Week two

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Well, I have managed to complete a week of gardening, if nothing else accomplished but the formulation of a plan. This week will involve plenty watering of the cuttings and veggies that were planted last week – the drought has been declared a region disaster, a relief for the urban centers that will get relief through national funding of desalination projects.

The geraniums planted at the farm entrance are doing well and one that I put in a pot flowered, a deep imperial purple/indigo that has me excited. Of the seedlings, the radish are producing second leaves already (but then they are the sprinters of the veggie patch) and my rocket seed has all germinated.

The plan this week is to do a bit of grass cutting – can’t call it lawn moving at this stage and planning the layout of a herb garden, compost heap and a new flower bed.

Though the farm has 10 hectares of indigenous forest, I still love planting more for the garden. Along with preparing holes and placing some Outeniqua Yellowwoods (Afrocarpus falcatus), I have a few Wild Pomegranates and Candlewoods to place as well. The candlewoods always remind me of the heritage misunderstandings between South Africa’s Dutch and English colonizers. The fruit of the tree was rendered down to a was and used to produce candles, earning the Dutch name of Kershout, namely Candlewood. English settlers mistranslated the Kers to kirsch to cherry, hence naming the tree Cheery Wood, a name that aptly described the colour of the wood. So to this day in tree books we have the same tree listed with the dual name of Cherry Wood and Candlewood.

With Christmas up ahead, well round the corner, I will be filling up the veggie patch with some lettuce, basil and chive plugs.

Well, lets see how the second week of this year project pans out.

• 23 Nov, 2009
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