Spring? What spring?

A month since my last blog post….sheesh I know I’m lazy but seriously where did the time go? Ok, I know where it went, it went along with the season change from winter to summer, not spring as the seasons usually change that appears to have skipped us altogether. I am talking constant days well into the 30’s (Celsius) with overnight’s barely dipping below 20! This is summer heat not spring!!! The month also made way to a 5 day camping trip complete with an open fire, a bit of craft time, a very early (29 weeks) arrival (who is still fighting strong) and a trip to A & E (period pain, seriously it was that bad that is where I ended up). There was some work (yep, I actually worked), a 50th Birthday celebration and the commencement of Master B’s swimming lessons (ain’t he lucky Aunty Naomi is a qualified instructor?).

 

 

But something else happened in that month – I forgot to plant my vegetable garden. Actually to be totally honest, I didn’t forget I just get a little over whelmed by it as I suck, I totally suck at growing things. The soil never seems right, I can’t get the watering thing down packed and I have very little success. I have big, HUGE actually, dreams about what my garden should look like and what we could do, but unfortunately that is not going to happen in our current arrangement. So here is a post about garden envy!

 

Let me start with what I can grow.

Rocket – I managed to grow a small patch over winter and we were able to have a few meals with fresh rocket straight from the garden. I even had enough for a pesto one night! The Rocket has now gone to seed with some pretty flowers (sorta), but I think I might replant for the summer. 

Lettuce – ok specifically salad leaves. This wasn’t a huge patch but it seemed to hold on and provide us with a few leaves over the winter. It is now looking a little sad and droopy but it was good while it lasted.

Parsley – I can’t even kill this stuff. It was here when we moved in some 16 months ago and is still going strong. Pity the lady isn’t much of fan of it.

   

Next up what I am also growing. Garlic – It certainly doesn’t look like it is growing strong and I suspect I am going to have some very tiny bulbs. But I was a good girl and planted it around Anzac day and will pull it out around Melbourne cup day as I was told long ago. This planter was full when I planted them and this is all that remains. Pretty drab I know.

Ok so what does the rest of the garden look like? Weed central. I have pretty much left it to do its own thing since the end of last summer. Last summer I planted 6 tomato plants, 2 zucchini, 2 cucumber, 4 capsicum, 2 eggplant, radishes, carrots and some swiss chard. My bounty – enough swiss chard to add to a couple of meals and 3 cucumbers. That was it. I’m disheartened. I have total garden envy I want it to look like THIS. Kate, Bren and their 3 girls have the most awesome kitchen garden (on top of there commercial one) and every time I see a blog post showing their garden I get envious. I want mine to look that awesome!!!!!

   

I certainly don’t have a green thumb. I want to. I really really do. So help me out I am after suggestions. So far this has not been a cost effective initiative for me. Soil and compost is expensive (I can’t have a compost pile as much as I want to as the garden is already in the common area of our unit complex). I do grow everything from seed (I seem to be able to do that much ok), I have books that I adore and read and read to no avail. I want a lush garden, I want to eat a meal entirely grown by me, I want to think I am saving money. HELP!!!!!