In Germany, the days keep getting shorter until the winter solstice in December. Right now, the sun rises around 7:30 in the morning. It will get a little better when daylight saving time ends at the end of the month, but I’m already missing the bright summer mornings a bit. Autumn morning sky is beautiful though.
Since the mornings and evenings are getting chilly, I’ve been taking care of my balcony plants during the warmer hours of the day. We had some warm days this week, so I finished preparing the “plant lasagna” on the balcony, which I learned from my favorite gardener Vera Greutink's book "Edible Paradice".
Before making it, I carefully decided where to plant the bulbs. Last year, the bulbs near the railing didn’t do well because they were exposed to too much rain from the roof. Some bulbs that were planted shallowly sprouted on warm days and then froze in the cold. This time, I planted them deeper and placed them more toward the center.
Here's how I made the lasagna: I started with a layer of soil at the bottom of the pot, then tightly planted tulip and other bulbs that will bloom in spring. After that, I added another layer of soil, planted daffodils and muscari, followed by another layer of soil, some winter leafy greens seeds, compost, and finally a straw covering.
The leafy greens I planted earlier in September, like spinach, shungiku, and lamb's lettuce, are starting to sprout in their planters. It will be the same for the lasagna soon 😉
I still had one more yearly task to finish. The shiso flowers had dried, and the black seeds were visible, so I harvested the whole plant. I placed it in a paper bag to dry and will collect the seeds at the beginning of winter. I hung the bag in my workspace so I wouldn’t forget. I’m thinking of giving some seeds as a thank-you gift to customers who bought shiso syrup from me at the market.
While tidying up the balcony, I realized that I’ve been mostly planting edible plants. The space is filled with green and brown colors, and it’s lacking colorful flowers. I’m thinking about adding a mixed planter to the empty table. I’ve been gathering ideas from shop displays and markets.
I’m thinking of using a shallow pot and planting ornamental cabbages which my grandparents had in their garden every winter. Cyclamen would also add some nice brightness. Next week, I’ll either gather the parts I need from the market or the home improvement store—or maybe I’ll just buy a ready-made arrangement from one of my favorite market stands. I’ll enjoy figuring it out.
The temperature has dropped quite a bit, but I’m still having fun on the balcony.
Wishing you all a lovely Sunday afternoon. Happy gardening 🧑🌾
ドイツでは12月の冬至までどんどん日照時間が短くなっていて、この時期は朝7時半ごろ日が昇り始めます。月末にサマータイムが終わるので少しよくなるのですが、それでも夏の朝の明るさが少し懐かしくなります。
朝晩は冷え込むので、この時期は日中にバルコニーの植物の手入れをします。今週は暖かい日があり、バルコニーの"ラザニア"が完成しました。この植物のラザニアについては、名前も含め大好きなガーデナーのVera Greutinkさんの著書『Edible Paradice』で学びました。
ラザニアを作る前に、球根を植える位置を大体決めました。去年は柵沿いの雨がよく当たる場所に植えた球根の調子がよくなく、浅めに植えた球根が暖かい日に芽を出して、その後の寒さで枯れてしまったので、なるべく内側に、さらに穴を深め掘って植えました。
どうなっているかというと、鉢の底に土を敷いた上に春に咲くチューリップなどの球根を密集させて植えて、土をかぶせて、もう一層冬の終わりに咲く水仙やムスカリ、土、冬の葉物の種、コンポスト、最後に藁を被せます。絵で描くとこんな感じです。
9月に早めに葉物の種をまいたプランターではほうれん草、春菊、ノヂシャなど続々と芽が出てきています。
もう一つ毎年恒例の仕事が残っていました。紫蘇の花が終わって、黒い種がのぞいていたので株ごと収穫しました。紙袋に入れて乾燥させて、冬の初めに種をとります。忘れないように仕事スペースにつるしておきました。マーケットで紫蘇シロップを買ってくれるお客さんに年末のお礼にプレゼントできたらと思っています。
バルコニーを片付けながら、食べ物ばかり植えてしまい、緑と茶色がメインで、色とりどりの花がないのはちょっと寂しいなと空いた机に寄せ植えを追加したいと思い始めました。どんな寄せ植えを追加するか、お店の軒先やマーケットでアイディアを集めています。
浅めの鉢に、祖父母が毎年冬に植えていた葉牡丹を植えたいな、明るい色のシクラメンも華やかでいいな。来週マーケットとホームセンターに部品を集めに行くか、マーケットですでにできている寄せ植えを買ってしまうか・・・楽しく迷おうと思います。
ずいぶん気温が下がりましたが、まだまだガーデニングを楽しんでいます。
それではみなさん、よい日曜日の午後を。Happy gardening 🧑🌾
Amazing
Thanks, @mysteriousroad! I don't know which one did you like but this season I enjoy more than usual :) Have a nice start of the week!
You've been curated by @gardenhive on behalf of the HIVE GARDEN COMMUNITY! We support gardening, homesteading, cannabis growers, permaculture and other garden related content. Delegations to the curation account, @gardenhive, are welcome!
Thank you for curating my post, @gardenhive . My routine to write about my small balcony and post it to Hive Garden is definitely a big motivation to keep my balcony tidy & interesting for others and me. Happy Gardening!
Thank you for curating my post, @qurator team :) Have a nice start of the week!