As we say goodbye to winter and begin to see those signs of the garden springing into action, my vegie patch after a lengthy slow period, is slowing but surely coming back to life.
Looking back, there's been slow growth of broccoli, cauliflower, cabbage, bok choy and beetroot.
Pollinator-attracting calendulas have pretty much flowered all through winter and of course are now popping up everywhere, providing lots of material to add to the compost. The everlasting paper daisies were a real treat last season and persisted well beyond my expectations. A must for this year!
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Calendulas sticking it out through winter! |
All the alliums have been chugging along nicely...especially the leek, which just keeps multiplying and has provided good supplies since digging them all up a year ago and transplanting them here in their new home...still going strong! If you've never tried growing leeks before, give it a go, they're dead easy and don't take up much room. Great expectations for the garlic, along with red and brown onions.
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| Love this...see this tiny fella (bottom right) cleaning up my vegie patch? |
Coriander has just managed to stick around, but it's seeded and am now seeing some slow growth...much better than when they bolt in summer. Note to self: keep coriander sheltered this year. It's precious stuff...we use it in so many dishes, from thai salad to laksa and dumplings...my absolute favourite!
Rocket has seeded too, so I've gathered them all into the one bed where they're joined by other lettuce varieties which I've raised from seed...first in punnets, then to small pots. Keeping them company is some leftover spinach and kale.
Broad beans seemed a little slower to get going this year, but are now getting some good growth...am madly encouraging the bees and bumble bees to get to work.
Strawberry patch is fit, full and raring to go after cleaning out rouge runners and mouldy fruit a couple of months ago. My excitement at a second crop was outlived...they seemed to ripen, but there wasn't enough heat in the sun to sweeten the fruit...keep in check at the end of next season. Need to thin out patch by transplanting runners.
Also very exciting is that the raspberry canes are coming into leaf and new ones are poking through the ground...looking promising for summer fruit.
Running out of room in the patch and want to grow more spuds than I did last year. So am preparing the ground just outside the fenced vegie patch (stick around for future post for how I'm doing it).
I'm also thinking that this area might accommodate my new season carrots (awaiting seed to be delivered)...will need protection from wildlife. These two crops can then linger in their own beds for some time, without taking up valuable space in the 'compound'.
Gearing up to sow seed for all my summer goodies....
