The ‘Gardening Journal 2018’-channel gives people the chance to see how their garden grows month by month. Although I can't play to win, I want to create my own journal.
Gardening Journal 2018 - challenge
Yesterday I started the ‘Gardening Journal 2018’challenge, in which I challenged all gardeners - big or small, farmers or balcony gardeners - to take pictures of their garden and post them on SteemIt.
By repeating this challenge every month, every participant will create his or her own garden journal.
You can read the original post here:
🌺 SteemIt Community Garden Journal Challenge (With Steem-Bounty!)
Since I’m hosting the contest, I can not enter. Still, I want to create my own garden journal. I think it will be fun to look back on how I started with an empty garden, and how it (hopefully) turned into an edible paradise.
So, here we go
Slow start.
Since I’ve had a hernia operation in February, I hadn’t been able to prepare my raised beds until two weeks ago.
I removed the leftover mulch, and added some lava sand to the top layer and worked it in.
Except for the garlic I planted everywhere (it keeps slugs away), the only thing that is growing right in the beds right now is the lemon balm, the rhubarb, the sage, the Caucasian spinach and the rosemary I planted last year. The strawberry plants already have flowers, so I assume it won’t be very long before those delicious strawberries appear.
I bought a couple of young cabbages, and while most of them are still in their container until I can decide where to plant them, I managed to already plant a red cabbage, a turnip cabbage and a white cabbage in their permanent spot.
Also, the Crose (or Chinese artichoke) I saved from last year has been planted out in their containers, so these delicious edible roots can go start multiplying again.
This is the first year I’m going for potatoes and Jerusalem Artichokes.
The potatoes I have planted in bags (which is also a first) and they are growing very fast.
The Jerusalem artichockes I put in large containers. I don’t really know what to expect, but if they keep growing at this pace, they’re going to reach the sky in no time.
I’ve also planted out some beans and peas. I’m not sure they will make it, but I don’t want to give up on them yet.
As you can see in the picture, the marigold flowers I sowed last year have made sure their species would survive. I’ll need to take some out, or they will overtake the entire bed.
The Fruit Trees
The young fruit trees we have seem to be doing good. The apple tree is blooming.
The plums tree is getting ready to do better than last year, so does the currant bush.
The fig tree already has some baby figs on it. Too bad we don’t like figs - lol
May 15th
Here in Belgium, every gardener is impatiently waiting until May 12th till May 15th have passed, because history has learned us that those are the days that bring the last frost of spring.
Since I’m going to have surgery again on May 14th, I might be planting out as much as I can if the weather is fine.
It’s a race against the clock to get everything ready: I decided to add 2 more beds. The beds I bought don’t have a climbing rack, so I still need to add one. I already did one, but still need to get started on the second one.
The greenhouse is not ready yet either. The frame is up, but I’m just about to order the plastic that has to go over it.
The Indoor garden
Meanwhile, my indoor garden is bigger than ever. All the plants I started from seeds have their place on the windowsill.
I had to extend the windowsill, because there are simply so many seedlings. I put up a rack with shelves and an old freezer to make more room. Every inch of both is covered.
I have one more windowsill I can use, but there’s no room left there either.
I still have plants in the propagator which will be big enough to be taken out soon, and I literally have no place to put them.
So I’m thinking about making a ‘second floor’ for my windowsill.
I need to, because I still have a dozen of tomato plants that need to get out of the propagator.
I hope to get it fixed today.
Blooming Plants
I like to experiment with new varieties, which is always an adventure.
The biggest surprise so far were the tiny ‘Mini Belle Chocolate’ peppers...
I knew they wouldn’t grow big, why else would they be called ‘Mini’, but to my surprise I noticed two of the plants already have flowers, which means the peppers will be formed soon.
The plants are only 25 to 30 cm in height, so now I’m really wondering how small the peppers will be. I guess I just have to wait and see.
(Update: I just spotted the first mini pepper)
One of the Cape Gooseberry plants has really outdone himself. He’s growing so fast... By the time I can put him outside, he will be all grown up and ready to produce his delicious fruits.
Last fall I took 21 cuttings of my Yacon plant. Only one survived, but he’s getting bigger every day. The leaves are already larger than my hand. It will be a good thing if he can finally be planted out outside.
More experiments
I fell in love with uncommon and exotic plants, so today I’m going to pick up a chayote, and I ordered a Cherimoya and some Pawpaws.
I can’t wait for them to arrive.
Chores
So for now I spend my days replanting the small seedlings that have outgrown their pots into bigger ones.
I’m still sowing - right now I am germinating some seeds of 5 different kinds of beans and pees.
I keep an eye on the propagator to see which plants are ready to start their life on the windowsill.
Since I won’t be able to do anything for at least 2 weeks after my surgery, I really need to get done what I can.
Garden plan and companion planting
I must admit I still don’t have a garden plan. I don’t like administration, but because my garden has grown so big, I need to take crop rotation into consideration. This means I will need a garden plan... urgently.
I promised myself to get to it on Monday.
Some examples:
Nasturtiums will attract aphids and cabbage white butterflies. Plant nasturtiums close to your cabbages and other plants, so those will be fairly save from being attacked.
Basil and tomato plants do not only improve each others’ growth and taste, basil is also a natural deterrent for whiteflies, aphids and many other plagues that can destroy your tomato plants.
You can read more about companion planting here
I still need to get myself a good list, so I can integrate companion planting in my garden plan.
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Conclusion
Most beds are still empty, and there is still a lot to do.
Since I’m still recovering from my previous surgery, I have to take it slow. As you can read above, I think that is very difficult.
It would be better to just skip this gardening season alltogether, but gardening is one of the only things in my life that stops the neverending stream of thoughts in my head, and makes me happy and relaxed.
I have enough going on in my life, I really don’t want to give up the garden.
Fortunately, my girlfriend knows how important this is for me, and she offered to help me out. (Which is a huge thing, because she really hates gardening.)
This was update 1 for the SteemIt Garden Journal 2018.
Next one will be up next month. It will be fun to see how things have changed by then.
Join The Challenge
Do you have a farm? A big or small garden? A balcony? An indoor garden?
Join the SteemIt Garden Journal 2018 and show us what your garden looks like today.
Your post doesn’t have to be as long and detailed as mine. Just show us a couple of pics, so everyone can enjoy seeing your garden grow during the months to come. And who knows.,. you might win a prize.
Read all the details of the SteemIt Community Garden Journal Challenge here
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Image sources:
Pixabay
Bol.com
This post contains affiliate links to SteemThat, the companion planting ebook and Enumivo. I will receive a compensation if you use these links to sign up