Sultry Sunday...

Amazing what a little time will do!
Things are progressing, although slower of course than what I would like.....nothing unusual for this woman who wants things done now LOL!

The kitchen garden (all the goodies I use a lot of) is planted outside the back door off the patio and is really doing extremely well now we have shaded it.
In here you can find carrots, borage, feverfew, silverbeet, parsley, the last of the tomatoes, celery, soapwort, curry plants, the last of the capsicums, the goji berry, blueberry, onions, leeks, elephant garlic, coriander, peas, rosemary, strawberries and a few other bits and bobs:)

As you can see, I am taking no chances this winter after last winters 19 frosts in a row, this year everything that might be the slightest bit sensitive is covered with 50% shadecloth!

This is the White Sapote-Casimiroa edulis
Other names: Zapote blanco, Casimiroa
Intro: Although a member of the citrus group, it is nothing like any citrus. Do not eat the seeds-they are poisonous!

History: Originates from Central and South America.
Shape: The fruit is round to oval.
Weight/size: The fruit are 7.5 - 12.5cm in diameter.
Colour: Thin skinned, green when immature and remaining green to golden when ripe.
Taste: Rich sweet flesh tasting like vanilla custard.
Storage: Best eaten fresh. Allow to ripen at room temperature. Fruit will be soft when ripe. Ripe fruit is quite perishable, but it may be refrigerated, however, it is best to use fruit as soon as possible.
May be frozen whole, as pieces or as pulp. The fruit may be stored in the refrigerator when firm and unripe and then taken out and left at room temperature to ripen.
Preparing/serving: Primarily a dessert fruit. The soft fruit may be halved and scooped out, avoiding the pulp near the skin. It can also be used in milk shakes and sherbets. It is frequently combined with milk to produce ice-creams and milkshakes. With added lemon or lime juice, the fruit makes a good jelly, and also sherbets.

The berries (youngberries, boysenberries, loganberries, raspberries etc are all taking off this year, of all of them the boysenberry would have to be my favourite, sweet, crisp and beautiful flavour.

These will all cover the fence in time to come, so far the birds have left them alone!

The Cherimoya Sophia is new, it's possible that no known fruit compares to the delicious taste of the cherimoya. They're absolutely amazing when devoured icy-cold from the freezer

Given this too is really meant for tropical areas as the white sapote is, I am hoping it will find its' secluded area enough to keep it growing! I think summer will be more of a challenge for this one.

The dragon fruits are now putting out new growth, it will be interesting to see if this wire suport on the side of the workshop is sufficient, we may yet need to further support if the commercial pictures of them growing are any indication of what's needed.

At last count we have over 40 fruits, the idea being of course to be completely self-sufficient in that area, besides which NOTHING purchased can compare with the taste of sun-warmed fruit straight from the tree/vine!

My latest purchase.....2 gorgeous weeping cherry trees. I am hoping they will do ok here, one for the front garden and the other at the side of the pond.

And that's it from me, time to head back out and enjoy the cool weather......nothing worse than trying to garden in 45C heat.......did I mention I love the cool and detest the heat......