Winter is slow in the garden but there is so much on my gardening mind

I look out into the garden and can see so many things to do. There is a big pile of pots that need washing out so I can reuse them, the strawberries need tidying up, the paths need sweeping and a once over with the pressure sprayer to get rid of the slippery moss and lots of general tidying up to be done. On the other hand, the plants seem to be not doing much at all and growing so slowley in the cold weather. I find it all a bit frustrating actually! I find myself longing for the warmer weather when everything was growing like mad and our produce was bountiful.

There seems to be such limited time to get out there and do things now as well, perhaps only a few hours in the middle of the day. The last few days we have been out there for a while, but sooner or later my littlies feel the cold, or want to play in icy water, or dirt gets flung into eyes and unlike in warm weather when dirt is brushed away soon to be forgotten and a bit of water play is all part of watering, they are just wanting to go inside into the warm.

So, Stephanie, what do we have from you to be inspired by? First thing in the book is Amaranth which you tell me I should plant from September. Better hold off on that one.

Next is Apples, Pears and Quinces. We have a three way apple that we put in last winter which is still very small and won't produce for a while yet. Although a pear tree would be good I'm not sure if we have the space concidering my husband doesn't like them. Better just bake something for the apples, pears and quinces for now. I'll get back to you on those ones.

Artichokes. Stephanie recommends 2 or 3 plants per family as they have a high yield. We don't eat many fresh artichokes currently, so I thought putting in one would suffice. Once I got out to the garden centre I could only find quite small pots of artichokes. However, many pot had two or three plants in each, so I have put in 3 small globe artichoke plants in a nice protected spot as they don't like frost much.

Garden centres tempt me. I had a sleeping two year old in the pram while my husband wandered with our older child, so I actually had a good wander and picked up more than I had intended to buy. I walked away with the artichokes, 4 heritage raspberry canes, an olive tree and 2 varieties of seed potato. Even more for me to do!

Having a productive garden excites me, seeing the different things grow and mature. Caring for the plants and being rewarded with beautiful tasting produce that half the time is so easy to pick and eat that our children 'spoil' their dinner eating it.

Speaking of which, it's dinner time now...

PJG

Making more paper pots

I sow seeds for a number of people, to be helpful and because I just like sowing seeds. I think it is something to do with encouraging the growth of a plant - a tiny seed laying dormant and with a little care and know how, a beautiful plant emerges. Beautiful for its aesthetic beauty perhaps, or beautiful for the gift of fresh food for me and my family. I think that's why I have so much trouble thinning out crops, but that's another story altogether!

So it's back to rolling up more paper pots.

My littlies like to help with this and so long as I am not too worried about things being done perfectly and to a uniform shape and size it is fine. I figure that I am just happy that they are wanting to help and do these things with me, be it making the pots, sowing seeds into them, or into the garden, planting out plants, harvesting or watering, they are being a part of the process and enjoying it.

I attempted to have my 3 year old video the quick pot making process, but although she is a pretty good photographer for her age, she still hasn't got the hang of film... So here are some photos showing some of the steps involved in making the pots.

Firstly I tear tabliod sized newspaper into 4 strips. Then I use the pot sized wooden rolling block and roll the paper allowing overhang at the bottom (image 1). Then I tuck the overhang towards the middle of the base of the pot (image 2). Next I use the base wooden block to push and twist the base firmly into place (image 3). Then it's just a matter of sliding the pot off and there it is (image 4).

It's a quick process when I am doing it by myself and takes twice as long when I have little hands helping me roll the paper and twist the base, but is rewarded with sowing the seeds once we have finished.

My girl understands the process enough to know that she sows only one or two seeds per pot and gently covers them with soil. My boy, however, does not yet have that control, which means that often we end up with two different varieties of plants growing in the one pot! Sowing surprise...

These pots are similar in concept to ones that I saw recently on the Gardening Australia TV Show (and in the mag), without the costly outlay of the kit. I have to say I do think the wooden base block that squishes and secures the base is fantastic though, so I am telling myself that it was money well spent!

Before I go, I had a friend of mine over during the week - she is a real inspiration to me and I look to her and her garden with envy. She was feeling in a similar situation to how I was a few weeks ago, feeling down about the cold and the lack of love she was getting from her garden. We walked through my garden and popped in on the greenhouse and the kids played and laughed. It was cold and we baked and ate and drank warm drinks. We had a wonderful time. What really uplifted me what that I inspired her back into her garden. Or perhaps it wasn't me, it as just talking about gardening that enthused her again. Either way it got me back out there in the cold weather again, thinking "there is so much to do!" and she did the same.

