The Growing Challenge Update
Over the past week, I’ve spent a lot of time in my garden, and I’ve loved every minute of it.
As a kid, I hated gardening, so it’s surprised me that I like it so much. Our back yard was just grass, so the work I’ve been doing has been labor intensive. There’s something meditative about digging and pulling up grass and weeds. I like going to bed tired at night. I’m appreciating our neighborhood more (I’ve never really liked it here), and feeling more at peace with my surroundings. I’m feeling more of a sense of community.
My 4 year old neighbor came over to play with the dog while I was working outside the other day. Last year, he was terrified of Argo, and screamed every time he saw him, but now, no fear, and they spent at least an hour running around the yard together. It was impossible to watch this huge dog and this little boy playing like old chums without smiling.
And, I finally found a garden store that I love love love.
On to the more technical specs of my garden:
- I’m planting 8 raspberry and 8 blueberry bushes. The blueberries are all in. The raspberries will go in tomorrow, depending on the weather.
- My Peacevine tomato, sage and greek oregano seedlings are two weeks in (indoors) and coming up nicely.
- The peppers I started haven’t done anything yet. Any day now, I hope.
- The strawberry seeds aren’t doing anything either, but I only got them a few days ago. For some reason, it’s really hard to find strawberry seeds around here. At the first store I went to, the woman behind the counter told me that strawberries didn’t come from seeds, just plants. Um . . .
- I planted lavender from seed the other day too. I’m going to use it to line the walk ways.
- I keep picking up more seeds while I’m out. It’s addictive. I’m going to try to get some broccoli rabe in the ground as soon as I have the garden space cleared. I’m also going to start some melons, a few annual herbs, mixed lettuce greens, lemon cucumbers, and marigolds (because I seem to remember hearing that they are good insect control).
- I’m okay with going to the store to buy plants if some of my seeds don’t sprout. This has made me more adventurous with my seedlings.
- Our last frost date could be as late as May 31, so I’m worried I may have started some stuff too soon.
This week, I should have more to photograph. Last week, it was all about moving dirt. Not too interesting to look at, and I’m still learning how to use my camera.
April 9th, 2008 at 6:24 pm
That’s incredible!
I’m so jealous of your yard and your garden. Sounds pretty ambitious. So along with your weekly box of CFA vegetables you’re going to be growing your own? That’s a lot of salads. Hooray for roughage.
That last line was just so I could work the word roughage in.
I look forward to hearing about the progress of your plants.
April 9th, 2008 at 7:06 pm
You’re right — gardening is so addictive! I’m envious of your plot. It’s sounds so diverse.
April 9th, 2008 at 8:20 pm
Great job! I keep meaning to get started, but the weather here hasn’t been cooperating. I tried to start some seeds indoors, but I have a new kitty this year that is determined to keep any of them from growing. It’s very inspiring to see all the work you’ve done already!
April 10th, 2008 at 11:18 am
Blueberries like acidic soil so you may want to put some pine needles or coffee grounds around the base of the plant to help facilitate growth. Don’t expect your berry bushes to give you a lot of fruit right away. It may take a couple years for that.
Peppers like it really warm so that may be why nothings happened with them yet.
Strawberries do have seeds as you’ve noticed but mostly they propagate through vining. That is, they are a vine plant and that’s how they spread. You may be able to take a cutting from someone’s healthy strawberry plant.
April 10th, 2008 at 12:15 pm
Mickey — It is pretty ambitious. I’m a little nervous about it, because it isn’t something I’ve done before, but it’s exciting. We’re all about roughage around here.
I tried to plant stuff that we won’t get in our CSA bag or didn’t get a lot of last year– that I might pick up at the farmers market anyway.
MG — It is so addictive. The thing I should have noted is that our house is on less than 1/4 of an acre, which is still more than enough room to garden. I think I was always thinking you needed acres and acres to have a garden.
Danielle — Thanks! I’m a little worried about the cat too! She’s been known to pull my seedlings out of the soil.
HH — Thank you for the advice. I think I’ll go make some coffee for my blueberries. I know they won’t fruit this year. I’m coming to terms with that. But I bought older everbearing raspberry plants, and the woman at the gardening store said they have a good shot at it this year, so I’m hoping. I figure if the strawberry seeds don’t work out, I’ll pick up some plants, but it’s worth a try, right?
April 10th, 2008 at 4:39 pm
let me know how the lavender works out! I’ve tried it from seed before with no results. herbs can be oh so fickle.
April 11th, 2008 at 4:12 pm
Yeah, I’m hoping it will work. I have some lavender that’s been growing in the yard for a few years and it’s so hardy, but I bought it as an older plant.