Welcome to the Weekend coffee share! Can I offer you some coffee? Or tea?
When I lived in California I learned how useful it is to use ollas in the garden. I looked for, and found a pottery here in Sweden that makes them. I ordered two ollas and they arrived earlier this week. I’m so excited! The plan is to bury them next to the apple trees I am going to plant by the end of May. So practical for those busy days when I don’t make it up to the garden.
The self-watering clay pots are buried up to their necks in the soil and can then be filled with water. Due to the porous walls of the unglazed clay, the water is released slowly and continuously into the soil. Olla irrigation works through soil moisture tension, also called suction tension. The tension increases as the soil dries out (i.e. dry soil has a greater capacity to absorb water). When the suction tension in the soil is greater than that of the clay pot, it pulls water from the olla. Once the soil is moist, the suction tension is no longer greater outside of the olla pot, and no more water is pulled from the olla. The pots provide a self-watering system, as long as the olla pot has water in it. It is also a way of saving water, you only water the roots of your plants, and all the water goes towards that plant (you do not water any weeds.)
Besides that I planted wild strawberries and celery this week. The wild strawberries are in two big tubs in a sunny windowsill, and the celery is in one huge tub at the balcony. Eventually most of it is going to the allotment garden (the wild strawberries are going to serve as a ground cover surrounding my berry bushes,) I’ll probably keep a few plants at the balcony for easy access. I just have to be careful to not over do it at the balcony…I sometimes have a tendency to do so. I only need a few herbs there, some tomatoes (I know I said I wasn’t going to grow tomatoes this year, but I changed my mind,) and of course everyone need salad greens close by, right?
This cilantro (photo 1) and salad greens (photo 2,3) was planted outside from seed while we still had freezing temperatures. Everything is starting to come alive now, and I am expecting a lot of growth this coming week with rising temperatures. It is likely to be the first week with consistent lows over 30F/0C.
I clipped my green onions for the third time yesterday. They were delicious on our pizza last night. The plants are going to the allotment garden next weekend. I have around 100 green onion plants, if I count all the different varieties. I’ve been reading up on companion planting, something I am a big fan of. I’ve come to the conclusion that I’m going to plant green onions next to my carrots, strawberry, salad, and celery.
I have winter squash growing inside in a window sill, and outside at the balcony (in a mini greenhouse.) The ones above are growing at the balcony, they are smaller than the ones growing inside, but still full of life. I also have a variety of a yellow summer squash growing inside. All the squash is going to the allotment garden.
I have one pumpkin seed for a giant pumpkin that I haven’t started yet. I purchased one seed from the man who grew the largest pumpkin in Sweden last year (it’s a yearly competition.) I am going to plant that seed in the middle of May, to make sure I don’t plant it too early. The soil temperature has to be warm enough to plant outside when it is ready to be planted. It is a fast growing variety, and I can not keep it inside when it starts to grow. I’m not super serious about growing the largest pumpkin, it’s more of a fun thing. I am a member of a Facebook group for people that grows giant pumpkins and some are very serious about it!
Yesterday I accidentally stumbled upon an ad for a garden center for sale about one hour from here. It is a marvellous organic garden, with several green houses, a cute little farm shop, fields for larger crops, and an established thriving business that comes with the deal. My fingers are itching! However, I do not have an extra 200K (very reasonably prices I think.) If I did I would invest it here.
How is your week? What have you been up to? Are you enjoying the weekend? Thank you Natalie for hosting the Weekend Coffee Share.
Love,
Maria
GreenDreams 
I can just imagine you in that nursery and loving it. Perhaps when the kids are grown? Shelve the dream, but don’t give it up. 🙂
Spring is a busy and exciting time in the garden. Yours will be full of yummy things! Now that our rain has finally(!) let up, garden chores resume. Got the big garden edged yesterday, still readying it for fencing. Something is nibbling my emerging sweet peas, grrr. It can feel like a war out there, woman against nature… it conflicts with my love of nature in general, ha!
Have a lovely week ahead! 🙂
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Well, if I’m honest, it sounds like s sweet deal, but I don’t think that I really would like to have a nursery of that size. I would like to have a smaller one though 🙂
I am very familiar with that war you’re talking about ! I’m on your side! Have a great week!
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Hi Maria – I’d never heard of ollas before – they sound like a great idea. We’ve been growing onions and trimming them for adding to meals too – it’s a great way to add some colour and flavour without needing to hit the shops. That garden nursery sounds great – it’s a shame you didn’t win the lottery – it would have been a great investment.
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Ollas are fabulous, it really changed my gardening in California. Have a wonderful new week!
