Just over a year the community garden was opened.
Members were given a bare patch with organic soil and sugar cane mulch.
It was a struggle at first to develop the soil but now members have a regular supply of fresh, chemical free food from their patches.
I love the lavender hedge which brings bees in my patch and which is also providing a great slug inhibiting mulch for the fat, juicy strawberries I pick almost daily.
The white eggplant was a surprise but provided many eggplants last year. I spent a lot of time pruning it when it seemed to have some fungi but now it is producing again.It is difficult to make out all the foods in these photos but included amongst the current vegetables in my patch are yellow and red cherry tomatoes, several varieties of beans, kale both curly and Chinese, rainbow chard, sweet basil, apple basil and lemon basil, garlic chives, yellow squash, red, white and orange carrots, turnips, cauliflowers, peppers, ceylon spinach and several varieties of lettuce.
Having vertical structure for plants to climb has increased the yield capacity of my plot and allows summer shade for the more vulnerable plants. I also allow new plants to develop strong roots beneath the taller established plants.
Chrysanthemums and marigolds are part of the companion plants that distract pests and also encourage bees for necessary fertilization.
The knowledge being a community garden member has taught about renewing the soil with compost, manure, lime, mulch and rock dust has been a powerful journey that has inspired an urge to discover new ways to live sustainably.
This post is part of Transformation Thursday, Makin It With Allie, , Strut Your Stuff Thursday, Thrifty Thursday, Real Food Wednesday, Outdoor Wednesday, Make It Yours Day, Works For Me Wednesday, Tuesday Garden Party, Tempt My Tummy Tuesday, Its Bloomin Tuesday, Toot Your Horn Tuesday, Heart and Soul Blog Hop, Between Naps On The Porch, Motivate Me Monday, Making Monday Marvelous, Just Something I Whipped Up, Tools Are For Women Too, Making Your Home Sing.
12 comments:
What fun! I hope that I can be a part of something like that one day. Thanks for sharing all of the beautiful plants and hard work.
Wow, I didn't know lavendar could do that. We have lots of slugs around here. I seem to remember that my dad planted marigolds to distract them too.
Thanks for linking up to Making Your Home Sing Monday!
I have a black thumb. Good for you!
How wonderful! We're fortunate enough to have a community garden, as well...this was its second year- and it was so prosperous! Thanks for sharing your wonderful garden w/ the hearth and soul hop this week :D
I use low containers with beer in them. Slugs crawl in and drown.
You certainly planted well to have so many veggies and herbs in a small patch. Jean
I love to garden and there is nothing better than growing and eating your own vegetables! Nice post!
Great post and especially liked the pictures!
Athena from Minerva's Garden
http://www.minervasgarden.com
What a wonderful vegetable patch - and your strawberries look gorgeous!
Your photos are really gorgeous. Happy Outdoor Wednesday.
Oooh! I love to hear about chemical free gardens! Very cool!
Thanks for linking up to Making It With Allie! I can't wait to see what you have for next week!
AllieMakes.Blogspot.com
I like the idea of a trellis, and we love the color and natural bug repellant of marigolds. Your garden is fascinating!! Also thanks for your comments on my recent blog post.
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