Some growth
So since the last time I have not allocated a huge amount of time to the raised bed but I have kept an eye on things and watched as the seeds germinated and the seedlings started to take hold.
One main thing I noticed was that the soil was not really doing what I hoped. Instead of light fluffy soil, it seemed to be caking on top and becoming quite hard. I am yet to figure out exactly what the cause (or cure) of this is but in the meantime the plants are suffering a little. I have not physically inspected the roots but I suspect they are having a tough time pushing down and out in their attempt to find nutrients and the result is that their growth is being stunted.
It’s hard to fix a garden bed while there are plants growing in it so all I have done so far is to spread a little sand over the top in the hope that it will penetrate and loosen things up. I have also added a little Dolomite lime to the soil as, according to a pH tester (care of AliExpress), the soil is on the acidic side (pH 5.5).
After procrastinating for too long I transplanted some rocket seedlings (which I raised from seeds) and also three capsicum plants purchased from Bunnings. It’s funny that you can pay such a small amount (or a large amount) for seedlings. I realise they are just an extension of seeds but they give you an extra few weeks of growth time. Only the beetroot seeds are missing and these should not be far off.
One great thing that has been working well is the ability of the soil to retain moisture. Sure we have had some rain recently, as it is Spring after all, but I have only given it a water once or twice.
Also, I had my first harvest. The radishes I planted only 5 weeks ago are big enough to eat so I picked a few and we had them in some veggie wraps. They were so yum. I put new seeds in the vacated spots to continue a rolling crop.
50 cents may not be much but it’s great to finally have some skin in the game.
Updated income and expenditure chart.
