“I was retrenched from my job in the banking sector during lockdown. I started with the bank in 1984 and it was a hard blow,” Sanet said. Then her health took a turn and after a visit to the doctor, Sanet was diagnosed with stomach ulcers and a hernia.
“I knew I had to make changes in my lifestyle so I set a number of goals”. Included in these were to eat healthily and be closer to nature. In August, Sanet started to look into growing her own vegetables hydroponically.
Friends she refers to as “her garden children” helped Sanet with the initial design and set-up of her hydroponic garden. Before long she was harvesting her own spinach, beans and tomatoes, and she was hooked.
“I’m struggling with my carrots and cucumbers but I know I’ll get it right”. Starting out Sanet realised that something wasn’t right. Her plants were not producing edibles.
“A friend pointed out that I didn’t have any bees in my garden and without pollination my plants wouldn’t produce. He suggested I self-pollinate and get bee-friendly plants for my garden.”
She added that with a little help she was able to identify her male and female plants.
“I just had to put them together. They had to touch to pollinate. I swear my husband though I was going crazy because I would be making kissing sounds as I pollinated. How can you have the product of pollination without the love?” Sanet said. She has since brought in numerous bee-friendly plants and no longer has to self-pollinate her plants. “My friends introduced me to HomeGrowers in Bedfordview and they were instrumental in helping me set up a more bee-friendly, sustainable garden”.
Sanet has also embraced companion gardening to deter insets from her plants. “My latest additions from HomeGrowers are my vertical garden and my worm farm. I’m so proud of my worms and their little eco-system”.
Sanet told the EXPRESS that without her garden she would not know what to do. “I would have gone off my rocker. I didn’t even know I have green fingers but look at me now”. She said that getting closer to nature through her garden has helped her see the good in the world around her. “I have a passion for my garden because it has given me so much joy. I do have my losses but that just makes me determined to try even harder.
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“Everything that I plant, I talk to. I encourage them to grow and in the end, they give me the nutrients that I need. I harvest fresh vegetables every morning. Sometimes I have more than I can use and I share with neighbours and family.
“I’m so blessed. My gardening has nourished my body and soul. I want to inspire others to take up gardening. “One of the goals I set for myself was to get closer to nature and my garden has allowed me to do just that. I am the most blessed person in the world”.
Advice
• Start small and do the best that you can. If you find that you like it you can always grow your gardening projects.
•Do something in your garden every day whether it’s removing weeds, talking to your plants, trimming or watering.
• Look after yourself and grow plants that benefit your body.
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