It's a busy week, but I need to record my progress as many things are happening.
Yates Vege challenge. Well I finally put some edibles in my own patch, was given runner beans on Sunday (thanks Louise) and I've cleared some space by the back fence for them, adding compost, potting mix and shredded paper mulch, plus a trellis for them to climb. Perhaps not the sunniest spot but hopefully they will grow there as it is warm. I have cleared some space for sunflowers in the raised bed, cutting back the lemon balm. Apparently according to Kiwi Gardener moon calendar, I am not meant to sow any seeds today...but when looking at moon calendar in NZ Gardener its was different so I don't know which one to follow?!
APW had a swap table and managed to snag some cherry tomatoes, so three went in near the silverbeet and I've mulched with lavender clippings. That was all I had. Not sure where I am going to plant sweetcorn as now have no room but will need to create a new bed at some point.
Went to water Woodside this evening as couldn't make it on Friday, watered the potatoes we planted on Thursday, as well as tomatoes, eggplant and capsicums. The fence is now up and it's much easier to water now the tank is moved closer.
I had flowers at church on Sunday, so put in gerberas in pots and bunches of sweet peas. My sweet peas are booming and most of them prefer the neighbours side of the fence. But I have spread them out a bit this year so some are in the vege bed and some are out the front.
Tomorrow have Floral Circle, did some more permaculture design after work today, but I can see why designers go off to office studios to work in because doing it at home is so distracting. You need to bring in washing, prepare dinner, answer emails, water your garden, get changed, check on chickens, lock up garage and a million and one other things that take time.
I also find myself wishing that asphalt and concrete had never been invented because of all this time wasted blowing paths and roads clear of leaf litter that makes perfectly good mulch. I feel like Mr Plow of the leaf clearing brigade armed with blower and making roads and paths sterile and devoid of life. All I'm doing is making it easier for a car to roll on in to a hospital. And I suppose easier to roll on out. I never had to use a mower, blower or weedeater when I did real gardening. Now I just feel like am a tidier upper who goes to the dump all the time and I am going deaf from all the machinery noise. Whats a bit of leaf and twigs anyway. Don't you want to create healthy soil, not get rid of it?
I have been shouted a free pass to NZ Garden and Flower show hooray. I'm going to help with the pack down/set up of the community garden stall. If you are going, be prepared to be amazed because Flower shows are not the easiest thing to create an entire garden for. You need to install an entire garden have it up for five days and then pack it down again? And keep all the plants alive and happy, looking perfect - no easy feat.
Karyn tells me she watches a show called 'Allotment Challenge' which from her description sounds like 'Garden Idol' or 'Survivor' or 'The Block' reality game show whereby only the best gardener wins. I don't know what they win, fortune and fame I guess. I'm not sure I would garden for fortune or fame but I suppose many people do these days, create a garden and sell it off. I'm not sure what the point of that would be because isn't labour and what you harvest it's own reward. You couldn't really buy homegrown veges with the money you win, cos that would defeat the whole purpose. Maybe it's just the fame then and the humiliation of being on TV. Is it fun watching other people trying to grow things and failing? You could always just read my blog.
