In all my years doing the Hive Garden on Hive - upvoting, reblogging, running challenges - I've never seen in so quiet. This time of year is usually so busy - everyone's battling the seasons, enjoying flowers, harvesting vegetables - but this year, you can almost hear the tumbleweed drifting through the Hive landscape.
I thought I'd better, in that case, do my part and post about my garden, though I've really not worked much in it during winter as things are so slow growing.
We've been gradually filling in the side fence so you can't see the bins and compost bins from the street. It's a small aesthetic thing that means more to us than it does to other people I'm sure. We stopped as we ran out of wood, and money. The grevillea in the foreground is doing fine, but something ate a few of my grasses which was disappointing, and if her name isn't Kylie the Kangaroo I'll eat compost.
Grevillea and banksia are flowering everywhere in the area, as are the protea - that's Australia for you, giving you bright colours when you least expect.
In the back yard other animals are being a pain, like the possum eating my lettuce and the neighbour's chicken who comes to visit, though I don't mind either as much as I minded the rabbits at the last place. The neighbour agreed we should just let them jump back and forth as it gives them something to do, and unless they take up occupancy to lay eggs on the other side it's not an issue.
I'm growing nasturium as a climber up the cage to mute it's harshness a little, but it'll also protect them from the summer sun.
The strawflowers should burst into flower soon.
I've had lots of the black spanish radish, watermelon radish (which I've been pickling for ramen), tons of silverbeet and perpetual spinach which makes it's way into almost every meal, the fennel is doing great, as is the purple sprouting broccoli and even the dwarf broccoli, though most got eaten before they could take off. I'm sure Jamie encouraged the caterpillars as he is not a broccoli fan.
The veggie mix I got from the garden centre has certainly been great. I've been feeding the soil every week with compost tea and worm tea as well.
I got a grape delivered this week that'll happily take over the deck and provide some shade in the hotter months.
The garlic and other alliums are doing great, as are the peas, though I never get as many as I'd like. Still, they provide a pretty winter green.
Dill and borage are doing well, and marigolds everywhere, bless their winter sunshiney colour. The citrus aren't looking great and I'm sure it's the soil but I can't figure out what I need to do. I did add lime and compost but I think there's something else going on. Could it be the sand and concrete dust from the slab being removed? How would I rectify it?
I've planted some potatoes against the fence - I've put a round of chook wire there and I'll build up the soil rather than digging in. Jamie was meant to buy me bags of compsot on the way home the other night but got me shitty potting mix instead. I can't complain - he is too helpful otherwise, haha!
I've decided against planting an apple or nectarine for now, mainly as I won't be able to nurture them over the summer if we go away. I'll leave them til we get back. In fact the whole garden thing worries me - I need a tennant that's also a gardener and who would care. It's a bit frustrating, wanting to stay home to tend a garden and wanting to travel at the same time, but it is what it is.
With Love,
 | Hi, my name is @riverflows and I help facilitate the Hive Gardeners group here on the Hive blockchain. You can find us here. I live in a warm temperate climate near the coast in Australia. I really love growing our own food and medicinal herbs, native plants, and creating good soil for resilient plants. |
Join The Hive Garden Community! The HIVE GARDEN COMMUNITY supports gardening, homesteading, cannabis growers, permaculture and other garden related content. Delegations to the curation account, @gardenhive, are welcome! Find our community here!
Are you on HIVE yet? Earn for writing! Referral link for FREE account here!
Just can't believe how green stuff is in the winter there. Not sure I have the energy for such a garden :) Could eat the hell out of it though. I'll take the broccoli too.
Anyway, where you looking to travel this year?
Perhaps get a couple of those small wicking containers that are ready made? Then you could grow just a few little things for your personal happiness with very little effort. No travel this year - but next Feb we head back to Europe, and drive from UK to Turkey.
It is a possibility. Wifey even talked about tidying up the unfinished part of the basement and making a small garden down there for the winter :)
That is a hecka drive.
Very green, considering it's winter. Must be all that compost and worm tea. And peas? Really? Peas here are a spring/summer thing.
Your broccoli looks a bit like my cauliflower, ravaged! I put down about 20 of them and managed to get one semi-decent head.
Yeah the temperature rarely gets down to zero here - this week has been a light frost but nothing the veggies can't handle. The broccoli leaves were ravaged but that's purple sprouting broccoli that doesn't form big heads, more small florets, so as you pick they come again rather than waiting ages for big heads. I like it. They've done better than the green headed brocc - I did the same, heaps of plants in but only three survived!
Travelling is always a problem when you have a garden. In a good way, it's not too big an issue for me because our growing season is pretty short here, and I don't go away much in summer, at least not for longer trips like more than a week.
Yeah and I guess even if I do it won't take long to weed and rejuvenate when I get back. I must remember I used to leave five whole acres!
All I can suggest is a comprehensive soil test. That’s the only way besides leaf testing to know what’s going on…
IIt's beautiful. I am so jealous.
Garden Hive posts take a lot of time to put together! I start one every month by taking photos, and never seem to find the time to put them together for a post. I'll try to get one done this week.
They do. Sometimes I do the writing first then photos, sometimes the other way around. Best not overthink it hey!
ah, we see your chooks now! They're pretty birds! It's funny that one of your neighbor's brood comes to visit sometimes... 😂 Love those nasturium flowers! 😍 I've heard that those are good to eat in salads, but I keep forgetting to plant some and try it.
The flowers don't taste of much but they sure look pretty. The leaves are super peppery!
Very nice garden update! Even during the quiet season, your garden is still full of life and stories. I smiled about Kylie the kangaroo and the neighbor's chicken. Your fresh harvests, especially the radish and broccoli, look amazing. Happy gardening!☘️
The garden looks amazing; you did a great job tending everything. I can tell you are passionate about growing and eating healthy food for you and Jamie.
For your citrus, have you tried transplanting? Maybe because it is winter, it's not getting enough sunshine. We do that to our calamansi (Philippine lime) Adding compost isn't really enough when the soil starts to deplete, especially during the rainy season.
Winter looks nice in your place. I like the idea of snow, but maybe only for a few hours or in pictures? My body is not built for cold weather. It is the wet season in my country now, and there's never a day that doesn't rain. It's just so depressing to see the garden all soaked in water, so imagine if that were snow. Sad!
Your marigolds are bright and nice... did you try growing carnacions? I love carnacions, but because they aren't native to my country, we have to replant them over and over again, so I gave up and settled for roses. I miss the smell of carnations, tho. Sniffs.