Hit In The Head By A Chickpea?

Dear Gardening
These “Blue Eyed Beauty” Daisies are really popping with the Blue Lobelia border here in our garden. It’s easy to have colour in your garden in winter. Flowering plants make you happy!

You only need a couple of power patches like this in your garden, it might even be in pots. It makes us feel better, come and see us for flower therapy. We will get you through winter. Spring is coming!!!!!

Saied just came in to get his “Ivory Curl Tree”. He stopped me this morning, on his way to get a coffee, and he told me he’d fallen in love with Ivory Curl trees recently. He’s seen two growing as street trees, in Woodbine, and he’s watched how fast they have grown, and how good they look.

Saied looks like a Painter, but he’s actually a Tiler, he does great work and he’s very fussy.

I love it when a tradie gets excited about planting trees. I also love how Saied’s new tree is already providing shade for him, and it hasn’t got in the ground yet.

We often don’t think about how trees will change our lives in the future. When you plant trees you’re usually just thinking about yourself. You just want shade and privacy.

We don’t realise that that’s exactly what nature wants too. When we plant trees we create privacy for nature. The frogs, birds and animals turn up, before you know it, you’re hearing the sounds of nature in your garden.

The sounds of nature is what gives us better mental health. It recharges our batteries and it gives us wings!

I’ve grown the biggest Cabbage ever in my veggie garden. I’ve been picking them fresh and using them to make a salad. You cut the Savoy Cabbage super fine then you put it in a salad bowl and add fresh lemon juice, Olive oil, White vinegar, a handful of dried Currants and Parmesan cheese. Mix it up and enjoy.

I’ve noticed home grown Cabbage are so heavy because they are full of water and freshness. When you buy Cabbages they are dehydrated and limp. These Savoy Cabbages have changed my mind about Cabbages.
They are delicious!!!!

The reason they grew so big is because I prepared my garden before planting. I dig Tim’s Cow Manure and Tim’s Chicken manure into the soil with a dressing of Tim’s FAST FOOD. Cover with Sugarcane, water well then let the soil rest.

You should be doing this now to your vegetable garden to get it ready for spring planting. I’m amazed how many gardeners just expect their plants to grow with no soil improvement. Success isn’t an accident.
You have to make it happen.

I had the most amazing Cauliflower Salad at Mecca Cafe in Bourke street in Alexandria on Saturday. I’d been to Mitchelle Rd Antique Centre. Have you been? Do you love old things?????

Well I love old things, mainly vintage furniture but I was hungry, so I walked up Bourke street and ordered this fabulous salad.

It was so delicious, I made it myself when I got home for the family. It arrived in a flash at my table, the Cauliflower was fried just enough to make it delicious but not too soft. It came on a green simple salad of Lettuce, Cherry Tomatoes, Seeds and Beetroot dip.
Have I told you it had Chickpeas????

I’ve fallen in love with Chickpeas, where have these been all my life? One rolled off my plate and onto the table. I flicked it with my finger, it ricocheted off a balustrade and hit another customer in the back of the head.

I looked up ready to apologise profusely, but they looked up into a tree, I’d escaped, and that’s why we need more trees.

I made this Cauliflower Salad, I added Halloumi Cheese. You could add Chicken, it was amazing.
I think you should make it too.

Happy Gardening
Tim