December 18, 2013

Day 18 - A little garden of my own

If you ever have the opportunity to serve on your apartment buildings Strata Council... think very, very carefully if you want to have a part in running a business that has an asset of millions of dollars and many people who want your unpaid time and energy.

On the upside, my condo unit has a balcony, and on that balcony I have grown things.  This year I spread out from the handful of herb boxes and strawberry plants, and tried to grow a whole variety of things.

The balcony faces north, so doesn't get too much sun.  But it seems, plenty of the leafy greens like shade and damp.  Kale especially.  It's December, and the Kale plant is still alive and growing.  I strip of a few outer leaves every so often and it keeps sprouting up.  I planted a few more seeds in September and the winter Kale is alive, if not ready to harvest... the sharp cold has knocked it back, but not out.

I had some success with runner beans. It was great to see how quickly they grew, swarming over the railings, some days shooting about by a centimetre or so.  The potato plants also grew amazingly well, along with the raspberry bush, covering my deck in greenery.

Other things failed (blackcurrant, lettuce and beets), and the swiss chard and spinach only just about kept up.  Experimentation seems to be the key, and growing from seed was far better value for money.  So next year I'll be trying the winners more and seeing if we can get decent amounts of potatoes at home.

My equipment was a dozen 12 inch plastic pots, 3 troughs, a lot of Seasoil and potting soil.  Mixed the Seasoil with the potting soil to make it lighter and slightly sandy.  Also mixed in some fertiliser.  Planted in May, and kept watered when it got hot.

The beans thrived once the weather got into the warm and damp part of the year.  They didn't need much apart from a stake to climb up, and the occasional nudge back on the balcony railings rather searching out the rest of the building.  Once established, they flowered and I got a few handfuls of beans.  I cooked them fresh with a little butter and a little kale.

The potatoes took a while.  The pots needed to be well drained, and I'd drill some extra holes in enxt year.  When I got sprouts, I'd cover them up with more soil, until the pots were almost full.  They plants grew really strong after that, and I had three huge bushes growing away.  I cut them down a little early as they started to die back, but I think that was from lack of water rather than beginning to seed.  I got 3 pounds of small new potatoes, and would leave them a bit longer next year.  Tasty though.

The second planting of the chard went well, and will grow again from seed.  Just scattered and raked over a pot and kept well watered (and well drained).  And the miracle of growing happened.  There's something really interesting from seeing a small seed swell, break and grow into green stuff.  I know there's the carbon dioxide being taken from the air and made into carbon structures that make up the leaves and stalks. But think about that.  A gas and some water and some minerals are used to make a living growing thing.  That matures and makes something tasty for this living growing thing to eat.

Plus, it keeps me entertained and some dirt under the fingernails is good for the soul.

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