Accident free new gardening year 2011

I wonder whether there is such as thing as "new gardening year"? Anyway, 2010 has been and gone and 2011 has commenced. I was in bed by midnight and it felt just right. Unfortunately I stabbed the top of my right foot on Christmas day on a dead branch of my lavender bush when using my leftover washing machine water to water my favourite and only rose "fragrant cloud".

A piece of the dry twig penetrated the skin, broke off and got stuck. A 50cent-size area of the foot blew up like a blister. I had difficulties pulling the piece out and the swelling went down soon after I did. Still, I copped a major infection and the foot got worse by the minute, swelled up and around the wound it got a red halo. I applied my "magic oil -NeoBallistol Oil" that I have brought over from Germany regularly with friends. But it did not bring the swelling down and the red halo around the would grew. Christmas Day, Boxing Day and then two public holidays only saw me getting to the doctor on Thursday. He said it was possibly a staph infection and he put me on a high dose of pennicilin which I have to take four times a day, four times 500mg for five days. Not only bad for my stomach, but he also jabbed me against tetanus and the arm is sore still...

What did I learn from that? I am wearing gloves and gardening shoes now each time I go out! Sometimes learning is painful. More tips on safety precautions while gardening from Victorian Health Authorities.

It has been hot for a while and now at night time the temperatures stay up over 20 degrees, challenging times for the garden.

But all is well. I took out a few pumpkin seedlings for a friend yesterday and found the earth in good shape, moist and looking like earth should. I have been watering twice a day, small amounts only. Seems to be the right amount to keep the earth moist. The straw is doing a good job as mulch no matter what people say.

The first patch is looking great, lots of fruit has set and the two pumpkin plants in front are doing fine. They have sent their shoots in all directions and I am guiding them around the garden bed for further protection against the sun. Some tomatoe plants have climbed as high as the shade cloth and we need to adjust it accordingly, probably changing the direction of the cloth as well as using higher bamboo stakes to accommodate the plants.

The beans in the fourth bed are doing well.  All 24 beans came up (four varieties of six beans, half climbers half not). Eight were planted in toilet rolls, they had more difficulties getting up from their confinement but seem to grow  healthier looking leaves. Three beans had their young shoots eaten by some creature, possibly slugs. Slaters are busy working especially next to the water tank but they seem to leave the plants alone. First tentacles appeared on the climbing beans pointing towards the poles.

The third bed has been dedicated to the growing of pumpkins. I tried to plant spring onions, beans and capsicum without success. All disappeared within a week, most plants were eaten. I guess this was due to shredded but uncomposted  newspaper that we added after wetting only to increase organic matter in the patch.

The pumpkins are more hardy. They came up from compost and are doing fine.

They are shading the feet of the grape vine, good service on our hot summer days. The grape harvest is coming along beautifully. Grapes look fine! They ripen slow by slow. Every day plenty of ripe ones and lots of green ones on the vine too. The variety is quite loose and allows enough sun onto each grape to make it sweet and juicy.

Unfortunately a small number of grapes have split open, may be due to too much water. So I am a bit more careful with watering the stock.

The rock melon has embraced the climbing frame and made attempts to attach to the peppermint tree close by. No fruit has set yet, might need more bees to do the job. A friend of mine shared her story that recently a rockmelon plant in her garden came and went without setting any fruit at all.

There are plenty of flowers, although I am not sure how to distinguish the males from the females. Should be a similar issue to pumpkins and if need be I will become the fertility angel.

I am relaxed about it at the moment but will watch this space. I think it might have something to do with the variety of plants involved. The three plants that grow in the second patch were bought in a garden centre. I am not sure about what variety they are but promise myself to grow more heirloom varieties next season to ensure they are hardy and fertile!

My latest potatoe experiment is doing well. I put more compost on the heap recently and shaded it with a swim suit of my boy on an old clothes rack. Better to be in the ground than in the bin. They are making a start in my new raised garden bed. See how it goes.

All is well and my foot is nearly healed. Hope the weather will cool down soon. Today it is overcast and 32degrees, 50% chance of rain. My watertank is still half full, but could take a top-up.