It is a testament to how well our team of Food Garden volunteers work in the Royal Tasmanian Botanical Gardens (RTBG). On  Thursday when our Co-ordinator was away we simply got to work and achieved a great deal – with the oversight and option for help from RTBG staff  from other sections of the Gardens if we needed it.

Last week most of my RTBG blog post was devoted to the giant pumpkins. I received a lot of comments from this; so I realise that an update is required.

Last week the pumpkins looked as follows:

This past Thursday they had put on weight.

I am continually disturbed by visitors to the RTBG feeling entitled to pick and eat produce intended for the homeless and disadvantaged people, and otherwise to change things. One of the very heavy giant pumpkins has been moved during the past few days (no mean feat because two people might almost break their backs moving it) so that it appears to have fallen on its stalk. Just like an umbilical cord, that stalk feeds the growing giant. So we will wait for a week to see if that move has killed the pumpkin or whether by some fluke it will go on living and growing.

For readers who are curious to know which plants were dug in and the other activities for the day, read on. They were varied. Tony harvested produce for charity. Sandra and Neil prepared beds and planted corn and chilli plants – although Tony suggested it might be a smidgin late for the chillis. So I will wait and watch with interest hoping they make it to full term and fruits appear.

At length Lesley soaked the plants in ceramic pots in order to help them survive the hot weather and then she generally hosed other garden beds. 

Robyn planted purslane and dill in the bed with rogue self-seeded buckwheat plants. 

She and I both weeded various patches and picked up fallen immature fruits and added these to the compost.

Sandra collected fallen hazelnuts, almost all of which were green and not ripe for consumption.

Neil  trimmed and pruned the jump-over apple trees.

Andrew climbed the ladder to cut the skyward bound branches growing from the arched apple trees. 

Superb achievements much talked about by visitors during the day. A very productive day full of change in the RTBG Food Garden.