Sunday here was simply beautiful - clear blue skies, no wind, and a warmth to the sun which hinted at Spring, though we have August tempests to get through yet. I managed a whole day of work in the garden as I write on this rainy Monday, I'm suprisingly not paralysed, signifying, hopefully, that this six week onslaught of covid may be drawing to a close, and it's time to gather strength for the rest of the year and all that needs to be done.
I love winter in the garden for the hard landscaping - the fencing, the compost, the mulching, the borders and boundaries, the shaping of trees, the planning and building. Spring is for filling them in with the softness of plants and flowers. Both seasons work together - thank goodness for the rest of Winter for doing the jobs to prepare for what's to come.
Sunday, then, was rethinking the 'secondary' chook run. As you can see in the photo below, the high fence surrounds the coop, making it fox proof for when we aren't around, but in front there's a second lower fence which gives them room to roam during the day when I don't want them in the garden proper. In the below photo you'll see a run of fence that is quite a narrow area for them to hang out in, but is also used to grow plants for them to eat or, in Spring, food for the table. However, it felt a bit 'bitsy' for me - a clutter of fences, and besides, the rabbits kept getting in there and starting holes. I must have stared at this area for hours last week wondering how I could restructure it. It also contained an apple crate I'm using for growing wine cap mushrooms. The whole area is behind the compost bins and behind the larger vegetable patch which is just outside the backdoor. Phew. Are you geographically located in my garden yet?
Anyhoo, with the help of the husband, we figured out where to put a few posts and fences to expand the garden to include the mushroom box and the blackcurrants so the chickens have more space. I was more than pleased to get rid of a LOT of random fencing and tidy it up a lot, as well as (hopefully) wabbit proof it, although if you're Australia, you know that a 'rabbit proof fence' is nigh on an impossibility. The shot below also shows the progress of of my garlic patches, a mulberry and quince, the remaining ashwangandwa - I had to dig up two to fit the fences, but now have the roots to process for powder and medicine which is exciting.
I also cleaned up along the side of the chook coop which was a huge mess of tools, chicken wire and stakes and buckets. Much neater. I transplanted some iris near the bird bath alongside some sage, so I'm sure it'll look really pretty come Spring. In the last couple of years I've been planting more flowers for the sake of flowers - it's new to me, but their value is clear.
Can you see the loop of wire on the left below? I've had to make a few of these to get plants going away from blackbirds who are making an incredible mess. They do their job getting bugs but are no good for young seedlings.
Last but not least my compost area got neatened up. I have three bays - the one you're looking at below on the left is the third bay - and they've always been a bit of a jumble. The corrugated iron is meant to be a kind of barrier or fence but even though I push stakes into the ground they always fall down and look awful. Anyway, it's funny how it can take years sometimes to work out a solution. On the right you'll see we moved the middle barrier and instead put corrugated iron down the side, meaning all I need to do is put a bit of cage down the middle and can easily access both bays, left and right, and very easily get a wheelbarrow in there or simply walk in with a mulching fork to turn it. Honestly it's the small things - I can't tell you how much this fix has made me happy as a worm in compost!
And on such a warm day, the compost was nice and hot and steamy on the inside, and full of worms - exactly how we like it, right?
Oh, and one last thing. Why is there a cage over some of my garlic? BECAUSE DANDELION. Would you believe I've never had dandelions grow in my garden? Devastating. These seeds were a gift from a Hive friend so it's extra special they actually seeeded in my garden. Absolutely NO WAY will I lead wabbits or chookies eat my dandelion!
After such a hard day of fencing and moving compost and so on, it was time to relax a little - Jamie grabbed a couple of beers and I grabbed my book and a fire cider. This one was a local brew from Torquay - Blackman's Brewery, and was humorously named 'Juicy Banger'. Not his fave, but it did the job nicely. It was deliciously warm. The chooks were happy because they could stare at us through the fence instead of being so far away from us. Of course I let them range further but I need to control it a little bit otherwise my garden will be a mess of manure and mulch. Grr. Sometimes gardening is half pest control.
Only another week before I write another #gardenjournal post - the challenge starts on the 1st. Oh, and if you're a garden journaller but haven't got the Peakd badge, let me know so I can fix that.
How are your gardens going?
With Love,
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That Juicy Banger looked nice!
You have a proper compost thing going on. Here is me thinking I am doing well having a bin for it which is really hard to turn over
Like a bin bin rather than an area of sorts? Yeah I never had luck with those!!! To be honest the first few years of compost making were terrible, but I made a concerted effort and now I have it down pat! Brings me joy.
Yeah, like a big plastic bin thing. It's shit and is pretty much just full of wasp nest and twigs!
