resurrection: part two
Some of the companion planting trials have really worked well,
especially the loofah, nasturtium, and and tomatillo all growing together,
encircled by dill that had sprouted up from the compost pile.
(I had read that nasturtiums were companion plantings for squashes;
the tomatillo seed was from an unsprouted sowing in a small flowerpot,
the contents of which I had scattered around the loofah when transplanting.)
And the ring of tomatillos around dwarf sunflowers, with amaranth and popcorn,
have finally soaked in ample water and seaweed fertilizer, and are growing vividly lush.
And Horta Nova continues to impress; with waist-high corn and finger-long bean pods.
And then, in the containers on the patio:
the accidental bush beans, tomatoes, and dill combo
has encouraged the largest of each of these plants in the whole garden;
while the violet bush beans and wild thyme both seem contently growing vibrantly.
And the morning glories are happily climbing up the sunflowers in their planter.
And the arugula re-seeded into the garden boxes
has provided needed shade (& a tasty green for our sandwiches)
for the base of the tomatoes, sunflowers, and chickpeas.
And the calendula around the tomatoes are finally in full bloom!
Each of these companions seem happy sharing their spaces, and nutrients.
During the Flower time, I tucked some tarragon seeds into the garden,
a planting amidst the tomatoes and another next to the broccoli,
wondering if either will benefit from their new neighbors.
I often wonder which plants will be beneficial friends,
(& it’s been hard to find comprehensive lists of companion plantings)
but feel that since something will be growing there anyway,
as we have abundant “weeds” we might as well try to grow things that we like.
In that vain, during Leaf time, I hulled and scattered the seeds from a local green
to encourage more edibles in the empty spaces in the last garden box.
And it’s amazing just how dramatically our land has revived with regular waterings;
a few more seasons of tender loving treatment and I’m sure it’ll be really special.
And to help them along, we finally assembled an irrigation hose system for the citrus:
ten old lengths of hose joined together along from the blood orange down to the lemon,
and then punctured twice around each tree’s base to allow a stream of water to bubble out.
And after months of gathering replaced hoses and finding connectors,
all of a sudden it works! Well! Really well!
During the long Leaf time, I started more seeds indoors:
for red cabbages, savoy cabbages, radicchio and escarole.
If all goes well, they’ll be transplantable next month
into the spaces made vacant in the last garden box
where I’ve harvested potatoes, beets and carrots.
And the kale and kohlrabi in the garden have really taken off!
Once we flipped into Fruit time,
I also started seeds for more cucumbers into pots,
having recently read that they’re fine to plant in mid-July
in regions with an extended growing season.
And I scattered more calabacita and pattypan squash seeds into the ground, too.
And speaking of seeds,
seed hulling, sorting, and saving has been a long, yet rewarding process.
I’m all finished with the radish seeds on the past Root days;
and done with the arugula seeds, which I now have a whole jar of,
and have been now working on the kale seeds on Leaf days;
and in the midst of hulling a million mustard seeds on Fruit days.
Fortunately, the sunflower seeds just need to be pried out of their dried heads,
collecting enough of each kind for next Spring’s planting
(during Flower time for the ornamentals & Fruit time for the edible seed varieties);
and gathering some extra to snack on while we’re hanging out,
while leaving the rest for all the birds, as nature’s easiest bird feeder!
(Actually, they are nature’s largest bee feeders, too.
I’ve been humbled by how these plants provide so much for so many.
Like with our plum trees, before feeding us, & the birds & ants & wasps & flies,
their blossoms fed the bees for two long weeks before most wildflowers were waking up.)
As I’ve mentioned before, I’ve really become excited about growing seeds,
and the saving of seeds, and, of course, having them all be organic seeds;
which farmers have done since time unmemorable,
(& has recently become an issue of contention:
as corporate jerks are trying to steal indigenous seeds & then patent them,
so that those original seed-handlers are now unable to grow their own seeds:
such as heirloom tomatoes in Mexico & just about any seeds in India.
It’s not like I’m engaging in war with Monsanto,
or the seed companies available here in Portugal
that sell all their seeds coated in a toxic fungicide;
but I do prefer to do things the natural way,
& want to share seeds with others to encourage natural gardening.)
And increase biodiversity, and spread the variations of life.
My favorite morning glory plant this summer grew from our own seeds,
originally grown years ago in Marmalade’s bedroom in Austria,
and now sown in cork planters outside our bedroom windows.
For some magical reason, this plant produces flared morning glories,
that have split petals rather resemble other flowers and butterfly wings.
Before we departed Fruit time, I wanted to mention that
we have the first half dozen hokkaido squash in Horta Nova,
and probably that many maracujas on the vine by the chimney.
And the echinacea have fully opened,
though it’s hard to get a clear photo with all the butterfly traffic on them.
And the waterlily has begun blooming again!
And then today it flipped into Root time, which means harvest time:
bunches of beets, red and yellow onions, and rainbow carrots and parsnips
(although half were eaten by my little garden helper before I could document…
& thank goodness she enjoys eating veggies straight from the garden!)
I’ve already made two jars of fermented beet pickles,
(& two jars of unripe-pear chutney from a limb that snapped off the “wild” pear tree)
and will ferment the rest of the root veggies tomorrow.
It’s really wonderful having such bounty growing from our land.
