What's going on in your garden (2018-2022)?

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Maybe someone tried to trap them earlier? And one died from those cuts? That's the best guess I can make.
It's hunting season right now, so my guess is one of three things:

1. Shot by a hunter
2. Hit by a car
3. Succumbed to whatever was wrong with its leg

There's an outside chance, also, that a pack of coyotes brought it down - they're little, but lethal.
 
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Today's harvest :)
 
We have given up and given the veg plot shading. I know. It sounds excessive but even in winter the UV levels can be off the top of the chart (15) and we've constantly seen things wilting even though they have plenty of water, so we've finally taken the plunge and bought shading for the veg plot. Initially it was just over the top of the fencing but 2 weeks like that has seen everything grow so much and become a vibrant healthy green instead of a stressed out greeny yellow, so it was time to make life easier and put the shading material up at head height to make life that little easier. It will also make working in the veg plot easier. Previously we were restricted to 6-8am only, if it was sunny. So this is not just for the plants, and they are so much happier...






The rest of the garden is going brown. Except the fig trees which I think have tapped into the septic tank water supply...


I've had to net off what fruit I can to save some from the cockatoos and rosellas. They don't actually eat the fruit, but tear the branches off to get hold of a single unripe fruit, tear that open to get at the tiny unripe seeds inside. They'll drop the branch with the cluster of other fruit and then start again...A small flock (15-20 birds) can clear a heavily laden tree within an hour. Both the pear and the apple trees have been netted, along with the grape vine (though I think it is currently the largest off my pullets (immature hen, not yet laying) who is responsible for picking the unripe grapes off the vine one at a time. The grape vine is laden this year.

Sadly this tree (a soft fruit, probably preach) didn't survive. It had been recovering but the run up to this hot period has almost f definitely killed it sadly.
 
We have given up and given the veg plot shading. I know. It sounds excessive but even in winter the UV levels can be off the top of the chart (15) and we've constantly seen things wilting even though they have plenty of water, so we've finally taken the plunge and bought shading for the veg plot. Initially it was just over the top of the fencing but 2 weeks like that has seen everything grow so much and become a vibrant healthy green instead of a stressed out greeny yellow, so it was time to make life easier and put the shading material up at head height to make life that little easier. It will also make working in the veg plot easier. Previously we were restricted to 6-8am only, if it was sunny. So this is not just for the plants, and they are so much happier...






The rest of the garden is going brown. Except the fig trees which I think have tapped into the septic tank water supply...


I've had to net off what fruit I can to save some from the cockatoos and rosellas. They don't actually eat the fruit, but tear the branches off to get hold of a single unripe fruit, tear that open to get at the tiny unripe seeds inside. They'll drop the branch with the cluster of other fruit and then start again...A small flock (15-20 birds) can clear a heavily laden tree within an hour. Both the pear and the apple trees have been netted, along with the grape vine (though I think it is currently the largest off my pullets (immature hen, not yet laying) who is responsible for picking the unripe grapes off the vine one at a time. The grape vine is laden this year.

Sadly this tree (a soft fruit, probably preach) didn't survive. It had been recovering but the run up to this hot period has almost f definitely killed it sadly.

Wow, you are a really serious Gardiner. Do you make raspberry Jam from your canes? I've made two batches here so far and 3 strawberry jam.

Russ
 
Wow, you are a really serious Gardiner. Do you make raspberry Jam from your canes? I've made two batches here so far and 3 strawberry jam.

Russ
The canes only went in this year. So far 2 have died but 4 are thriving. I love raspberries so they don't often live long after being picked. Raspberries are my favourite fruit!

I have grown a lot of our own veg in the past but health is causing issues with gardening, as has the drought. Most things have struggled to grow here in this garden, hence why we've put the shading in. Even just getting into the garden in summer is hard work.
Today I went out at 1pm to hang the washing. The sun was that harsh that I needed to cover myself with one of the wet t-shirts because I was in a thin strapped dress. By the time I had hung the washing, the T-shirt was dry, similarly the washing I hung first was almost dry as well.
 
The canes only went in this year. So far 2 have died but 4 are thriving. I love raspberries so they don't often live long after being picked. Raspberries are my favourite fruit!

I have grown a lot of our own veg in the past but health is causing issues with gardening, as has the drought. Most things have struggled to grow here in this garden, hence why we've put the shading in. Even just getting into the garden in summer is hard work.
Today I went out at 1pm to hang the washing. The sun was that harsh that I needed to cover myself with one of the wet t-shirts because I was in a thin strapped dress. By the time I had hung the washing, the T-shirt was dry, similarly the washing I hung first was almost dry as well.

Our daylight hours are way down, but it's summer.? Supposed to get more sun this week. I freeze my berries as I pick them, it's tempting to eat but I must. Jam fresh is unbelievable.
Stay safe

Russ
 
I'm scared to walk in that kind of thick foliage. Merely for the fear of finding snakes.
We are very careful. making lots of noise and also observing the behaviour of my chickens. Plus watering beforehand is quiteeffective! We also keep a long stake/ piece of dowling handy. It lives by the veg plot and it is used to disturb all vegetation first before we enter the veg plot. I'm also hoping that the shade which reduces UV by 70% will mean that a shake will be less likely to be sunbathing in the vegplot now. Previously we have only had 2 snakes in the space of almost 3 years in the "garden". The first was drawn to the water in the chook enclosure and had found a small gap between the side of the chook coop and the chook electric fence. That gap has now gone. I think we are more likely to disturb a shingleback (lizard) or a dragon (any of them that we have). If we do find are in there again we will change the netting around the veg plot to the stuff snakes can not get through. We have some but not enough to do all of the veg plot. At the moment my bigger concern lies with the temporary chook enclosure that the "maternity ward" is surrounded by. That is not snake proof nor Is their dog cage (modified into a temporary sleeping quarters). But again I don't have enough anti-snake wire for that either because the wooden gum fence that makes up one side would also need anti-snake were aswell.
 
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