Who first sang that line? I’m singing it today!
It’s 39c degrees in Brisbane as the heatwave continues this week.
I went over to the allotment at the crack of dawn this morning to see if anything is still living! It was.
It amazes me that stuff is still growing despite this heat as I cannot get over every day to water it. But I thought it was a good idea not to push my luck and to harvest as much as I can, while I can.
I filled up insulated bags with plenty of silverbeet, kale, parsley, cucumbers and carrots. Once I’ve finished this post I’ll process the silverbeet and kale for the freezer. The curly parsley is starting to go to seed so I picked heaps of it and I’ll chop it up and freeze it in ice cubes.
I’ll check over the cucumbers to make sure the fruit fly hasn’t stung them and I’ll probably have enough to do another small batch of bread and butter pickles.
It will be a good way to spend the afternoon, in the air conditioning.
Just to finish off, here is a pic of my first tiny little melon. It was hiding under a leaf. Is it cute or what?
Happy gardening.
Allotment Adventures with Jean 
Dec 04, 2012 @ 13:19:51
I have never been able to grow a melon to full, eating size! Bugs the heck out if me. Every year they look so hopeful at about midseason and by summer’s end they seem to have stunted. I’m jealous. 🙂
Dec 04, 2012 @ 16:22:42
Hello Laura. Thank you for visiting my blog. I am not sure if I can raise this tiny melon into a great big melon. Time will tell.
Dec 04, 2012 @ 18:42:28
Good luck with that melon Jean…I think they love heat so it sounds like it will get at least one of its requirements for life! We had hail here today! Go figure 😉
Dec 05, 2012 @ 06:12:45
Hi Fran. I heard you got hail. Wouldn’t think we both lived in the same country would you.
Dec 05, 2012 @ 07:46:56
HA! We also got rain overnight and the countryside smells amazing…like one of those environmental shop smells :). Did you want to enter the draw for Steve’s handmade spoon Jean? You are welcome to enter 🙂
Dec 05, 2012 @ 20:40:29
Hi Fran, great to hear you had rain overnight. And yes, I’d love to enter the draw for Steve’s handmade spoon. I’ve left you a comment on your blog. Best wishes. Jean
Dec 04, 2012 @ 19:45:38
The difference in our gardening years can’t be much different could they Jean? Good luck with the heatwave and I hope your more heat-tender crops do okay – with you tending them I’m sure they’ll be fine 🙂
Dec 05, 2012 @ 06:10:38
Thank you for your good wishes. Our gardening years certainly are different Tanya. Lettuce cannot cope with our summer heat but lots of other exciting stuff can. Being raised in the UK I love the challenge of growing cucumbers, zucchini, eggplant and melons. Too sad to try to grow tomatoes as no matter what I do the fruit fly wins.
Dec 06, 2012 @ 07:09:28
And here the blight usually wins! You can’t win can you? 😉
Dec 06, 2012 @ 12:51:06
Dear Tanya I can only think that us gardeners are born optimists. We must be when everything appears to be against us sometimes – and still we keep going – and I for one, enjoy it immensely!
Dec 05, 2012 @ 04:47:59
39C wow, you must be so hot….it’s hard to imagine when it’s so cold and wet here.
I would love to be able to grow a melon
Dec 05, 2012 @ 06:05:39
I grew up in the UK and a 39c day is a challenge.Especially with the humidity as well. I was very excited to see my first little melon yesterday. Fingers crossed it will meet maturity as I too would love to grow a melon. I’ve been here over 30 years in Queensland and it still feels exotic to be growing melons.
Dec 05, 2012 @ 16:19:19
We got up to about 35 a few days ago, but then it snowed on Mt Baw Baw, and we’re getting the down draft!!
On the up side I have LOADS of pumpkin vines thes year 🙂
Love your melon! I’m still trying to get my vines to grow large enough to put in the ground
Dec 05, 2012 @ 20:38:51
Mrs Yub I’d LOVE to have pumpkin vines. It’s such a versatile vegetable , one of my favourites.
Dec 05, 2012 @ 21:34:49
I am experimenting this year. I have left some in the pots where I had originally planted them to sprout, I have shifted some to a 15 hole strawberry hanging planter that I had empty, and I have staked around 10 rough plants popping up in the garden in very unexpected places. Let us see if I actually get any fruit off them, though, lol!!