If You Ever Step on My Patch, I'll Bring You Down

It's almost three months since we moved into our little house and I thought I'd mark the occasion by posting some pictures of the veggie garden that I've had on my camera all summer. As I said back in November, it was pretty tough getting the patch started but things are moving along quite nicely now, even with the lack of rain and me being (reasonably) obedient of our council's draconian watering conditions. Anyway, let's make like they do on all those reality shows and have a look back at the journey...

Day 1: we inherit one weed-strewn former car park from the previous owners. It's fair to say that gardening was not one of their priorities.

Top soil on Day 1; fine dusty grit with a texture like freshly ground peppercorns

Day 2: Measuring up. Following the word of our gardening lord, Peter Cundall I set up a crop rotation system with six beds (1.5m x 1m each) in a 3m x 3m square. I also mapped out another 2m x 1m bed for herbs. So I don't waste any time I plant a few seeds and seedlings in tubs in the back yard.

Days 3 - 10: digging in a drought. After several days attacking the ground with a spade and a fork someone at work suggested I buy a mattock ("my mother is 83 and swears by her mattock.") The mattock allowed me to scalp the weeds from the surface but still I could only get down to about 15cms depth - halfway to the 30 cms recommended by Gardening Australia. Note the pile of weeds and old tree roots found during my excavation. Not quite as exciting as Raiders of the Lost Ark...

Day 14: When the rain comes... one weekend of pouring rain makes light work for Mint Custard. With the topsoil turned the rain soaked into the stubborn hard soil underneath and softened everything nicely. In one day I was able to turn all the soil to 30 cms, mix in two bags of cow poo, many handfuls of chicken poo and a sprinkling of blood and bone. The worms went mental...

Day 28: with the beds marked out and the gospel according to Saint Peter strictly obeyed the first seeds are planted. Broadly I have one bed for carrots and beets; one for potatoes; one for corn and zucchini, one for onions, leeks and tomatoes; one for lettuce and pakchoi and one more that should be for beans but December is a bit late to get started so I leave it bare...

Day 42: hot vegetable action. I become amazed at how easy it is to grow lettuce and pak choi. I remain frustrated that everything else is painfully slow and needs more water than I have at my disposal.

Day 49: New Year's downpour followed by heatwave causes garden to spring into life. I'm tempted to give up my job and sell lettuce for a living. I start giving away pak choi to everyone I know.

Day 49: Mr Fishhands, our Hitler Tache-sporting scarecrow device is dwarfed by the Children of the Corn

Day 70: Mint Custard v the Drought. As you can see there is much activity in the patch these days. Things are going mostly OK, and the marigolds look pretty too. However we're probably still a few weeks away from real excitement. Several days of 40+ heat and very little rain has caught up with my delayed start to summer planting and the growth spurts of many of the veggies has slowed down to a trot. Still most things are still alive, and I've bought mulch to try and keep some of the moisture in...

Day 77: Mr Fishhands, King of the Corn Children amongst his giant offspring. Don't worry, I'm sure he'll be fine...

Now we're up to date I'll try and keep you posted on the latest comings and goings in the patch. If you have any advice or tips for a junior gardener I'd be happy to hear them. And hey, if you need any Pak Choi...

(with thanks to the lovely Jim Noir for today's title. Check out Jim's work on Myspace or watch the video to My Patch here)