I had a garden day again today. Yesterday afternoon I did a Bunnings run and came home with everything I needed to jump straight in this morning.
I have potted up our summer salads: two small tomato varieties in hanging pots again, as they did so well last year. Several lettuce varieties, spinach, beautiful basil and – for the first time – eggplant, capsicum and snow peas! I got tiny eggplant and capsicum, little mini fruits and these are in pots like all the rest. The snow peas I have put in the garden bed, with a frame to climb. I realised I should have bought a Lebanese cucumber and done it the same, so will add that to the list.
But eating from my garden is only a small pleasure. The big one is living in my garden in the warmer months (but not so much the very hottest!). So a spring clean of my paved courtyard was in order. With a new broom (to sweep clean) and lots of music to motivate me, I took to the red bricks and got rid of the winter litter of leaves, dirt and crap. Yes, real crap – sigh: the joy of a big dog! But all done now.
An audit saw three roses I planted last year did not survive my winter neglect. It is so hard with the water restrictions and our poor soil, with so many tree roots stealing water. Rather than replace the roses, I admitted defeat and filled the spaces with lavender, which does grow well in these conditions. I still have plenty of roses but not the heart to nurture new ones. The drought must end/ease eventually!
Medicine time – wetting agent for the hydrophobic soil, seasol to make everyone feel better, slow release fertiliser and 20kg of pea straw mulch. All I need to do is remember to turn on the dripper system at 8pm (Sunday is the only day our house can water) and give it all a good soak. The it was time to sit back and smell the perfume from the roses, lilac and lavender with a cuppa and a new book. It’s a hard life!
I didn’t take any photos of my work, as the light was gone before I finished, so that will wait til morning. But I did play with some close ups on my camera and captured some treasures.
Garden Photos
I have potted up our summer salads: two small tomato varieties in hanging pots again, as they did so well last year. Several lettuce varieties, spinach, beautiful basil and – for the first time – eggplant, capsicum and snow peas! I got tiny eggplant and capsicum, little mini fruits and these are in pots like all the rest. The snow peas I have put in the garden bed, with a frame to climb. I realised I should have bought a Lebanese cucumber and done it the same, so will add that to the list.
But eating from my garden is only a small pleasure. The big one is living in my garden in the warmer months (but not so much the very hottest!). So a spring clean of my paved courtyard was in order. With a new broom (to sweep clean) and lots of music to motivate me, I took to the red bricks and got rid of the winter litter of leaves, dirt and crap. Yes, real crap – sigh: the joy of a big dog! But all done now.
An audit saw three roses I planted last year did not survive my winter neglect. It is so hard with the water restrictions and our poor soil, with so many tree roots stealing water. Rather than replace the roses, I admitted defeat and filled the spaces with lavender, which does grow well in these conditions. I still have plenty of roses but not the heart to nurture new ones. The drought must end/ease eventually!
Medicine time – wetting agent for the hydrophobic soil, seasol to make everyone feel better, slow release fertiliser and 20kg of pea straw mulch. All I need to do is remember to turn on the dripper system at 8pm (Sunday is the only day our house can water) and give it all a good soak. The it was time to sit back and smell the perfume from the roses, lilac and lavender with a cuppa and a new book. It’s a hard life!
I didn’t take any photos of my work, as the light was gone before I finished, so that will wait til morning. But I did play with some close ups on my camera and captured some treasures.
Garden Photos
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