We still have had no decent rain and pests like Passion vine hoppers are thriving.They excrete honeydew seen here as wet sticky blobs. Sooty mould then grows on the honeydew. Nothing will get it off and it makes the fruit into rejects.( the fruit in the photo (click to enlarge ) are the correct shape etc and I pulled them off just one plant. There is very little we are allowed to do ( that is effective ). We had a pyGanic spray a few days ago and then a lactic acid ( clean up spray ) to see if any of the honeydew would wash off. ....not really ) Today we got a new heavyduty dust buster and I am doing the edges of blocks with that. It does suck them up but the battery soon runs down and it takes lots of time and patience. But I have to try something.
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I am still picking this many every second day. R is picking loads of big red tomatoes too. We have cucumbers and courgettes and lettuce still doing well. I have let the broccoli got to seed - too many pests on it. It is attracting white butterflies.
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Over the weekend my sister and partner were here. They can't walk far so we went driving all around the neighbourhood. We were taken by surprise how much new development there was. Here are some sights we saw.
A new pontoon in the inner harbour where folk were fishing.
The Mt. is in the distance.
Here are some attractively coloured hydrangeas being grown under shade cover for the export market.
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This is lying in the carport till next Wednesday when a builder is going to take out the old door and frame and put this new one in. Our new backdoor, with some blue glass.
I am having the afternoon off as I am going to a friend's Birthday Party at 6 pm and it's VERY hot and I usually work till 5.50 each evening. The boss ( me ) said it was okay.
I love that door! It looks cool down by the bay. We can sympathise with the lack of rain, not one drop has fallen so far this month - none, nil, nothing - and we have had less than two-thirds of what we should have had by this time of year. The past two years have also been well under average but we have hopes of showers/rain later today and tomorrow.
ReplyDeleteWhat a pity about the kiwi fruit. We have been surprised how dry it is over here. Mind you, it is dry at home as well - no rain at all in February. Enjoy your party.
ReplyDeleteThat's really such a shame - hopefully won't last for long and you can rescue the remainder of the crop. Glad your veggies are prolific.
ReplyDeleteWe've had rain which was welcomed, BUT now we're in the grip of terrible ice - a storm came through Mon. afternoon and dropped thick sleety snow which covered everything with an iron-like white blanket. Schools closed all week and many businesses too - roads treacherous. We haven't been able to get out yet (and its Thurs. now!) as we live in a cul-de-sac and the city always misses salting/sanding/scraping here! Hardly any melting as, despite sunshine, it's just too frigid. Luckily we don't actually have to be anywhere but cabin fever is setting it. Tonight will be a killer, the coldest temperatures here maybe ever!!!!
Hang in there Ali - wishing you cleansing gentle rains.
Hugs - Mary
Hi Ali, Long time since I have visited, but I have popped in now and then. your tomatoes look so lovely. My brother has had a huge crop in Auckland too. We have had too much rain this past week or so. Hope you can salvage your kiwifruit.xx
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