The garden

This entry is all about our garden. Consider this a warning to those who couldn't care - less to skip this post.

I just want to start by saying how much I love our vegetable garden. Early in the Spring, Billy built me 4 raised beds 4 feet by 8 feet, and 12 inches deep. We sunk them in a bit, and each needed just over a cubic yard of soil to fill. Awesome. The advantages to having a raised bed with good soil included the following:

The growing period is extended
Fewer weeds
No compacted walk ways to weed
Higher yield
Less bending
Easy to access

It is the best garden I've ever had. I believe that all gardening is based on trial and error. You learn something every year. My first garden was at the cottage. It was only about 3 feet by 10 feet, and recieved full morning sun. I planted way too many tomato plants. (The seeds were incorrectly labeled, and all the plant except one were cherry tomatoes) Neighbors were encouraged to raid it any time they wanted to, and they did! I also grew green beans, which worked great because I really like green beans, and I was poor, and green beans go with anything. Radishes and carrots were ravished by the wildlife, so it was quite limited. I later realized that it was poorly located, as it was a favorite spot for male partiers to use as a urinal...

Our second garden was in Cottam. It was located at the very back of our 200 feet deep lot. it was huge! (about 12 feet by 45 feet) It had full morning sun, and lovely afternoon shade. At one time, the previous owner thought it a good idea to dump gravel, broken concrete blocks, and screenings in the garden. The garden was also infested with wild garlic chives that sprung up everywhere, and were impossible to control or pull out. The soil was borderline terrible. We needed 150 feet of hose to water it... We grew (again) way too many tomato plants, and failed miserably with shrunken, deformed green peppers. Jalepenos kicked butt, and cucumbers did well. We were never able to enjoy rhubarb or asparagus, as we moved before the two year waiting period.

Last year's garden, before the raised beds, was located at the back corner of our lot (150 feet of hose again came in handy), in a depressed area about 15 feet by 30 feet in size. Combine the low area with clay soil and it was either rock hard with huge, dry cracks, or flooded and swamp like. We planted way too many tomato plants, but canned some, and made salsa, had a few cucumbers, beautiful sunflowers, Black Eyed Susans, (which I successfully transplanted this year into the landscaping), pathetic green and jalepeno peppers, and 1 watermelon the size of a soft ball. It was impossible to keep the garden weeded, the paths were rock hard and riddled with stubborn weeds. The garden's end came when Billy drained the hot tub in August, and all the chemical water sat in the garden. I never quite trusted the tomatoes after that, not have I ever seen tomatoes that colour...

Needless to say, our garden this year is incredible, but I have already learned some lessons, and will improve next year. Here's what we have goin' on:

Bed A
Spinach (all done now...)
Cherry Tomatoes (Holy Hannah tons of the little buggers)
Asparagus (next year we can actually eat it...)
Cherry Bomb hot peppers (never had one...)
Swiss Chard (favorite of bugs the world over)
Beets (just canned)
Brussell Sprouts (not doing that well)
Green peppers (third crop... not doing so well)

Bed B
Green beans (good)
Cucumbers (second crop, take up a ton of room despite trellis)
Jalepenos (awesome, huge yield)
Other peppers (can't remember their name just now...)
Red Chilies (starting to turn red just now)
Watermelons (have two the size of cantelopes... the kids can't wait to eat them)

Bed C
20 roma or plum tomatoes (doing REALLY well)
Peas (all done and yanked out)
radishes (done and done)
Okra (for my mom, not doing great, you'd have to grow a ton to make a meal)
Herbs, all grown from seed except chives and rosemary - basil, parsley, mint, thyme

Bed D
Cucumbers (1st crop, doing really well)
3 varieties of tomato plants (including the 5 1/2 foot high early girl, or as my mom calls it, 'the tomato plant that ate Cincinati)
Green peppers (first time they've grown well for me!)
Spinach, second crop (done)
Random 3rd crop peppers plants (too hot to grow)

Okay, that must have been really boring to read, and I'm sorry, but this garden is important to me. I love seeing things grow from seed. I love eating what I've nurtured and cared for. (that's why no kids, HAHA!) It is a good feeling. I'm already looking forward to next year. Later in the season, I'm going to post some changes for next year, and lessons I've learned... don't worry, I'll warn you to skip it too....