Gardening

Since I have been reading 'Planetwise' by Dave Bookless (see posts about this book here), I have had a great longing to be out in the garden. Actually want to be pulling weeds and mulching, I think that I know have about 1/2 of our garden done now which is great as I have been battling the weeds for the last 3 months.

I have learnt that things have got easier because of the cooling of the weather and the change in the season, the weeds are not so much in a growth phase which means that I have little more time after pulling the weeds out before I have to get the mulch down. Great because I don't have a constant supply and can only buy mulch when we can afford it.

Because money is a big issue I have found a way of making the mulch that I do buy go alittle further, cardboard & newspaper. These are things that I can get in quite a ready supply thanks to my wonderful hubby. Normally my husbands work just throws the cardboard boxes that their orders come in into the recycle dumpster out the back. Which is great that they get recycled, but it is also good for me. Everytime they get a delivery of large boxes my husband gives me a call I go down a pick them up, remove any tape & stables and cut/rip into size. I cover the newly weeded ground with the pieces of cardboard or multiple layers of newspaper wet with the hose or watering can and then covering with mulch. I have found that the layer of cardboard/newspaper means that the layer of mulch doesn't have to be as thick and thus you can cover a larger area. The cardboard/newspaper will eventually breakdown as does the mulch, but it takes a little more time.

Can't wait to get the whole garden mulch, really hoping that I will be able to stay on top of the weeds now. Next thing is to decide what plants to put in, I am thinking about low growing guerrilla and other natives. Attract some more birds into our backyard, Curios will enjoy more birds to sing to.