Garden Share Collective - September

 

It is that time of month again, when gardeners across the country, and across the world, report on their activities, as part of the Garden Share Collective. This is kindly hosted by Liz at Strayed from the Table. 

You can see my post from last month HERE.

So, how was the month? The weather was awful, with the usual spring winds and rain (we could do with a little less, please). The days I did have available for gardening were not conducive to the activity - but at least the days are getting longer, so there is hope for the evenings.

 

My one achievement for the month in the veggie garden is that the green manure crop is dug in, along with a lot of other stuff like sheep manure. This is it above, part way through the process. In this photo, it is all pulled, and some has been dug into any other available space in the other two beds.

(One thing that railroaded us during the month can be seen, but will not be apparent to others, on the left. It is our largest. and oldest, Grevillea, lying dead on the ground after the worst wind. When it went through the mulcher, it did not even fill a large garden bag.)

Meanwhile, that bed is now finished, and cooking. Now have the sugarcane mulch on the second half - we ran out. It is under bird netting, as those little fiends are circling, wanting to dig out all the worms.

 So, here is the formal bit:

What am I planting?

Nuffin. Hanging out for beans. Any beans. Especially climbing beans.

What am I harvesting?

Still only the carrots. there are the tiniest little beans on the broad beans though.

What have I done for the past month?

Only the green mulching, and keeping my ornamental pot plants alive.

What are my plans for the next month?

Everything! The tomato seedlings are in the shops. but it is waaaay too early for us yet. Time to get some lettuce in - there is a bit of green manure in one barrel,  breaking down. That is the one with the logs on top - did I mention the birds?

Random thoughts:

I was in my last garden for 28 years, and it had the most beautiful rich, orange, clay loam. Here I am gardening on hungry black sand - I would do anything to have my loam back, but I am pumping organic matter into the soil to try to make up for it.

Worms are another weapon in my armoury - I have a breed of red, tigers and garden worms - I think. I have carried them around for years, and pull handfulls out at the drop of a hat to start people off - or repopulate bins where they have inexplicably died. Sometimes they remind me of a ginger beer plant, the way they get spread around.

Apart from three big Gedye-type bins, I use this Reln bin that I don't think is available any more. Although there is a similar round one.  I just keep whacking the bottom layer in the veggie garden, and harvesting the liquid and watering it around, very, very diluted. Got rid of the tap out of it fairly quickly, as it kept blocking. I used it a bit strong a few years ago, and it looked like weedicide damage.

Roll on Spring!