I can’t believe it was just a month ago that the garden was so dry and the boxes were empty. We had 15 mm of rain in March which filled the tanks and so we began planting again – and wow! The plants are flourishing. It must be all that delicious compost, horse manure, and worm tea – and of course the water. We are back to fresh beans, spinach, lettuce and some carrots. The tomatoes are already starting to get fruit and the onions and kale are looking healthy. What a blessing just a little bit of rain can be. Of course the compost corner has been a great help. I finally found a lemon sapling and that has been planted and is flourishing.
I decided to have another attempt at growing cucumbers but this time I started spraying the plants with soapy water from the time they were seedlings. I have had a few aphids trying to colonise the leaves but I check every day and remove the offending creatures. The tiny cucumbers are already beginning to form. It’s so exciting.
As you will see in the photos below, I have even grown some chrysanthemums in a pot for aesthetics. They are so colourful and a joy to see. My brother and sister-in-law are immigrating and they gave us their lovely water feature which we have set up next to the front door. The sound of water and the warm sunshine on the porch make for a lovely spot to read or knit. It’s going to be a great retreat for the chilly winter days. Of course, the sound of the water is a constant reminder of just how much we need this precious source of life to survive.
The last photo is of the two boxes we installed on the side of the house that gets morning sunshine. It was here that I started experimenting with drip irrigation. I saw a video on YouTube using aquarium tubing and a plastic bottle. I bought the requirements and hubby took over from there. The result is a cheap and easy drip irrigation system. Now that I know it works we can make more systems for the other boxes.
The drought is not over yet but we are able to keep going and supply the bulk of our fresh vegetables from our garden pantry – and all without chemicals. I’m feeling blessed.