Having spent time on the weekend searching for resources on planting and sowing I thought it would be great to share some of my finds with you!  Below are a selection of web resources that I have found really helpful as a novice vegetable gardener.


The Veggie Guide is an interactive website produced by Gardening Australia that shows you what to plant when for your region. 


The Permaculture Research Institute website provides a wealth of knowledge and supports the sharing of knowledge and resources.  This Companion Planting Chart is a great resource for your organising your veggie garden.


The Backyard Gardeners Blog
A local Melbourne urban gardener sharing his experiences in his organic backyard garden.



Sustainable Self Sufficient Gardening
Research blog focussing on what influences the Melbourne community's ability to garden for self sufficiency in a sustainable manner - very interesting.


The Urban Vegetable Patch
An Australian blog focussing on veggie gardening in an urban environment.


Grow Harvest Cook
A gorgeous blog written by four talented Australian ladies.


The Cheap Vegetable Gardener
Thrifty ideas for growing your own veggies at home.


iGrowVeg
An excellent website for the beginner gardener.  Back to basics information on planning your vegetable garden, sowing and growing.

Welcome to Harvesting in Hawthorn!  I hope you find my ramblings about my gardening adventures both informative and entertaining as I undertake a years worth of vegetable gardening in our inner city courtyard in Melbourne.  Having recently dappled in a bit of home vegetable gardening, I thought it might be fun to seasonally chronical my success (or otherwise!) growing vegetables in a small north facing courtyard in our lovely suburb of Hawthorn.  I hope the blog serves not only as a learning experience for me as a novice gardener, but will provide you with some entertainment and enjoyment along the way.  I hope you might be able to provide me with advice along the way too!

So a years worth of vegetable gardening - an exciting challenge!  I really love gardening - there's something about it that resonates with me.  Whether its just being able to get into the sunshine every so often, or whether its seeing something you plant thrive and provide you with wonderful produce.  Its something that I have enjoyed doing for much of my life.  My grandparents have always been keen gardeners, something that has been passed onto my Mum and subsequently onto me.  Its an interest that both Mum and I share, and I have always loved heading into the nursery with her to just look around

Having grown up in Canberra in a house on a reasonably large block, I have had to readjust to living in smaller houses with courtyards and less garden to tend to.  Working full time means I just wouldn't have the time to tend to a large backyard anyway, so having smaller yards has been perfect for me.  The last share house I lived in had a small courtyard, with small garden beds that allowed for a few herbs to be grown along with a few tomato plants grown in summer.  This was great, and I loved having fresh home grown tomatoes to eat straight from the vine.  Having moved in with my boyfriend in Hawthorn, we have a similar sized courtyard but much less usable garden bed space.  We have a very low maintenance garden which is wonderful, but means that if I were to grow any vegetables in the garden I would have to grow them in pots.  I'm sure there are many people in this situation.  I have been told that it is possible to grow a bountiful crop of vegetables, just grown in pots, so I am taking this on as a challenge!  Bring on twelve months of experimenting with seed germination and plant tending!  I hope you enjoy it as much as I will!