PJG

Julie & Julia and Stephanie

When I was in Melbourne recently my sister gave me a copy of Julie & Julia , which I watched the other night. I had a nice evening at home with the kids sound asleep and my husband out. On the couch with a chick flick, a cup of tea and my son's birthday baklava (named as such as I made an especially good batch of baklava moments before going into labour and so it is his birth day/my birthing day tradition now).

I enjoyed the movie and the escapism of watching it. But was one of those movies that I couldn't help but think of correlations between the characters and my own life. Myself just turned 30 and looking at my point of life in relation to my peers; like Julie I too sometimes lose perspective of what I have done in my life when comparing one aspect, such as career to people I went to uni with or are (gasp) younger than me. Then I remember why I too, am not sitting in that Executive role I know I am capable of - I have made the decision to have children and to be at home with them, to be their constant and have them in the care of my husband or family on the 2 days that I now work.

I thought of my husband and his enjoyment of cooking. I like cooking and preparing food for my family and friends. I love it when I see the enjoyment of people eating it, and I love that my husband brags about my cooking. I know that I am no masterchef though. I am a good home cook, that likes to do fancy things every now and then, when I have time. My husband on the other hand has in the last year discovered that he has rather a flair for making fancy things easily (somehow with the kids around). He went from having his basic 3 or 4 meals (there was never much surprise as what was for dinner on a night that he was cooking), to planning these amazing dishes that are divine to eat. Sure he is working through the Masterchef cook book and website, but making things he has devised himself with techniques he has leant. The old favourites are still on the menu too :) I admire his drive to test his skills and try new things. He is unlike Julie in that he didn't already posses the cooking drive before being motivated my a show and a chef.

So then there is the logical link between blogger and blogger. I had a fleeting moment of thinking "Perhaps I should cook my way through Stephanie Alexander's Cook's Companion". That's like a bible of cookery for me... but it really was just a fleeting moment, as just as Julie feared jointing and boning a duck, although not having any problem with that, I just couldn't bring myself to prepare any lamb dishes as I simply can't stand the stuff!

Perhaps I should set myself the task of growing all of the vegetables in "Stephanie Alexander's Kitchen Garden" instead? That's more up my alley. Maybe I'll even cook some of the dishes too :)

Hmmm, I think I'll need more vegie patches...

PJG

The cold and wet are dampening my gardening spirit

As the weather has been getting colder and wet for days at a time, I haven't been getting out into the garden as much as I would like. When the day warms up and pottering in the garden is possible, I am not always in a position to be out there, with work and other commitments.

I am starting to miss the warm weather when I can wander into the garden at 7am in pyjamas and bare feet with my children out there with me... times when I can garden or potter any time of the day and spend time out there just because... when I see the bountiful produce and we have an array of fresh produce that can be eaten straight from the garden.

My winter peas haven't grown much and are no where near pick and eat stage; the broccoli is still small and again, no where near floret stage. We have plenty of onions and spring onions, but I'm not so keen at just pulling them out and eating them as is! Sure, the are lettuce, herbs, beetroot leaves and chard growing that can all be eaten, but it's not the same.

I still have a quantity of pumpkins, but we are actually reaching pumpkin saturation point in our meals at the moment, so we may lay off them for a bit! When I pulled out the tommy toe tomatoes I hung the trusses of green tomatoes up to let them ripen and they are slowly ripening up. I have one rather protected garden bed, it is actually the rhubarb and asparagus bed, that I planted roma tomatoes in. This was as a deterrent for the pesky couch grass starting to make its way into the bed - apparently couch doesn't like tomatoes. It didn't stop the couch, but is protected enough to not be effected at all by the numerous frosts that we have had so far. I am still picking tomatoes from the garden, even when the tomatoes growing in the green house aren't in good shape! Thinking of the green house, I have lots of little seedlings of winter veg in paper pots in the green house and more I need to sow...

I was feeling a bit down about the garden, but just writing about some of the things we have going on in there is actually making me feel good. I just checked and the temp is 9 degrees C and rising, and it's not actually raining at the moment. Well a little bit of drizzle won't harm us... Come on my littlies, let's get on some warm clothes and get out there! There is plenty to do and you could do with a play on the jungle gym.

