In the garden right now

We have been spending lots of time out in the garden in the last few weeks. I love this time of year, everything starts sprouting and turning green and flowers are popping up everywhere, it's so pretty. The sun is beaming, but it's not too hot, perfect weather for being outside.
I spend lots of time in spring planning how I'm going to make the most of the productive garden season that is ahead. I always seem to think I have plenty of time, and then the weeks zip by and all of a sudden we're already half way through October and I'm rushing to plant my tomato seeds before it's too late.





I find spring is very much a transition time, my garden is pretty full year round, I don't have a huge space (well not big enough for all my ambitious dreams anyway!) and there is never a lot of bare earth sitting empty. So spring is all about shifting things around and moving things on in order to make some space for all those wonderful summer vegetables!
Sometimes it takes a bit of juggling - at the moment I'm patiently waiting for my coriander to produce seeds, and then it'll be out in a flash as there are carrots and beetroot waiting in line to use this spot.



I try to be efficient with my space planning and I hate pulling things out that still have something to give. I had to clear out a spot for my precious summer tomatoes to go into, but I saved the nasturtium petals to add to our lunch, and I even saved the forget-me-nots :) they were too pretty to throw in the compost pile.





As well as planning what is going where there is lots of preparation - it's all about feeding the soil and making things all good and ready so the veges can go straight in when it's their time. We have been collecting lots of seaweed from the beach, and will soon be bringing home bag fulls of sawdust from the calf pens where we buy our milk, it makes great mulch and is wonderful when composted down.
The kids helped me build a new compost bin, I am very proud of our effort, Liam has become very good at hammering in nails since we have been working on our house renovation.

I've also been building trellises for things to grow up, I like to grow as many things vertically as I can in order to save on space. I had fun pottering for the afternoon in the garden last week weaving a bamboo frame, it will either have cucumbers or zucchini growing up it come summer.





So yes, lots of preparation, lots of planning, but not a lot of planting, not just yet - though this weekend is the traditional time for planting out tomatoes, but I'm going to leave mine indoors for a couple more weeks just to get a wee bit bigger (because I planted them a wee bit late!). I have managed to put in a few lettuces, peas, and spinach, and we are enjoying a bumper crop of broad beans, which as you can see I am struggling to keep upright, the strong spring winds we've had haven't helped.





So that is a bit of what's going on around these here parts, and I'm tempted to apologize, once again, about my lack of presence here and promise, once again, that I will be here more often. But I think I'll just keep my mouth shut and we'll see what happens :) And yes, I know, I really should update my profile picture, seeing as Isla is almost 6 years old now!
xx
Hanna