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Self care by growing a garden

Self care by growing a garden

A SOS to any green thumbs out there

I have always found gardening to be therapeutic and it has given me great joy. However, after a major crisis with Mr Darcy's health I have not had been able to get back into it. Have other gardeners suffered from a similar hiatus and how have you recovered and got going again?

Darcy

PS have a spot that needs filling any recommendations for a 1m high cool climate white flower plant?

2358 replies

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In response to: Self care by growing a garden

Re: Self care by growing a garden

@Determined, my first preference is to leave flowers to do their thing in the garden, but sometimes there is a greater opportunity to appreciate them in a vase. 🙂

There was an old practice of growing a "picking garden", where flowers would be grown in rows somewhere down in the veggie patch, specifically for the purpose of filling vases in the house. That way you didn't have the supports that kept the stems straight ruining the effect of a decorative garden, and, even though they looked spectacular in full bloom, you didn't need to feel guilty about "ruining" the display by cutting them, because that's what they were there for...

Part of me would love to do that here, part of me cries out "but I need that space for tomatoes.... " 😛


In response to: Self care by growing a garden

Re: Self care by growing a garden

@Former-Member, the leeks should grow more, but if they don't, they form a little bulbil when they die back that can be replanted for next year. If they grow to full size, they form a whole bunch of bulbils at their base, like a loose garlic head, which come up as a bunch of leeks the next year. I've kept the "same" leeks regrowing for years that way, until they eventually got weak and sick and died out.

If you leave the cabbage in the ground, it will eventually try to flower. If you pick out the flower shoots as they start to develop, you can eat them like a kind of leafy broccolini. Again, I've had cabbage plants that have been picked repeatedly for a year or two doing it that way.

In response to: Re: Self care by growing a garden

Re: Self care by growing a garden

Finally an opportunity to get back out in the garden today. Filled the green bin and made quite a different with a section of the front yard. Dirty and smelly with no hot water as it's decided to pack it in late today. *Sigh

Lucky I'm working from home tomorrow so will have a quick shower and wash the hair another day.

Hope you're all well 💐🌸🌷🌻🌼🏡🌳🌴

@Smc @Former-Member @Determined @SJT63 @Adge @Shaz51

In response to: Re: Self care by growing a garden

Re: Self care by growing a garden

Hi @Anastasia Sounds like quite an achievement.

I'm glad you're happy with what you achieved in your garden.

Not much fun not being able to have a good wash - No hot water.

We're having another Blackout here.
Started a short while ago.
There was a very loud Bang - A Capacitor must have blown on the powerline.
Then all the power went off - Usually lasts for several hours at least.
Adge

In response to: Re: Self care by growing a garden

Re: Self care by growing a garden

Not good @Adge

Have you got some candles that will provide you with light?

Hope they fix it soon for you.

Think I'll go for a drive to Mums don't think I'm brave enough for a cold shower 🙂

In response to: Re: Self care by growing a garden

Re: Self care by growing a garden

@AnastasiaOh no Not a Cold Shower - I cannot make myself have one of those (I've tried).

The Power Fault Line Automated message said that they are aware that this area has no power (outage).

The estimated Restoration time was in 3 hours time (Blackout from 5.00pm to 8.00pm).

I have Lit Several Candles, & an Oil Lamp - They help a bit.

Adge

In response to: Re: Self care by growing a garden

Re: Self care by growing a garden

Hopefully not much longer if they are correct with the timing @Adge

I did go to Mum's for a shower, was lovely, now off to bed shortly. I hope you have a better work week this week Adge. Am sending vibes once again to the Universe for a more suitable position for you, you deserve that ♥️

In response to: Re: Self care by growing a garden

Re: Self care by growing a garden

@Anastasia Mr S does the garden - but we've run out of rainwater and having to put townwater on at the moment.. storms forecast this arvo so hopefully the barrels will fill.

I HATE gardening but will help if I have to... plenty of work in it for me processing the harvest. Another punnet of strawberries and 14 cobs of corn came in last night.

Fancy you shower after gardening, I must tell Mr S that people do that sometimes.....

In response to: Self care by growing a garden

Re: Self care by growing a garden

@Smc

I love parsnips but we've never managed to get them to germinate. This year's onions, beetroot and carrots were magnificent though.

In response to: Re: Self care by growing a garden

Re: Self care by growing a garden

@SJT63, parsnip seeds lose their viability really quickly. Even freshly bought seed often germinates poorly. The best way to get parsnips to grow is to find someone who has some going to seed, collect it and plant ASAP. It'll even self-seed if allowed to do so, but I haven't gotten mine to that point in recent years. Hoping my seedlings do survive replanting so it happens this year. (Well, next year... they'll be due to go to seed next spring. 🙂 )

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