The Hive Garden has been bursting with life this early June, and it's great to see people engaging on each other's posts as well. Commenting on each other's work really gives a small buzz in gardener's lives and are so appreciated, and it's what makes HIVE, HIVE! So yay for gardening folk.
@vibeofmonkey's has been on a quest for a while to make an edible garden in his UK gaff. Like many gardeners, he's been up against storms, poor drainage, and slugs, but is still persisting. He's decided to toughen up his plants in teh greenhouse (it's been cold where he is) which may strengthen them for the slug assault. What are your anti slug tips?
Poor @blingit, I make her do a text version as I don't do videos - mainly as I read a lot faster than I can watch a video! Currently I'm keeping up with the #gardenjournal posts whilst babysitting kids in my emergency teaching job, so I can't play videos either! But I do hope you've been catching up with her series - five so far! What I love about this is that she's turning a pretty non productive yard into an urban farm and I lvoe seeing her vision take shape! This is a pretty good angle and includes the chicken coop. Go check out her post here if you want some urban garden inspiration - the beds look amazing too!
If there's one thing that's going to stop you gardening it's knee replacement surgery - @thebigsweed hasn't been able to garden whilst recovering but this post details what they did to prepare the garden knowing that it would be hard to do much work in it. It's so good to see him and @farm-mom back. He offers some great tips for newbies at the end of his post too, including one for protecting seedlings against deer. When you have couples gardening (like @traisto and @fotostef), many hands make good work - not only do they share the gardening but also the telling of it. @farm-mom's post concentrated more on the flower side of the garden - and look at this sweet hummingbird!
If you've been catching up with @traisto and @fotostef's posts, you'll know they've been away from their garden. They were caught with COVID on a short break which meant they stayed far longer away than expected. Rather than documenting all the work that needs to be done, she talks about the green aspects of her hometown in Greece, including the beautiful orange blossoms - can't you just smell them? Her post is highly recommended, as her excellent photos really brings the sights and smells of an abundant Greek early summer - artichokes, aloe vera, tangerines, olives (of course)
@amberyooper wrote his first official #gardenjournal post of the season here. Like many, there was LOTS to talk about. Who else has unidentified squash growing up in their compost and beds? And who else uses these tomato 'craters'?
Atlanta is the opposite of the UK at the moment with heat and humidity on the table (and Australia too, as I sit here freezing!). @plantstoplanks had her post ready to go as soon as the challenge was announced, bless her. Lots of squash and beans on the way for her awesome vegan dinners, and her figs are doing well as well. And look at this creative climbing frame for the cucumbers. Can you spot @plantstoplanks in the selfie wall below? ]
In @nikolina's garden, the fruit is already setting. @plantstoplanks, check out her figs here - wow! Drooling. Even the raspberries are taking shape - yum. It's almost THE most productive garden I've seen on HIVE I think - so much abundance!
@clareartista's garden video is mesmering to watch and listen to - her lovely Scottish accent makes the Italian names for artichokes, capers and other foods sound super sexy!
Whilst we all have to deal with garden critters, @buckaroobaby goes as far to share about some giant critters in her extended backyard of South Africa. Well played, Bucks, you just don't know how much I love a giraffe. And she also shares the most WONDERFUL garden here. Go check it out to be inspired! Did you know you don't HAVE to post about your own garden for this challenge? It's all about joining in with something garden related to inspire and entertain us!
@edprivat's been settling into a nice rhythm on his land, and trying not to labour so hard and enjoy it more. Saying that, he's still super busy - but not busy enough to not entertain us with a silly selfie or two. Check him out in the big selfie wall below - can you spot him?
Check out @sofs-su's solution for pests - I know that's something that bugs us all (boom). She hasn't been well and here's hoping the beautiful flowers in her garden bring her good health and cheer. She writes somethign I'm sure we all understand, as gardeners:
The colors in my garden all through this summer has kept me smiling, happy and in the best of spirits. This is what I love about gardening the most. Success or failure there is always something to smile about, something to enjoy and feel satisfied about. The peace that comes from just watching the flowers day after day is so heavenly. I wouldn't trade that for anything else in this world. All the work does take a toll on my back but it keeps my spirits high and content.
She's also a big believer in frugality - you don't need to spend a fortune to have a good garden that produces flowers and food for our table. I really appreciated that sentiment.
It's good to see @zekepickleman in the gardening community here on HIVE. He's battling garden rats and a dog who likes to dig. But still, much progress on his urban garden. Lots of flowers at the moment, including this lovely fragrant lilac, which I must get around to planting!
@owasco got in at the last minute with this post which is just fantastic. She's such a wonderful writer and her posts always shine. She's really new to food gardening, has a small garden she's just moved into, but boy is she getting on with making use of that space to grow her own food. Do go pay her post a visit - and see her puppy Hazel!
