November has arrived and its time to plant my summer crops: Last week I took delivery of seven
10 liter bags of sheep manure from Robert from Broadford. I removed the
remainder of my winter brassica crops and the spring crops of spinach and
peas will soon be finished. I have raised seedlings of four varieties of tomato:
'Tommy Toe', 'Jaune Flamme', Broad Ripple Yellow Currant' and 'Wild Sweetie'.
They have been nicely potted up into individual pots ready to put in the ground; about 20 plants in total. I
have already planted one 'Tommy Toe' and have room for one additional plant of the variety;'Jaune Flammee'.
'Wild Sweetie' and 'Broad Ripple Yellow Currant' are destined for the adjacent food forest where they will sprawl, which is their habit and children may snack on their tiny, sweet fruits. I grew too many tomato seedlings for my garden plot; the left over plants, I will attempt to give away. Hopefully I will find people who will appreciate a tomato seedling; doubtful though because Pat could find no takers for the heirloom tomato seedlings she offered us last week.
'Wild Sweetie' and 'Broad Ripple Yellow Currant' are destined for the adjacent food forest where they will sprawl, which is their habit and children may snack on their tiny, sweet fruits. I grew too many tomato seedlings for my garden plot; the left over plants, I will attempt to give away. Hopefully I will find people who will appreciate a tomato seedling; doubtful though because Pat could find no takers for the heirloom tomato seedlings she offered us last week.
Companion plants for tomatoes: Stephanie Alexander lists asparagus, basil, parsley, carrots, nasturtiums and onions. I have insufficient space for perennials like asparagus but I have seeds in stock of the other plants on the list except marigolds and nasturtiums. As both tomatoes and beans take up considerable space and compete for water and nutrients, I will fit bush beans into the remaining third of my plot measuring approximately 3 m x 1.5 m.
Companion plants for bush beans: carrots, parsley, spinach, summer savory, cabbage, lettuce, cucumber, potatoes, peas and capsicum.
The right time to plant basil: Now! If I sow
the seeds at the start of November, they should be ready to plant out by the start of summer. Past
experience has taught me to wait until November to grow basil seedlings. They germinate very readily if sown in in seed raising mix in a punnet.