Vegetable garden update

One of the first things I did on returning home was clear some of the weeds in the vegetable garden.  The lemongrass had become monstrous, and so I chopped enough leaves away to clear the path.  Some went into the compost where  they are a great compost activator.  The others were just laid on the bare earth (now that the weeds are gone).  They are a sort of mulch, which I also hope act as a bit of an insect repellant, being lemony and all. 

I had put up a small shadecloth before I left, and in my absence a pawpaw tree had grown right up under it and was beginning to bend sideways.  I couldnt remove it as the loofah has got all entwined with it, so just changed it to a different angle to allow the pawapaw tree grow up alongside it.  I do hope it is a female pawpaw.  I have quite a few new papwpaw trees shooting up at the back of this bed, and those should be the red pawpaw, so am holding thumbs. 

Hubby didnt pick any asparagus so we have lots of thick ferns, but I will start harvesting them again now.  Not a bad thing as that will build up the crown.  I was amazed when weeding to see just how far reaching those asparagus roots actually are. I  also found lots of lovely thick wriggling earthworms, so have a feeling this is going to be a good productive year for veggies.
The comfrey in the ground rotted away so just as well I still have one in the pot.  I will propogate some more plants just as soon as this wet season looks as though it might be drawing to a  close.  I do like the comfrey for making comfrey juice and heating up the compost, but clearly it is not a wet season plant. 
I am glad that we just seem to be having short thunderstoms every day with a bit of clear weather to go out and garden.  Whew, it is hot and humid though!

Comments

  1. DesireeMon Jan 10, 06:32:00 PM

    Oh, you're so lucky to be able to grow your own paw-paws. They are one of my favourite fruits, but we can't easily grow them in the Western Cape.

    Your veggie garden is looking lush & green and healthy and you have such an interesting & varied assortment of plants. If edible asparagus grows anything like the ornamental asparagus ferns we have here, I can well believe how potentially invasive they are. All the more for you to harvest and enjoy, though! Yum!

    You've taught me two things I didn't know - that lemon grass is a good compost activator (next time I'm at the nursery, I'm going to make sure I source a plant or two for my own garden!) and that comfrey has a similar effect. I've not ever grown either. You are far more adventurous than I am. Great! I stand to learn a lot from you :)

    It's hot here, too and humid, but the promise of rain (yesterday), didn't transpire - and, in any case, it would only have amounted to a couple of millimetres at this time of the year.

    ReplyDelete
  2. africanaussieTue Jan 11, 12:39:00 PM

    Desiree,
    I know - and I havnt had a ripe one for a while now - I keep checking. There is nothing quite so wonderful as fresh fruit just picked... No, the edible asparagus is not invasive,but it is a perennial which grows bigger over time, so you have to leave it lots of room. My plants are three years old this year, and really just starting to produce enough for dinner once a week. With comfrey make sure you get the non invasive kind - bocking13 - I think it is called.

    ReplyDelete
  3. Solitude RisingWed Jan 12, 09:51:00 AM

    Do let us know if the lemongrass mulch are good insect repellant. It would really help if they are.

    The comfrey is an non-existing plant to me until I read it on your post. I might have to do a little online digging to learn what it is and how it looks like. I leared something new again today. Thanks.

    ReplyDelete
  4. sandduneWed Jan 12, 11:33:00 AM

    I have been using the Comfrey leaves as a mulch around some of my plants. I chop the leaves up fine and just spread it around the plant base. Figgure it will leach into the soil and plant as it breaks down. Seems to perk up the plants I have tried the comfrey on with no ill effects so far.

    ReplyDelete
  5. africanaussieWed Jan 12, 03:40:00 PM

    Solitude rising,
    I think lemongrass might help with mosquitoes, but it is so hard to actually prove! Comfrey is so wonderful, I will be doing a post soon showing all the data on its nutrients.
    Sanddune,
    Yes I sometimes do that as well. I have also heard it is a good idea to place leaves at the bottom of the hole when planting tomatoes and potatoes.

    ReplyDelete
  6. WendySun Jan 16, 03:45:00 AM

    what nice herbs you have going. I'd like to try growing lemongrass and comfrey. I'm not sure lemongrass is hardy here though. Looks like your garden plants are happy happy happy!

    ReplyDelete
  7. fialka012Sun Jan 30, 09:09:00 PM

    Velmi hezké...

    ReplyDelete

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