Tuesday 28 March 2017

Diary of a suburban edible garden, March 2017.

I'm so busy this month in the garden, I have so much I want to get done!

Diary of a suburban edible garden, March 2017. By UK garden blogger secondhandsusie.blogspot.com #gardening #gardenblogger #polyculture #ediblegarden #suburbangarden

I've been planting seeds all over the place, down the side garden I've planted Californian poppy, crimson clover and vetch seeds around my apple tree.  Clover and vetch are used as green manures, their roots help the soil structure and fix nitrogen, I'm hoping by planting them here I can improve the soil a little, it's really poor in this bed.  I've also planted a little clematis up the fence at the back.

Lots of raspberry suckers have popped up this spring.  I'm really happy about that, because yey, I get free plants and free food!  Nothing else really grows very happily here, apart from weeds and Mediterranean herbs, so if the raspberries want to take over that's fine by me! 

Diary of a suburban edible garden, March 2017. By UK garden blogger secondhandsusie.blogspot.com #gardening #gardenblogger #polyculture #ediblegarden #suburbangarden

I made a cute little washing up bowl pond this month.  This is recommended by the RSPB as a good way to attract wildlife into your garden.  Mum gave me a bucket o' pond weed and frogspawn from her pond so I'm really hoping I get some frogs!

Diary of a suburban edible garden, March 2017. By UK garden blogger secondhandsusie.blogspot.com #gardening #gardenblogger #polyculture #ediblegarden #suburbangarden

I decided it was high time I cleaned out my greenhouse, it's all shiny now.  And I've planted a LOT of seeds (see here for a list of everything I'm planting).  That packet of mixed perennials cost about 70p on sale last year, I can't wait to see what grows from it! 

Diary of a suburban edible garden, March 2017. By UK garden blogger secondhandsusie.blogspot.com #gardening #gardenblogger #polyculture #ediblegarden #suburbangarden

Diary of a suburban edible garden, March 2017. By UK garden blogger secondhandsusie.blogspot.com #gardening #gardenblogger #polyculture #ediblegarden #suburbangarden

Diary of a suburban edible garden, March 2017. By UK garden blogger secondhandsusie.blogspot.com #gardening #gardenblogger #polyculture #ediblegarden #suburbangarden

I've been seed starting in cut down loo rolls and egg boxes, and propagating in our conservatory.  I'm starting the seeds in there, then moving them to the greenhouse once they've grown on a bit.

Diary of a suburban edible garden, March 2017. By UK garden blogger secondhandsusie.blogspot.com #gardening #gardenblogger #polyculture #ediblegarden #suburbangarden

Look at the buds on these blueberries - can't wait!  'Scuse the weeds.

Diary of a suburban edible garden, March 2017. By UK garden blogger secondhandsusie.blogspot.com #gardening #gardenblogger #polyculture #ediblegarden #suburbangarden

Joe's been working hard on the hedge at the back of the garden.  He's trimmed a lot off the height, the only problem is it's quite thin now and people walking down the alley keep noseying in our garden! 

Diary of a suburban edible garden, March 2017. By UK garden blogger secondhandsusie.blogspot.com #gardening #gardenblogger #polyculture #ediblegarden #suburbangarden

The next job is to dig away some of that bank of soil at the base of the hedge and reclaim the garden!  The soil there comes out several feet and we're going to have to put that soil somewhere, soooo... I bought a couple of raised beds.  They're phase one of our project to get rid of the (horrible, patchy, weedy, bumpy) lawn.  I've only put one together so far, but there's another exactly the same.  We're going to fill them with soil and plant them up, then start mulching and planting over the lawn.  Until it's all gone.  Buh-bye lawn. 

Diary of a suburban edible garden, March 2017. By UK garden blogger secondhandsusie.blogspot.com #gardening #gardenblogger #polyculture #ediblegarden #suburbangarden

It's looking very 'work in progress' right now.  I must finish painting the fence before summer kicks in and there's too many plants to get through.  I've got to get rid of that table too, it's been in the middle of the garden for ever, can you tell I'm not quite sure what to do with it! 

How's your garden this month?






12 comments:

  1. Lovely to see the transformation progress. A suggestion for the table.... place it on the sunnier side of the garden and plant strawberries in a trough and sit that on the table. Helps keep it out of slug radar and makes them easier to pick!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thank you for the table suggestion, I'll see if I can make that work somewhere (I like strawberries and I don't like bending down!)

      Delete
  2. 'Rescuing' a garden = v hard work but so satisfying. I don't love our lawn, but our Guinea Pig wold never forgive me if I got rid of it. Love your 'ombre' effect fence panels ;) Happy growing.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Ok, I'm totally going to leave the fence and just call it an ombre effect now!! You're right, this garden rescue is very satisfying - but I could do with a month off work to get it done! :)

      Delete
  3. Your enthusiasm is just lovely - it makes me want to rush outside and start digging (except that it's raining!) xxx

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. It's raining here too! I try to see the positives - saves me from watering the garden! :D

      Delete
  4. Unfortunately, I don't have a garden. The washing up bowl pond is a great idea, I've never heard of that before :)

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thank you, it's an idea from RSPB's homes for nature campaign, I've been checking everyday and still no frogs have moved in though!

      Delete
  5. This is great! You're doing so much. I haven't done anything yet as I feel in limbo since we were hoping to have moved by now. Sigh...

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I'm hoping there'll be less jobs to do in the garden as the year goes on - for now I'm counting it as my workout! I can understand you not wanting to garden in your housing limbo, maybe some stuff in pots so you can take it with you? I hope you find your perfect place soon! xxx

      Delete
  6. Just out of interest, how long is your garden??

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Hmm tis medium long! I honestly don't know but I will locate husbands big tape measure and measure it! :D

      Delete

Thanks for visiting!

You can also find me on Twitter @secondhandsusie and Facebook facebook.com/secondhandsusie