PJG

Broccoli and Garlic

More broccoli and this year's garlic has gone in. With the warmer weather extending longer into Autumn this year, hopefully the garlic bulbs will be forgiving about being planted at the latter end of the ideal planting time. This year I have planted a block planting of garlic, in rows in the newly reassigned her bed (I have been asked not to plant vegetables in there anymore as it is partially under the washing line and it seems that my vegetables can get quite big and even at full hoist, the clothes brush against the plants).

I have put in some garlic kept from last year's crop which was a purple skinned variety, as well as some store bought Australian grown organic purple and white varieties. Hopefully they will grow well there and provide some insect protection as well. Last year I had them in rows at the edge of the vegetable beds and found the insect repelling properties working well. We are yet to see if the shift to a separate bed will have any impact on the insects.

More broccoli went in a few weeks ago, nestled amongst coriander (for the smell to discourage cabbage butterfly), ruby chard and green and red varieties of lettuce (to visually distract cabbage butterfly). My family loves broccoli so it is a welcome addition to the garden. I have sown a few different varieties of seeds, although failed to label them after sowing the seeds in the paper pots... there is a purple variety and a green and cauliflower as well if I remember correctly! I'm sure we'll have no problems eating whatever grows.

Now that I have two children helping themselves to produce straight from the garden, perhaps I should be planning for double to broccoli than last year... better get to making more paper pots and sowing seeds.


PJG

Visiting family and the The Heidi Museum of Modern Art

A few weeks ago I took time out for the first time without my children and flew down to Melbourne to visit my brother who as been quite unwell lately. Just taking two days out, the longest and furthest I have ever been away from my littlies was difficult, something I never would have done if my brother had not been sick. Fortunately he is recovering well and we could actually enjoy time together.


We made it out to lunch, going to the Heidi Museum of Modern Art to see the gardens and sculptures. I enjoyed seeing my brother excited by the art, spending time with family and seeing the beautiful gardens. They time away was so good. Knowing that my children were happy and safe with their Daddy, I could really enjoy myself. I felt like I had the rare experience of viewing the gardens (and eating my meals and shopping...) at an adult's pace, not driven by the time line and needs of my children.

I felt a little guilty about how much I liked this! My husband and his voice of reason reminded me that it was the first time that I had been away from our children like that, being me and not mother me or teacher me, but me being allowed to focus of just being sister me without juggling the others at the same time. I can never stop being mother me and I certainly didn't stop thinking about my children. Knowing and trusting that they were safe without me for more than a few hours was liberating and I think perhaps a mind shift for me for the better. My children are just turned 2 and going on 4 and I am starting to get some of myself back...

When I left to come home, I felt like thanking my brother for getting sick so I could spend the time with him. I realised that visiting him, my sister and step mother is much easier now than it has been in a long time, and know that it is something that I can do relatively easily again. I'm not sure how long it will be till my brother is medically able to fly again, but I hope to see him again soon, especially as my popping down for a visit is now a more viable option!

Mother's Day

Mother's day today. I had a day spent out doors with mothers in my family. Breakfast was mine, with beautiful, tasty pancakes made by my husband and children (actually not outdoors as our outdoor setting was borrowed by my mother in law for her lunch). I did get to potter in my own garden for a bit, in pyjamas and slippers :) The temperature was still low, but the morning sunlight warmed my back as I relaxed and enjoyed my space.

Morning tea - more of the traditional Mother's Day breakfast from my own childhood. We had croissants on a sunny deck with my mum as my children explored the yard. Mum will be moving closer to us soon - I am excited about the possibilities that it will open up and the closeness and support that will be achieved from this.

Lunch with my Nan, Mum and Aunts. Once again outside. Beautiful Autumn air, colourful changing leaves and the warmth of the midday sun.

After lunch I joined my husband and children with his extended family who also had finished lunch and were settling into coffee, cake and outside play. Bustling with people, it was vibrant with play and conversation.

As the sun's glow was cast behind the trees and the afternoon chill setting in, we made our way home. With tired children and a day spent outdoors, my boy came over to me. "Cuddle Mummy". Scooping him into my arms and a kiss on the forehead, he was asleep.

My Mother's day afternoon was not spent outside gardening as I had imagined. Instead I was cuddled on the couch with sleeping boy in arms and girl by my side. Gardening is one thing I love to do with and for my children, and plan to do for many years to come. But sleeping cuddles is a very limited occurrence, with opportunities dwindling.

As I type, my children play happily together and the smell of a gorgeous dinner cooked by my husband wafts to me, beaconing me into the evening. I feel so happy to have such wonderful people in my life, and that two of them call me "Mum".