Bonus Post - The Soul Patch

This is really a bonus post. I could not send the video by email to some people who tolerate my update videos and pictures, so I decided to embed them in a post. Not everyone comes here for the personal updates, but this blog was originally set up to give friends and family some updates. Yet anyone is welcome to read and view.

We were going through a period of frequent blackouts. At times that would give me time to play in the garden. One time I decided to just start filming and talking. A chance to show how things have been progressing in the garden(s).

I thought originally I had a plan and a vision. Nothing set in stone, but I had hoped for certain results. Much as the same in life, a few curveballs came my way. Or like Mike Tyson says - everyone has a plan ‘till they get punched in the mouth. My punch in the mouth was slugs . . . god I hate those things. Another thing that changed how things evolved in the garden was the frequent and heavy rains. I got a late start on the outside garden. A space I actually didn’t even plan on having, but my landlord had some unused space and said I could use it if I wanted.

I did a lot from seeds. Something I didn’t have a lot of experience with. Great way and time to learn. As well, I could bring down a few things that were growing on my balcony. The area was in an abandoned greenhouse space. It was really just a patch of grass and weeds.

Things got cut down far enough for me to go in and pull up the remains by hand. No time to do a proper soil and area prep.

And so the planting began. Everything looked so small. However, I needed to start with something, to start somewhere. It would have been good to get a sense of how the sun pattern went throughout the day. I had a general sense, so I hoped where I chose to place things was appropriate. I really had no idea of the condition of the soil as well. Have to admit it didn’t look good at all. But I was also working on some natural fertilizers that I hoped would help.

Transplants from the tomato and pepper seedlings I started in the spring. I had so many on the balcony that I decided to get a few in the ground.

As you can see, I had a few to choose from. Lucky break to get the extra space to move some of these plants.

For months now I have had a regular routine of waking up and the first thing I do is go outside to assess the daily damage from the slugs, and ‘remove’ them from the garden. I was aware they were around. I had no idea how voracious and relentless these things are. A few areas I had planted did not survive the attacks. I planted carrots four separate times. Most of them did not survive the nocturnal feastings. As well my original planting of camomile and echinacea did not fare well. I planted those three times each. Each time the sproutings were eaten or damaged. My salad patch experienced the same fate.

At one point I decided just to plant seeds and some extra seedling in random places. To fill empty spaces and areas damaged by the slugs. Any ideas for uniformity and linearity were out the door. It was time to have a little fun with my predicament. As you can see I built a little walking path to give myself some place to move and walk around. Looks pretty open and spacious, no?

From a photo above you can see that my initial planting of peppers got completely shaded out by the radishes I planted in between them. I had planned on the peppers taking off first and providing some shade for the radishes. I had no idea the radish leaves would get so big so fast.

You can see the space I planned to have a carrot patch. Those eggs trays were initially populated with germinated seeds to get a head start. So much for planning and designing.

Some of what I did with plantings was to place them close to the pathway. I was hoping they would spill over slightly - slightly. I wanted to create a visual sense of abundance by having some of their growth encroach the path space. Wow did I ever underestimate that idea. Cue the heatwave in 3 . . . 2 . . . 1 . . .

Then things got a little crazy.

I really thought I had things well planted and spaced out. That I would have proper access to all my plantings. I really had no idea that this one tomato plant (that is supposed to be a ‘balcony’ type plant) would grow wider than it would be tall. Like they say in real estate - location, location, location. I must have hit the sweet spot for sunlight with that plant.

To show you how things developed I decided to create the following video. To show you with photos just would not give you the complete picture. Even this short video can’t really give you a true sense of everything. Enjoy the little mid-season update.

Some of the harvest that I mentioned in the video.

These became a nice batch of fermented pickles. I do have some others that I made into some vinegar pickles. So good with the fresh dill.

I did some pickled beets from this haul.

This garden is now a hub for bumble bees, butterflies, all sorts of insects and spiders.

This better be a butterfly and not just a cool looking moth.

Even the occasional bird flies in to spend time. A few visitors I did not expect were the chickens from the neighbour. That was a funny visit. I did also wake up one morning to a big pile of dog poop; and they dug up a hole after I planted my sweet potato slips. The joys of gardening. I do have an unexpected companion. A girl who lives in a flat in the place I live at has a black cat. Initially it was pretty timid. However, there are occasions where it gets out of the house and comes roaming around while I work away in the Soul Patch (the name I have given my garden).

As you saw in the video my plan to have some plants grow into the pathway was grossly underestimated. An unintended result of how things have grown is the bizarre way I have to move around and stand at times. It must look ridiculous at times the way I need to step around or over my plants, or move things out of the way. As I got a sense of what I needed to do, it seemed reminiscent of yoga classes I had attended. Holding postures for extended lengths of time. Other moments my movements reminded me of Tai Chi movements I had learned. So often I need to move in a sequence that looks like those scenes from movies where people are robbing museums that have sophisticated surveillance systems. An artful dance.

So I raise a case for not making everything in a garden linear. Not having everything easily accessible. Make some areas and spaces just a little crazy. Embrace a wild or natural element. Yes, I agree gardening can be hard on the back and the knees. Crouching and bending can take its toll. However, I have to admit the laughter at what I need to do to move about, to prune and harvest some plants, makes the time spent in the Soul Patch worthwhile. It also now provides a certain amount of exercise. Trying to hold certain positions and postures while trying to avoid breaking or trampling my plants - it is a challenge. An unintended benefit for sure.

Create a place that has an element of fun. Something wild and untamed. A place you can tell visitors - if you can find it, reach it, or pick it, its yours to take home. Make it an adventure. A scavenger hunt. You will always be amazed at what you find in you own little jungle or food forest.

I will never get bored of moments like these. The first discoveries. The first sightings.

In the future I will likely have gardens that look curated and manicured. A Calvin Klein looking space. But I think I will give myself some spaces that are a little more ‘natural’. A little more free.

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Here is some bonus footage (to a bonus post?). I decided to add in the balcony garden just for kicks. But it will show the difference in the size of some similar plants. I did forget to mention the blueberry plants near the end of the video that is placed between the blackberry plant and the container with strawberry plants.