Small Doses - The garden

To ensure that I don't overwhelm you with awesomeness, I will be breaking my overdue pictures up into batches.  OK, maybe that's part of it, but it's mostly to be sure I don't bite off more than I can feasibly chew.

Today, my pleasure is to show you my garden.  Before I left on vacation, this is what it looked like.

Baby Pam pie pumpkin

Beefsteak tomato

Various tomatoes (somewhat) trained on stakes

Zinnias

Sage

Basil

Zucchini

Dwarf sunflower

My helpers - checking for last minute strawberries

Baby Pam again

Zucchini

The garden - looking a bit overgrown.  (you ain't seen nothin yet)

Sweet bell peppers

Marigolds

And a teaser for next time!

Long time no see

We do exist.

As do the mammoth sized zucchinis that were taking over the garden when we got back from vacation.

Pictures and fun stuff to come!

Conversations with (somewhat) animate objects

My garden and I had a conversation the other day.  This is how it went.

Garden: Oh hi, Cara.  It's been a few days since you visited.  I almost forgot what you looked like.

Me: I know, I feel really bad.  We had a garage sale to prep for and hold, potty training, the house is a mess yadda, yadda.

Garden:  Yeah, yeah, that's no excuse.

Me:  True.  I'm sorry I neglected you.  What's new?

Garden:  Well come over and see.  Do you remember the carrots you and Alyson planted in the old cheese puff barrel? 

Me: Yes - they were sprouting just the other day.  Alyson was so proud!

Garden:  Yeah, I remember that too.  OK, now do you remember that crazy storm that dumped buckets of water?  And that Rex's sprinklers don't seem to have an 'off' setting?

Me: (apprehensively) Yeah... why?

Garden:  They've turned into a little swamp.   Apparently the 'holes' you poked in the bottom of the barrel were not enough to let all the excess water drain out.  And now they're plugged with icky stuff.

Me: Oh no!  Oh, my poor Aly-pie.  Um, also - ew.  We'll have to try replanting after I clean that all out.  And actually drill holes rather than just use a box knife.

Garden: Good call - Aly and MayLee have been having a lot of fun with the garden too. 

Me: I really I missed you.

Garden: I missed you too.

Me:  Ok, so what else have I missed?

Garden: Oh, well there is one thing. 

Me:  What?  And, hey - why are you squirming?

Garden:  Well, it's no biggie, I'm just a little itchy. 

Me:  Itchy, why?  Where?

Garden:  Ooh, right here - on the broccoli leaves.  Oh! And on the romaine!

Me:  Let me see!  (gasp) You have aphids!!!  How could I have let this happen?

Garden:  I don't know, but please get rid of them.

Me:  Here's one now.

Garden: Ah that's much better.  There are about 60 more though.

Me: Well let's deal with this one first.

Garden:  What are you going to do?  Put it somewhere else?

Me:  Nope.  I squished it.

Garden: Why'd you do that?  It was a little bitty living creature.

Me:  I'm sorry, but the aphid should have known. You mess with my girls or my garden and I will mess you up.

Garden:  Wow.

Me:  Ok, now that I've gotten rid of all the aphids I could find, let's move on.  What else is cooking?

Garden:  Well have you noticed how spectacular the romaine lettuce is?

Me:  My, my - you have been busy.  Very beautiful.  I think I will have some in a salad, thank you very much.

Garden:  Ahh, thank you - that's nice.  Kind of like a back scratch.
Me:  What's next?
Garden: Come see the cute little lettuce you planted!

Me:  Oh, my goodness.  They're adorable.  And so fluffy.  Well done!

Garden:  Why thank you.  And how would you like to check on the Baby Pam Pumpkin you thought you killed?

Me:  What, it's not dead?

Garden:  Doesn't appear to be.  Or maybe we just need to update our definition for dead.   

Me:  But its stem split!  How can it be alive?

Garden:  I'm sure I don't know, but oh, hey - be careful, the leaves and vines are a little prickly.

Me:  Owch, I see what you mean.  Well, at any rate, I'm glad to see that you're alive and well, Baby Pam.

Me:  OK, what else?

Garden:  Well, there's so much more to talk about, but there's maybe just one more thing I want to show you.

Me:  What's that?

Garden: They say a picture is worth a thousand words.

Me:  Well, we have been talking a lot.

Garden:  True, but come see what I've been up to.

Me: Are those Pea Blossoms?  You're making peas for me?!

Garden: (nods)

Me: Oh my gosh!  You did it!  Even though I took waaaay too long to plant them!   I'm so excited!  Thank you thank you thank you!

Garden:  You're most welcome.  Just visit a bit more regularly or I'll eat them myself.



Good Tilled Earth

"But where our hearts truly lie is in peace and quiet and good tilled earth."

The Movie

Adapted from the work of JRR Tolien

I have to say that I agree. 

Having recently broken ground (the old fashioned way) for my garden, I take a lot of pleasure in the sight of the crumbly brown beds.  I can't wait to tuck in my cool weather goodies!

First on the list?

Peas

Carrots

Lettuce

Broccoli

Brussels Sprouts

Strawberries

Basil

and I'll throw in some beautiful Nasturtiums for color

Erik removed the sod for me on a beautiful, huge plot.  It's 28' by 9'.  I have it shaped as a keyhole and will be planting it as a cottage or kitchen garden.  This combines herbs, veggies and flowers all in the same space resulting in beauty and increased pollination.

The first day, I broke ground.  At first, I tried with just a hoe - but that was harder and I couldn't break the ground as deeply as I needed to.  Truly, since I'm going to be packing in so many things per square foot, I should have applied double digging.  That involves removing the first 12 inches of soil, breaking the soil beneath that and replacing the soil with amendments.  For a couple days, I was all gung ho to do it.  But then reality set in.  I'm a weakling.  One with two girls that don't necessarily find double digging as interesting as I do. 

After I realized that the hoe wasn't doing what I needed it to do, I broke out the spading fork.  It looks like a medieval instrument of torture.  But it got the job done.  I can tell where I used just the hoe and where I used the spading fork.  There's about an 8' stretch that will have to be broken some more - it's only about 4 inches deep.  

Well, this is getting long, so I'll try to wrap it up.  I broke ground for the rest and added some of the amendments to the top.  Compost and some composted steer manure which will act like time released plant food. Today, I just finished working that in with a hoe and added another two bags of compost.  Seriously - the soil I started with was just glorified sand.  I have a big compressed bag of peat moss to add too - I'll put that on top before I finish preparing the beds so it doesn't blow away.  The peat moss will help to hold in the water so the plants can get the food and the water they need.

The last thing I'll do is to use a soil rake to spread the soil evenly around.  The result will be soft, crumbly comfy beds for my veggies. 

*PS.  Both of the girls have already learned to stay off of the beds.  I'm so impressed with all of us!