(Image by Jill Wellington from Pixabay)
I love September 1st. Spring is in the air and my attention is turned back to the garden; most notably the weeds that have overtaken every square inch.
I’ve started small and am trying to be regular in my efforts this growing season, otherwise the task could easily become overwhelming. Fortunately I enjoy being out doors. Gardening was always a common weekend activity growing up. I even did a short course in Sustainable Rural Development through NorthTec In my teens which I greatly enjoyed. I’m keen to do a few more courses in organics or permaculture in the future; maybe some bee keeping too.
(Image: My Herb Garden)
Today’s Task:
Today’s task was weeding my raised herb garden which is growing in its re-purposed steel bath. Besides the obvious weeds, a very lively common sage, Florence Fennel, and a flat leaf parsley plant, have also survived the winter. Additionally, I have mint and oregano growing elsewhere, as they would takeover the raised bed, smothering the other herbs. And chives, which I grow in their own separate pot.
(Image: Common Sage)
(Image: Flat Leaf Parsley)
(Image: Florence Fennel)
Garden Site:
Unfortunately I have a slopping plot with a southerly aspect which reduces the amount of sunlight the garden receives; especially in winter. However, it’s sheltered from strong winds and, being in a temperate climate here in Auckland, the growing season is long enough to get good yields. I could grow crops all year round if I had the inclination but I tend to rely on the permanent/perennial garden plants, such as the Meyer Lemon, silverbeet/swiss chard and Nasturtium during the wetter months (I’m not a fan of getting cold and wet if I can help it).
Currently in the Garden:
Upon surveying the vegetable plot I can see an excellent variety of plants already coming up/still growing. There are:
- Cape gooseberries, with berries almost ready to eat.
- Chard seedlings, self-seeded from last autumns plants. Great for salads at this tender age.
- Nasturtium, growing like a weed at the edge of the garden. I love using the leaves in my green juices and the flowers look amazing in summer salads.
- Swan plant seed pods bursting open. An excellent choice for your butterfly garden as Monarch Butterfly caterpillars love them.
- Chives, still growing strong from last season.
- Garlic, Planted back in June (early winter).
Additional Notes:
No-til or No-dig is my preferred gardening method as it encourages healthy stable soils and promotes self-seeded crops; which makes my work a whole lot easier. You can read more about no-till/no-dig methods here.
An excellent tool I use to help me decide what to plant is www.gardengrow.co.nz. Garden Grow is a must for New Zealand gardeners. It offers monthly planting suggestions based on the three main climate zones (cool mountain, temperate and tropical) and tips for cultivation. It even gives you an indication of when your crop will be ready to harvest.
I will be organizing an order for some new seeds this week through www.kingsseeds.co.nz. Kings Seeds have an extensive selection of seeds, including a large range of organic seeds (I personally only buy the organic seeds) My second go-to seed store is www.koanga.org.nz. Koanga Gardens have the best range of Heritage seeds I have found in New Zealand (but you do need to be in quick as their stocks are limited). They also have a great range of educational resources including books and classes. I have found their book ‘Koanga Garden Guide: A Complete Guide to Gardening Organically and Sustainably’ by Kay Baxter a very useful handbook.
If you are looking at setting up a home garden to feed your family, Ideally you’ll need 3 square meters (or 32 square feet) per person. One option, if you are lacking ground space could be using 18-20 litre capacity pots or buckets with appropriate drainage holes.
A worm farm is one of the easiest ways to recycle kitchen and garden waste. With the liquid runoff (or ‘worm tea’) making the ideal fertilizer for your pants (especially if you are growing in pots).
That’s all I have for today. Thank you for reading! And don’t forget to comment? I’d love to hear how your garden is doing too!