Happy Australia Day

I can't believe how fast the seeds are growing! The radishes had sprouted in 2 days and now there is significant little bean plants and maybe even some carrot sprouts if I squint hard enough.

And how am I to choose the smallest of the two corn seedlings that have sprouted to pull out, they both look perfect to me!! I go back only 4 hours after watering and there has been a change, it is just amazing.

And I think the green and gold of my surviving Marigold is the Aussiest thing I've seen all day.

The start of it all

In the beginning:

Firstly the "Dingo Man" came and leveled out the area. Not the sunniest area in the backyard which might be a problem, but time will tell.


We also made another beginners mistake of using treated pine sleepers, so then had to line the beds with black plastic, not very organic, but better than arsenic poisoning I'm told!



We decided to do one No-dig garden, with layers of compost, manure and lucern hay with some wetting agent mixed in too. The other garden bed was filled with local organic soil.



So then the planting extravaganza began. I started with a marigold in the middle of each garden. In the No-Dig bed I put some yellow zucchini seedlings and mixed lettuce seedlings. The soil garden got carrot, beetroot and radish seed and red onions. I'm sure I've planted these too early but my radishes have germinated in only 2 days. On the terrace I also planted some heirloom climbing beans, lebanese cucumber and sweet corn.

So far the soil is proving a much better bed as everything in the no-dig garden is wilting. On this I blame my over-exuberance to start planting and I didn't give it any time to settle in and start to rot, so there's nothing for the roots to get moisture from in the hay layers. Oh well, it'll be good soon.



I bought a heap of seeds from "The Diggers Club' online, mainly heirloom varieties, and have started some seedlings also. These will be ready to put into the garden sometime in the next few weeks.



So, here's what I've planted so far:

Seedlings:
Yellow Zucchini
Lebanese Cucumber
Red onion
Oregano
Thyme
Dill
Marigolds
Mixed Lettuce

Seeds:
Sweet corn
Heirloom climbing beans
Globe Beetroot
Heirloom Carrots
Radishes
Passionfruit
Basil
Capsicum
Baby Cos
Various mixed lettaces
Tomatoes

That should keep me busy for a while. I'll try and keep you updated on my progress

The Garden Begins

I never imagined myself getting excited about gardening. I remember spending long afternoons chasing earthworms in my Grandmothers garden as a youngster, and I've killed my fair share of patio herbs along the way. But having recently bought a house that happened to be on quite a large block, I feel obliged to grow something. So, raised garden beds have been constructed and the first plantings are in. I think I've probably planted all the wrong things at all the wrong times, and been a complete glutton buying more seeds that I will ever possibly plant, but I'll learn from my mistakes.