Gardening, Life at No.22

Pottering around Plot 11 – #2

Suzanne

It is usually safe to say that little happens in the garden scene during winter.

Unless a structure is to be built or a compost bin full of goodness is ready to spread around, then it is all on. Something solid and life-affirming when the gardener, a shovel, and a wheelbarrow connect with composted debris from previous months. Feeding the soil is so important as it retains life and moisture during our hot summer. After working in the compost, the rain came, left and regularly returned, which meant it was best to leave nature alone to do its thing until Spring.

In the meantime, a certain hardware store was beckoning a certain male to visit. That’s when work on the plot started to increase in pace, which means that the first stages of the Squire’s garden frame drawing became a reality. All good things take time. Especially when he only has a four-hour day of reasonable energy, thanks to the steroids introduced into his medication repertoire to fight the GVHD in his mouth, he has a small amount of extra get-up and go. So, he has been a busy lad, purchasing timber and screeds of other bits and bobs to actually completing the job. Very proud of him to keep pushing himself to do a little bit each day.

Here are a few happy snapshots of numerous hours spent in the garden. Not to mention the conversations that we happily engaged in because, at the end of the day, it is not only vegetable plants we are cultivating it’s gardening friendships.

Down and Dirty with Compost

Downing tools for a chat allowed me to take this image before heading to our garden.
Another way to continuously feed the worms is to place a bucket with a hole into the soil and place weeds etc into it on a regular basis. Amazing how fast the green matter decomposes, and the worms will love you for it. You know those garden chats, well, that’s how I learnt this little gem. Weirdly, someone took that bucket, so I will have to redo it at a later stage. Now, if they had taken a leaf or two of spinach, I could understand but a bucket with a hole in it. Well, takes all sorts, doesn’t it?

The Structure

The Plan
The Structure from east looking west. Mesh will be placed over the whole structure in a week or two, keeping the birds and white butterflies out – captured by the Squire
The mesh was placed on the west side, which will support the broad beans when the westerly winds start making their presence known in spring – captured by the Squire
Then I and my two-wheel bestie came down to visit and harvest some greenery for dinner.

Published by Suzanne

Travel and Life Musings from New Zealand and Beyond. . . . . . .

24 thoughts on “Pottering around Plot 11 – #2”

    1. Weeds that haven’t gone to seed and they stay in the bucket. I did in our previous garden and can’t say whether it created more weeds or not. Weeds are something every gardener has to live with as they are here to stay.

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  5. Wish I could keep my male moving… He had come to life after his meds were reduced recently, but just now it’s too hot to do much.
    I am mightily impressed by your gardening, but it’s all I can do to collect the plums my long picker will reach and keep two large fishponds clear (…and topped up, in this heat). Hubby doesn’t eats anything green, and we’re away a lot to London, visiting our kids (especially this summer while my daughter is visiting from New Zealand) so things don’t get watered, and I’ve given up on the runner beans. Ours is more of a wildlife garden although, at the moment, its grass looks more like the fields they just harvested across the dyke.

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    1. I don’t blame you all for not moving much in the heatwaves you are experiencing. We certainly had our fair share of warmish summer days when housesitting in the UK though this year is far more challenging for everyone. Which means us downunder will be experiencing a warmer summer. Enjoy your time with your daughter and I admire her determination for doing such a long walk. I like the sound of your wildlife garden and at least the natural world will be appreciating it while you’re away so often. Thanks for your lovely comment 🙂

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    1. When I read your blog, I knew you were from Australia. Yes, it has been a long winter for many reasons. Hopefully, the sight of spring will bring more cheer to us all. I will plant more as soon as we get the mesh up, or else the birds will have a good old time. A row of cherry trees near the garden attracts birds and folk in spring. Lots of fun.

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  11. That looks like one very neat allotment. I wonder if the person who removed the bucket thought they were doing you a favour? Old bottomless bucket…
    I might have to try that tip. Nice to see you both enjoying the garden.

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    1. Not sure, Jude. It will be forever a mystery 🙂 The bucket idea really does work and the weeds compost without actually going into the surrounding soil and the worms enjoy the treat.

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