and this is just so handy.  Thanks.

[goldfish]

Hi Berringamababe -  We do have two aging terriers who live inside.  On occasion they have chased the odd possum and bandicoot.  We live in a suburb that just seems to crawl with ticks, especially during the summer. We almost lost both of them to paralysis ticks and one of them is blind in one eye and his hearing is on the way out.  He loves to sit on the deck and bark (at length) at any passing imaginary whatever.  That sets his sister off and we're off and running.  So, in no order of priority, it's to lessen their exposure to the ticks and out of respect for our close neighbours that they're definitely indoor dogs.  I do understand what you're saying though.  Other considerations notwithstanding, I think that would be the almost perfect solution!

I've been receiving the gardenate emails also . . didn't know they had an app!!  Will check it out - thank you!

Jude - LOL  -  I'd LOVE a cage . . . but the pawpaw trees just keep growing upward - might resort to some sort of netting next season . .along with the camphor  (sigh) . .  

[berringamababe]

GF living in burbs would be hard having a barking dog. I have a border collie she lives chasing everything unfortunately I have to tie her up at night because she runs up and down the creek all night chasing the rabbits barking keeping me up. 
My other two are indoor dogs and a blind one also, he got lost last night and I found him over a km away at 1am. Naughty puppy wondering down the highway.

GF I think netting is the ideal answer the 28's where getting my rises and I put polly pipe and bird netting and now I have beautiful roses have a look at this site http://urbanfoodgarden.org/main/vegetable-patch-management/pest-control/pest-control-deter-birds.htm

Good luck

[goldfish]

Wow.. That's one adventurous little hound!! You must have been so relieved to find him.. And in one piece!

Your border collie sounds a wonderful dog!

Thanks very much for that link!!  I think netting will be on for the next season..

[EmeraldSue]

I've just harvested the potatoes that I planted in a garbage bag way back when. Not a huge crop, but not bad:)
My zucchini 's are now cropping, but my tomatoes aren't ripe yet. Not sure how they will survive the next week of hot weather.

[Emme]

We were given a Moon Calendar not this Christmas just gone but the one before.  Followed it for the planting season and don't know whether it was just luck or not but we have had great success with our crops of fruit and veg.  

Marie

[cookie1]

I had an Uncle who always planted by the moon. He had the most wonderful Vegie garden.

[CreamPuff63]

How did you do that ES? Sounds easy whatever it is.