The veggie patch

I finally planted my garden! Well, half of it. I lost motivation after I realised that what I was planting needed care and maintenance, and it is nearly impossible to do anything in there because my kids attack everything (see my first blog about the veggie garden).

I planted lots of different things, having no idea what would grow or whether anything would survive, kind of assuming lots of things would die. So I think I crowded things into a smaller space than I needed to. I'm still not sure what's actually going to produce the foods I am so excited about eating. But things seem to be growing, and I'm pleased with how things are looking, even tasting! Yes, I've had my first taste. Just a few spinach leaves, cooked them into my soup, they were beautiful looking and tasting.

So now, I will share photos of my crops, and ask for some advice if anyone has any...



Carrots: Michaela helped to plant these, which means she basically just shook the packet of seeds out into massive clumps, which I attempted to spread evenly, but anyone who has planted carrots before knows how tiny the seeds are, so I didn't really try too hard. I am also adopting a "go with the flow" attitude about this garden: whatever is meant to be, will be, and I am not going to stress or slave away to make it happen. Here is a pic of half the row of carrots after I thinned out the carrot seedlings by about half: 

As you can tell, I am going to have to do that again, probably soon!

Spinach: Two English spinach seedlings survived and instead of producing lots of delicious little leaves, are producing a few giant ones. Is this normal? (pic is after I cut a few leaves off, making it look even weirder)

And those are little rogue carrot seedlings popping up all around, in random spots throughout at garden, thanks to my little girl :)

Strawberries: Can't remember which kind I grabbed in one of my many screaming-kids-mad-dash shopping trips to the local hardware store, I think maybe something with Alpine in the name? They all looked the same to me, please let me know which varieties you've enjoyed. I wanted something that sounded kind of hearty (low-maintenance). These are three of the six. They seem to be growing moderately well, and not a favorite with the slugs which is a bonus.

Tomatoes: I think they are called Mighty Reds, or something like that. Again, the name "Mighty" conveyed some fighters who were going to survive in my novice garden experiment. They are actually doing really well, growing like weeds, no evidence of snails, and starting to flower. These plants smell AMAZING!

 

 

I've got four of these guys, three tied to stakes, the fourth I planted near the fence thinking I would tie it to that, but I am now realising that's going to be more difficult than I planned. Still, I made an effort at tying it up today, so we'll see how it goes. Because the lawn borders the fence, I think I might have a hard time separating grass/weeds/pests from the plant?

 

Bell Peppers (Aussies call them Capsicums): I think these were called California Bell Peppers, a name that appealed to me for obvious reasons, being a California native. I have six of them and they seemed to do the best... initially. But now just don't seem to be growing. They don't seem to be favored by the slugs, so I am at a bit of a loss to explain it, just going to have some patience and see what happens.



Snow Peas: Five beautiful plants that are growing like weeds, never in the directions I want them too, but now that they are flowering, they are just too pretty for me to stay mad at them :)

The Lone Bean: I think this guy was called a Giant of Stuttgart. I liked the idea of Jack's giant beanstalk growing in my garden, and the leaves on this little guy were huge when I planted him. Then they got eaten down to a nubbin, and now... he's come back to life. And I have no idea what to do with him. Stake him? Any ideas?

Sweetcorn: Five plants, growing well, some bottom leaves seems a little dry on edges but I'm not worried yet.

 

Basil: Not writing them off yet (there are others that look even worse than this one). Seem to be the snails favorite, as you can see in the photo! I'm not really sure what to do, I had sandpaper around the plant, but that didn't seem to stop them, and neither did the beer. I probably won't bother with egg shells (too lazy), but I am thinking about trying coffee. Any other ideas?



Cos Lettuce: About ten beautiful looking plants, these look ready to eat, and I am looking forward to putting them in my salads this week! A few nibbles here and there from the slugs, but still growing well. How long are lettuce plants good to eat from? I am just wondering when I will need to pull them up and start again?

 

 



Zucchini: I had pretty much given up on these guys, they were attacked as fiercely as the basil, but this one seems to be making a comeback, so I'm going to keep watching the other two and see what happens. Tips?

Sad little chili plant: Solo jalapeno plant, doesn't seem to growing, doesn't look very happy. Not sure why?

 



Left-over seedlings ended up in this old pot I've had in front of the house ever since we moved in but never planted anything in. I put very sad-looking butter lettuces in, which seem quite happy now, and a couple basils that are growing very slowly. Amazingly, no snails have tried climbing up this pot yet! These plants are pristine.