Friday 5 July 2013

You Can Grow Your Own Wayyyyyyy

I'm still growing things in the garden and I'm managing to not kill them!

My little garden patch is coming along nicely, pretty soon I'll have things to pick that I can eat... and that makes me VERY happy. Last year's garden attempt was a complete failure, but it seems to be a different story this year. Maybe I'm growing up?!

Growing strawberries! Get the cream!

Growing yellow African carnations (I think) Blatantly purchased because they were called African something...

Growing courgettes! Oh my!

Attempting to grow blackberries! Mmmm crumble...

Growing teacups!
 So there we are. I was thinking about why last year might have been such a garden disaster and here's my list of how to grow plants in a small garden without killing them:

1. Don't scrimp on the compost, yo. If like me, you have bad soil - mine is almost clay in places, I dug up a small paving slab the other day - then you NEED compost. Take advantage of multi-buy offers. Dig a hole twice the size of the plant (twice as deep, twice as wide) and fill with compost so it's level with the surrounding soil...

2. Wiggle the plant pot container in to the compost to make the shape of the plant. This saves throwing compost around the plant like a crazy woman and getting compost down your nails, ladies! HA! Like I care about that, I'm just lazy.

3. Before you wiggle the plant out of the pot and into its new home, dunk the plant base in water for ten seconds at the roots. This way I like to think that the plant is going into the soil satisfied and not feeling thirsty. It works for me.

4. Plant the plant in the ready made perfectly shaped hole in the compost and pat down then cover over with MORE COMPOST.

5. Throw slug pellets down to stop the little sluggy blighters munching on your new planty friends.

5. Water daily then after a week add some plant food to your watering can.

Ta daaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa!