Welcome back to Off the Grind! As the wet season begins, the garden is a hive of activity and it’s hot!! The heat and humidity have kicked into high gear, and with it comes the first big build-up storms. The herbs are wilting under the intense conditions, but the grass seems to have no such trouble—it’s growing like mad and keeps us mowing most weekends! We have also been working on the Bush camp to get it fenced and new works completed before the wet season sets in.
Gardening in the tropics during the wet season is always a challenge, but it’s also incredibly rewarding. Here’s what’s been happening in our garden lately.
What’s New in the Garden
The garden is bursting with life, and it’s a feast for both us and the wildlife. Here are some recent highlights:
- Figs and Custard Apples Fruiting: These trees are showing off their first fruits, and it’s such a joy to watch them grow.
- Pineapples Galore: We’re harvesting pineapples, but the birds have also discovered them. To save our sweet treats, we’ve been wrapping them in shade cloth—like tucking in a baby!
- Passion Fruits in Abundance: The passionfruit vines are out of control, and we’re eating them daily just to keep up. They are super delicious!
- New Hose Reel Installed: Our latest addition is a hose reel that reaches most corners of the garden. It’s made watering so much easier. Especially during the build up when it’s so hot and dry.
- A Farewell to Our Orange Tree: Sadly, the termites got to our orange tree, and it didn’t survive. It’s always heartbreaking to lose a tree, but it’s a reminder of how resilient tropical gardening has to be.
- Biggest Banana Harvest Yet: We just harvested a massive bunch of bananas, and they’re the biggest we’ve ever grown!
As for challenges, we’ve finally gotten through the worst of the mealybug infestation. Our pawpaw trees took a hit, but a few have started to recover. Seeing them bounce back is incredibly rewarding.
Upcoming Projects– The Wet Season
There’s always something new to plant or improve in the garden. Here’s what we’re working on next:
- Planting an Orchard: We’re focusing on building out our orchard and preparing mature fruiting trees for sale. If you’re in the Darwin area and looking for fruit trees, let us know! We already have a variety ready to go.
- Fertilizing and Pruning Frenzy: The next month will be all about madly fertilizing and pruning before the full-on wet season hits. It’s a race against time, but it’ll be worth it when everything flourishes.
- Dragon Fruit Trellis: B has been busy welding together posts for our dragon fruit trellis. Looking forward to getting these guys in the ground.
Tips for Tropical Gardeners
Here are some handy tips for your own wet-season garden:
- Blast Mealy Bugs: Use a strong spray of water to blast mealy bugs off fruit and leaves. Keep at it regularly, and you’ll see improvement.
- Build a Biodigester: Turn your food scraps into garden gold by creating a bio-digester. It’s a great way to keep your garden sustainable. We use it as liquid fertilizer and it’s a game changer. No more smelly compost piles!
- Stay on Top of Maintenance: With the wet season’s rapid growth, regular pruning and fertilizing are essential. Don’t let things get out of hand!
- Protect your fruit: You may need to get some little bags to deter little friends from eating you fruit. They just seem to know the secomd they ripen haha!!
Looking Ahead– The Wet Season
We’re excited for the full wet season and the fruit the garden will share with us in the months ahead. Tropical gardening is full of surprises, and I can’t wait to see what’s next.
How’s your garden looking as the wet season begins? I’d love to hear your updates and tips in the comments. Until next time, happy gardening! 🌱