Mum visited early this morning at 6.30 am, to see what's happening with my garden. And I was thrilled ! For after all, she's the original inspiration behind all my green adventures...
She was very eager to see my volunteer amaranthus and tomato patch and was more than excited to see the lush growth. The amaranthus plants are growing all over the backyard and it looks like I've grown a field of Haravi soppu ! My lime bush gifted her a handful of lovely yellow limes and then she couldn't resist the temptation to gather some beautiful Punarnava greens that are again growing wild all over the backyard.
A step into my meshed green patch and she was very happy for me to see the slow but steady progress with growing vegetables in the ground. Her visit made me more than glad and her approving remarks and nods of appreciation are what made my day !
The moment she left, I got myself busy in my LGP. I extended the first and second bed by another foot in width. Last night I had already transplanted some beans, more yard long beans, marigolds and sage and sowed some bhendi into the second bed. After the extension and clearing the new strips of as many stones as I could, I added vermi compost and sowed kothambri/coriander, menthe soppu/methi/fenugreek, vataani/peas, moolangis/radishes and avrikaayi/bush beans.
The soil in the LGP portion and all around the compound is really very good, but is filled with stone/broken bricks/lumps of cement of all sizes. I have right now begun work in the ground, only in the meshed portion. I water a rectangular patch of land well and let it soak in overnight. Early morning by 5.30, I begin unloosening the damp soil with a small garden trowel. (I am yet to buy a good set of large garden tools. The ones you saw in a previous post were borrowed) as I pick most of the largish stones and other stuff. I add vermi compost to the loosened soil and mix it up well with my hands. I then go ahead and make either pits or grooves depending on what I am sowing/transplanting. A bit tiring, but I doubt there could be any better workout ! I can feel my little paunch receding by the day. All that bending, digging, mixing, lifting, and shovelling action gets my muscles tingling and triggers off my appetite. I haven't had such heavy breakfasts in years...! Apart from all of that physical activity, there's nothing to beat the super sense of achievement !
It's a slow, yet steady progress with my now Large Green Patch. And I am loving every phase of this new green journey... There's loads to get done yet, in this space that fate has so magnanimously gifted me. But I am more than happy and satisfied with the way things are slowly shaping up. Even if this isn't not my own space and it is going to be a temporary stint, I am going to give it my best shot and wait patiently and see what's in store for me...
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