Gardening

I am no gardener. My gardening experience consists of a 2x4m plot at the bottom of my stairwell, a few balcony planters and a brief past affair with compost, clay soil and fertiliser. However, the small amount of tips and tidbits I have picked up have been invaluable.

From the ambitious (growing tomatoes from last summer's seed) to the monotonous task of watering (rain showers do not cut it water-wise), I am sharing my experiences with you...

Mint needs to be potted. Too many times, I see a garden over run with mint. The problem with mint you see, it is a root- so it is extremely hard to dig out if you are over run with it. This pot was planted with another herb. I completely forgot about planting mint in here last summer, and it started to regrow an entire year later.  Leave mint in pots.

(L-R) Parsley, Lavender, Broccoli, Gardenia (bottom),Rose Bush (centre), Daisy, White Kale

Kale - plant in April, ready for winter. Purely decorative, sweet and pretty but also really hardy through the winter. The bright white contrast on dark, rich winter soil is strikingly beautiful.

Lavender - plant in Spring. Fairly sturdy through winter. Mine has successfully been repotted onto my drier balcony for summer.

Tomatoes - a small miracle has occured. Despite many of my own thoughts of abandonment and those visitors who viewed my dismal looking week seedlings and their suggestions to abort this endeavour,  my tomatoes have finally started to flower and flourish... Yay! 

Was I too ambitious to grow tomatoes from seed? Yes. But there will be a huge feeling of accomplishment once they are finally fruiting. I am hopeful. Small yellow flowers are a good sign that your plant will fruit.

Broccoli - winter. Not recommended for planter boxes. I would suggest you plant these into rich, dark soil in the depths of your garden.

Yuccas - Soo easy to repot and replant. Just take a cutting from the baby sprouting at the base of any yucca. Keep the trim moist wrapped in cloth/newspaper for up to three weeks, then bang it into rich, moist soil in a pot. Be careful of stem rot, this will look like yellow leaves in the centre of the cutting and leaves will easily be tug out. There really is no cure for this, so instead I suggest you take three/four cuttings to ensure that at least one is viable.

As for my tomatoes- the fruits of my arduous labour...I will keep you posted.


Budgie xo