Tackling the heat, ruminants, and insects for some fresh veggies...

   Ever since we found out we were staying here for the wet season, we decided to expand the vegetable growing business outside our back door and further into the actual veggie patch across the lawn.  We’ve had some herbs outside for most of our time here, but now it’s time to venture into something more serious.  Having stocked up on seeds we ordered from a company online, plus buying the few seedlings the hardware store had in Katherine, we are going to attempt to sustain a modest wet season garden.  What’s so hard about growing during the wet season?  Well, besides the obvious risk of the entire homestead being flooded, there are frequent strong storms, high heat and humidity, and punishing sun, not to mention the thousands of insects that go mad during such a time.  All that aside, we are starting with plenty of optimism.  So far, we’ve planted capsicum, cherry tomatoes, eggplants, corn, spring onions, rock melon (cantaloupe for those of you in America), and a few other bits and pieces.  Our cucumbers were growing quite well up until a few days ago, when a buffalo somehow found its way inside the house paddock and proceeded to eat every last leaf, in addition to destroying the kale and half the radishes.  I can only imagine his reaction when faced with such a delectable smorgasbord of salads.  My only hope is that because of his indulgence he got severe constipation. 
    The green house has also been turned into a veggie prison with daily walks to check for incursions of veggie munching critters. Luckily some of the native skinks patrol in our absence and assist in keeping the area fairly pest free.... at least we are sure there are more grasshoppers on the outside than inside. 

We’ve also erected some shade cloth across the big veggie patch, hoping to dampen the suns’ rays during the heat of the day when you think to yourself, ‘why do I live on the surface of the sun?’  

   We’ll be doing our best to keep the garden going, and provide updates as we go along.  Hopefully we’ll be able to share photos of the successful harvest when the time comes, or you’ll see pictures of everything flooded up to our waists.  Either way, it should make for an interesting read.