[deleted]
Comment on Discussion Thread đ¶đŒđ€ Friday 28 March 2025
melbaboutown@aussie.zone âš3â© âšmonthsâ© ago
Debating if I buy these bugs or if I might be able to keep up the manual removal until I can get some attractors flowering. I saw one ladybug in the wild so thatâs promising but no more since.
I figured gardening would be a cheap hobby (and with bare bones minimum it can be) but I am absolutely getting a crash course in disease/pest management with the heirlooms and also the need for feeding.
Melbcatâs meds and vet appointments are quite expensive so I feel guilty for constantly spending money on something that doesnât have a high return. It means Iâm really spending for myself. Itâs just one of the few hobbies Iâm able to maintain these days.
indisin@aussie.zone âš3â© âšmonthsâ© ago
melbaboutown@aussie.zone âš3â© âšmonthsâ© ago
There is enough for cat meds and care! I make sure of it. Iâm just being tight, and frustrated that Iâm not doing better. My circumstances keep sabotaging my goals.
I might get the eggs for a higher chance of them sticking around for long term pest control and maybe start planting the flower seeds I have in recycled containers to try and attract/keep the insects around.
indisin@aussie.zone âš3â© âšmonthsâ© ago
[deleted]melbaboutown@aussie.zone âš3â© âšmonthsâ© ago
Thanks, I guess I just have to keep trying.
The insect homes are a good idea.
Thornburywitch@aussie.zone âš3â© âšmonthsâ© ago
Iâve had some luck with red cabbages - they seem to resist cabbage worms and splitting better than the green ones. I did plant them over the winter though as winter works better for broad beans & cabbages. Not summer crops imo. Brussels sprouts are good to plant now too, and are much easier to eat than a whole cabbage for just one person. Very donate-able too.
The nice thing about broad beans is that they dramatically improve the soil, AND they grow well over winter. Even if you donât like eating them, they are donate-able and the soil improvement is well worth it to prepare for next yearâs crops. The dry spent stalks do wunnderful things to compost too.
This is also the right time to plant leeks and onions/garlic to winter over and get a head start come Spring. The ground is still warm and you can add water as required at least for this month and next. After that it gets a bit cold. Onion thinnings are great as âspring onionsâ, I canât tell the difference from the bought ones, and theyâre much much fresher.
The pumpkin tribe has probably had its day for this summer - may not set much more fruit due to declining day length, and not enough sunshine/heat to ripen them. Imo these definitely need to be planted in spring.
I agree with Catfish about carrots - only bother with for specialty ones that you canât buy. Lotsa work, needs very good, very deep soil and even then the crop is small. The foliage is very pretty though - makes a nice border for a flower bed.melbaboutown@aussie.zone âš3â© âšmonthsâ© ago
I planted snow peas for the nitrogen fixing because my friendâs family eat salad and the sowing time on the pack was appropriate, how are they over autumn and winter?
Would love to plant Brussels sprouts and leeks but Iâm already kind of running out of space
Thornburywitch@aussie.zone âš3â© âšmonthsâ© ago
Peas will keep growing if they get some sunshine, but may not set fruit unless they get a nice warm day when flowering. They keep doing their magic with nitrogen fixing however. Fortunately, the young foliage is edible and delicious. Worth a try pretty much wherever and whenever.
This is just my opinion, but Iâd rip out the pumpkins and tomatoes (they are very unlikely to ripen now) and plant something else to keep the soil healthy. The pea/bean tribe would be excellent. Then come spring you can rip them out and plant your pumpkins again.If you want to do onions/garlic in those pots, then manure and bugs will be very beneficial. The onion/garlic tribe take a long time to mature (comparatively), so planting now or soon makes sense for harvesting in summer next year. Leeks are quicker to mature so maybe think about planting these in late winter. Leeks do pretty well planted fairly close together, so they are space saving. I have to say that homegrown leeks are bloody marvellous, far nicer than shop bought. They tend to be thinner but so much tastier.
melbaboutown@aussie.zone âš3â© âšmonthsâ© ago
Ah, the peas have only recently sprung⊠oh well itâs practice.
The tomatoes are still ripening and looking healthy but will probably be on their way out as itâs getting colder.
rip pumpkins out
crying Do I have to?
Iâve got around 6 of these little guys. Two I pollinated today and four are starting to plump.
I do have some onions I was going to take to the pantry but canât make it down. I could find space in the soil.
dumblederp@aussie.zone âš3â© âšmonthsâ© ago
You can just give up on the pumpkins this year. Last year most of my broccoli was enjoyed by the possums. Last year I had a shit crop of tomatos. One year hook worms ate through the stalk of all my beans. Sometimes the bugs win.
melbaboutown@aussie.zone âš3â© âšmonthsâ© ago
They look strong for now and are beginning to put out female flowers which I hand pollinate. I just see one plant in particular is slammed and theyâve spread onto others now too.
I just want pumpkins :â(
dumblederp@aussie.zone âš3â© âšmonthsâ© ago
The time I grew cabbages, they took a heap of space and water and werenât that big. Then I saw them for $3ea at the grocers. Iâve never grown cabbages since.
CEOofmyhouse56@aussie.zone âš3â© âšmonthsâ© ago
I bought zucchinis from a fruit shop and I know for certain they were grown in someoneâs backyard.
Catfish@aussie.zone âš3â© âšmonthsâ© ago
My cabbages tend to split. Never bother with onions or plain carrots, only the colourful ones. The effort to cost ratio isnât worth it. Grow what you like thatâs harder to get hold of.