Monday, July 6, 2009

First Frost, and Other Blighted Hopes

Frosts in Sydney are infrequent and light, like the one that left its touches on my heaped lawn clippings this morning. Our humidity is often too low for frost to form in winter, or it's cloudy, which keeps the temperature too high, or else it's windy. I'd be surprised to see more than half-a-dozen frosts a year, and the ground never freezes.

The results are in from my Great Pea Experiment. Not a single pea came up and there was no sign of any peas in the ground. Perhaps a bird is eating them?

So I did what any gardener would do. I took a deep breath and... sowed another batch.

7 comments:

gnometree said...

hi chookie. you might like to try planting them in egg cartons first, the after they have sprouted, cut the carton into its individual "cups" and plant them. the carton soon breaks down, but protects the pea in the early days. If it's birds - maybe you could get a cat?

Amanda said...

Our peas were planted a little after yours and have sprung up well.

We don't have a cat but I regularly hurl things at a neighbours cat who invites itself over each day ... maybe I should stop trying to impale it with the kid's spade and start to see it as pea protector....

Mrs. Mac said...

Hi Chookie ... thanks for stopping by today (my blog that is ;) I have no idea about your peas ... we plant sugar peas (eaten pod and all) with no problem. My children HATE green peas for some reason, but I'm able to convince them that these are a green bean cousin ;)

I live in the Northern Hemisphere where it's summer in full glory! After 120+ inches of snow this past winter, we're savoring our sunshine and warm weather.

Lucy C said...

Hi there! Lucy checking out your blog. Follow the link to check out mine.Will get back to you about the 25/7 asap.

greenfumb said...

Hello,
we don't seem to have much trouble germinating peas here but the chooks got out and nibbled all the tops off. We also have three cats and a dog so I think that keeps the pea-eating birds at bay. You could try star pickets and bird-netting maybe? Good luck.

Yolanda Elizabet Heuzen said...

Hi Chookie,

I soak peas in water for 24 hours, then sow them in little pots and plant them out when they are about 10 cm high.

It could be slugs eating your peas as soon as they sprout or mice after you've just popped them in the ground.

When the peas are several inches high birds and such won't bother with them. Much.

Hope this helps.

Wayne Stratz said...

first frost threw me for a loop, till I read your location. we had a very early one once, followed by 40 glorious days till another came along.