.. sometimes it just aint enough
--Although it's not the focus of my post today my thoughts have been, and will be with the Japanese people who's fighting spirit has been an honour to behold amidst this life changing tragedy.--
I am trying to break my silence. I am trying hard to feel like I have something of interest to impart. In many ways in the past this space has an educational focus. It's not that I ever felt I had all the answers but I probably did feel that I had a bit of knowledge that might ease the path for others. Either, I was arrogant or just plain wrong cause as of right now it just aint the case.
This growing season has kicked my tush and left me feeling inadequate, while the chaotic events of the last 6 months have shaken me badly. Just at the time it would have been advantageous to feel some level of confidence in my skill to provide for our household we had the growing season, that wasn't.
It's mid march and I haven't even broken 10 ripe tomato's. The ones I have had have arrived in the last week. To make it even more discouraging it's not even as if I have a heap of green tomatoes on bushes. There are a couple of varieties that did more than survive and put out a couple of fruit in self defence but believe me they are few and far between. We did well on lettuce for the first time ever, and beans weren't too dismal, we at least got a couple of feeds, but honestly it was famine and not feast.
Of course that was after the spring that wasn't where I attempted to start a seedling business, nearly went demented and still fell short. I was basically erring on the side of "if you don't have anything nice to say, don't say anything at all". So I've said nothing and just peddled as hard as I can and, well, it hasn't worked.
White cabbage butterfly has decimated my autumn seedlings, both for home and sale, so at this point the best I am going achieve is have a reasonable early spring crop.. if I can find a way to keep the seeds that I have again sown protected.
My energy is now back home until spring planning where I will again tackle the idea of growing for others. I am going to admit though that my confidence is close to shattered.
So if I can't teach what have I learned -
- 3-5C cooler may be great in a hot summer but in a cold one it's the difference between summer cropping or not unless your using a hothouse (even then it's a gamble on the heat lovers)
- In this wildly varying climate having the option of covering rows with plastic, or shadecloth, when required is not a nicety, it's essential
- If you're not tripping over pots in the hot house during the summer growing season something is wrong
- Soil fertility can make up for a whole host of other sins, if your soil fertility is spot on plants are more likely to cope in less than ideal conditions (from what I can tell this is pretty much the difference between the people in Melbourne that have had a great tomato year or a so, so one) it probably wouldn't have saved our, even cooler, season but my guess is at least I would be looking at "green tomato chutney" rather than nothing.
- The ability to get Autumn seedlings in the ground in February when they need to be requires protection from White Cabbage butterfly, no if's but's or "then the zucchini won't get pollinated" maybe's
- Spring garden plan actually needs to cover the entire year.. I need to plant for Autumn cropping during the summer growing season. If I don't have a succession plan things will not be placed to allow that to happen.
- Be flexible, read the season and trust your instincts. The gamble I took planting the snow peas early means we are now getting ready to crop from them, which is a definite relief.
- Be willing to move, remove and generally free up space when it becomes obvious Plan A is heading for the S bend.
- Keep records of the plants that did well and those that didn't. You can't make an educated decision if you don't have the data
- skimping on compost or other soil amendments that you know you need is just "robbing peter to pay paul" it might work for a season but after that your bill is going to arrive with interest so just budget accordingly
What's this season taught you about the way you garden?
9 comments:
Oh, Belinda, I knew something was going on, but figured you were just too busy gardening to blog much. I've enjoyed the photos and thoughts, knowing from last year you ssid you might not be blogging much. I am sorry your confidence has dropped, but please know you've always helped me alot, and by sharing, you've given me more than just gardening advice. This is such an honest and wonderful post, even if it is painful and crappy for you... thank you.
Hi Belinda,
I'm so sorry this has happened to you. Like Dixiebelle I thought something wasn't right but I also put it to you been so busy.
I'm not real good at saying encouraging things but please don't let the last six months keep you down because if it does, I'll sic the little brown bear onto you lie I did Dixiebelle and it may not be pretty ;-)
Thank you for your post, even though you feel down it's most likely helped others which is one of the things you do best.
big hugs
Sad but true but this heaven to my ears. It has so been the summer and spring that wasnt for our garden. We've lost more plants than grown and only had about 15 tomatoes tops. My pumpkins fruited too late.
