Nothing like a spell in the garden for exercise.I used to be a landscaper,so I know exactly what you mean.
I have had a near neighbour come over with his rotavator in the past, but I don't like to ask him. I could rent one I suppose, but then I'd have to work out how to get it to me, and pay for the privilege. I dunno. The digging is probably quite good for me; I may even do a better job than a rotavator, and it's nothing that I can't physically handle, so I just get on with it. I can feel a photo coming on.
If you have the time and the stamina hand digging of a veg plot is preferable,as you will probably weed as you go.If you rotovate on a weedy plot you can end up chopping up perennial weed roots,these can then cause you lots of weed growth further down the line. Wheel driven rotovators are good for arm muscles but digging by hand exercises more of the body.The only thing harder than digging is turf laying,but I used to enjoy preparing ground and turf laying.
Gardening is bad enough........... .......but I have just spent half the day digging out four tree stumps and pooped isn't the word....... .....in fact I thought I was going to have a heart attack, and then I remembered I already had one, so I reckoned I was safe for a while........ .......unfortunately there are another four stumps to get out, but I thought better of it.........for today.
When you have cash, you can pay someone to do all the things you don't want to do. When you have none, it's strictly DIY. In any case, paying someone to do the veg garden rather defeats the point of the exercise as you could buy the produce cheaper at a market. But that's not really the point. There is a year long satisfaction in having your own veg plot, which you have tended personally. It's a sort of zen thing.
happy st patricks day.....took the day off and partook of the great irish tradition of power hosing the patio, clearing the van, fixing the power hose ,tidying the garage (now looks a bigger mess ) and had a late rise this morning at half eleven. now im going to go mad and have a coffee. woo hoo im completely mad.
Absolutely. Beat me to it Glid, despite my earlier jest, there is something soul-restorative creating and growing from scratch-the fruits of ones labours-over the course of a growing year. Only last night I enjoyed the benefit of a steak and ale pie with -homegrown leeks, from the raised beds, the last of the crop-very nice, albeit a touch robust the next day.... The 5 maraschino cherries eaten after a BBQ, were taste sensational, got some more fruit trees this year. My highlight last year was the impressive crop of beetroot, the lowlight, the sodding cabbage white butterfly trashing me sprouts -we shall see who wins this year...or we shall rub along together. As for the onion fly-they won 9-1, away sets count double.
I've had a go at growing veg, and it is indeed deeply satisfying to pull up your first spuds or carrots, or pluck your very own tomatoes - and they definitely taste better. but then you go to the supermarket and see that you can buy a bag of bloody great big carrots for under a quid, then you work out the man hours involved in growing them yourself... I decided it ain't for me.
We used to grow loads, it was more like a market garden but at the time everyone e in the village grew veg so I ended up lugging it into work as we couldn't give it to the neighbours. Eventually we lacked time when the kids where small, then just lacked time but Mel retired at Christmas so is resurrecting the veg plots and has laid a base for a poly tunnel. Agree can buy cheaper but it is satisfying and fresh runner beans and peas can't be beaten.
one day, one day.... My brother did get a lamb once, kept it in his front garden, to keep his grass down. In due course it 'occupied' his freezer, his oven and clothed the front seat of his car.......
Well there's no point having a pig, even if I wanted to deal with the hassle and the mess. It would immediately become a pet pig and there would be no way I could kill and eat it. And there is no point having chickens because my neighbour has some and whenever I need eggs I just walk to the end of the drive (which isn't that long - this isn't Downton Abbey), cross the road, stick CHF 3 in a jar, and help myself to half a dozen which are so huge, you can't close the lid on the egg box. They nearly all have double yolks of a deep orange colour. I have just finished making 4 jars of horseradish sauce. There is a horseradish in the veg patch which planted itself, and there is no way you can get rid of it. So when I dig the garden, I just dig up a large amount of root (slows the bugger down) and it seems more sensible to make horseradish sauce than stick the thing on the compost heap. I like horseradish sauce. Keeps for months in the fridge. I don't need 4 jars. There are going to be 2 lucky people.
