This month I am linking up with Lizzie of Strayed from the Table for The Garden Share Collective. The aim is to create a community of bloggers who share their vegetable patches, container gardens and the herbs they grow on their window sills.
In my veggie patch I lean towards growing food that we are unable to access locally such as garlic and heirloom varieties of fruit and vegetables.
Summer in our part of the world is extremely hot and dry and the winter is cold with frosts.
The majority of my vegetables are raised from seed purchased through the Diggers Club.
The main patch is made up of six raised beds as well as one bed planted directly into the ground. I have access to an endless supply of sheep, horse, chook, cow manure and old hay which I dig into the soil regularly.
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| Golden beetroot |
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| Purple garlic |
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| Kale, rocket and basil |
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| Wongbok |
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| Quince trees |
May in my garden
The pome and stone fruit trees are going to sleep for the winter.
seaweed fertiliser.
pelletised fertiliser.
the summer months.
using recycled milk bottles to cover my tiny seedlings when they are first planted
out. This protects them from clumsy feet
and pests while they establish themselves.
It also provides a tiny greenhouse for each seedling. I have found this simple idea to be very
effective.
Happy winter gardening.
Kylie
Great use for empty milk bottles Jane, and I am very envious of your vegie patch.
Jane S
Thanks Kylie!
Ainsley
Your patch looks great! Like the milk bottle idea….we have a few clumsy feet from time to time in our garden beds.
Jane S
Thanks Ainsley, the milk bottle thing is very effective, I wished I had discovered it sooner 🙂
lucent imagery
Your vegie patch looks amazing! So large and lush. I started watching River Cottage a couple of months ago and love his seasonal series in the vegie patch.
Jane S
Thanks Lucent, if we had television I am pretty sure I would love River Cottage too 🙂
Lizzie @ Strayed from the Table
Jane I can't believe the contrast between our gardens, the bare soil even around your veggie beds you are a true green thumb. Your patch looks really healthy for the conditions you live in. I am thinking about getting goats to get some more animal manure for our gardens, we have only six chooks and with me always expanding I am soon running out. Do you prune your fruit trees before they go into hibernation for the winter?
Love the milk bottle, it may look tacky but trying to get seedlings up and running during the cold months its the best thing.
Jane S
Thanks Lizzie, yes it looks very arid in contrast to your green garden! But, the differences are interesting aren't they? If we lived closer we could supply you with goats…we have almost unlimited access to feral goats and the babies tame very easily! I prune my fruit trees usually when they have dropped all of their leaves.
Lizzie @ Strayed from the Table
I love the contrasts of our gardens and I just wanted to check that in your climate you treat your fruit trees as ruthless as me. I would love a goat it is a shame about the distance as I would definitely put an order in for a couple.
Missy Piggy
I love seeing your "whole" garden – it's HUGE! I'm not sure I'd have the motivation to maintain anything better than 15 pots on a balcony….
Jane S
Thanks Mel, I thought it was a good time to share the big picture!
Louie
Your gardens are lovely and such a great variety. I also love the milk bottle idea although Im not sure if they would turn into chew toys for the dogs in our yard, will have to give them a try once I have some seedlings ready to go.
Jane S
Thanks Louie, yes your dogs might like them as toys!
Melissa L
I love your recycled milk bottle idea for protecting seedlings till they're more established. Would you mind sharing how your worm farm failed the first time?
Jane S
Thanks Melissa. My worm farm simply overheated, sadly killing all of the worms in the summer. It was placed in a shady spot and kept damp but obviously not cool or damp enough. Our summer temperatures are often in the 40's so I need to place closer attention to it next summer. Happy gardening!
Sarah Jane
This was a interesting post Jane. Thanks for sharing! Sarah x
PS I'm a tiny bit jealous of your garlic 🙂
Jane S
Thanks for calling in Sarah Jane.
Lizzy (Good Things)
LOVE this idea, Jane and Lizzie… and oh those quinces….. *swoon*
Jane S
Thanks Lizzy, oh and Lizzie has done all the hard work…I am just joining in!
Zara
Beautiful shots of your veg garden.
The corrugated iron makes for a lovely, rustic backdrop.
x
Jane S
Thanks Zara, I am lucky to have a sturdy, no nonsense fence to protect my vegetables!
Anne @GtSlamseysFarm
I love looking at your garden as it always looks so productive and full of things I've never heard of (like wongbok). Looking forward to watching your garden through the year.
I sow a few runner beans in the base of milk cartons to get them off to an earlier start than the outdoor sown, but have been throwing away the top of the carton. Now I have a use for that too!
Jane S
Thanks for calling in Anne!
Jo Smith
I like the milk bottle idea. I tried black plastic pots but I think it cooked the seedling. Your garden is awesome.
Jane S
I tried plastic pots too Jo, milk bottles are better I think 🙂
Claire @ Claire K Creations
Wowee what an impressive garden! Now I must start saving my milk bottles too. Great idea!
Jane S
Thanks Claire!
tea with hazel
i really like the idea of documenting each month's tasks and having something to look back on to see how things fared..happy gardening jane..x
Jane S
Thanks for calling in Jane x
Kate @ Kate Writes
Once again you inspire me Jane to at least grow some herbs in a pot. I need to carve out some 'gardening' time I think 🙂
Jane S
Thanks Kate, finding the time can be tricky but gosh it is rewarding!
Kyrstie @ A Fresh Legacy
Great idea with the bottles Jane. Your garden is looking wonderful as usual and I love the idea of The Garden Share Collective 🙂
Jane S
Thanks Kyrstie, you should join in!
muppy
absolutely gorgeous, love love love.
Jane S
You are very kind Muppy!
celia
Jane, look at your kale!! Ours are still tiny! Beautiful post, lovely to see what you're growing! xx
Jane S
Thank you Celia, I love a glimpse into your garden too!
Rebecca Alexis
wow! just beautiful! I adore the old milk bottles. I am going to dig some out of our recycling right now for our seedlings. you have a new official follower in me. xo
Jane S
You are very kind Rebecca, good luck with your seedlings!
Bron
Jane your blog is such an inspiration. I am mentally preparing myself to move to my partner's farm next year, and posts like this make me wish I was moving next week instead!
Jane S
Thank you for your lovely comment Bron. Good luck for your move, I am sure you will love farm life!
cityhippyfarmgirl.com
Gorgeous Jane. Your post makes me long for a proper garden of my own.
I love kale season, I can never seem to get enough of it.
Jane S
Thanks Brydie, kale is amazing stuff isn't it?
MulberryPomegranate
What a beautiful garden Jane, I so aspire to your theory of growing only garlic and heirloom vegetables. Have you tried the seeds from the Italian gardener? They have been pretty successful in our little garden so far.
Jane S
Thank you Mrs M. I have not tried seed from the Italian gardener but I will look into it!