Culling the Herb

[Anonymous]

Today, I had to thin out my vegetables for the first time. I started work on the garden in March, and by April I had planted my first vegetables. Now it's come to the time where I have to thin some of them out.

It seems kind of wasteful to discard so many plants to make room for the rest to grow. I ended up with a few handfuls of dead plants, and ten left in the ground growing. The only good thing about it is that the thinnings went into my composter to decompose and become food for the plants next year. It's kind of like having my own little circle of life going on in my back garden.

I'd also like to add that the herbs Fillionious sent me are doing well. The borage was wilting a lot at first, but it soon perked up. I've now got to the stage where I've been able to put the rosemary and sage in the ground. They should grow into big aromatic bushes, which I can use for flavouring and spellwork.

I've also started collecting rainwater for my plants, so I can save tapwater and also give the plants water that is better for them.

[Fillionous]

It's good to hear that your garden is growing and being sucsessful. The little bit of rain we have had recently has really helped. My grass has suddenly grown and I will be busy later today planting out the next round of vegies... mostly beans and peas.

With the recent years droughts and the resulting hose pipe bans, collecting rainwater is essential. So it is good to hear that you are taking that into account. I also have a water butt to collect 'grey' water. Basically the water that comes from the upstairs hand basin and the shower/bath. While this water cannot be used on root crops or pots it is fine for my flower beds and crops like beans and sweetcorn.
My husband even has found (somewhere onthe internet) a solar powered water pump, so I don't have to lug watering cans around all summer!

I can understand your feelings about thining out... seems strange to kill some to make space for the others. But you are right, put it on the compost heap and the cycle of life goes on... Gardens are a fantastic way of seeing the wheels of life... in real and productive action.

May your garden grow well!

Be bright, be bold
Fillionous

[Anonymous]

It's good to hear that your garden is growing and being sucsessful. The little bit of rain we have had recently has really helped. My grass has suddenly grown and I will be busy later today planting out the next round of vegies... mostly beans and peas.

Yeah, we finally had a downpour up here.

With the recent years droughts and the resulting hose pipe bans, collecting rainwater is essential. So it is good to hear that you are taking that into account.

We've never had a drought up here. Still, with the rising temperatures it's possible it could happen.

May your garden grow well!

And yours.

[Beith]

your post reminds me of my much neglected allotment - I too on a really big plot and feel rather overwhelmed by the amount of work needed, as it has not been cultivated for years!!!

I've got some spuds on the go and have set aside a wildlife area, which already has lots of wildflowers & a pond (which needs attention!) and I spent the last afternoon I was there lugging logs from a felled tree on some land alongside, to make a logpile for beasties to live in!

It's all great though and I don't expect instant results... just sometimes stand in the middle of this great big patch of wilderness and feel humbled!

Next in, beans and peas.....and some baby lettuces somebody gave me.  The recent rain will make the ground soft.... and everything grow... unfortunately this includes the weeds

Bx

[Anonymous]

your post reminds me of my much neglected allotment - I too on a really big plot and feel rather overwhelmed by the amount of work needed, as it has not been cultivated for years!!!

I've found that all it takes is to go out and make a start. I was REALLY overwhelmed when I first saw what needed to be done in my garden. I had to dig off the turf, level the garden, clear out garden rubbish (there were fishing nets, bits of plastic, and all kinds buried in the garden), and start a vegetable patch from scratch. I also laid new turf in one area of the garden and built up steps to the turfed area.

Now I have a patio area, a ground level vegetable patch and a built up vegetable patch, border flower beds, a compost heap and a small portable greenhouse. It was just a case of working out what I was doing and getting on with it over a few weeks.

I've got some spuds on the go and have set aside a wildlife area, which already has lots of wildflowers & a pond (which needs attention!) and I spent the last afternoon I was there lugging logs from a felled tree on some land alongside, to make a logpile for beasties to live in!

That sounds good. Potatoes are easy to grow. I've dedicated one of my veg patches to potatoes and they're doing really well. All they need is a bit of weeding.

It's all great though and I don't expect instant results... just sometimes stand in the middle of this great big patch of wilderness and feel humbled!

Yeah. It sounds like you've got a plan, and you feel strongly enough about it to get the job done.

Next in, beans and peas.....and some baby lettuces somebody gave me.  The recent rain will make the ground soft.... and everything grow... unfortunately this includes the weeds

Unfortunately, my lettuces didn't seem to fair well after I thinned them. I hope yours do better. I've heard that mature lettuces don't take well to being in the ground, so you might want to invest in a growbag or planter.

Good luck.

[Anonymous]

I just thought I'd add an old gardener's trick. If you have nettles in your allotment, it is worth leaving some to grow (perhaps in a corner out of the way). They attract aphids, which prefer them to some other plants, and the aphids in turn attract ladybirds and other insects that eat aphids.

My mother looked at me like I was crazy when I mentioned that I'd like nettles in my garden, but they are worth having.

[Beith]

Thanks for the advice & encouragement!!!  I am sure I will get there in the end, working slowly with nature, which always worked well on my last patch!

The nettle tip is a good one, anything to keep aphids at bay must be good news!  The handy thing about my patch is that it has quite a lot of wildlife and plants already, which I am going to encourage to stay  

Will keep you posted!

Blessings

[Anonymous]

Thanks for the advice & encouragement!!!  I am sure I will get there in the end, working slowly with nature, which always worked well on my last patch!

Yeah, all it takes is time and perseverance.

The nettle tip is a good one, anything to keep aphids at bay must be good news!  The handy thing about my patch is that it has quite a lot of wildlife and plants already, which I am going to encourage to stay  

That's cool. I have a starling nesting in my loft, and I've been putting out bread and nuts to encourage it, and other birds, to stay. I've also got a hedge that has berries that birds eat. I enjoy sitting in my garden watching the birds.

Will keep you posted!

I look forward to hearing your progress.