I've decided to garden in earnest this year. I made a decision that if I gardened, I would put the effort forth and not waste the money. So, I pray that the Lord will add His blessings to my labor! 
I started out with seeding a Jiffy mini greenhouse. I started these seeds back on March 9th. I started with cucumbers and tomatoes, then pea pods, jalapeno and bell peppers then dill and parsley. 
I spent several days watching the sun in our back yard; trying to figure out where to put a 4x8' raised bed for our garden. We found our best spot and JC & Brendan started work.
I started out with seeding a Jiffy mini greenhouse. I started these seeds back on March 9th. I started with cucumbers and tomatoes, then pea pods, jalapeno and bell peppers then dill and parsley. 
I spent several days watching the sun in our back yard; trying to figure out where to put a 4x8' raised bed for our garden. We found our best spot and JC & Brendan started work.I also planted my first of many containers on March 13th. I planted one tomato and put parsley seeds in with it. The seeds did not sprout. I planted a basil container and a container with onions and chives. I had an unused hanging container so I planted some dill seeds in it. I had to bring all the containers into the garage last week because of the cold but I think all but the parsley is thriving!
With my bed built, I bought 19 bags of peat, hummus and soil.
This picture {above} is 760 pounds of dirt looks like. Not much in a 4x8' bed. Enough to make my van bottom out several times on the way home from Lowes. Not enough to plant in though.
So, we got 11 bags of poop, soil, peat and sand. This picture {above} is 1,220 pounds of dirt looks like. That's a little better but not full! Wow! We went ahead and stopped here. Hopefully it will do. Add tomato cages and stakes for viney plants and a soaker hose and I'm ready to plant! I hope to plant some tonight. I have tomato and broccoli plants to go in. I am going to sow carrot, green bean, cucumber and maybe squash seeds. I also have some marigolds to go in there. That's supposed to help with bugs. We'll see! {So far, we're at about $135...that's a lot of produce I have to grow, prepare and store!!!}
Remember those seeds I started? I started "hardening" them {putting them outside for small amounts of time for 7-10 days} on March 31 and I'm afraid I've killed all of the cucumber and tomato plants. I think the peas have survived and possibly the peppers.
And on a side note, mint is very prolific! I dumped a dead mint plant in this garden bed 2 years ago. It now takes up about 2 x 4 or 6' of the bed! Need mint?
With my bed built, I bought 19 bags of peat, hummus and soil. 
This picture {above} is 760 pounds of dirt looks like. Not much in a 4x8' bed. Enough to make my van bottom out several times on the way home from Lowes. Not enough to plant in though. 
So, we got 11 bags of poop, soil, peat and sand. This picture {above} is 1,220 pounds of dirt looks like. That's a little better but not full! Wow! We went ahead and stopped here. Hopefully it will do. Add tomato cages and stakes for viney plants and a soaker hose and I'm ready to plant! I hope to plant some tonight. I have tomato and broccoli plants to go in. I am going to sow carrot, green bean, cucumber and maybe squash seeds. I also have some marigolds to go in there. That's supposed to help with bugs. We'll see! {So far, we're at about $135...that's a lot of produce I have to grow, prepare and store!!!} 
Remember those seeds I started? I started "hardening" them {putting them outside for small amounts of time for 7-10 days} on March 31 and I'm afraid I've killed all of the cucumber and tomato plants. I think the peas have survived and possibly the peppers. 
And on a side note, mint is very prolific! I dumped a dead mint plant in this garden bed 2 years ago. It now takes up about 2 x 4 or 6' of the bed! Need mint?
2 comments:
Gardening is a lot of hard work, but one of the most rewarding things to do! Looks like the "plot" is near perfect.
Once you get everything planted, get a bag of composted cotton burs to put over your soil as a top dressing/mulch. It will help keep the moisture in & somewhat decrease the weeds. It is only like $4 or so at Lowes/HD. A bag should cover your whole raised bed I think. (put it over the top of your soaker hose which will help the water to not evaporate too). Oh & be careful not to over plant... seems like I do that every year b/c the seedlings are so small but then I end up with a jungle when the plants get bigger. And then I think the decreases my production. Probably too many roots competing for nutrients.
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