This year, I’ve had to cut my Kitchen Garden back to just the small garden. This is the one area of the garden that is fenced off. The dogs are barred from entering, as they tend to use it for digging practise. They are attempting to win the World Record for the deepest hole dug in five minutes. Believe me, they stand a good chance.
It’s also away from the deer and rabbits that just like to munch on the young shoots. I have put up deer defences to avoid last sumer’s teeth grinding (mine, not theirs), where they devoured all the young apples from one tree.
The down side is that the small garden is smaller. There is less space. I’ve had to get crafty. The two raised beds have been planted to maximise the space. Pumpkins and squash grow among the sweetcorn. Their leaves minimizing the moisture loss. They are all thriving.
The other raised bed has peas, potatoes and herbs growing in it. I’ve added another raised bed to this one and it’s waiting for seedlings to be added.
The answer is to use the height, where I can. I’ve converted a strawberry planter to take salad instead. Two grow bags to grow lettuce, sponions, radishes and more herbs. The seeds were sown directly into the grow bags and then covered with a propogator lid.
I’ve noticed I have far less slug and beetle damage and the crop is bigger than previous years. Also the pigeons seem to be ignoring it. Win-win!
There are still a few useful areas that I’ve not used in the small garden. I’m impressed at how much I can fit in this space.
Just on the other side of the fence is my fig tree. Loaded with lots of fruit. The black birds and I are keeping beady eyes out for the first fruit that dares to ripen. Then it will be shoes off as I race to get there first. I have literally tugged a fig out of a black bird’s beak before now, although in my defence, I didn’t see the bird. Thought the fig was still attached to the tree.
Everything is so green and lush in my reduced Kitchen Garden. Less than previous years, but with the help of the greenhouse, we should have salad all summer. I still have the fruit areas. So puddings are sorted.
Hopefully next year, I’ll be fit enough to reclaim my bigger kitchen garden. I miss seeing the children disappear into the sweetcorn, or find them reading in their bean houses. I’m sure I’ll miss the winter veg too, but I am impressed on how much I can fit into a small area. A lesson worth learning this year.
Joining in with Annie’s fabulous #HDYGG linky
your garden looks absolutely beautiful and it sounds like you live in a magical place with all those animals around. i can only wish i could have a fig tree. they are by far one of my favorite fruits and i grew up with them in portugal
It’s turned into a very successful tree. A gift from our neighbours, a few years back. The figs are really tasty. I guess that’s why they are opular with us and the blackbirds.
Now I no longer have the excuse that my veggie patch is too small to really produce anything! Woohoo you must have been surprised when you discovered the fig was in the blackbird’s mouth – love it!
We both dropped it, in our surprise. I did notice a blackbird pecking at it later. Hope it was the bird from earlier. 🙂
Looks fabulous, and I’m sure it all tastes scrumptious!
Even better for being homegrown!
Wow it’s looking great! Deer can be such menaces can’t they? I met a garden consultant recently who told me that deer are put off by bright colours, purple especially. She grows lavender around the areas she wants to put deer off from pilfering and hangs those tiny bells that you get on Lindt chocolate rabbit on saplings as when they try to nibble the leaves the bell ringing scares them off. Fascinating really!
Such a productive space you have there, love how you have adapted to the smaller area. Thanks for joining in again! x
I am definitely going to try those deer defence ideas. Putting up bells sounds a lovely idea, deer or no deer. I used empty pie ins last year, which probably had a similar effect, but not so pretty. 🙂
That’s a beautiful looking fig – and loving your inventiveness for growing so much in a small space 🙂 #hdygg
I really love how you have used the space in such clever ways for growing your veggies, it looks so green and lush. Very funny about the fig and the blackbird, sounds a bit like fighting over an item in the sales : 😆
what a lovely well stocked garden
I’m pleased at how much is thriving.
Your plot may be smaller this year but you’ve certainly put it to good use. I tried growing sweetcorn from seed this year but only one germinated and then that got chomped!
How upsetting to have the only one eaten. Always the way. Hope you give sweetcorn a second chance. It tastes so much sweeter if eaten close to picking the cobs.