Friday 6 January 2017

Diary of a suburban edible garden, January 2017.

I made it into the garden for the first time this year!  It was so nice to be out there pottering about and doing some weeding.  

I meant to empty my compost bin and mulch the garden in autumn but I didn't get round to it.  I opened the compost bin today to see what was in there...

Diary of a suburban edible garden, January 2017. By UK garden blogger secondhandsusie.blogspot.com #gardening #garden #suburbangarden #ediblegarden #composting

...composting is so magical!  I'm so happy!  I know you should mulch in autumn or spring, but I've missed autumn and I can't wait till spring so I'm going to mulch in winter!  I did a little bit today but I think I'll need a full day to deal with the compost bin, it's going to be a dirty and heavy job! 

I came up with a mulchy method to add some nutrients and structure to the soil, and protect it - I've invented it myself so I hope it works!  It seems in keeping with the no dig methods I use in the garden at least.  First I weeded by hand, then I spread a layer of fallen leaves over the soil.  After that I spread a thin layer of hay over the leaves, then a layer of my beautiful home-made compost.  

Diary of a suburban edible garden, January 2017. By UK garden blogger secondhandsusie.blogspot.com #gardening #garden #suburbangarden #ediblegarden #composting

Diary of a suburban edible garden, January 2017. By UK garden blogger secondhandsusie.blogspot.com #gardening #garden #suburbangarden #ediblegarden #composting

Diary of a suburban edible garden, January 2017. By UK garden blogger secondhandsusie.blogspot.com #gardening #garden #suburbangarden #ediblegarden #composting #nodig

I hope to be planting veggies in the garden by the end of April or May, which gives the mulch at least 4 months to rot down, and if it's still hanging around I'll just plant through it.

Here's another shot of my compost, just because it's pretty and I can't quite believe it worked!

Diary of a suburban edible garden, January 2017. By UK garden blogger secondhandsusie.blogspot.com #gardening #garden #suburbangarden #ediblegarden #composting #nodig

Do you remember by worm compost bin?  I kind of neglected it and didn't add anything to it for 2 months (sorry worms!).  I was a bit scared to check it, but I looked today and there are still live worms in there!  Yey!  I've fed them and added some shredded paper and water too.  I'll be a better worm looker afterer in future.

Diary of a suburban edible garden, January 2017. By UK garden blogger secondhandsusie.blogspot.com #gardening #garden #suburbangarden #ediblegarden #composting #nodig

Anyway, enough brown composty photos, there are green shoots poking up all over the garden.  Some are weedy but some are bulbs.

Diary of a suburban edible garden, January 2017. By UK garden blogger secondhandsusie.blogspot.com #gardening #garden #suburbangarden #ediblegarden #composting #nodig

Last year I planted some elephant garlic in this pot, but it didn't grow and I thought it had rotted away, but there's something growing there now, and I don't remember planting anything else in there and it looks quite garlicky.  Fingers crossed it's the elephant garlic!

Diary of a suburban edible garden, January 2017. By UK garden blogger secondhandsusie.blogspot.com #gardening #garden #suburbangarden #ediblegarden #composting #nodig

There are a few flowers in the garden, some colourful winter pansies, primroses and this hebe I bought for 50p when we first moved in here has flowered for the first time.

Diary of a suburban edible garden, January 2017. By UK garden blogger secondhandsusie.blogspot.com #gardening #garden #suburbangarden #ediblegarden #composting #nodig

In the front garden the raised bed still has some lettuce growing happily away, and the garlic I cleared out from my fridge and planted has sprouted up too.

Diary of a suburban edible garden, January 2017. By UK garden blogger secondhandsusie.blogspot.com #gardening #garden #suburbangarden #ediblegarden #composting #nodig

For posterity's sake here's a full photo of the back and side gardens - lots to do before spring!  

Diary of a suburban edible garden, January 2017. By UK garden blogger secondhandsusie.blogspot.com #gardening #garden #suburbangarden #ediblegarden #composting #nodig

Diary of a suburban edible garden, January 2017. By UK garden blogger secondhandsusie.blogspot.com #gardening #garden #suburbangarden #ediblegarden #composting #nodig

I didn't rake any leaves up in Autumn, so I have a garden full of them now (there are big trees behind our garden!) - eeek!  At least they're good for wildlife!

Diary of a suburban edible garden, January 2017. By UK garden blogger secondhandsusie.blogspot.com #gardening #garden #suburbangarden #ediblegarden #composting #nodig

How are your garden's doing?




8 comments:

  1. I didn't rake the leaves either, I am using wildlife/ mulch as a positive (hopeful) spin on the situation.

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  2. Being in a new house means our garden needs a LOT of work, but I'm so excited to really get stuck in this year and (hopefully) start growing some of our own vegetables! I love the idea of having our own little compost site too.

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    Replies
    1. Composting is so much fun if you have room for it! Good luck with your garden this year - I'm still working on mine a year and a half after moving here!

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  3. It is ridiculously exciting to get your own compost!!! Well done!!!! I was SOOOO pleased over my leeks!!!!x

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    Replies
    1. Thank you (I didn't do anything, haha!) but I am pleased with it! I saw your leeks, what beauteous beasts they are!

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  4. Wow, I admire you for getting into the garden. I keep looking out and saying in my head 'this year I will be a better gardener'. Its raining here terrible though and then we have frost, so the ground is hard. I may wait till Feb before I get going. We have a compost bin, so that is the one time i do venture into the garden to get rid of veg scraps.

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    Replies
    1. It was fairly mild when I had a gardening day, it's gone frosty and cold now though so won't be out for a while now either!

      Delete

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