Good luck finding key limes in N.Z though (unless you know a place.. let me knooooowww)
Around here you are lucky to pay a butt load for big Tahitian or bearss limes. I searched and searched, we don't really have a great climate for heat loving limes and the areas that could manage it, grow other things. Guess we don't have a huge market for limes here
For about a year I tried to find a tree to add to my garden, almost buying Rangpur limes from a bunch of places trying to convince me they were Key limes. They aren't dangit, Rangpurs are pretty much just sour mandarins! The tree I wanted grows true to seed, Great! if you have a seed...
I did finally manage to locate a plant in 2013 from Kings Plant barn, It isn't a fan of frosty winters or aphids but this year it's covered in blossoms and fruit that aren't just dropping to the floor. One of the few plants the chickens can get to that they don't seem at all interested in.
My recipe calls for 2/3rds of a cup of lime juice, or 24-30 limes, Surely the 15 small globe shaped fruits I picked would be enough? No?
Oh well, into the freezer until more have ripened. I'll have to put off the excitement of making a duck egg meringue to go on top for now!
Even though my usual summer garden efforts were neglected this year in favour of baby birds, the perennial plants are still doing their thing. As property renters of many years, one of my favourite ways to garden is in containers. You can grow almost anything in a big enough container.
Saffron is great this way, during summer while the plant is dormant the container is moved to where it can't get any water. When it starts to shoot up again, the containers are moved to get sun and rain.
My saffron corms didn't flower their first year, but now they go nuts!
My saffron corms didn't flower their first year, but now they go nuts!
I know, you are supposed to pick them before they open completely... It's still too early this season to get enough flowers to start up the dehydrator, although leaving the red stamen out on a paper towel seems to dry it out enough for now.
This Plumeria was nothing more than a tiny cutting 2 and a half years ago, every year it needs to be re potted. Apparently, once you start getting towards 40 litre pots, if you know you will need to go bigger again it's probably better to start planting in planter bags. Getting a massive heavy plant out of a plastic pot while you are desperately trying to not break off branches is awful... at least you could just cut the bag off! The plant didn't appreciate it either, and took longer than usual to sort itself out, it is trying to flower but I think it's too late this year to see any more of these
The pineapples are oh so very slowly.. existing? at least the banana is trying
It's huge now! what will it think of winter frost since (like the plumeria) it's too big to come inside?
hopefully they'll be okay. There are other trees and herbs herbing along
And lastly, remember to give your chickens and ducks a nice mulching with plenty of grass clippings!
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