Well … I’ve been true to my word. The weather has done nothing but shine and I have made the most of it! My promised sunny days came with the bonus of starting a day earlier than predicted. The weather forecast suggests that it may rain on Sunday and continue for the next TEN days and possibly beyond! But instead of moaning, I am pleased with what I have achieved!
I planted my clearance bin rose, although it is in a pot, but it is where I’d like it to go, but it would take more work than I can manage at the moment. So this time next year I will build an amazing garden to house it, but until then it is just a dormant rose bush in a pot, waiting the construction of a frame for it to grow up. Hubby the Un-Gardener made vague promises, so I shall have to pin him down.
I also planted my trees – well most of them. I decided that the coffee plant would flourish better as a potted plant in the office, which has better conditions than some of the extremes our climate would throw at it outside, and the tea plant has a place for it – although I’m not quite ready for it (translate: where I want to put it is a big weedy mess!) So I shall re pot it and hopefully rehome it sooner rather than later.
The rest of the trees were taken down to the orchard and with the help of Hubby the Un-Gardener we set about planting the trees. I placed the trees where I wanted them and he cleared the grass with the weed eater and dug the holes. My orchard is laid out nicely: plums in one row, apples in a row and quince and pears in another and peaches, apricots and nectarines in the far row. There are also two rows of miscellaneous shrubby plants like feijoa and elderberry. The rows haven’t been measured out with a string line and like my veggie patch (no string line used there) the best way to describe my orchard is a probably “rustic!”
So Hubby the Un-Gardener dug the first hole, and it was a good hole, nice and round, the correct depth and he’s even roughed up the sides up so it was easier for the roots to grow into. (Goodness knows where he learnt that trick!) So we planted the first tree – the pine nut and it looked great – until we stood back… I know the trees aren’t perfectly in line but this was way out! Hubby the Un-Gardener was not impressed when I made him dig a new hole a metre over! The rest of the trees went in well, although soil was still quite damp so I think I’ll wait until God does the watering on Sunday – He’s so much better at it than me!
I didn’t mow, and I think I’ll be hard pushed to do it before it begins to rain again as the soil hasn’t dried out enough yet – no surprises there! I haven’t cleared a bed for the peas, but I’ve asked a friend to help out there, but judging by last year when I had to repeatedly resow peas due to rotting in my wet soil, I think I’ll sow some in the greenhouse which should buy me some time to get the bed sorted. The raspberries are still neglected and I still feel bad about that and there is still a blueberry languishing in the mud.
However I have pruned all the trees in the orchard, which I always find nerve racking, but I think I did an OK job. I even took my pruners and loppers apart and gave them a good clean and sharpen before I started and even remembered to wipe the blades in methylated spirits between each tree to prevent spreading disease – not that my trees have disease!
I also potted up enough strawberries to replace a third of the bed next year and wrapped each of the remaining runners in newspaper with a dash of soil tucked inside. These will be handed out by the Strawberry Fairy to deserving new owners. I have purchased a solar powered fountain on an online auction, gathered up almost all the seeds I need for the new season, painted up what feels like a million ice block sticks to use for cool labels and weeded my flower garden (my first attempt at having one of these – wish me luck!)
Hopefully we will be able to squeeze out a bit more time before the rains return and once again surrounds us in a quagmire!
Come again soon – I have started buying seed raising mix soil in anticipation of sowing the first seeds of the new season. It’s coming and I’m soooooo excited!
Sarah the Gardener : o )
I am truly envious of all the space you have to garden with! You are my favorite garden blogger and I always love getting your posts! I actually read it in its entirety! Thank you! And keep up the fabulous blog!
Wow, thank you. I am so humbled. Cheers Sarah : o )
As always a great post and exciting reading.
Thanks Carol. I hope your flooded room dried out nicely! I have decided to be a bit like you this year and have bought a load of different kinds of chilli seeds! Not sure what I’ll do with them though. Hehehe. Cheers Sarah : o ) x
Lovely and you’ve been BUSY! What a good use of a glorious day. As for your rain, if you could convince some of it to head to this side of the globe there would be a few thousand very appreciative farmers. 🙂 I need to come up with something different for my identification stakes…I used plastic ones this year, wrote on them with a Sharpie and within a week they were all faded and washed off and I have no idea what some stuff is any more!
Hi Jenn. I ended up with faded plastic labels last year too! So I am on the search for something more durable… I hope painted ice block sticks solve all my problems (well this one anyway!) Cheers Sarah : o )
Sounds and looks like you have had a busy time in the garden !
Planting an orchard is something I’ve always wanted to do, but I’m totally curious about your coffee and tea plants 🙂 I’m looking forward to hearing about their (and yours!) progress
Hi Claire. The orchard is still quite young as I have yet to have a glut of fruit – maybe this year! I don’t imagine we’ll be self sufficient in coffee any time soon as at most our climate would only result in enough beans from one plant to make one dodgy cup of coffee! The tea plant should make a nice addition to the herbal tea garden that is still very much in my head! Cheers Sarah : o )
Hello! I just nominated your blog for the One Lovely Blog Award. Should you choose to accept (and I certainly understand if you don’t), you can find out more at http://wp.me/p1kaAD-7U
Hi Cheryl. Thank you so much for your nomination. I have finally got my act together and am preparing my Lovely Blog. I hope things in your community are much improved and peaceful. Cheers Sarah : o )
How fine, Sarah! And yes, thank you, we’ve enjoyed rain and cooler temperatures, and life is slowly returning to the burnt hills. Best, Cheryl
I love that lettuce in your grass!
Hi There. The lettuce looked too good to just mow over, so I rescued it and popped it into the salad garden. Cheers Sarah : o )
Indeed digging a hole is existing especially if you are able to put good and beneficial plants in it. I am looking forward as this garden improve. Good luck with on your endeavors.