Saturday, March 3, 2012

Seasonal Merry Go Round


Having a veggie garden makes me so aware of the changing seasons. So here we are into March and Autumn...it kind of just snuck it's way in making the mornings darker and cooler, leaves drift to the ground while out walking, a light jersey needed for the evenings and bare garden beds waiting for their new inhabitants.


All our beds have been cleared out with the exception of some carrots, a little bit of corn and this messy bed above which holds the last cucumbers, loads of basil, dill, chillies, beans and yarrow. This bed will lie fallow for winter as the sun is blocked out by the house for these 3 months.


Today we got stuck in early and finished preparing the kitchen garden beds. This is the original garden which started us on this journey in 2008. While you can see nothing from this broad photo, the garden holds onion seeds in the first bed, beetroot in the second, purple sprouting broccoli in the 3rd, broad beans in the 4th and in the 5th a sneaky hopeful planting of Chinese Cabbage and Pak Choi. I am hoping that there is still enough time for the 5th bed as it too is in full shade through winter.


The pond garden, which was 2010's addition is now ready for planting. I hope to get that done tomorrow which is generally my rest day, but we are on a clock here with 5 weeks to go before my son and I leave for London. The asparagus will need to be cut back and fed in May, doesn't it look full and healthy?

Every bed was also given a generous helping of Bounce Back as well as all our pots and hanging baskets. The kids also fed the baskets and pots some liquid feed today when watering.

The one bed we cleaned out had some forgotten bush beans and they had dried on the pod. To my delight we have enough dried beans to give Jamie Olivier's home made baked beans a try....that's a job for tomorrow too.


What are you doing in your changing season garden right now?

4 comments:

Cath said...

Well done my hard working friend. Our garden is still a jungle. I have planted some carrots, beetroot, turnips, onions and some cabbages and bok choi. Our broad beans are beaning - the first time I ever tasted them was last week.I think I must plant some more - I didn't put in enough. I am a bit slow to pull out the slowing down veggies because once the frost hits, there's very little for us to grow.

Sorry, I obviously need to write a garden blog... too much to say.

As usual you inspire me.

gardening-mary said...

I thoroughly enjoy your page and have picked up many tips regarding vegetables and here is one I have just discovered:

If your tomatoes have been infested with white fly then plant some sweet basil under each tomatoe plant. It works wonders - no more white fly !

I garden in wooden containers and my vegetable garden is small scale and I intend to extend as time goes by and my husband recovers. How do you fertilize your garden when watering ?

Lois Evensen said...

I'm not home where I can work on my garden, but I am looking forward to being there next month. I am sure the Spring flowers from bulbs are well out of the ground. Our winter has been so warm that the flowers are surely confused!

Happy Sunday from Port Canaveral, Florida,
Lois

Anonymous said...

Hey Mary, We use worm pee or kelpak for our baskets and pots. Nice to have you join the blog.

Cath, you have had your hands full with milk, we can't do it all!

Lois, enjoy your time away.