We've done well in beans, eggplants, lettuces, strawberries and the odd zucchini until they went bung also.
Oh for more sunshine - where we live so makes a difference but I was so jealous when I visited a garden in Mt Waverley and it was full of produce.
Hi Belinda - It was indeed a cool spring - you do have some excuses for being a bit down.Parts of my garden are a bit like you describe. This is where i under estimated the inherent soil fertility. What i have discovered it that although it might be good soil, compost is needed to set it all off. So my tip is work to keep a good pile of compost on hand. It took me a while to get my pile of compost because i had to work out the best way to go about it here - in the past i used cow manure but it is almost unobtainable here. And those butterflies!! i have had to be very fastidious with dusting or suffer big set backs. I have had set backs with seed packets that didn't grow too. Luckily i have good sun exposure and obtained early tomatoes from my father in law so got an early start. And i have lots of tomatoes and very good fruit set - i did apply wood ash on advice from father in law.
I am always hedging my bets. A couple of cucumbers in the hot house dropped dead - but there are a few more left and more in the garden. I planted one Bush buttercup pumpkin in the hot house and one in the garden just incase it was a cool Autumn - so i will still get seed.
I have planted some peas now that are resistant to mildew so they will suvive a foggy cool winter. My Brassicas are in and surviving well but i really need to watch the caterpillars - and small free ranging children!
Next spring i hope to overcome my soil fertility problems with lots of compost and worms over the winter. Hopefully it is a kinder spring?
Thanks Everyone,
It's nice to have your support.
@Mrs B
It's only just this week that I started harvesting zucchini too. Thankfully 3 of them are in beds that are basically vermicast so they aren't showing sides of mould yet.
@Chris
I might need to catch up with you sometime for a composting lesson... it's a garden task that I simply don't seem to have much of a knack for.
Kind Regards
Belinda
Oh Belinda, you poor thing, it is so demoralising isn't it. We were ok in Sydney this year, it was a cool summer by our standards until early Feb but by then we had harvested a lot.
I have found that broccoli seedlings are the toughest brassica and the best way to protect them from the dreaded cabbage moth is to put a mosquito net over them until the butterfly season is over. Once they get off to a good start they seem to be able to withstand small attacks. I found one in a roadside rubbish pile once and have bought some from Vinnies since. You can cover your whole mini greenhouse with one.
The other thing I have started doing is growing things like lettuces in polystyrene boxes so they can be moved into the shade when necessary and it frees up the garden for tougher plants.
Having a blog is great too because it is a record that can't get misplaced around the house, I often go back and check the timings of plantings,harvests etc.
Hope winter is a bit kinder to you and that you soon feel like getting back on the horse so to speak.
x Deb
I'm in the same boat so get out an oar and keep paddling. I've had two small Tomatoes and a handful of beans. Basically scrubbed spring and summer and went straight onto autumn/winter and am now planning preparing for spring.
I wouldn't take a hit to the confidence, I'd say well done mother nature it took you a heck of a lot to beat me but I'm still here and I'm back.
Hi Greenfumb,
I often use my blog to check back and see what worked and what didn't.
I am currently putting in some hoops to allow me to put covers over areas of the garden.. which is why the garden plan is important, it's hard in a year like this one to cover plants knowing it will stop pollination when they have only just started producing.
Hi Stewart,
Thanks for the encouragement. I am sure this is only a temporary blip. The brain is out there trying to make the most of what's left.
Kind Regards
Belinda
Our summer was like yours this year. As you know I didn't plant much because of writing the book but even so what I did plant did so poorly and everyone I know barely got a bowlful of tomatoes. So it wasn't just you. It's global. I think the wisdom you've shared are all things I've learned too.
You reminded me of the first year I planted cauliflower in my garden. It was when I was still pretty new at it and I refused to use any real poisons for the brassicas and so when the cabbage moths came in droves I found myself out in my little patch picking the caterpillars off by hand, one by one in the hot hot summer sun. It was horribly and took so much time.
The lesson I learned was valuable- growing food (especially without pesticides) is hard work, and it can get very primal out there. I hate killing anything but I got this feeling it was me or them.
anyway- I'm very sorry it's been such a bleak time in the garden. It's part of the growing life. These tough seasons are inevitable.
That's not very comforting.
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