Getting going with growing Part 2

Last time I wrote about our garden we had just started getting established.

A month later and the garden is growing in many ways, as are the gardeners! We have had our ups and downs of course but there is enough success to keep me going ;) I am learning to be more in tune with nature, more observant and responsive. I am learning through doing, trial and error, which is really quite motivating, although the thought of eating our own lettuce sandwiches real soon is quite motivating in itself of course!

I am also finding the time in the garden really quite rejuvenating. It is like a quiet break for my brain and even weeding is not a real chore. My little man was quite unwell for a week or two so time in the garden was limited and I did find that I actually missed it... we haven't had the garden for that long but it is already becoming a habit.


Here's the round up:

The highs:

• the lettuces are growing beautifully and hearting up, I am just about to put another lot of lettuce seedlings so we can keep it going
• the tomato plants are also doing really well, I have staked them up and they now have flowers on them too 
• the strawberry plants in the glasshouse are much bigger than those outside but both have flowers and are doing fine
• we have planted some pepper, cabbage, cauliflower and spinach plants, all of which are doing well 
• the garlic in the glasshouse is going well and the onions outside are now looking stable 
• the wire over the outside beds is working well at keeping the cat from sunbathing in the garden beds 
• we have collected enough eggshells to create the slug equivalent of barbed wire fencing to help protect our leafy greens 
• I have also shifted a little lemon tree and so far it looks as though it is thriving in it's new spot 
  
• the compost bin is working well and we have a great seaweed soup working away... hopefully we will have some lovely homemade fertilizer to use soon (I stir this regularly and have just added some more water to the mix too) 

The lessons: 

• the corn I planted has died (well it is yellowed and mostly lying flat)... combination of not planting as soon as I got it, stormy weather hitting after it was planted, our unscheduled week away in hospital where watering was sporadic... and I am wondering if the soil was unsuitable, perhaps needed more compost and less sheep poo? Will protect it better next time too 
• my bean seedlings wilted and died... I left them in the seedling tray too long and they dried out then I overwatered them... note to self, prepare the beds before you need them to reduce delays when plants are ready for planting 
• my pumpkin seedlings that I planted did not do well either, they were planted at the same time and in the same bed as the corn so I need to investigate that a little with the next lot 
• my marigolds that I am planting with the vegies don't seem to be thriving but the plants are so I will wear that 

So I still have to learn about nursing those small seedlings that I have grown from seeds, the striking of seeds has never been a problem and my father used to take the seedlings for the next step so now I have to find out how to do it right... we will get there, this is all part of the adventure of the beginner gardener.