Veggie patch progress

Due to the heat we experienced I didn't get to plant all my seedlings - and not even one lemon tree.  It wouldn't have been fair to the plants.  So we schlepped all the trees back with us...


And the balance of the unplanted seedlings have been left, under irrigation, in the far corner of the veggie hut, safely cocooned in the styrofoam boxes that RSon salvaged from his friend's restaurant.


But I did get to prepare, and plant up, the balance of the shadecloth veggie hut.  Well, me and my helper, John :)  Amazing what a bit of male strength can do!


I had started on the central portion on Friday afternoon, and continued with a bit more on Saturday morning, but by 9.30 a.m. it was too hot to continue working - even under the shade cloth.  Then we had our meeting at 10.00a.m. till 1.00p.m.  After the meeting RMan and I just platzed until about 3.00p.m. - it would've been dangerous to work in that 35oC heat!  From 3.00p.m. to 5.30p.m. we got busy on the patio - but that's another story...


Sunday morning we woke to overcast skies and drizzle.  Very welcome drizzle. And my helper arrived better-late-than-never at 8.30a.m. so the two of us got to work.  The entire area was picked and turned, and compost, bonemeal and Talborne Organics for Vegetables was added to the soil.


Drizzle turned into a downpour a couple of times - which resulted in everyone seeking shelter during the worst of it.  And, venturing outside again afterwards resulted in my Crocs getting heavier and heavier with the squishy, clinging muddy clay.  Eventually I ditched those too and just walked barefoot in the veggie patch area (not outside though, because of the devil thorns!)


But, we completed our task, and I got to plant some ginger, spinach, more tomatoes, peppers, parsley, lettuces and beans.  And scattered / sowed even more lettuce and raddish, mealies, popcorn and carrots.

The shadecloth veggie hut - picked, composted, fed
and planted.  And weedguard was laid as a path
to prevent grass / weeds from growing in the wet,
fertile environment that I have created
within the veggie hut.  I had to anchor it down with
the balance of our poles, as the wind still blows
through the shadecloth.

RMan, bless him, even after his own hectically busy day, managed to find the time (just before we departed at 7.00p.m.) to install the porous pipe irrigation.  And, boy, does that porous pipe work...

... this is the before picture - from the 8th November ...

Before - just after it was planted / seeded up

... and this is from the 20th November - 12 days!

12 days later - growth everywhere :)

All my seeds are popping themselves above ground - lettuce, rocket, carrots, marigolds (round the tomatoes) and beetroot - everyone of them :)  And I haven't lost one of the seedlings I planted due to lack of water.


And that is without anyone watering them, weeding them or keeping a watchful eye out for them.


Thank goodness for the shadecloth veggie hut and the pipe.  They are definitely the way to go!


If disgruntled means that you're discontented, angry and dissatisfied, then I reckon I'm very gruntled with my shadecloth veggie patch :)

Happy Thanksgiving for tomorrow to my American followers.  May the year ahead of you be a gruntled one.