Kia hora te manno
Kia whakapapa paumamu te moana
Kia tere te Karohirohi

May the calm be widespread
May the sea glisten like the greenstone
And may the glimmer of summer dance across your pathways

Saturday, April 26, 2014

Progress at last.

Yesterday the weather was perfect for gardening, and I accomplished a lot in the few hours I was outdoors.

It is hard to read the text on the photo, but it says, Peas and parsnips under cover, which is wrong. Carrots and parsnips are under the cover, and the peas are planted on the left end of the raised bed.
 Swiss chard is growing in front of the cover, and the two cages will support tomatoes after they are planted.


This photo gives you an idea of how part of the 20x20 foot garden area is layed out.

I have placed popsicle sticks in the soil to mark where I want the sweetcorn to go. Doing this saves me time when the weather warms the soil enough for planting, which should be second or third week in May.

Friday, April 18, 2014

Spring has sprung, and so have I

I will be lucky if anyone reads my blog now, due to being away for so long. Besides not blogging all that much during the Winter months, the past few weeks I have been caring for my honey, who has had open heart surgery. I sure have missed getting my fingers into the dirt, but am making up for the loss, by planting and tending new plants and berry bushes.


Today I researched 'companion planting, and in this bed I have salad mix lettuce, celery, and behind these will be tomato plants. I will also 'companion plant' in the other raised beds.

Also today, Pac Choi was planted beneath a protective covering.

For a long time, it has been a wish of mine to grow raspberries, but I do not like the thorny, high maintenance kind. Two weeks ago, I came across this little beauty, a dwarf thornless variety of raspberry, "Raspberry Shortcake" rather expensive, but worth every penny if it produces well.

The lettuce I planted today look a little sad, but they will soon perk up.

Last fall, I purchased this white currant. There were a few berries on the plant, and when I tasted one, I was sold on the sweetness of the fruit. Currants are supposed to produce an abundance of fruit which I am hoping for, perhaps not the first year, so I will just have to exercise a little patience.