Y’all know we have idealistic (unkind people might call them deluded) visions of one day moving to the country1 and growing our own foodz &etc.
Unfortunately, oftentimes, reality kicks in.
Our garden has been less than successful this year. We’ve had the usual invasion of thousands of caterpillars (who consume our crops overnight) and lately possums(!)2 and the output of the tomatoes and cucumbers has been really rather sad (both in volume and in quality).
In good news, we’ve had an absolute bumper crop of herbs (the basils! they go crazy!) by keeping them undercover – where they still receive abundant light/heat.
Really, I think it is time to accept that is way too hot out on the deck in the middle of summer for anything but the hardiest of (non-food) plants and that we should focus on the herbs – which are exponentially yummier than store-bought.
Our planting experience this year has given us a bit of a reality check re: the bucolic vision – we can’t cope with caterpillars/possums, what would we do with bunnies/kangaroos & other wildlife invading our poor plants? And has immensely increased our admiration for farmers, particularly those of the organic variety.
1of course, the consumption of a large amount of peaches would be mandatory
2They leap all over the deck in the very wee hours! They leave little possum poos everywhere! They ate our parsley! We’re on the 4th floor!
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Basil just takes off. Ours was getting frazzled by the sun, so I bought some 70% shadecloth from Bunnings and whipped up a covering for them. Now it's growing in the patio cracks, which I'd love to encourage, except it's someone else's ceiling.
If it gets too out of control I have a herb-eating possum I could deliver!