{"id":34304,"date":"2023-10-03T10:11:56","date_gmt":"2023-10-03T08:11:56","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/getitmagazine.co.za\/highway-berea\/?p=34304"},"modified":"2023-09-19T10:24:09","modified_gmt":"2023-09-19T08:24:09","slug":"chaotic-joy-of-growing-your-own-garden","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/getitmagazine.co.za\/highway-berea\/blog\/2023\/10\/03\/chaotic-joy-of-growing-your-own-garden\/","title":{"rendered":"Chaotic joy of growing your own garden"},"content":{"rendered":"

All it took was a single seedbed outside her kitchen door and some social media inspo for preschool teacher Diedre Riedlinger to take her patience and perseverance from the classroom to the garden.<\/p>\n

Just like teaching, gardening requires patience and perseverance. At least that\u2019s what Pinetown\u2019s Diedre Riedlinger discovered when, much like she nurtures her learners with unwavering dedication and engaging educational lessons, she started tending to her garden. In celebration of Garden Month, she shares how her love-hate relationship with tomatoes turned into a hobby she found good for the soul.<\/p>\n

Head of the Foundation Phase at St Benedict School in Pinetown, Diedre has always enjoyed dabbling in the garden, but never really put much energy into it until the start of Covid. She\u2019d planted some capsicum seeds, which did sprout, but didn\u2019t quite thrive given the season they were sewn. Not one to easily be deterred, Diedre built a garden bed outside her kitchen door, thinking it would be the perfect spot for herbs, some cherry tomatoes and a few vegetables.<\/p>\n

\"\"\u201cI couldn\u2019t have been more wrong. For a second time, I learnt the hard way that what I planted, where I planted it and what season it was, all played an important role.\u201d<\/p>\n

For inspiration and guidance, the mother of two not-so-green-fingered offspring turned to YouTube gardening channels like Garden Answer and Roots and Refuge Farm as well as some friends who shared a passion for gardening. After one raised bed, the bug bit and it bit hard!<\/p>\n

\u201cI chose a section in our front garden where the sun was ideal for starting a veggie garden. It was an in-ground garden that became hard to maintain. I was also limited with space, so I opened things up, using rocks and lintels and kerbing.\u201d<\/p>\n

Diedre says diving into the vegetable growing world opened her eyes to veggies she\u2019d never even seen or heard of before.<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019m in total awe of what I\u2019ve been able to grow. One of my favourite things to do is try and include different varieties and colours. Who knew there were things like purple cauliflower and watermelon radishes? I can spend hours just looking at vegetable seed catalogues, dreaming of all the things I would like to grow, if only I had the space!\u201d<\/p>\n

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To date, Diedre\u2019s best crops have been eggplants, butternut and beans. And she\u2019s so proud of her success and passionate about what she does in the garden that she recently launched her own YouTube channel, Chaotic Gardener, where she shares all the chaos and joy of growing your own.<\/p>\n

As for tomatoes, she says she has a love-hate relationship with them.<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019ll keep trying until I get it right. They seem to succumb to powdery mildew every year. Oddly enough, one of my favourite garden smells is pruning tomatoes.\u201d<\/p>\n

Having become more aware of the different types of bees and an increasing number of butterflies actively searching for nectar and exploring her bountiful outdoor space, Diedre readily admits that gardening has made her more aware of pollinators and how important they are in the ecosystem.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s always exciting to see all the friendly pollinators in my garden, knowing that I\u2019ve made a positive difference to the environment.\u00a0Our bird life has also increased. Fortunately our cats are not a deterrent, for which I am so grateful.\u201d<\/p>\n

While her kids Ethan and Trinity are not big fans of digging-in and helping in the garden, Diedre says they do enjoy taking in its beauty and, most importantly, they appreciate the harvest of mom\u2019s home-grown herbs and veggies for their salads and dinners.<\/p>\n

\"\"\u201cMy husband Rob is my biggest support. He loves buying me plants, compost, or tools to have fun within the garden. There\u2019s so much I enjoy about gardening. It\u2019s where I go to fill my cup; where I often let go of frustration, play out conversations in my head, have in-depth chats with God or just switch off and focus on the task at hand.\u201d<\/p>\n

Diedre says gardening also gives her a great workout, with the added bonus that feels as though she has contributed positively to the world.<\/p>\n

\u201cGardening has taught me patience. You need to get your timing and circumstances right for growth to be successful. This is so often the case in our own lives. I\u2019ve become more aware of how much we throw away.<\/p>\n

\u201cFood scraps can easily be composted, putting nutrients back into our soil and helping to create a healthier environment. No effort is ever too small, and I encourage every household to give it a try.\u201d<\/p>\n

Details: Follow Diedre on YouTube: @ChaoticGardener and IG: a_chaotic_gardener<\/p>\n

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Diedre\u2019s top gardening tips <\/strong><\/p>\n