Gardening – Spring into action – slowly

A great garden starts with a well thought out plan and the garden design depends on many factors, including how much space and time you have, the climate, and what you want to grow.

When establishing my new garden here on the Hibiscus Coast, the most important job was to put in infrastructure that would allow me to succession plant to ensure a continuous supply of fresh seasonal vegetables. Terraced raised garden beds were ideal for making use of the sloping land available. One of the smaller beds was set aside for a permanent asparagus bed.

We have just spent five weeks in British Columbia, Canada, where forest fires were ravaging the province along with the drought and hot weather. On our return we found chickweed had taken over protecting the soil and provided a great living mulch between the winter vegetables. So now we have plenty to eat while I get a few spaces ready for spring planting.

Spring soil is very cool, so I begin with organic seedlings, varieties of Asian vegetables, broccoli, kohlrabi, lettuce, spinach, leeks and beetroot. Seedling six-packs allow me to keep planting every two weeks until my own seedlings are ready, raised in self-watering containers on my enclosed deck. But a cold frame covered with old hessian sacks when night temperatures fall, could also be used.

I had planted snow peas and seed potatoes before leaving. The potatoes were growing well and the peas, along with wonderful pods, covered the fence. To ensure a crop for Christmas, I will replant both. The soil is too cold for mulching, but I will use straw around the potatoes.

To make sure I don’t deplete the nutrients in the soil I vary the types of vegetables in each successive planting. I have compost and a cow manure tea which I apply with each new planting. I also make my own bone meal by burning old soup bones that have been “decaying” for a year in the chicken pen. The mixture of bone and wood ash is perfect for the garden. Once dug up and washed they are ready for including with the wood in a winter fire.

Using seedlings, instead of sowing seeds, for the early spring planting allows me to get the jump on some of the insect pests that won’t begin to appear until the weather is much warmer.