The Alternative Lifestyle Site

Green At Home: What Are You Growing?

I’m feeling a little envious of those who are experiencing a different weather pattern from me right now. It’s winter here in the Southern Hemisphere and because I live in the mountains the fog didn’t lift until around 2 pm this afternoon. I know, I know, before that it was too hot and everything around us was burning and smoke filled. Aaaah, the joys of living in a dynamic world!

As I was sitting here today wishing I was out there gardening I began to plan what I’ll do on the next sunny winters day we have.

• I have to clear up the left over vegetation in at least on vegetable bed.
• I need to stake a new olive tree I planted a few weeks ago, it’s very young and not yet able to stand up straight.
• I want to get on top of some of the winter weeds that are appearing due to our ample rainfall this month and
• I want to plant some more food.

What are You Growing?

• I’ve got black Kale which is so stunning (tastes a little like broccoli which we love),
• silverbeet – lovely green leaves which we add to just about everything,
• there are some onions, beetroot, broccoli, asian greens like boc choy which self seeded from last year,
• herbs such as coriander, parsley, and mint which just seem to appear like magic, along with a number of different cut and come again lettuce varieties. I wonder if it has anything to do with the fact that I let them go to seed and then run around the garden waving them like magic wands to spread them everywhere?

I still feel the need for some more ‘stuff’ to be growing in my garden. I’m thinking in a couple of months I put some potatoes under straw but in the meantime, more broccoli ( We never seem to get sick of it), some carrots, more onions and maybe some garlic although I might be a bit early for that. Snow peas in the shade-house so the frost doesn’t get their flowers sound good too. I might even try parsnips on more time.

What are YOU Growing?

Even if you have only space for a few pots, or a polystyrene box you can grow fresh winter herbs to add to soups and stews. Fresh parsley, wet with dew is a delight just to pick and nibble as you walk by. Mint in tea gives it a real flavour boost – we just nibble on it whenever we walk past our many plants – so fresh and happy a taste and smell it really lifts your spirits.

In just one polystyrene box I can grow lettuce, parsley, baby carrots and beetroot and a good size broccoli plant. In two of them I can add kale, more lettuce, coriander and asian greens. In a hanging basket I can have all the sweet snow peas I could want and they take up no floor space at all. I no longer have to grow in containers as I have a big garden but don’t let a lack of ground-space stop you. Fresh, healthy, easy to grow food is a joy to behold and a big step towards creating as sustainable way of life. Your very own greener alternative lifestyle.

What are you growing? Share with me as I sit here in the cold and just dream of sun ripened tomatoes and strawberries still warm from the sun…..