this post was submitted on 28 Dec 2024
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Been a long time since I did a garden update!
Most stuff died off, and I've come to the conclusion I don't really have the time or energy for active or regular gardening. By which I mean getting out every week to rip up weeds, watering every single day, getting rid of pests and insects, etc. the gardens at the last place went fully feral, turned into a jungle. Mostly coriander and kale taking over. The garden beds were never really my domain though, the old LT handled that and I was mostly just in it for the sake of getting into the sunshine for a few hours a week and having a good chat with him on weeding day
The planter box I had packed to the rafters with herbs and such completely died. Not sure if it was the lack of watering, or the overwatering that did them in. But yeah. Completely 100% dead and beyond repair. I've been watering it hoping that there's something still there just waiting for the right moment to come back up through. Worst case, it's a nice planter box still, so I kept it and might just dump the soil and plant something new
The pineberries and strawberries completely died, then they came back, then they died again. I kill them everytime they start flowering and fruiting. Not intentional, and not from overwatering. Mostly lack of attention and forgetting about them. The pineberries (I think) are flowering a little bit, so I might get some fruit soon. The strawberries aren't flowering, but I'm hopeful once they realise it's safe, they will
I gave most of the front patio plants back to the old LT before I left because I don't have the capacity to look after them all, and he bought them out of his own money for the sake of licensing the place up. Seemed a shame to either let me kill them, or leave them behind, and let them die themselves. I took most of what was left
Everybody keeps telling me all about how mint is invasive and will go everywhere with basically zero care BUT I'VE KILLED 4 FUCKING MINT PLANTS, ALL BEYOND RESURRECTION
Anyway, photos:
2x plant photos
Mint has a tendency to die off when it gets too dry, then pop up again when there is rainfall. I've had mint growing feral in the lawn that would appear to completely disappear over summer, then pop up again overnight when conditions suited it better.
Planters are tough, and gardening in general involves a lot of stuff dying - being a good gardener is often a matter of persevering when things go wrong more than getting things right.
This is very true.
hugs to you too
contrary to popular belief gardening in containers is more difficult than gardening in beds
they dry out so quickly, or get over watered too easily, the food depletes quickly, weeds and bugs can take over , they can get too hot or cold
Just do what you know works :)
my vegie pots now consist of fast to grow lettuces, a few herbs , radishes and chilies. Nothing the birds want to eat either. The rest are easy bulbs like gingers , succulents and orchids.
Thanks, but no hugs needed! I'm actually fairly okay with it. I haven't personally invested in most of it, I kind of just got it all through gifts or cheap from Bunnings
I know garden beds are kind of easier in some regards, but I prefer planter boxes for a few reasons. Largely because I hate having to bend over and kneel down. Not a mobility thing, I just don't really like having to kneel down into the garden beds or suffer the consequences of hunching over while weeding or whatever
Also I'm very arachnophobic, and contrary to what everyone also keeps telling me, trying to remember they're more afraid of me than I am of them, or its their home, or they won't harm me, or trying to do DIY exposure therapy has not helped at all. Bugs in general freak me out a bit. With planter boxes, they're mostly isolated to the rims of the boxes, with the occasional small ones building homes in the strawberries. But they usually move on pretty quickly when they feel the water from the hose. The lack of weeds also means I don't have to stick my hands into deep foliage and hope for the best (a terrifying proposition for me, even with gardening gloves!)
Itβs fine, theyβre mostly annuals anyway. There are those watering spikes for bottles or drought resistant plants.
Even a rock garden.
Itβs totally fine to take on only what you can handle or even give it a miss if itβs not manageable
I like those self contained ecosphere things, the ones you start off with a small amount of water and develop their own little closed off ecosystem. I'd really like to do one of those. But I think the initial setup is a bit sensitive and fiddly because it's such a small system
Killing mint is an ACCOMPLISHMENT. Not many can do that. Have you thought of hiring out as a weed control specialist? If so, I have a garden that could do with your services.
Don't feel bad. I've killed bamboo and cactus.
I have however grown a human successfully so that kinda trumps everything but I do envy the green thumbs at times. Now days I prefer to appreciate and admire their work from afar.
Haha I almost killed the old LTs cacti when he went on holidays for a month π
I forgot to water for the first 3 weeks of his holiday, and then realised "oh shit, everything's almost dead" so compensated by overwatering. They weren't happy about that, but did eventually dry out and calm down. I find aloe to be the easiest thing to grow, because it never seems to fully die, at least the big nature plant I have. It'll just go brown then bounce back. It also doesn't seem like it can be overwatered, not that I'll be testing that
Growing a mini human is definitely more of a feat!
Not your fault. Did it ask you what it wants? No. Communication please.