We could do with a thread about cultivating, I thought.
When in London, I had a little garden back and front and a small allotment. I had a job as chair of the cttee and as the compost heap carer. Carer being the right word, because by the time I got to them the heaps had turned into dumps mainly for orange netting, bin bags, gravel and plastic pots, also hugely overrun with bindweed. Completely inactive. The stalls themselves were great though. Railway sleepers upended and buried in the ground with a corrugated iron roof. So I dug them out and riddled what useable compost there was, produced a mountain of plastic rubbish and a pretty big heap of stones which ranged in size from hardcore and big flints to pebble dash. Most of that went into a pile for people to use for paths. There is always a lot of house renovartion going on there, and several skip raids quickly produced enough timber to make slatted walls for the compost heaps – which, once rebuilt, took off and started cooking away happily – and a large supply of edging for beds.
Over the past decade, I have lived in different spots, sometimes with gardens, sometimes just balconies, other times just windowsills and whatever bits of otherwise unused public space I can find. It is funny how people will generally leave a tomato plant alone, no matter where you grow it. (Though there is no controlling a municipal operative with a strimmer) Here, now, we have a garden back and front. both of which were made over by previous occupants to more or less look after themselves. Low maintenance, lots of paving, but we have managed to get the front going well ... lots of herbs and squashes, beets, carrots, aubergines, that sort of thing. The back, we tried with some nasturtiums and geraniums ( I love growing geraniums) expecting the dog to dig everything up. Which, of course, she did to a certain extent, but mainly it is the squirrels and racoons (trash pandas) that do the random vandalism ... and, quickly overcoming their cuteness, I learned hate them same as everyone else
Sad thing s that winter here means nothing grows. Usually, I have been able to keep something going outdoors, even just for salad, but here, no way.
When in London, I had a little garden back and front and a small allotment. I had a job as chair of the cttee and as the compost heap carer. Carer being the right word, because by the time I got to them the heaps had turned into dumps mainly for orange netting, bin bags, gravel and plastic pots, also hugely overrun with bindweed. Completely inactive. The stalls themselves were great though. Railway sleepers upended and buried in the ground with a corrugated iron roof. So I dug them out and riddled what useable compost there was, produced a mountain of plastic rubbish and a pretty big heap of stones which ranged in size from hardcore and big flints to pebble dash. Most of that went into a pile for people to use for paths. There is always a lot of house renovartion going on there, and several skip raids quickly produced enough timber to make slatted walls for the compost heaps – which, once rebuilt, took off and started cooking away happily – and a large supply of edging for beds.
Over the past decade, I have lived in different spots, sometimes with gardens, sometimes just balconies, other times just windowsills and whatever bits of otherwise unused public space I can find. It is funny how people will generally leave a tomato plant alone, no matter where you grow it. (Though there is no controlling a municipal operative with a strimmer) Here, now, we have a garden back and front. both of which were made over by previous occupants to more or less look after themselves. Low maintenance, lots of paving, but we have managed to get the front going well ... lots of herbs and squashes, beets, carrots, aubergines, that sort of thing. The back, we tried with some nasturtiums and geraniums ( I love growing geraniums) expecting the dog to dig everything up. Which, of course, she did to a certain extent, but mainly it is the squirrels and racoons (trash pandas) that do the random vandalism ... and, quickly overcoming their cuteness, I learned hate them same as everyone else
Sad thing s that winter here means nothing grows. Usually, I have been able to keep something going outdoors, even just for salad, but here, no way.