Last month we started the planning process. We are using Master Gardener Jerry Baker as our source for what to do and what not to do.
As you read in last week's post, we got rained/snowed out and couldn't begin our 2009 garden. But THIS weekend was a different story. It was mid-to-high 70s; perfect time to get outside and start planting early veggies. Saturday Tom spent many hours trimming back overgrown trees to give our garden more sunlight. Sunday I trimmed bushes around the back of the house. Trimming those had nothing to do with our veggie garden but they'd been overgrown and bugging the heck out of me so I started with that.
We bought wide-brimmed gardening hats to protect our skin this year. Stylish, eh?
After taking all the limbs to the front yard, it was time to make the beds. When planning, we decided to create 2 more beds than last year (12 instead of 10). We also decided to plant fewer plants with a wider variety of items instead of a lot of plants of a few items. That way we'll get to know what really works and what doesn't.
They look like coffins, don't they?
Another thing we decided to do this year is to put a boarder around the outside of the garden where we can grow flowers to attract bees and detract bugs. We came up with a plan that we hope will also prevent weeds from creeping in past the fence. While I worked on the beds, Tom stared the boarder. He laid a row of newspaper and then covered it with pine needles. Later we'll plant flowers in pots and set them on top of the pine needles. Unfortunately, we had to buy the pine needles. We would have rather used leaves, but by the time we thought to do this, all the leaves in the neighborhood were gone. Next time around, we'll use use leaves instead.
We took the left over pine needles and used them for the walkway down the middle of the garden. Items that were planted for this first round were: 1/2 bed of cauliflower, 1/2 bed of turnips, and 1 bed of spinach. We were supposed to plant broccoli too, but we couldn't find the seeds.
Tom got punchy towards the end of the day...
~Y
As you read in last week's post, we got rained/snowed out and couldn't begin our 2009 garden. But THIS weekend was a different story. It was mid-to-high 70s; perfect time to get outside and start planting early veggies. Saturday Tom spent many hours trimming back overgrown trees to give our garden more sunlight. Sunday I trimmed bushes around the back of the house. Trimming those had nothing to do with our veggie garden but they'd been overgrown and bugging the heck out of me so I started with that.
We bought wide-brimmed gardening hats to protect our skin this year. Stylish, eh?
After taking all the limbs to the front yard, it was time to make the beds. When planning, we decided to create 2 more beds than last year (12 instead of 10). We also decided to plant fewer plants with a wider variety of items instead of a lot of plants of a few items. That way we'll get to know what really works and what doesn't.
They look like coffins, don't they?
Another thing we decided to do this year is to put a boarder around the outside of the garden where we can grow flowers to attract bees and detract bugs. We came up with a plan that we hope will also prevent weeds from creeping in past the fence. While I worked on the beds, Tom stared the boarder. He laid a row of newspaper and then covered it with pine needles. Later we'll plant flowers in pots and set them on top of the pine needles. Unfortunately, we had to buy the pine needles. We would have rather used leaves, but by the time we thought to do this, all the leaves in the neighborhood were gone. Next time around, we'll use use leaves instead.
We took the left over pine needles and used them for the walkway down the middle of the garden. Items that were planted for this first round were: 1/2 bed of cauliflower, 1/2 bed of turnips, and 1 bed of spinach. We were supposed to plant broccoli too, but we couldn't find the seeds.
Tom got punchy towards the end of the day...
~Y
1 comment:
Looks like you have your work cut out for you. It looks like hard work too. I like the idea of flowers around the crops. Shame you had to buy pine needles; Dad and I have 'tons' every year. Keep looking for broccoli seeds 'cause it's delicious.
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