Spring has arrived with a vengeance. Only a month ago, the garden was looking quite dry and dusty, and there wasn't much sign of life. Now, after a couple of days of rain and lots of sun, the mandalas are completely transformed and are bursting with life, as you can see from the photo. The area around the pond in Mandala 1 is looking particularly good - I planted quite a lot of natives there last year and they are doing well.
Click on photo to enlarge image
We've been eating lots of stuff from the garden - mainly cauliflowers, asparagus, silverbeet and lettuce. The asparagus around Mandala 1 that I thinned out earlier this year is looking somewhat spindly, but some of the plants around Mandala 2 are throwing up really thick shoots.
Jen commented about mint - I sympathise, but haven't got a good remedy. I made the mistake of planting three sorts of mint in part of the edge guild of Mandala 1 when we first set up that mandala. Once it started making its way into the asparagus bed I decided it had to go, but it took me days to dig it all up, and months later I'm still picking out stray bits of mint. It had out-competed even the comfrey, but now I've removed most of the mint, the comfrey is flourishing again. We're allowing mint to grow near our water tank, which is a few metres away from Mandala 1, and we won't let it spread anywhere near the veggie garden.
Hi there, I'm attending a PDC in Feb 09 with ACT Permaculture group. I have 100acres near Goulburn. Are you attached to any Permaculture group?
Where is your farm situated. just for a comparison of climatic bioregion.
Regards
Glenn
Posted by: Glenn | October 27, 2008 at 12:43 PM
Dear Hilary,
most of the asparagus plants you gave me have sprouted too--- very pleasing!
(But we have not eaten any)
Julie.
Posted by: Julie | October 08, 2008 at 09:07 AM