Our new gardens!!!

 May 2010

Last year was the first year with vegetables (clearly).  Did I really think we would be able to tally each and EVERY piece of produce picked?  Yes, apparently I did…and no, we apparently didn’t.  We (I) were (was) too busy devouring the amazing pesto I made as often as the basil would allow.

So, this year I am trying to be more reasonable in a number of ways (I know!).  It sort of goes against my grain to follow directions, but I shall give it a try and see what happens.  I am approaching my flowers and vegetable planting in a reasonable way and properly spaced (I get so impatient for the “filling in” to occur).  I even read an article in my Organic Gardening magazine about how chicken shit is totally the shit…so the beds were fertilized and properly prepared for my plants.  I didn’t start any seeds indoors this year.  I might throw a few in the ground (YES properly spaced) here and there.  I realized when I got the sprinkler system going that I have an irrigated area being totally wasted on silly grass!  I’ve got big plans for that little bit of ground.  I will post pictures when it looks like much of anything;)  Here is what I have so far:

Here is the first raised bed with peppers, carrots, cucumbers, sage, and butternut squash.  I still need to build a frame for all the vines to grow up and over.  Last year they spilled out on the grass and that didn’t work very well!

In the second raised bed, I have tomatoes, basil (AHHH!), mint, stevia, and zuchinni.  I do believe after I read about companion planting I will be tucking basil in where ever it might play nice:)

We shall see about this one.  Last year I put in a raspberry bush beside the garage.  I was warned by my parents that I would regret this…that they are invasive…hmmm.

Who knows if I will get to see my hibiscus bloom this year.  Last year it seemed that each time a big beautiful bloom was about to reveal itself to me, some little ninja would whack it off or miss a catch or some such nonsense that would break their mama’s heart just a bit.  I might  tell them that when the blooms open fairies fly out but ONLY if they open on their own.  Might work.  I make stuff up all the time.  They know this.

If I really wanted these to survive, I would surround them with cactus!  This bed is forever jumped and invaded in a number of ways.  I will be changing the middle a bit through the season with ripping and tearing of bushes and hauling of big rocks.  Good stuff!

Now THIS little spot right here?  ALWAYS does what I ask!  Perennials come back, everything fills in ever so nicely…this spot makes me smile.  The surprise last year was the little fella who is coming up next.  Have you ever just totally underestimated a flower?  Too ordinary?  Blah?  I did!

Who knew???  I do love orange.  This has always been.  I might have guessed…I threw in a few of these last year just as an afterthought because I wanted some orange and pink together…and they went crazy!!!  They mounded and spread like I have never seen before!  I have great expectations now!

I always forget the name of this lovely that surfaces first every spring.   Helps me remain patient with what is next!

THIS spot makes me want to say bad words!  It is a bed that defies me at every turn!  There was a bit of forgiveness when my chinese wisteria finally bloomed after THREE YEARS!  Beyond that though, it just goes crazy all over the place!  My neighbor (who has a beautiful property and golf course lawn) gave me an idea for taming the beast…we shall see if it works!  The ground cover chokes out any bit of height variance I try to add to this flat mess.  I will not give up and this just might be the season that FINALLY a come to Jesus meeting will bring this naughty corner around;)

Big plans and plenty of hands to keep busy in the dirt!

See you in the garden:)

our two new raised beds!!!

 

 May 2009

Vegetables, vegetables everywhere!!!

BB was so very excited!!  When he saw it was time to harvest a few things.  He ran in the house to find a basket.  He is watching the butternut sqash so closely for the day when they look just right!  What a blast this is!

So far we have harvested:

Banana peppers – 3

Tomatoes – 6

Cucumbers – 4

Green Beans – 78

Strawberries – 12(all right into my mouth!!)