Posting this a day early while I remember.

Spring. A good time for vegetables. According to some table it’s a bit late now to sow tomatoes from seed? But you could still buy seedlings.

In the warming weather what do you have planned for your landscape, pots, patch, window box - or even the lone houseplant/cactus in your apartment?

  • Seagoon_@aussie.zone
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    22 days ago

    Here in Carlton my main concern at the moment is all the dry weather.

    Jobs for this month are moving the orchids into a shadier area and putting all the succulents on the balcony .

    The manzano chillies already have flowers. This is their third year, I pruned them a bit in late winter and they have put out lots of lovely new growth. 🐱

    • melbaboutown@aussie.zoneOP
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      22 days ago

      Yeah me too. I’m worried about my zucchini getting stressed and turning bitter so was considering some self watering spikes attached to bottles.

  • SituationCake@aussie.zone
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    22 days ago

    The annual battle with spring weeds has commenced. Pulling out in garden beds and spraying in paved areas. I feel terrible about the spraying but it’s the most effective. Pulling out between pavers often leaves the roots and regrowth. If I ever move house, I’m gonna make sure that any hard surfaces are concrete and not paving.

  • melbaboutown@aussie.zoneOP
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    22 days ago

    My zucchini seedlings are growing bigger and stronger. Some got eaten so there’s fewer now - but that’s possibly a good thing as I didn’t have as many pots as plants.

    I also sowed some more Paris Market carrots and spinach for baby spinach. I won’t get much because the window boxes are tiny. But I have the seeds and it’s something to do.

    The sunflowers I planted don’t seem to be doing much. As far as I can see one has sprouted.

    • Seagoon_@aussie.zone
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      22 days ago

      I think sunflowers need a really strong start, lots and lots of food and water to get going or they don’t seem to do much at all.

      • melbaboutown@aussie.zoneOP
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        22 days ago

        Ah ok, I’ve really dropped the ball on that.

        I could either start some more inside for easier attention - or if they hate transplanting that much I could try and get out there more often with diluted Powerfeed in the watering can

  • melbaboutown@aussie.zoneOP
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    14 days ago

    I have way underestimated the amount of potting mix I need. The pots are only 30cm in diameter I think but they’re huge. Almost took half a 25L bag each to fill two. Does that sound right??

    I’ve got two of the largest seedlings planted out and that’s almost all the physical energy and soil I have for today.

    The holes at the bottom were so large I lined the pots with pieces of the tough brown paper from Coles bags. I didn’t have any newspaper which I was meant to use and the closest shop didn’t either so I hope it drains well enough through the little holes I stabbed with a biro.

    I also don’t think I planted the zucchini plants deep enough, and am scared that the pots could be too large for them at this stage so the water in the lower half doesn’t get used and the soil goes rotten…

    But who knows. They’re tough. Maybe they’ll grow fast and be fine. I didn’t expect almost all to sprout and survive the snails.

    I might have to abandon some of the smaller plants to be taken by other people.

  • PeelerSheila @aussie.zone
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    21 days ago

    CrI have a “what should I do?” question. I’ve had this happen:

    I’m not sure how it happened, whether the plant got too heavy and fell over or a possum or visiting dog jumped on it, but it’s kind of fallen over without breaking. As you can tell from the second picture, it’s trunk is about as thick as my wrist. Should I attempt to rite it? Should I just chop the fallen over bits off? Should I replace it with a younger bit of itself? I don’t even know what it is, but what should I do with it?

    • melbaboutown@aussie.zoneOP
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      21 days ago

      It looks like a jade plant. Apparently they’re prone to drooping or flopping over?

      From what I can see it could be caused by overwatering, underwatering, low light, or putting out new growth.

      Maybe take a look at some guides and try to troubleshoot. You could try supporting it, pruning it, changing the amount of water, anything a more experienced gardener suggests. What I see also says cuttings from jade plants are easy to grow.

      • PeelerSheila @aussie.zone
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        21 days ago

        Thankyou! In this case, under watering would be a factor because our hose isn’t long enough to reach that corner of the garden properly 😆 I think I might dig it out, replant a section of it and pot up the rest.

  • melbaboutown@aussie.zoneOP
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    16 days ago

    The zucchini seedlings are going great but the oldest leaves (the initial baby leaves) are turning yellow. I don’t know if I’m underwatering, overwatering, under/over fertilising…

    They’re still in the paper cups so dry out quickly and I just water every couple of days/a few times a week to top them up. The brown drops are the second lot of diluted Powerfeed I just gave. The first was maybe 2 weeks ago, not sure.

    (I know a lot don’t like to be transplanted but I don’t use snail bait, so keep them more portable to more easily cover them at night while vulnerable. I have large pots for when they get bigger.)

    • indisin@aussie.zone
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      16 days ago

      Next time if you use jiffy pots or pellets they don’t need to be removed / roots disturbed and you can just place them in the pot :)

      I’ve never grown zucchinis but I know the first set of sprouted leaves on chillis always die off. Good luck and enjoy!

      • melbaboutown@aussie.zoneOP
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        16 days ago

        That’s a good idea, I might try those next time.

        Hmm… another source agrees that this can be normal so you’re probably right. Nice to know they’re doing okay