Haha yeah I banned hubs from the compost as he kept putting twigs in there! You gotta be quite attentive in your layers. Once I started that - layering straw, rhubarb leaves, artichoke leaves, wood ash from fire, grass clippings, horse and chook poo, leaves etc - man, such a difference. Quite satisfying. I had to make a concerted effort but once I got it, it was easy.
We don't get wasps here to extent you guys do. I couldn't believe it when I lived in UK. It was more dangerous than Australia - wasps and nettles were bastards!
Hehe, it is true on the wasp and nettles front. It is perilous. The time I hate the most is Aug - Sept as they are dying and just set out to annoy and sting everything they can find.
That is what the Good Lady does. Constantly just piles nonsense in the composter and then I have to brave the thorns and stings of countless things to try and sort it!
Ha thanks to you I even got wasps into my latest story. I'd rather contend with a snake than a wasp!
You need to do what I did and put a sign on the compost that says LEAVE ME ALONE.
I need to start using the compost as a human poo pit. That might scare off all and sundry!
Lovely garden! I am having a hard time with alliums, but I keep on trying, maybe I can have lively garlic/onion raised-bed soon 😅
Garlic and spring onion I'm good with... Onions, leeks never!!
You can now hold the title, garlic specialist, and I might just stick to my ginger game if my alliums fail the 4th time 😅
Let me know if you work out the secret!
Your garden has its own infrastructure! With my lack of direction, I would probably get lost out there ;<)
Sounds like a lovely place that I will hopefully get to see with my own eyes ( if you haven't moved by then ) one day...
Big hug xx
Ha we kinda went out in organic curves... So it's harder to design things over top as nothing makes sense if you aren't us! Makes me worry about renting it out when we come to Europe!
Wait... what? You are planning to come to Europe, again? :^)
We all need to create our own systems to make sense of the world ( and it's beautiful chaos )
When I read your post, I remembered that there is really a big food crisis in my country right now. So it is worthwhile to cultivate even in a small space that you own.
I'm sorry to hear that. It's getting tough everywhere. Food resilience is important xx
Wonderful to see your garden @riverflows at least parts.
Bit by bit… things get sorted out. You did a lot.
Hope you are getting over the whole covid thing soon… 🤞🏻🤞🏻 Don’t over do it, even though you see all the chores that needs doing.
Have a great week 👋🏻☀️🤗
I'm trying to take it easy but need to move too....
I so understand… take care dear @riverflows 🤗🤗
🙌 thank god
Is your compost hot enough? I haven't checked ours for a while, but last time I checked it was struggling. The worms all went deep into the soil, little bastard earth spaghetti. Gotta build a tumbler soon.
The tumblers are rubbish, don't bother. It's winter so it will slow down - wait til a warm day and you'll find it speeds up again, don't worry! Have you got some manure in there too? One warm day and it was nice and toasty in there. Honestly the tumblers aren't half as effective.
But but but but It would make such a cool post (if it pays for itself of course). Yup, we throw manure in there from time to time.
Haha ... Reasons to diy!
Victoria? Or Qld?
Vic
That some cold place you live in.
Now I’m inspired to get outside and plant garlic. Watch this space. Haha 😂
You can’t grow plants (or chickens for that matter) without love in your heart ❤️
Glad you took a rest after all that hard work 🤩🤩
Such an inspirational post 🙂 Has it taken you six weeks to recover from covid? 🥺
So interesting that you are protecting the dandelions with such care. Are they not common in Australia?
I'm harvesting a bit in my mom's garden atm. A picked about 3 liters of raspberries in just one hour a couple of days ago 🙂
Omg that's a LOT of raspberry. I love them but hubs hates the tiny seeds!
Dandelions aren't as common as Europe. We do get them but of course they are treated as noxious weeds.
And yes six weeks. Feel so unfit too now!
No Dandelions growing in your garden just means you've got very good soil. Dandelion seems to thrive in places where the soil needs recovery so maybe you try future seeds somewhere that's not so well taken care of. Love how the garden is looking 💓
Thanks for that, that cheered me up. Yes, I've worked hard on the soil!
Sitting here poised on a balcony overlooking the med - ready to get my July Journal on. I don't think I have the PeakD badge.
You're right that the Juicy Banger is HILLARIOUS!! 😁 The protected dandelions makes a lot of sense - I've been looking out for them in Thailand for years but never seen one. Looking forward to your salves, recipes and tinctures!
Wouldn't it be the August journal? 🤪
I'll sort that badge out asap... How remiss of me! Thanks for letting me know!!
Loved seeing the winter garden and the solutions to your dilemmas.