Starting from scratch

So much for fences...

2010-07-11T16:41:00.000-07:00

Do you think it's at least partially hormonal that I cried (more than a little) at this sight?

I have planted more than I can chew

2010-07-02T13:33:00.000-07:00

Quick update only, because I'm supposed to be packing for our camping trip, but I noticed things were growing. GROWING! Yay!

The pictures speak for themselves, but I have two comments about my choices in planting:
1. One with a CSA share and a husband who doesn't love salads should not also plant lettuce of her own. What a waste.
2. What the hell am I supposed to do with so much mint?!?! Can't have mojitos, which is my normal favorite use of fresh mint...

(Also, those little tiny beans, peppers, and tomatoes are as exciting as my ultrasound. Little tiny somethings that will become big somethings, and I DID IT :-). Okay, so the baby is more miraculous and special, of course, but I'm still thrilled with my little veg.)

Compare the first picture, to when I planted less than 2 months ago. Isn't sun and water and time amazing!?!?!

Lunch!

2010-06-15T11:31:00.001-07:00

My first meal with something from my own garden. Success! The radishes are from the farmers' market, but the lettuce was quite tasty!

P.S. I learned my lesson with planting carrots. I had to thin out more than I got to leave in...

Questions

2010-06-14T08:43:00.000-07:00

Here are three pictures:

The carrots: they are growing rapidly, but I clearly planted too many. How long should I wait before thinning them out?
The lettuce: is huge! Can I let it keep growing, or will it go bad if I leave it unpicked? I will pluck a few for a salad today, but will the rest be fine while I'm in Arkansas?
The basil: is flowering. Is that good or bad?

Progress: Memorial Day

2010-05-31T15:19:00.000-07:00

In the veggie garden: tomatoes are ready to be staked; carrots are about an inch out of the ground; lettuce looks good enough to eat.

In the flower garden: new plants! We spent the weekend out of town, which included raiding my husband's grandparents' old homestead. For the taking: many hostas (we turned ours into seven separate plants and put them in the big planter; I will buy some color to add to this very green space), one rosebush (no clue what color/variety it'll be), some sedum (which I hope will fill in nicely), and a few things for...

Elsewhere: behind the air conditioning unit, two plants which may or may not make it after their night in the car...a rhubarb and a peony. I did zero research to determine if these plants can live happily together, either. I really am a beginner. Also, two colors of iris, which we planted by the orange lilies. Deep purple and a gold/burgundy combination will look nice with the orange day lilies when all are in bloom.

Finally, the last two pictures are again of the juniper bushes. One is healthy and pretty, the other has been dug up by someone's dog (okay, mine) and replanted exactly twice. One member of this household (me) thinks it should be replaced asap. Another member (him) believes it will survive. I worry it will be stunted at the very least, and then the "wall" effect I'm eventually trying to accomplish will not happen. Please weigh in. Thank you.

Pest?

2010-05-21T15:27:00.000-07:00

So, after 5 days, some of the plants are struggling. I am not certain they have taken hold for good yet, but it's still touch and go. The mini-cukes I was so excited about have definitely curled up and died. Their delicate nature did not hold up living in a bath tub for 10 days. Poor things. Also, the bean plants are brown and withered. It may take a miracle to get them to buck up. (I may have to just plant seeds, as Angie suggested from the start.)

I am also concerned with watering. My sources are mixed on when/how much to water. Don't overwater, or they won't root properly. Underwater, and they'll die. Gar. How much? How often? It's a delicate science.

Finally, something has been eating my parsley. The herbs are on the side by the sidewalk, and on Wednesday, I was walking past and went, "Hey! Something's been chowing on my parsley!" But nothing else had been nibbled. I pondered this: how would a bunny get in there? (the garden is, after all, two feet off the ground, not to mention our entire yard is fenced in); do squirrels eat parsley?; pretty sure birds don't eat parsely? I was boggled. But then, last night, while we were enjoying our dinner on the patio in the lovely weather, the culprit began eating the parsley. The culprit looks suspiciously like a German Shepherd Dog...

Indeed, Miss Phoebe was caught in the act. See, the fencing is enough to keep them from running through there, but it's also decorative, so it's spaced enough that she slides her head right in there and helps herself. Guess she wanted to have fresh breath. Remembering my sister's stories of her pooches digging carrots out of her garden to enjoy, I'm worried when other tasty things begin to grow, Phoebe will continue to help herself. So, I believe adding netting to the fencing is on my weekend to-do list.

