Dirt, nourishing and growth has been somewhat of a thing for me lately; ever since I began vegetable gardening. It's been a really great process and, whilst I've seen a lot of growth in the plants themselves, I've seen a great deal of growth and development in myself also. The process has been rewarding and has nourished my soul.
As I've said before I'm not a stranger to gardening, no expert mind, just not a total novice. Vegetable gardening is something I've not done for a long time though and I'm learning as I go. I've had a couple of plants that haven't developed as well as I would have hoped, although all are still alive, and some that have gone really well - I suppose that's how life goes right? Success and failure.
I've been harvesting produce though, and eating it, which has been super-rewarding and the successes and learning-along-the-way have far-outweighed the lack of growth of some of the plants. Overall I'm happy.
One of the things I've realised is that I planted a few of the things a little too close to one another; the lettuce for instance.
It hasn't really impeded growth too much but I think due to the close proximity some of the leaves haven't formed properly and have curled and prematurely died. The lettuce I put in is one that doesn't get plucked from the ground, one simply harvests the leaves one needs and the plant continues to grow, so I've been taking the outer leaves which allows for a little more room for the plants to grow better. It's not been a massive over-crowding issue, although I'll know for next time and stagger the plant-out.
My carrots were also somewhat problematic; it's my fault though. I didn't separate them enough when I took the seedlings from their cultivating trays and as they grew they all twisted together; I planted baby carrots and in truth they tasted fine, they just didn't look quite like one would expect a traditional carrot to look. I'll be planting full-sized ones next time and will get the spacing right of course.
Everything else seems to be well on-track for success. The baby broccoli and celery is looking awesome, I have loads of Aztec tomatoes and likewise with the cucumbers and red onions! It's all pretty great so far and I'm looking forward to some great harvests moving forward.
I've learned a lot with this trial-run and will do a few things differently although I'd have to still call it a success so far. Sure, there's a few things that haven't taken so well but most is looking simply gorgeous and I'm pretty happy, and proud, of the way it's all come along.
In the not too distant future I'll be eating my own eggplants (Aubergine), beans, tomatoes, celery, cauliflowers, onions, cucumbers and capsicums (red peppers) which will all work nicely with the various herbs and salad leaves I'm already harvesting. I'm actually taking some broccoli a little later today and intend to blanch it then dry and freeze it for later use. I'll have more than I can eat at one time if I don't freeze some.
I'll not be able to feed myself completely off this harvest or any subsequent harvests in reality. I'll have to augment what I grow with purchased produce and that's ok. I mean the feeling of satisfaction is there all the same and the thrill of eating my own fresh-produce, the things I've nurtured and toiled to bring into existence, will still be there even when combined with a few purchased items.
I've already begun growing my seedlings for my next plant-out too, this time from seeds, and I've got a lot of propagating trays already starting to sprout so I think I'll be in for a pretty epic second harvest in a few months to come.
So there you have it folks, a little update on how my garden is growing. I'm going to call it a total success from a growing perspective and a leaning perspective. I know what has worked well and what things I need to change a little, have taken some notes and sought some answers to some of the issues that arose. I've got a few ideas about what I want to do next time, the propagating trays are going nicely and I'm eating my own home-grown fresh produce. What's not to like y'all?
Design and create your ideal life, don't live it by default - Tomorrow isn't promised so be humble and kind
Discord: galenkp#9209
All images are my own
Boy does that berry look juicy. I had a "farm" a long time. I'm not sure how large it has to be to not be called a garde, hence the quotes.
But I appreciate the amount of effort it takes to grow anything
And yes, the satisfaction is beyond comparison. I hope to see more of this in times to come.
I'm also not sure what size an operation needs to be to be called a farm but it sounds like you had a fairly extensive garden? What type of produce do/did you grow there and was it for personal use or commercial?
Thanks for your comment, I appreciate it.
Well, it was certainly larger than what you'd get if you lived somewhere where land is expensive. Nothing fancy, grew vegetables, pepper and corn. I can't name the specific varieties in English unfortunately.
It certainly wasn't commercial. I gave away any excess to whoever
Thanks for your comment, I appreciate it.
