Limes Limes Limes

Hi

There is only one rep (Pot supplier and Potty to boot) that I know that drives in, music blearing from inside the van and mirror balls swinging from side to side. He jumps out,  gives you a hug and says ‘Hi Sweetheart' to the client that I was serving. It was the end of the day and time for  a few  beers and we have shared a few over the years. Out come the crystal wine glasses and first up was Chimay Blue.  I mean what else do you drink such beers out of!! Next up was a competition beer called "The Four Horses of the Hoppocalypse?", 10% imperial Indian pale ale, which is a compilation effort from 4 different craft brewers from New Zealand and using predominantly NZ ingredients. (So I was told, as it was in an unmarked flagon)  I really enjoyed the beers but my email didn't get written that night LOL

Rose Stuff

Well I don't think that it is actually going to get cold this winter and hopefully you have managed to get a few winter sprays on your roses. If you haven't then its still not too late to at least get a couple of copper oxychloride and conqueror oil over them.  Now even though its not going to get cold enough to hold back your roses its time to be thinking of pruning them as they have to be pruned before leaf burst which should be sometime in mid august. The way that my Magnolias have come into flower spring is going to be early this year!!  Now don't ever prune when it wet as rain is responsible for passing around fungal spores, especially silver leaf. Give your roses another coat of copper and oil after pruning. It's also time to be thinking that they will need a feed and this should happen at leaf burst as well. Now roses love lots of food so good compost around them in the drip zone will never go amiss and leave it to the earth worms and soil organisms to break down. If there is no compost use sheep pellets or it all LOl. Also give them a feed of off the shelf rose food like the slow release Burnets that we have or if the rose is well established a more instant form will do.

Downy Mildew, Dont forget to watch out for this insidious infection, where the leaves fall of. If unsure spray with Bravo and do several close sprays to sort it out.

Limes

Did you know that when limes are really ripe that they are yellow like lemons. There is always this perception that Limes are dark green and I guess that when you buy them from the supermarket that they are green but as they age they go yellow like lemons.
Harry picked this huge bowl of limes the other day so that he could take a photo or two or fifty.  I always think of that classic Key lime pie but have never made it. I still have never made it but conned Dad into taking some of the limes and making it for me. I did cook the rest of the dinner and have to say that the actual recipe didn't look too hard to make. Now the old boy is also quite good at making marmalade and so I suggested, as I do, that if he took some more limes that he could turn them into marmalade. It is delicious! Tangy and fragrant and just the stuff to spread onto your vogels in the morn.

Key Lime pie  (C/- Sweet Food Murdoch Books)

375g sweet short crust pastry (Pete used bought pastry)
4 Egg yolks
395g tin condensed milk
2 tspn grated lime zest
125ml or ½ a cup lime juice

Roll out and press your pastry into a loose bottomed 23cm flan tin, we used a pie dish with baking paper under the pastry
Bake the base blind for approx 10 to 15mins in an oven of 180 C. (Use baking beads or baking paper with rice)
Leave to cool
Meanwhile using electric beaters, beat the egg yolks condensed milk lime juice, zest in a large bowl for 2 minutes or until well combined
Pour into the pie shell and smooth the surface
Bake again for 20 to 25 minutes or until set
Remove from oven, allow to cool completely and refrigerate until well chilled
Garnish with lime slice serve dusted with icing sugar and whipped cream

New In this week

Nectarine Mabel   These have now arrived in Founded as a seedling underneath a 'Blackboy" tree by the Waikato by a gardener named Mabel, this Nectarine is unique with it's stunning dark purple foilage and delicious sweet nectarine.  Grows well in all areas of New Zealand and is quite hardy to disease.  Self fertile.

Winter Roses Fancy double just up from Clifton house in the South Island

Yellow Daphne Something a little different for those plant enthusiasts. Properly know as Edgworthia grandiflora and quite cool looking with its yellow Daphne look alike flowers

Strawberries and Asparagus,  Make some garden beds of these with the kids this school holidays

Fruit Trees are all in, Check the range out here

We have had good days and overcast days but no rain for nearly a week so hoping for those that are on school holidays that all  is going well. Maybe even some gardening with the kids LOL!

Have a good weekend!

Cheers,

Lloyd and Harry

Make it a Wairere weekend where gardenings not a drag!!!!!