Into the ground

2010-05-16T13:58:00.000-07:00

Finally got things in the ground today. Had every intention of doing it yesterday, but was struck down with headache and general yuckiness. Had to conserve my strength because we had plans last night.

But lucky for me, it was just as nice today. I planted the whole vegetable garden, the strawberry pots, and put in some perennials in the flower bed. I had to take a few breaks. I have to say, digging and hoeing and raking and bending, etc. etc. is very hard work when you're pregnant.

Some of my plants are looking bleak; they have been living in my bathroom since May 6th. I bought them at the Friends School Plant Sale and then it was super cold and rainy and yucky for two weeks.

In the vegetable bed:
4th of July tomatoes
Green Zebra heirloom tomatoes
Roma tomatoes
Sweet banana peppers
Mixed Bell peppers
Cuke nuts (cute mini cucumbers)
Bush beans (looking weak; don't know if they'll make it)
Sweet white onions (also looking a little weak)
Carrots (all the empty space by the onions and beans are carrot seeds)
transplanted chives (quite large already, since they've been in a pot since last year)
Curly parsley
Spearmint
Lemon basil
Mixed lettuce
Mesclun seed balls (found these at Mother Earth; they are supposed to sprout quickly and produce lovely lettuce)

So far in the flower bed:
transplanted hostas along the front
Lamb's ear
Mini Hollyhocks
Sweet Tea Heucherella
and some pretty mossy plant (I threw away the tag too soon)

You'll notice in the pictures that the fence is also new. SOOO glad I put the short fence in weeks ago as a test, because it did NOT keep the dogs out at all. If this one doesn't work, I give up :-)

The pots of strawberries are my favorite right now. I hope they don't get eaten by birds. I went with cedar planters, because they were made in Washington. All the pottery I found was imported from far, far away. Local pottery can apparently only be found in studios, where it costs about $200 a pot. No thanks. The wood matches, I think. Looks good.

(Jersey snuck into some pictures; attention whore.)

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I'm bringing greenery back

2010-04-21T16:04:00.000-07:00

Colors of nature are reappearing in my previously dingy, gray backyard. The vegetable garden remains unchanged from Sunday, but this evening, I brought green into my backyard (for the record, my front yard is actually quite beautiful; in fact, just today, I noticed the hostas I transplanted last year from my mother-in-law have poked through and will make a go of it this year). I planted three juniper bushes along the edge of the patio. Though small now, they will grow into 4-foot wide and tall monsters, creating an arbor wall between yard and pavers.

Initially, I wanted to plant yew bushes, as I love their deep rich color and soft (though evergreen) quills. Alas, I researched here and found out they are deadly to the canines that frequent the space. Juniper have no such danger. Thank heavens I had the foresight to check on such things. Thanks to my sister, who is a font of dog-safety knowledge.

Progress Day One

2010-04-18T10:39:00.000-07:00

Today, on this beautiful Sunday, I started my garden.

Weather: 63 and sunny; rain earlier this week, making the soil easy to turn.

Tasks accomplished today:
1. Purchased garden soil, and bamboo trellis, pictured below.
2. Turned vegetable garden with spade; raked even; moved extra dirt to side yard.
3. Placed paving stones for easy-access walkways.
4. Put in short fence half way around garden as a test: will it keep out the canines?
5. Decided not to lay soil until ready to plant.

Plans for this week:
1. Buy more fencing, some plants (probably not all), and flowers for new pots (side project).
2. Lay soil and get some plants in the ground (more reading needed to determine which).

Starting now

2010-04-18T10:29:00.000-07:00

I will grow things worth eating. I don't believe I've ever grown anything I could eat, share, cook, garnish, preserve before. Last year I inherited both a mint plant and a chive plant, both potted and thriving. For these, I can not take credit. I have grand plans for this year.

Last fall, my husband built me two raised beds, one for vegetables and one for flowers. This spring and summer and fall, I will attempt to sow, grow, and harvest with all the fervor a beginning gardener can muster.

I am armed with a handy book (3-Step Vegetable Gardening), experienced friends to whom I can turn to advice, and now this blog.

I have only planned the vegetable side so far: tomatoes, cucumbers, onions, carrots, peppers, lettuce, and herbs. Of course, as I haven't bought anything yet, this is subject to change.

Wish me luck.