It was my pleasure
I like the gave away comment. It shows you're generous.
Well, perhaps, it's the "normal" thing to do.
That was fast. Things are looking fresh. I wanted to send you a fertilizer token but !PIZZA is the closest I could find.
I wouldn't have minded the fertilizer token but pizza is always welcome. 😆
Cheers mate! (Have a great weekend)
Look at you go - you're loving this! I'm so excited for you - once you get the bug, you are totally hooked. And I don't need to tell you the nutritional value of home grown is waaay better than the supermarket stuff.
Thanks @riverflows, it's all going along nicely. I'm pretty pleased about having got most of it right. A few small errors but no one is perfect.
I am really fond of your photography .The pictures of all the vegetables are so clear and high definition ,i can see the droplets of the water which just make me feel that like pearl embracing the green.
Gardening is something like chilling with nature ,it makes the mind so calm and relaxed. I have also small vegetable garden at my farm house . i grow green chilli, okra ,cauliflower but never try strawberries which i definitely nourish next time.
Hope you enjoy today Strawberry shake or something like pie 🙂 with your grown strawberry.
Thanks for the compliment, I'm not much of a photographer but try to get the best pictures I can which help to punctuate the words I write.
It sounds like you have a pretty good garden. I'm not a fan of okra, my mum made me eat it a few times and it's not something I like. Maybe she didn't cook it right? I've been making smoothies with my strawberries and have been really enjoying them. I'm not sure where you are but I think it might be too hot up your way to grow strawberries; give it a try though, one never knows.
Beautiful garden, actually eggplants at least here on my city are really easy to plant, of course the tropical heat and high humidity allows one to have that, for example strawberryes are imposible where i live, literally the plant cant survive this much heat, there are other wheater conditions but... the carrots are still eatable?
I saw the pictures and all your plants look healthy, i see that you do not have any plant for tea making? I often recomend some because it helps to keep some bugs away from our lovely plants, for example, i use Melissa to keep ants away from my Oregano, and it works :D Because melissa tea is a natural relax as a tea and it helps me when im fighting it off with my cacti xD and succulents.
Some cacti helps a lot with gardening, they keep other bugs like flyes away from the fruits, or that is what i noticed on my garden.
Thanks mate, I've put a bit of effort into it and am glad to see my investment returned in some produce and a lot of enjoyment.
I'm not very much into cacti to be honest and have none although I have a friend who loves them and has many. They have beautiful flowers usually, but most of the time do nothing at all.
Thanks for commenting.
Damn, even vegetables in Australia look dangerous...
Lol...The one with the thorns? That's the eggplant (aubergine). Looks a bit dangerous huh?
Our word for it is so good...Patladzhan. I guess it's an etymological legacy of the Ottoman rule over these lands.
Ah ok, I never even thought about there being another name I guess. Makes sense though. Can be a tasty thing though, when done right.
Agreed. I didn't like it at all as a kid but now I do.
May be this small journey will some day become bigger to produce everything that we want.
Oh yes, someday I hope to have a much bigger space to vege-garden in. At the moment I'm loathe to tear up my yard area...Maybe one day though.
PIZZA Holders sent $PIZZA tips in this post's comments:
@mineopoly(1/10) tipped @galenkp (x1)
Learn more at https://hive.pizza.
I like this.
Cool right?
Yes. In the best.
The garden is coming along nicely. I think planting things too close together is common. I do it every time. It's really hard to estimate how big something is going to get. Everything seems too far apart when things are small when you first plant them and then before you know it they're growing on top of each other. Lol. I usually over-buy plants for the size of my garden bed as well lol.
You're right about the planting too close thing but this initial garden was all about learning so I'm hoping to get it a little bit more right next time. Still enjoying it though.
Congratulations @galenkp! You have completed the following achievement on the Hive blockchain and have been rewarded with new badge(s) :
Your next target is to reach 370000 upvotes.
You can view your badges on your board and compare yourself to others in the Ranking
If you no longer want to receive notifications, reply to this comment with the word
STOPThose veggies really look fresh and clean.
Yep, they're going well! ✅
Good to know that.
