Experienced gardener shares hits and misses
Even a mad keen garden expert like Candy Rose has her share of failures. What went wrong, and what went right?
As the cool dusk and dawn tells us, the summer growing season has ended. As gardeners, we look back at our season and note what worked and what didn’t work and where to improve next season. I’m going to share with you my failures, my wins, and my whys.
Pumpkins are usually the most treasured crop in my vegetable garden. They grow independently throughout the patch, and my shelves are bending under the weight of the pumpkins in storage. Most visitors leave with one.
However, this year was different. The late frost in November killed most of my pumpkins, and those planted after that struggled with temperature fluctuations and a lack of female flowers.
I used a lot of saved seeds this season, which carried the risk of cross-pollination and pumpkins that are different from their variety. Next year, I will protect them more during the early months and purchase fresh seeds to ensure a successful harvest.
I have been growing strawberries, one of my favourite crops, for years. However, this year, I faced trouble and harvested only 10 kilograms of strawberries, instead of my usual 40kg.
I believe the issue was with the inconsistent watering of the plants and the birds that kept getting into my bird netting. It’s surprising how smart they are – I keep thinking I have secured the netting, but they always find a way in.
To keep them out next season, I am considering doubling up on the netting. Moreover, I need to work on my irrigation system, as it is always a challenge to get it right. Nonetheless, I am determined to figure it out this year.
Peaches: My dwarf pixzee peach tree always produces the most delicious, sweet, large peaches. Unfortunately, a severe hailstorm caused significant damage late last year, leaving it vulnerable to pests and diseases, which prevailed.
To restore pixzee to its former glory, I plan to give it a hard prune and shower it with extra love and care over the winter. I’m keeping my fingers crossed that it will make a full recovery.
Blueberries: One of my blueberry bushes suddenly died, leaving bare sticks. I’m not quite sure what caused this to happen, but I am planning to replace it with a new one. The other three bushes nearby are thriving, so I won’t waste too much time pondering.
I got to the grapes early and bagged off the best-looking bunches. Then, I gave them good, consistent watering over late spring/ early summer when the fruit was setting, and was rewarded with lots of sweet, juicy fruits.
Carrots: There are plenty of carrots in so many corners of the garden; the trick to germinating them is to ensure the planting area is kept dark and damp while germinating, with no drying out. Once you’ve mastered that, you have carrots yearround.
Another round of seeds has just gone down for winter carrots; you still have time to do the same in warmer regions.
Potatoes: Bucketloads of spuds – such a versatile vegetable – have been enjoyed and turned into tasty meals. The seed spuds chitted and planted with thick pea straw mulch did the best, but my own old sprouting spuds from the pantry still gave a beautiful harvest. I also find the soil is rich and loose after a potato harvest, and happy to take on a crop of leafy greens or legumes straight away.
Herbs: Propagating and rehoming herbs over the winter has paid off, and I’m finally getting the herb garden I always wanted.
Even with lemon balm popping up everywhere, I’m happy with how it’s establishing. Buying fresh herbs at the supermarket is a great way to waste money when you know how easy and cost-effective it is to grow your own.
After a slow start, my row of zinnias looks glorious while feeding the butterflies and bees that visit.
The vast array of bright colours makes me smile every time I see them, and I always want to create a giant zinnia patch next season. Zinnia farm, here I come.
This season, I learned that I can’t assume my regular garden guests (pumpkins) will show up. Birds are becoming more innovative and hungry in my vege patch; I wish I could net my entire garden.
Sometimes plants die, and it’s normal. I also discovered that fresh herbs are easy to relocate and propagate.
Lastly, I’m investigating zinnia farming, ha ha. If you can, plant some flowers for the bees and trees for the future. Happy mahi māra, and enjoy getting your hands dirty.