Welcome to the Weekend Coffee Share! Can I get you a cup of coffee? Or tea? How are you?
It’s been a rather cold and windy week in the middle of Sweden where I live. It even snowed a couple times, but the snow didn’t stay. Pretty typical weather for the season. My daughter started the week with a fever and a bad cold. I’ve mostly been taking care of her this week. I’m a little sniffly myself, but I don’t feel sick.
Yesterday I managed to ride my bike to the allotment, the first time this week. I’ve been wanting to put up the fencing I purchased last weekend, to protect my garden from deer. I’ve decided to concentrate my gardening efforts to the upper ¾ of the allotment, and it made sense to start out fencing that area. I’ve fenced many miles of horse pastures through the years, the main difference is that we are not allowed to make any permanent fixtures, horse pastures are usually made to be permanent. At the allotment there is only one type of fencing allowed (very durable and effective against the massive deer population.) The manufacturer of that fence recommends using their fence posts, in combination with thick wooden fence posts. The wooden fence posts are of a more permanent nature, therefor I had to be creative while fencing without them. The fence is almost invisible to the human eye, unless you are very close, but distinctive to the deer.
I’m rather pleased with how it turned out. I used more fence posts than the recommended amount, since I had to opt out of the wooden ones, and I also attached the fence with metal wire to some of the raised beds, and metal stakes I have for my raspberry bushes. The allotment garden is situated on a sunny, but windy south-facing hillside. It looked good when I was done. I don’t want any of the other gardeners to complain, so that is important when the plots are so close to each other. I will visit the garden store where I purchase the fencing and get more fence posts, for extra sturdiness. The fence is UV resistant and supposed to last for many years. I could easily bring it with me if I would garden at a different location at some point. I think that I’ll probably take it down every winter. We’ll see. Now I’m finally ready to do some gardening! I have the beds in place and the fencing! Let the fun begin!
Speaking of raised beds. Some of you have asked why I choose raised beds and not in ground gardening. I do a combination of both. However, for several reasons it is more efficient for me to grow in raised beds. Our gardening season is very short, and to be able to maximize the yield I must do everything I can to make the season longer. The soil warms up much faster in raised beds, therefor I can plant earlier in the season. There is also a huge problem with the common blue-sow-thistle (Cicerbita macrophylla.) It produces lots of runner’s underground that kills other plants. When I plant in raised beds I can if not eliminate the problem at least minimize it. I have card box at the bottom (it eventually decomposes, but it does help,) followed by small branches, grass clippings, leaves, bokashi compost etc. It is also easier to feed a smaller area with the specific nutrients the crop/crops in that raised bed need, compared to in ground gardening. It is by far easier to maintain, time is of importance when you have other responsibilities. My back also prefers raised beds. Some crops, flower and bushes are perfectly fine planted directly in the ground, they don’t care about the common blue-sow-thistle. I’m trying to be on top of the game when it comes to weeds, but some are very persistent. I find that no-till gardening, combined with lots of mulching are my best friends in that war. I hope that answered the question.
If you have a Weekend Coffee Share, I’ll try to visit. Thank you, Natalie, for hosting the Weekend Coffee Share. How are things in your neck of the woods? Please tell me about your week!
Love and gratitude,
Maria