We’ve had some lovely refreshing rain here lately, and all our plants are looking so invigorated (as are we). Is there anything nicer than stepping out after a rain and breathing in all the fresh smells of earth and grass?
We have a huge mango tree that provides delicious shade and, hopefully, will bear fruit this season.
My big, beautifully propagating aloe plant.
And flowers that are finally beginning to show some color.
Our new little garden-in-progress is starting to reward us with its first seedlings just poking out of the earth:
Tomatoes.
Beans.
Squash.
Mustard greens – the latter actually sprouted from seeds I pulled off the spice shelf and stuck in as an experiment!
So far we’ve had pleasant mild weather with rain from time to time, and there are usually no frosts around these parts, so hopefully we’ll be able to grow some food this winter.
Remember this?
Last week, we rented a tractor, carried away a ton of debris such as old moldy mattresses, concrete rubble and rusty poles, plowed under the weed jungle, handpicked another mound of smaller scale litter (old plastic bottles, beer cans, ancient shoes), and started preparing the space for our future garden.
The place now looks like this. There is still a slab of concrete in the middle that was too difficult to remove, but we figure we can use it as a foundation for a chicken coop or a greenhouse.
I’ve already marked some beds and planted beans, squash, and peppers. I know it’s unorthodox to plant at the end of October, but I figure there are plenty of places where the summer is about as warm as our winter, and people still report being able to grow tomatoes and peppers there, so what have we got to lose? One thing is certain – outdoor work is a lot pleasanter in winter around these parts.
Stay tuned for more news about us and our work to make the most of this little urban homestead-in-progress.
Once in a while, my phone puts together these little videos for me, and the one above is a pretty good representation of what we’ve been up to in the previous week: puttering around the yard, doing paper art, and hair art.
There is still a lot to do, but now that the big unpacking frenzy is more or less behind us, I have more time to devote to something I’ve been itching to do: working on the small abandoned plot of land next to our yard. This week, I’ve moved whatever junk I could lift, raked huge mounds of fallen leaves, and did some digging to break up solid clods of dirt and let the ground breathe.
We were promised some major rainfall today and tomorrow, so hopefully after that the ground will be nice and soft. I’m then going to get to some planting. This will be rather an experiment, because it’s our first winter here – it’s supposed to be very mild around here, without even any frosts, so hopefully many things can be grown year round.
I will let you know how we progress.
In between unpacking, rearranging and painting, we are finally able to poke our noses out a bit and start getting a feel of what we can do around the place. I’m still majorly bummed out about all the concrete, but somewhat comforted by the empty plot the town council allowed us to use.
The fish tank. Gambusia fish for mosquito control were close to the top of our priority list, so here they are, thriving despite the humble look of their habitat. The tank looks somewhat weather beaten, but I intend to camouflage it with potted plants all around until we can work out something better.
Some garden photos. There is a bunch of plants waiting to be replanted, and a few others already in their permanent place. The soil here is very heavy clay with a strong tendency to retain water, so we’re adjusting our plans accordingly.
I look forward to posting more updates of our work on making this place homey and inviting.
Because of the house move, we didn’t plant anything this spring and summer, but we did have a nice surprise: a volunteer tomato plant that sprang up in the garden and wrapped itself around a bush, turning into a mighty tomato tree. On our last visit, we discovered it to be full of red, ripe, beautiful (and delicious!) tomatoes.
We were surprised that the people who are currently renting our house didn’t pick them. Apparently, they thought tomatoes that don’t come from the store aren’t safe to consume.
We collected literally a bucketful of produce from this one plant, which just goes to show you don’t necessarily need a large garden to grow a lot of food. And there wasn’t a single worm or a sign of blight or rot! I have never seen such lovely tomatoes.
Also wanted to take this opportunity to wish a Shana Tova (happy new year) to all the Jewish people out there. In our family, Rosh haShana is always a double celebration, as it’s also our sweet Tehilla’s birthday. It’s unbelievable that 8 years have gone by already!
![Vertical Gardening:The Beginner's Guide To Organic & Sustainable Produce Production Without A Backyard (vertical gardening, urban gardening, urban homestead, Container Gardening Book 1) by [Abby, Olivia]](https://images-na.ssl-images-amazon.com/images/I/61fEMpK-SbL.jpg)
Update: for those who have been wondering what we are up to, the big unpacking fest hasn’t started yet. In fact, I’m yet to see the new house. I’m staying with the kids at my mom’s, while my husband is busy fixing things up and painting. The break has been enjoyable, but all too soon, it will be time for the hullabaloo of cardboard boxes.
I can’t wait. No, seriously. Packing and unpacking a house is one big overhaul, but it feels so good when it’s done .
Still, I’m looking forward to the moment when we get through the chaos, the dust settles down, and we can really turn the page and start a new chapter in our new home.
In the meantime, I’m trying to make up for the lack of action by reading about micro-farming, urban homesteading and container gardening. My latest find was Vertical Gardening by Olivia Abby, a neat little book for those who love to get their fingers into earth but don’t have any backyard space.
It’s an enjoyable read, though it didn’t bring me any very great novelties on container gardening. It is, however, a well mapped-out, thorough, basic guide with all the signposts in place.
So… I’m waiting for that moment when I can finally stop reading and get to doing all that good stuff. Stay tuned .
Domestic Felicity 