So the other day I got cracking and cleaned out part of the garden, pulling out weeds and old corn stalks. I dug in plenty of compost, and sprinkled seeds of mizuna (green and the coral type) and rocket. These greens, if established while it's warm enough, withstand frosts and keep us in salad greens all winter.
I also planted some more carrots and some purple sprouting broccoli (such a delicacy).
But to speed things up I put in some purchased broccoli plants ($2.50 for six at the local supermarket). I covered them with a net curtain - finally discovered near the bottom of the rag pile that was previously disgracing the linen cupboard - to keep off the white butterflies that lay eggs on brassicas so that their caterpillars can savage our favourite winter vegetable.
I felt pretty flash, actually. Nice recycling, don't you think?
The cat put me in my place. This is how the curtain was when I went out to the garden after dinner to admire my work. It had been graced with the presence of a comfortable grey cat, who leapt away before I could photograph him, too.
I read in a gardening magazine recently that you can use cloth such as this to make a butterfly house. I have observed wasps killing monarch butterfly caterpillars and the concept of a "house" is to protect the caterpillars and emerging butterflies. The idea appeals to me and I am sure little people would find it fascinating as well.
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