Vegetable garden

I said I would start one, but then life (and unavoidable maintenance tasks) got in the way. Thankfully though Auntie Jean saved the day and planted lovely green things back in September. This was in addition to braving the swimming pool, and feeding everyone while Uncle Eddie, Deborah and I wrestled with the ailing stream pump.

First the veggie garden looked like this:

The garden that Jean planted; alpine strawberries, oregano, basil, sage, spring onion.

Yay for greens! By November it had grown into this:

Jean’s original garden is in the foreground. Silverbeet, tomato, thyme in the planters beyond.

And since then it’s sprung beautifully into abundance.

Silverbeet.

There really is nothing like being able to harvest food within 20 steps of your kitchen. This is permaculture’s Zone One in action.

Lettuces and a few chives

Due to the ubiquitous weed mat, everything here was planted in boxes and pots which had been left around the property by the previous owners. Before Jean planted, I filled them up with a mixture of soil, sweepings out of the chicken coops, and loads of pony poo. There really is nothing better for growing vegetables in than the stuff that comes out of horses and chickens.

Eventually I will relocate the silverbeet and tomatoes to a new veggie patch which is under construction outside the back door. My permaculture course friend Helen, and her friend Cathi-the-Pet-Sitter-from-Florida helped me with it when they came to stay. I’m gradually expanding the plot, pumpkin plant by pumpkin plant*, looking forward to a time when it will supply most of what goes on our plates at the end of the day. Big plans people. Big plans…!

* Grown from Uncle Eddie’s best Omokoroa pumpkin seeds.