Three Months of Growth

Over the past three months, there has been so much

growth — not only in the garden itself, but in me as a gardener. The amount of research, observation, and trial and error involved has been immense.

Winter Wins

This winter has brought great success with a range of vegetables and herbs,

including Thai basil, dill, tomatoes, coriander, parsley, mint, thyme, cos lettuce, runner beans, and Lebanese cucumbers.

Lessons from the Bug Battle

However, the ongoing battle with bugs has been much tougher. They have torn through my baby spinach, leeks, sweet basil, and sage. The key to controlling pests has been constant care. I have learned to inspect the garden regularly, checking stems and the undersides of leaves for egg sacs, caterpillars, and other signs of damage.

·        Remove egg sacs as soon as they appear.

·        Pick off caterpillars before they spread further damage.

·        Check vulnerable plants regularly, especially leafy greens and herbs.

Winter Garden Maintenance

Overall, the winter vegetable garden has not required a huge amount of day-to-day work. With plenty of rain here in Perth, Western Australia, watering has taken care of itself. Aside from regular pest checks, I have mostly been able to step back and admire the growth.

I have also been pleased with the soil since the major changes I made through tilling (learn more here), as mentioned in my previous blog post. The gnats have subsided, which has been a welcome improvement.

Looking Ahead to Spring and Summer

Because I have only experienced a late autumn and winter garden so far, I am really looking forward to preparing for spring and summer. I am especially excited to see how the garlic develops, as it takes six to eight months to grow. I am sure the level of involvement in spring and summer will increase tenfold once the warmer seasons arrive.