This Bloke's Garden

Now for something completely different from the travel adventure theme.....  This is the first of a series of articles I am writing for our Age Concern Otago monthly magazine 'Community in Action'.  It struck me that this isn't just for the elderly - anyone can benefit from these easy care garden plots. The qualifier is that I am not an expert - what I describe works for me and has come from my own experiences - trial and error if you like.  If you need a textbook there are plenty available in the shops, library or online.  Please enjoy the spirit of these posts - you needn't take them too seriously!!

I get a huge sense of satisfaction from being able to pluck a few fresh leaves from my small vege plot to make a salad and I feel self-righteous every time I pull a handful of baby carrots to supplement our dinner veges.  In dollar terms, I suspect I’d be marginally better off buying my greens from the supermarket, and I certainly have no illusions about being self-sufficient, or being an expert in the field [excuse the pun], but for me the three tiny 1.2 metre square plots I maintain have many more benefits to offer than just fresh produce. 

Physical and mental fitness, fresh air, social connectivity with like-minded souls (even if it is just exercising bragging rights over a bumper crop with your neighbour), a sense of purpose, and a source of pride and satisfaction are just some good reasons to persevere with an edible garden plot.

With our short Southern growing season it can be a challenge to grow some crops.  Enjoying the ‘fruit [and veges] of your success’ involves planning and coordinating a series of tasks, often over a number of months.  Sometimes too there are disappointments.  For those times there is always the supermarket option.  A keen though lazy gardener, I have always been interested in easier and more efficient ways of doing things.  Because of a dodgy back, double trenching huge plots just doesn’t do it for me and my gardens have no use for shovels or other heavy tools. 

Over the next few months I’ll share a series of short articles describing how I put my own plots together so you too will be able to enjoy a productive and enjoyable low maintenance and relatively cheap garden that will be the envy of your peers come spring.