My Vegetable Garden One Year On

Like the current National government my garden’s been in for a year now however it certainly looks a lot healthier than our economy. Hard to believe that it was one year ago today that I began turning the first sods to create our new vegetable garden. It’s been a lot of hard work and the time has flown but I’ve enjoyed every minute of it.

These photos are just some of the many I’ve taken over that period.

The blisters and sweat part of the project began right here.

Below: In February the new garden was looking good and producing plenty of fresh vegetables.

Things were winding down in mid March as we enjoyed the last of the corn.

A rather bare garden in mid April, amazingly I was still harvesting a few tomatoes.

Late April and loading up the garden with corn stalks and other organic matter. This was necessary to improve the soil for next season.

May was only days away when I decided that a bigger garden was needed so I set about digging up more of the back lawn.

Doing a little each day it took me about ten days to complete the job.

It was time to add compost and horse manure. The weather was brilliant but it proved to be a hard graft. My “apprentice” volunteered his services for the day which was great.

Bought the horse manure on Trade Me for one dollar.

I wasn’t in a hurry therefore it took a few weeks to spread. Also erected second trellis for growing beans.

June and the frosts arrived. Nothing much happened in the garden as the ground was cold and wet. Fallen leaves were used as mulch.

Cabbage, cauliflower and broccoli planted out in July. The sheet ice I’m holding formed in the wheel barrow overnight.

Dug the garden over in August but it was rather wet. Not an ideal time to do so but I needed the horse manure and compost worked into the soil. Strawberries planted.

September had arrived and my green thumbs were itching to get planting as the winter had been long, cold and wet. After leaning against the back wall of the garage for 6 months the third trellis was finally put in place to cater for runner beans.

First rows of carrots and beetroot sown.

October and we planted the potatoes.

My garden today, thankfully a far cry from those earlier days.

“Happy Earthday” you’re ONE.