I Climbed A Mountain! - Jun 21, 2024
Dear gardening friends
I spotted this amazing Lemon tree growing in the front yard of a house in Bow bowing. It made me think why don't people grow Citrus in the front yard?
This is a Eureka Lemon tree so it fruits all year round. It has huge thick skinned lemons that are full of juice right now.
This photo was taken several weeks ago so the fruit will be even brighter yellow today. It's just so beautiful.
In spring the tree will be covered in highly perfumed white flowers. You'd smell the fragrance through the windows.
The secret to getting Citrus to grow like this in Macarthur's clay soils is to plant your tree on a raised mound of Tim's Best Potting mix. It allows the feeder roots to get started and then they will grow down into the soil. Never fertilise your Citrus when you're planting them.
I've got so many stories of customers chucking in a handful of Citrus food to get it growing fast. Sadly in reality the feeder roots get burnt and the leaves fall off within days. The tree is dead within a month.
"I did everything right" they tell me.
It's Citrus planting season, come and see us.
We have the biggest trees ever!!!!
Yes we have Eureka Lemon trees.
I planted this tree on Sunday (see photo) and it's going to become famous. I planted it on a hill that you've seen. I've been watching this hill for years thinking "How amazing would a tree look on that hill."
I set out from the nursery. I tried to park as close as possible, I started the climb carrying a shovel, soil and the tree. When I reached the top I suddenly realised why nobody had ever planted I tree here. I nearly had a heart attack.
The soil was nice and moist, I'm sure the tree is going to grow here. It's going to look like Fig Tree Hill. I walked back down the hill. It was much easier.
But then I remembered I had to mulch around the tree and stake it. I had to walk back up that hill. I began to hallucinate half way up. I questioned my sanity.
I've suddenly realised I'm going to have to water this tree. I've planted it at the right time luckily. It will last at least a week. I'm hoping it rains like I've never hoped before.
It's Moreton Bay Fig tree. It will grow Dinosaur size. I don't think too many kids will climb it.
It's something you admire in the distance.
I conquered a mountain tonight. I turned something simple into something amazing. Yes I know it's not TACO Tuesday, but I was just feeding two people tonight, so I got out the TACO box.
I didn't follow the directions, I started by frying an Onion and Celery with fresh Garlic. I added 3 Anchovies, table spoon of Capers, a dash of Soy Sauce, and the packet of the flavouring that comes in the box.
I fried this down until it was soft, then I added a 400gm can of Tomatoes with lots of pepper and salt. I cooked this for 15 minutes on high then I added 1kg of beef mince. As I was stirring, I added the juice of 1/2 a Lemon and the packet of tomato sauce that comes in the box. I cooked this for another 15 minutes.
As I heated the TACO shells in the oven I chopped up 2x tomatoes and drizzled olive oil and lots of salt.
I got the Yumi's Hommus and the Mon Jay Garlic dip out of the fridge. I cut up some fresh lettuce.
We were ready to eat.
It was so amazing, a spoon full of Garlic dip and Hommus in the bottom, with lettuce and tomatoes.
The Mince sauce on top. It was incredible.
No cheese needed, no tomato sauce either.
The lemon gave the mince zing.
It was incredible!!!!!!!
We ate all the Shells, it took us to another place!!!!!
I'm having the left over mince on toast tomorrow for breakfast, it's the box that just keeps on giving.
Bailey gave this 10/10.
It's TACO Friday.
We were potting up Roses bushes yesterday, yes it's that time of year. Our Rose bushes arrive bare rooted, then we pot them up. Lots of new varieties, but the most popular are still Mr Lincoln, Just Joey, Blue Moon and Pope John Paul. If you've got room for four Roses choose these perfumed varieties.
Look how amazing the front of our shop looks.
These amazing succulents are all growing in pots.
We can move them around. The colours just look incredible and it's winter!!!!!
They require so little care.
Where are you?
Hello?
Happy gardening
Tim