Sunday, May 20, 2012

Holes in my spinach and chewing the cud...

I don't mind holes in my spinach. I would rather have holes that perfect spinach that has been made toxic with pesticides. So when I went to get spinach tonight I picked a lot of it and we enjoyed it with our Thai chicken after washing it well :) While picking the spinach I could see the promise of things to come...

Sweet potatoes trailing their way across the soil.

Beets full of life after the weekends rain.

Broadbeans starting to flower.

And the garlic, bedded down for winter. I really need to weed this area!


I was also chewing the proverbial cud about my latest decision to be made...our backyard. I happened to watch these videos again on a couple who produce about 250kg of food in summer off 90sq m. When I made the connection that our paved backyard is about that space, my mind starting ticking over.


Our backyard has some strawberry baskets and barrels which I plant with seasonal veggies. Sometimes its tomatoes and peppers but now I have just planted peas in them. Two of the barrels have asparagus in them but as they die down in winter I can plant surfcae crops, like peas, for winter. We also have our potato planter prototypes there as we experiment

This pot is covered to prevent the chickens getting in there and scratching everything up while they wander about during the day.

Our backyard houses Superman's business premises and the kid's music room. It also has the pool and the dog kennel. Our washing hangs here everyday and it's where we braai with friends. Right at the back is the chicken coop and workshop. But even with all these things there is plenty of space for a well planned container garden.

The great deliberation is:
1. do I have time to add more food growing
2. how to protect the plants from the chickens
3. the cost involved in container gardening

Well, no resolution as yet...the jury is still deciding...but just sharing my thoughts. What are yours?

4 comments:

Cath said...

Mmm, are you sure that the cost will be worth your while?

Your veggies are looking great.

Lois Evensen said...

I wouldn't begin to try to say whether it would be worth it or not to add more containers. I like the space you have for the pool, hanging laundry, and spending time with family.

Monika said...

What do you think eats your spinach? I have the same thing happening to most of my veggies and i am thinking about some organic solution before they will be all gone :-(

Natalie said...

You could try adding just one or two containers at a time to see if you can keep up with it. And then add another next year, or next season as you adjust. I started out with quite a small garden and every year I add another row or two, or a new patch.