Succession

One of my goals for the garden,

 has been to stagger my plantings of crops,

 to ensure I have produce over a longer period.

Although I haven't perfected it,

I am improving.

This lot of corn was planted at the beginning of January.

It is just starting to flower.

The two earlier plantings have cropped.

I am about to pull them out for some

Autumn/Winter plantings.

This net is over the latest lot of brassicas.

Broccoli and cauliflower,

interplanted with some fast growing

Chinese pak choy.

In the background, behind the pink cosmos,

is another lot of brassicas (broccoli) which

is about to flower.

I also have some beetroot and carrots in

and this week I will plant some more.

The Aztecs

I began this post,

then thought of our own dear departed

Billy Thorpe and The Aztecs.

OK! so I am showing my age!

But doncha love the dancing, and the suits?

And why was I thinking of the Aztecs?

Because of the corn and the beans of course.

I waited until the corn was up and growing...

then I hilled up the soil around their roots

and planted climbing beans.

Just like the Aztecs 

(the civilization, not the band)

used to do in South America.

This combination is the absolute pinnacle

of companion planting.

The beans fix nitrogen in the soil for the hungry corn,

and the corn provides something

for the beans to clamber up.

A real win-win situation.

Of course, the Aztecs would have planted

some squash nearby and allowed it to ramble

through the lot to save space.

And no 'poison ivy' in sight!

Can't wait to see how much it has grown

when I get home.

Pumped and a little corny

I am pumped about my PUMPkin harvest.

Yesterday, I picked most of the pumpkins except for another six Queensland Blues which still have green vines.  I will let die off a bit more before I bring them in.  You will see that I have left long stalks on the pumpkins...these will dry off and seal fruit so that there is less chance of mildew.

I think they are just beautiful.

Pottimaron - Diggers heirloom variety

Queensland Blue

Butternut

This year I planted pumpkins and corn together...two of the three sisters.  I did plant some beans with them, but too late.  Next time I will definitely put all the three sisters together.  It was worth doing even with just two of them.  I had the best corn crop I have ever grown...at least two big cobs on each stalk, and the pumpkins did well too.

When I pulled them out their roots were entwined in a sisterly embrace.  Don't you love the cleverness of corn with its buttress roots to hold the stalk up.

 There were a few cobs that were past their best, but the chookies loved them.  Nothing goes to waste here!

Corny and true!

I mentioned the other day that I couldn't bring myself to pull out the Summer veggies.

Here are two reasons why I am not ready yet!

This was an entree, followed by zucchini soup, and the raspberry muffins for desert!

The cleverness of corn

I adore the way corn grows with each leaf uncurling from inside the last. 

 The bottom part of the leaves form part of the stalk making them very strong.

But I think the cleverness comes out when you water them.  

The water runs down each leaf to the next and then onto the soil around the roots.  The surface of each leaf becomes the catchment area and also forms part of a reticulated irrigation system.