A potager day

The whole day. I spent the whole day enjoying my vegetable and flower garden at very close quarters.

And in keeping with the no fiction on the sabbath (well done Dad) my version is the no loud noises on the sabbath.

So I may have really, really wanted to strim the east garden and make a start on the vineyard, I desisted.  And used the quiet tools instead. Bare hands.

As a near the end of season report I must say that the new potager design is brilliant. Lots less weeding and much more productivity. 

It’s not all rosy – my mole rat has eaten yet another dahlia plant.  But at least I’ve had no deer visits this year.

And just one hare attack, and all the swiss chard that creature ate have grown back into good sized plants.

I set out with one aim this morning – to weed every bed. And I whipped through it in no time at all. That’s new.  Good mulching and dense planting works.

I did have a few pause for delivering flowers to Daniele, and Caroline came down for a visit as well.

But the suns shone and blissfully only reached 24C. Perfect.

I have plenty of gaps in my cabbage beds (thank to some early season work by the mole rat). But I added more cavolo nero – black tuscan kale.  But I have learnt my lesson. These ones have gone in potted up already.

I have more in the potting shed but can’t decide whether to commit more to the garden. We might get a cold hard winter.

So I think I’ll keep some in the warmth of the potting shed and the rest in the ground.

But you can’t be relaxed, even in the potting shed.  The cabbage moth butterflies have laid their eggs in the seedlings. Cheeky devils.

And speaking of cheeky devils. Here’s my favourite one.  I opened the door and he was snoozing on the front door mat.  And never left my side all day.  And he was in a rare affectionate mood.  So there were plenty of pauses while a lap was demanded and a lot of head scratching took place.

This is his favourite spot in the vegetable garden.  It’s under the large apple tree in the soft fruit orchard.

It catches the first morning sun, is soft and well padded (grass mulch) and more importantly, he can keep his eye on me.  When his eyes aren’t closed and he is snoring. 

Oh, and one last shot. My favourite crop in the vegetable garden.  My verbena bonariensis plants.  They are in the strawberry bed right up against the wall of the barn.  So far they have survived the winters well. And best of all, completely drought resistant.  No staking required, they self seed everywhere and make me smile every time I look at them.