Peas

The blackbird defences (aka frost fleece) came off the pea bed today. The plants are now well-enough established to withstand the birds’ search for wrigglers in the soil. I hope.

And up went the netting, to which the plants will attach their tendrils in no time at all. Soon the netting will be almost invisible behind a curtain of green growth and delicious dripping pea pods. I’ll be eating them in a couple of months’ time.

This time of year is full of happy anticipation like this, all around the garden.

I potted on the capsicum peppers from their small seedling punnets into 6cm pots where they’ll grow on for a few weeks before finally being planted into 30cm pots. 

I’m growing four varieties this year: orange, yellow and two red ones. I love the colours, particularly in flans and salads. 

The temperature reached 26C around 3pm. No wonder I felt sticky as I worked. Bean retreated to the coolth of the truck for much of the afternoon, only venturing out to check I was still here and alive.

El Niño promises us a hot and dry summer. With that in mind I have decided to investigate the installation of an aircon / heat pump in the new (sleeping) cabin. It is an expensive venture given my small budget, but I hope I can scrape together the cost. It might be essential this summer. And it would reduce my power usage in winter. 

So far I’ve had two quotes: the second one is 2/3 the price of the first, and cheered me up enormously. It will be interesting to get a third and a fourth quote.