It's starting to feel like garden critter month - what is this?
It's a hedgehog in @hindavi's garden! @hindavi also shares a really cool DIY tip for a drip irrigation system made of a milk carton! Amazing.
If you're a succulent lover, it's @nikv's post here you want to read. Thanks @nikv too for commenting on so many #gardenjournal post - your community spirit is really appreciated.
@rheda's garden has been a bit of a struggle with tons of rain followed by a dry spell and bugs. Things are starting to pick up though. You can spot @rheda in the selfie wall below. He's growing a lot of pumpkins as they are so good for nourishment, as well as cucumbers for refreshment. Fabulous post, @rheda!
You'll also find @sanjeevm on the selfie wall with a giant jackfruit - but he's better known for tending flowers like children :P - but also has a very healthy looking curry plant and a gifted lemon tree which looks super! For @multifacetas, it's also flower time, with a lovely orchid to show off.
@luckylaica hasn't been so lucky this past month, with super high tides because of the broken barrier from the Phillipines typhoon earlier in the year, coupled with no rain has made for a tough time. But she has such a good attitude and works so hard, there's always something to show for it. Look at the selfie below with a fantastic bowl of snow cabbage! I call that one bok choy but I like 'snow cabbage' better, dont you?
@afterglow has been busy at his rice farm, but returned to make an awesome fence out of bamboo. I'm always enviable of this ready made strong building material.
Okay, maybe go make yourself a cuppa - there's more to come! At The Sanctuary of The Blue Dragon, Hawaii, @tydynrain has been gettin' busy with it - of course, he has lava rocks to deal with, but I liked how he deftly made new beds by making a trench, and before he put soil in, he:
added lots of organic waste, such as dead logs and branches, chopped coconuts, bones, egg shells, and kitchen waste, to the bottom of the trench, to slowly breakdown and release nutrients over time.
Go check out his post here - tulsi, mulberry and all sorts of interesting medicinal plants are being cultivated and nourished. Inspiring stuff. Please don't miss him on the selfie wall, with papaya.
Dear @isdarmady hasn't been very well but gave us an update on his hydroponic system. @kansuze's herbs and flowers are doing well - I loved the bearded iris! @godslove123 wrote about their organic coconut farm - I'm always so happy to read about people doing organic gardening! @kennyroy has been having problems with a human pumpkin theif. I don't think any gardeners have a spray for that?
Here's a cute boy with some figs - couldn't resist. @pehtem has a fig farm in Indonesia. Don't the figs look healthy?
@proto26 has been duelling his archenemy, the squirrel. They've had a bit of rain there too. Still, lots going on. I was pretty excited to read he planted a wine cap mushroom bed, you know how I feel about mushrooms! No selfie though - hmmm!
@fermentedphil lost a lot of his beloved rocket to white rust, but figured out that it's better to let plants grow where they WANT to grow and not plant them too close together. He talks about burning palm fronds, something others might not consider. You might appreciate this bit of philosophy if you missed his post:
In the end, gardening is all about the yellow flowers that brighten your day. For me at least. It is when you walk past the rosemary and lavender bushes and the smell hits your nose. It is when you hear the insects and birds. It is about the bigger picture that is being unfolded in front of you. You are merely a spectator or a contributing-spectator. You add some compost here, cut down something there, or shovel out some deep routed invader plant. Yet, the amount of control you have is so little. You can just do your bit and view the play unfolding in front of you. At the end of the day, you have yellow flowers in your garden. You should merely look and appreciate.
Don't forget that to qualify for prizes, you need to use the #gardenjournal tag and mention the challenge in your entry, and your #gardenjournal post must come out after I announce the challenge. I have to draw the line somewhere as there are so many wonderful entries. I'm sure you can appreciate how long it takes to compile this post and to read and comment on all the entries - a real labour of love, mind!
The Winners
I hope you understand, but if you got a hefty few votes on your post and got a great potential payout, I excluded you from the winnings EVEN THOUGH your post may have kicked butt. I think one of the great things about entering challenges is that you give yourself potential for awesome votes, community support, and strengthening the community and platform as a whole. I know most of you are in it for the LOVE over the winnings, but still, it's nice to offer them and reward you where I can. It's one way I can share my abundance here on HIVE.
PASSION PRIZE: @tydynrain. Plus, he tempted me with his pawpaw. Seriously though - his passion for his herbs and generally making a paradise on earth is up there with the best. 10 Hive coming to your wallet soon.
VEGETABLE GARDEN PRIZE: @rheda and @nikolina win 5 HIVE each.
SELFIE PRIZE: This is always auto chosen by a random name picker. Today's winner of 2 HIVE is @blingit - congrats!
The Selfie Wall
IT's a big one this week! Can you name them all?
Happy Gardening, Folks!
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