Love that quote! Also love how well those veggies are coming along. So quick! You must be treating them well.
A lot of gardeners day that transplanting carrots as seedlings will cause more unusual growth and recommended growing from seed and thinning. I'm pretty sure that's not the only thing that causes wonky carrots, though, because I'm great at growing them from seed. I gave up worrying about it too much ages ago, though. My bugbear is how long they take to germinate. They are so slow!
I'm doing my best with the plants, learning as I go - All seems ok so far.
I read up on the carrots and high nitrogen soil can affect them and they are also intolerant to things getting in their way: Solid clods of dirt, pebbled etc. It can distort them through making them change course. There's a few other factors including planting too close. Live and learn huh?
Hmm, well no worry aboutshigh nitrogen soil in my garden, although stones and clumps there are plenty of! 😅
I don't think carrots would like your yard then. 😀
Maybe that's why they look like they're protesting when I harvest them. 🤔
They'll have a union representative next!
Then I'll really be in trouble!! 🤣
I am constantly amazed of how many skills you have G. Your garden is looking fine, the spacing will get better with practice, you can be proud of yourself!
The boy has skills.
Congratulations! That's some wodnerful garden you got there. Everything looks perfect, healthy and juicy (except the thorny leaves).
I am asuming it is hot where you live. I did not know strawberries could grow in hot weather. We can't grow them here.
It's not always hot where I live Hennry. In summer very hot of course, but at other times not so much. We don't get the frigid winters like in Europe though. Days at the moment are about 19-25 and nights 10-14 (Celsius).
The thorny leaves are from the eggplant. I actually never knew they grew like that to be honest...Pretty vicious looking huh?
Oh, I see. 10 C is cold for our standards here. We get 33 C on an average day, but it feels like 40 C.
Yep, those eggpplant leaves look nasty
We'll get up to 47°C in summer...I'll have to take measures to keep the garden alive. It is what it is.
This is so nice to see and read about, lately I’ve been pondering how important it is to be in touch with the food we eat and this is a great reminder of how vital this relationship we have with the earth is. On a personal note I’ve been really thankful for the plentiful fruit trees and fields and grass (that we gather for our bunny) that is abundant here in our area of the world. Kind regards from up north @galenkp (:
It's easy to forget that connection to the Earth these days when everything is handed to us on a platter a d is easy to come by. It wasn't that long ago that a failed crop meant starvation and death for a human, a d when the inability to fix something for oneself may have brought serious implications. Times were harder then of course, but I think better.
Growing some food helps me get closer to that more simple time and to feel more capable. It's been fun.
Thanks for your message and I hope things are well.
Yes totally agree and thanks for sharing!
Oh, my!! Look at that strawberry! I am so impressed, even if you are not a novice, those are some really nice-looking produce! Equally as impressive, the pictures. Awesome. Awesome.
There really is satisfaction in growing your own, I do some, but, like you, I freeze the extra and buy what I need to supplement. I didn't get as much this year as normal. :)
I've missed you, but, life is sucking just a bit right now. Nothing hardcore, just too busy. Hope all is well with you!
Thanks Denise, it's always nice to have your comments upon my posts and I appreciate the kind words. That strawberry didn't last the photo session I'm afraid. Someone are it. 🙄 Not saying who.
It seems like you've got a lot going on right now so I hope you're moving it forward. Keep stepping up, keep walking and wandering in nature and within yourself. Stay strong.
It's looking great, well done :) Maybe add some raspberry bushes to line the yard? They're better than hedges and will feed you too!
I don't have or need hedges to be honest, besides, it's far4 too hot here to do so, they're more suited to the high country in Victoria and Tasmania. I like them though, and an endless supply would be nice.
Yeah, they do seem to need cool weather... You'd probably have them baked right on the bush 😂
Add some pastry and we'd have raspberry pie growing on the bushes indeed.
That doesn't sound entirely bad!!! I'll take a few of those bushes.
!PIZZA !ALIVE
You Are Alive and have been rewarded with 0.1 ALIVE tokens from the We Are Alive Tribe, and it's paid for by the earnings on @alive.chat, swing by our daily chat any time you want.