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The Olla is such a great idea. i love those types of things that are so simple yet work so much better than the most complicated thing you can imagine (computer controlled (with attached weather station) hydro-drip irrigation system?). Good luck with the Great Pumpkin!
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Rigth! Ollas have been used for 4000 years now, but I didn’t hear about them until a few years ago.
Thank you! Have a wonderful new week 🙂
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You’ve been very busy, Maria! The pizza looks delicious! ❤️🇸🇪
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Thank you so much. This kind of busy is wonderful for the soul 🙂
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Your seedlings are so cute! And I love growing green onions–they’re useful to liven up so many dishes. I grow mine in the ground year-round and just cut the tops. They come back year after year, and they bloom and reseed. An effortless crop.
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Thanks. I have chive growing in the ground year-round, but most crops do not tolerate our cold winters. I’m slightly jealous of you being able to have green onions all year, but that is wonderful 🙂
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My week has been scattered. You don’t even want to know! (Sometimes I wish I could go back to hand-coding my blog on my own computer and Internet address!!!) I love your watering pots! Looking forward to watching the garden spaces grow up and outward!
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I hope this new week will give you peace. Thank you so much for your kindness.
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Hi Marie, such a great idea with the clay pots. If I ever plant fruit trees I will remember to get some of these as I know that would help with watering them.
Your garden plans are coming along. I always enjoy reading how things are going and you are so inspiring!! So happy Spring has arrived! ❤️🌻🌹🌞
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I couldn’t possibly take credit for the idea, but YES it is a wonderful idea. It truly works. Thank you for your kindness. I enjoyed the beautiful horse photos you posted. Have a great new week filled with the pleasures of spring ❤
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Aww, thank you so much! I didn’t realize how easy it is to post a shorter post like Silent Sundays. I’m hoping to continue this to help me stay more active here on WP.
I also wanted to mention I’ve made contact with my son. He is not ready to talk but messaged me that he’s sorry about that and that he loves me and needs time with his therapy and his family. I responded in kind, telling him I love him too. That warms my heart, I’ll keep praying for healing. ❤️ I just wanted to share that with you as that really lifted my spirits last weekend when we messaged each other. I hope you have a great week too! 💞
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❤ I am very happy for you ❤
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The ollas seem like a great idea for watering, Maria, thanks for sharing that info! Best wishes on the giant pumpkin!
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Thank you so much! Have a wonderful new week. Are you enjoying spring in full bloom?
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Still whiplash weather, Maria. 84F last Thursday, then rain and cold all weekend. Yes the warm temps brought out some flowers and the trees are showing their leaves 🍃
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Wow, we constant temperaturen in the upper 60’s. It is rather comfortable (other than the explosion of pollen.) I felt brave and ordered some fruit trees yesterday. It should be warm enough.
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I hadn’t heard of ollas, but what a cool idea. It looks like your garden is off to a great start. We have been spending a lot of time in the garden too. I’ll enjoy hearing about your pumpkin.
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Thank you so much!
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Hi Maria.
The ollas were new to me too.
My spell checker didn’t know about them either, preferring Olga’s- who would not like appreciate being buried.
Anyway, I bet uncoated Terra cotta pots with the drain hole plugged would work too.
Very cool idea. I’ve got a couple off places where these might save a plant or two.
Thanks for sharing.
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Yes a DIY olla will work as well. The bigger they are the lazier of a gardener you get to be 😉 There are many Youtube videos about how to make DIY ones. I have tried a couple with OK results. I figure since I don’t live next to my garden I need to be smart about how I do things, if I want a big garden. I hope you are enjoying a wonderful week.
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I’ve heard of Olla and planned on getting some for my front yard garden until I saw how expensive they were. I’m also skeptical on how they will work in my garden and whether they’ll work. Please provide update on how they’re working for your garden. Thank you. 🙂
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I used them in California and Nevada with great success. If you want to try without making the investment of purchasing some you can always DIY to se if it’s something that will work for you. There’s many YouTube tutorials about how to make them. At this point I am not planning on using them for my vegetables, like I did in CA, but rather the young fruit trees that I am going to plant, they are expensive here and I want to make sure they get the water they need until they are established.
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Yes, I’ve heard I can hot glue 2 terracotta pots together and then put putty in one of the holes. They about $30 here which, in my opinion, is quite expensive.
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It’s great to see your garden at home is coming along nicely and you’re already enjoying ‘the fruit of your labour’. Thank you for your weekend coffee share. Have a great week!
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Thank you so much! Next weekend almost everything goes to the allotment garden, to be planted in the ground.
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I’ve never heard of those! So interesting.
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