This is the first year in a very long time that I haven’t planted a vegetable and herb garden. You must understand from a point of view of my vegetable growing history how serious this is - to put it into perspective I once “farmed” my front garden. Haha, I had a tomato, spinach, herb, lettuce and chili farm. Everything was hydroponically grown and I had a professional irrigation system set up. At the time my partner and I were experimenting with various vertical farming techniques for urban growing in order to empower the local community and improve food security in the local area.
The “farm” was fairly successful, too, and on some days we would have long queues outside the side gate; people waiting for whatever we’d harvested that week. Alas, for the grand adventure it was and the fun that I had - I used to dream about tiny yellow tomato flowers, really!
Now, I have a damaged JoJo tank and a tangle of irrigation pipes to show for that detour in my life, but I did learn a great deal about growing. (Haha, as you can see from the current state of my garden. Now, now, don't be rude…)
So, what am I going to do?
Well, fix it of course. No, no, I’m not going to turn my house into a farm again, but I’m going to repair the four areas that I usually have set up for growing. At the side of my house I have three “planting strips” with mesh supports set up and a cute pathway that my partner made for me - in this area I’ll plant butter lettuce, spinach, bok choy, snap peas, peas, kale and garlic.
In the kitchen garden I’ll plant fancy frilly lettuce, radish, spring onions and a variety of herbs (there’s still time to grow basil here, because the weather stays warm until May). I might even grow some cherry tomatoes, since I’ve harvested in Autumn before(four months until May).
The biggest problem I’ve got with the garden at the moment is the trees. I have an almond and a pine tree. Both are enormous and turn the garden into a shadowy place; I have to trim them down and it’s a major thing; I had no idea that fellers would want around R5000 ($400) to cut my trees. But, I want my sunshine back, especially in the rooms of the house that face the trees.
Anyway, the only success stories I have right now are my rose bushes, my rosemary hedge and my lavender, pretty sad. But I promise to mend my slovenly ways and get to work.
I tag 
