Had my usual stroll through the garden and have decided you’re coming with me. Spent time picking off green caterpillars from the Bairnsdale cabbages, kicked off a few weeds and marvelled at Jonny’s emerging carrots; we planted them together only a week ago and determined little green hairs of carroty promise are pushing through. Jonny is staying with his school chum, Tom (got a pool) so he won’t know about his new little charges until Nestor drives him back home tomorrow. I must speak to Jonny about missing the moment. I was at all four of my children’s births and just for the record, so was Angela. Apparently, had I missed the delivery, my paternal bond would be less assured than it is now. Hmm, hard to know. Better watch to see if the carrots prefer me to Jonny as a result of him spending time with his mates rather than attending to family duties. I suspect someone will be in need of therapy… Probably me.

Back to the stroll.  Something is chewing my chilli plants, effectively ring-barking them just above the soil and cutting off nutrient, water  and therefore life. No big deal, only two plants out of 300 or so, but will be keeping a close look to see if the culprit (probably lawn beetle) is on the move. Two more plants down and it’s a mayday call to Dr Paul Horne from IPM technologies, my war council on little invasion strategies.

Anyone growing cabbages is probably a caterpillar breeder too. Have a look at this juicy specimen, already halfway through the coleslaw. I turned my back on the Bairnsdale cabbages for what seemed like a minute, and what the hell!  A battalion of grubs materialised and are attempting to deprive me of what Gerald promised me to be the greatest little cabbage he’s grown for use in coleslaw. I will be sending this photo to Dr Paul Horne for general advice. Currently, however I am avoiding sprays and walking the two rows, gathering the grubs and throwing them to delighted chickens. But, is there a better way? Let’s see.

Now, here’s the disturbing thing and the reason I’ve put… Used to be pen to paper, is it now fingers to keyboard? At any rate, the tomato plants, all varieties, are in excellent condition. Sturdy stemmed, vigorous growth and deep green, however only relatively few flowers. Noel Jansz from Elders Bainsdale, what do you recommend? Probably should be picking back more laterals so the plants can redirect growth towards cropping, but have at the back of my mind the need to keep enough foliage to screen fruit (technically berries to the pedant) from the harsh summer rays ahead. Over to you Noel… Or perhaps Vince from Neutrog, should I apply a planet friendly feed of flower promoting fertiliser? Hope to hear from you soon.

As you may or may not know, I have a particular star performer growing every year on the farm. It’s a variety of tomato that has become so dear to my family as well as me professionally. It looks like an Ox Heart, but tastes like no other Ox Heart. Could be bundled in with the Beefsteak gang of tomatoes, but doesn’t behave in cooking like any Beefsteak. In this intermediate naming vacuum, it has been affectionately called ‘Geoff’s special tomato’. Poor thing… A bit like having called Mozart ‘Mummy’s little piano darling’. Nevertheless, until a box full challenges me for inflicting emotional anguish and wins the right to rename itself, then ‘Geoff’s special tomatoes’ they will remain.

You may know by now that I have reserved the front patio of our house for my elevated garden and a variety of edible pot plants. North facing, additional reflected light as well as stored heat emanating from the dark tiles beneath.  Its pride of place for, here we go again, my “special” crops. These plants are provided the sort of treatment that can make my other veggies green with envy (maybe a good thing) and red with rage. Ever been to a proper outback sheep station? Totally remote and enduring the full harshness Australian climate can deliver. Here every breathing entity has to pull their weight. Rations are hard earned and never excessive. unless, you ‘re that fluffy little lap dog that gets to live inside with the farms matriarch. That blow dried, clipped little yapper sits at or under the table, hand fed morsels of the lamb it’s canine brothers and sisters have toiled under 45°C heat to herd into submission, only to be thrown working dog rations of a shot kangaroo and trough of water. Yep, that’s my patio!

It actually goes completely against my nature to single out favourites and I feel shameful describing the patio with literary license to be a place of privilege. It’s more accurately a growing space under my watchful eye, and constitutes being the standard to which my proper crops need to perform. Somewhat a horticultural guilded cage but I actually recommend having a trial area like this for seriously curious gardeners on the quest of intelligently assessing their season’s efforts with an eye towards better future crops.

Anyway, getting back to my pampered pomodores, ‘Geoff’s special tomatoes’. Here is a prechristmas (20 days into summer) photo of the tight little clusters of fruit (berries to the pedant). Very exciting. Can’t wait to harvest and show you great tomato recipes.

Does anyone know where Naume is? The wild man from Macedonia?

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Today, I’m bringing a bit of country flavour to town at the Australian Garden Show at Centennial Park in Sydney. I’ll be with my friends from elevated gardens, showing everyone how easy it is to grow your own food in every urban situation. Even if you just have a small apartment balcony, you can have fresh vegies all year round. We’ll show you how, and make a salad while we’re at it. Drop in and say hi.