End of Summer

It’s the end of Summer and some plants are doing well and some are still developing. Here is the update:
I should a have started a bit earlier with planting the Turks Turban pumpkin. It has grown heaps in a month and is now flowering, but I left it too late and the cold weather is quickly approaching.

Cucumbers are doing well.

The zucchini fruit is finally developing.

Another flush of flowers from the Lebanese eggplants has resulted in new fruit, and bigger this time, as it’s been rather rainy this month.

The "Giant Russian" sunflowers are taller than the shed and starting to bud.

The Pink Lady apples are almost full size and are ready for picking but I want to wait as long as possible.

This grape vine started as a cutting and now it’s as tall as the fence.

Vasette

I walked pass a lovely flower shop, Vasette (www.flowersvasette.com.au) last night. Gazing inside, I was mesmerized by a banana inflorescence hanging from the ceiling. What a great idea! Not your usual run of the mill floral display.

Latest additions – sugar plant, black taro & dragon fruit

These are my latest additions to the garden ordered from Diggers Club http://www.diggers.com.au/

(left) Dragon fruit (Dragon Fruit Pearl Hylocereus undatus) - https://secure.diggersgardenclub.com.au/p-603-dragon-fruit-pearl.aspx is a climbing cactus ideal for hot climates. They bloom only at night, and usually last just one night where pollination is necessary to set fruit. The edible fruit is red with white pulp and small black seeds. I’m not sure where to place this plant as I am running out of space in the garden. I was hoping to place it by a wall (out of the way) so it can get as much radiated heat from the bricks.

(middle) The sugar plant (Stevia rebaudiana 'Bertonii') - https://secure.diggersgardenclub.com.au/p-1865-sugar-plant.aspx is 30-40 times sweeter than sucrose with no calorific value and an extremely low Glycemic Index. Eat straight off the plant or make stevia powder by grinding the dried leaves.

(right) Black taro (Colocasia esculenta 'Black Taro') - https://secure.diggersgardenclub.com.au/p-1437-colocasia-esculenta-black-taro.aspx has leaves up to 40cm long and edible roots. My plant will be housed in the bathroom for ornamental purposes rather than for food. Plants grown in containers need to be re-potted on a yearly basis or at the end of the growing season.

Chicken pie

Decided to make chicken pie and roast vegetables for dinner tonight. I got the recipe from http://www.taste.com.au/ an used herbs from the garden.

Oriental Lily

This Oriental lily was purchased last year at a market for about $5 because the flowering season was ending. I let it die down and when it grew back again this year, I fed it with whatever manure I could get my hands on. I guess it was well worth it – the flowers are huge.