August 3, 2009

Still working on getting the garden in shape for fall. Dug up two paths and laid down cardboard under the weedblock and mulch.
T/P: rosemary in Bed A, as a pollinator attractor.
Tomato, in Bed B
P: zinnia, sunflower and cosmos in back fence bed. Sunflowers in side fence bed. Bush beans and cowpeas in Bed A. Waiting on my Burpee's seed order for some plants. I have never tried growing annuals in the fall, and look forward to the results.

Turned compost heap, which is still heating up wonderfully. Every two-three days seems to work better than daily. I will 'un-sew' the leaf heap by the front gate from its wild morning glory vines and use them to replenish the paths and mulch. Any leaf mold will go onto the beds and the leftovers will go into the new heap.

Finished laying out the soaker hose system. Now to figure out a watering schedule for the beds in the evenings. Going in and out several times under the geckos lurking over the back door is not a pleasant vision. Maybe I can get it all done before it gets really dark and they come out.

I scavenged some nice rocks from a parkway and am looking for a place to sink my little plastic pond, so I can use them around the edges. It won't be a proper pond with water circulation, etc., but just a watering hole for, hopefully, frogs and toads.
Unless Evil White Cat gets them.

And we're back...

Some things learned in the last two or so months:

• Gardens are alive. You just can't leave them to themselves.
• Grass mulch eventually dries out and must be replenished periodically
• Eternal vigilance is the only weapon against the squash moth
• All the culinary herbs I really need to grow can go into two strawberry pots.
• If you follow the directions for building a proper compost heap, its interior will indeed get hot as billy blue blazes with beneficial microbes eating everything up
• Pollinator- attracting plants are crucial. Try to find native ones.
• Some weed block doesn't, very much

I didn't exactly ignore the garden through June and July, but it didn't get the nuturing it really needed, because I was doing the summer musical. I won't attempt both next year.

This last week has been a matter of pulling up old plants, amending the soil, working on the paths, setting up a better watering system with soaker hoses, re-constructing the compost heap and other chores to get ready for the next growing season.

Re-working the bed grids, trying to work out the plantings for Fall. I bought the new Square Foot Gardening and he says not to worry too much about rotation, but I planted squashes, all of which eventually succumbed to heat/pests, in random spots and don't want any cucurbits in those areas. I constructed a trellis of electrical conduit, rebar and netting according to the SFG plans and am anxious to see how they work. The wooden/plastic net trellises from spring are going on the back fence for perrenial vines.

Happy surprise- nasturtiums. The seeds were in a four pack that I bought for the moonflower and morning glories, so I planted them on a whim. They were delightful, with their clear green round leaves and their hot, bright blooms. They did get a little out of hand- they are vines, after all, but I did love them and will grow them again next year. The best thing about them was their scent. It is very much like a moonflower's - light and clean. But, unlike a moonflower, you can cut them and keep them in the house.

T/P: cantaloupe

Man's Greatest Temptation and Gardening

via The Cukierski Family Apostolate, an article from the Christian Homesteading Movement.
Bob at OC mentioned something similar yesterday, about the passion of politics. Sync...

I'm currently reading works from the Catholic Land Movement, which was active in England between WWI and WWII. Similar to the Agrarian Movement in the American South, it urged the return of unemployed industrial laborers to the land, where they could be self-supporting small land-holders or craftsmen, under the economic system of Distributism. As one thing leads to another, I need to start reading about that, as well...

One thing gardening teaches you- you are not in charge.

Journal May 18

Still WWW- though some things are beginning to produce. Beans, squash and nasturtiums, for example.
Took down the teepees- on second reading, I see that I planted all bush beans.

V. helped me move and turn the compost heap. We had to wait for a wind-less day. There's not much noticeable progress going on- too much brown, not enough green. I can remedy that with the addition of all the neighborhood's grass clippings. I'll probably set up another bin, halve the leaf/dried grass contents and mix well with fresh grass bags.

One problem is that I can't claim to be organic, since I don't know what people are putting on the lawns whose clippings I collect for mulch and compost. And I can't see myself knocking on doors at six in the morning: "Excuse me, but could you provide me with a list of the chemicals you or your yard guys use on your lawn? Oh, and if you could put the clippings in something other than those clear plastic bags, that would be swell. Thanks!"
But I'm not selling anything, so I guess it really doesn't matter.
I've mulched the paths to the point that it's like walking on sponge. But I plan to incorporate all the trodden on material in the beds later.

We've discovered where the bunnies are coming from. Not from down at the corner, where a family lives under the storage shed by the driveway, but from next door, where a family lives under the storage shed in the back yard.

I put up a toad house made of an old cachepot and a discarded pasta bowl, but no sign of an occupant yet. Both V. and Ro have seen one on the porch, so we'll keep waiting.

Everytime I look over my little homestead, it is a spirit-lifter.

Pretty Much Unbearable Cuteness, Garden-style

Mother's Day afternoon, Ro went out on a mysterious errand. When she came home, she rummaged around in the crafts cabinet and the sewing room, then locked herself in the garage, declaring it Off-Limits to Mom.
There was sawing and hammering and a little cursing. Finally, she called me out to the garden to see my present:
Isn't this wonderful?

I have the cleverest children. It's made of Goodwill cast-offs and scrap lumber with raffia hair, button eyes and a drawer-pull nose and is mounted on an old iron fence post. It got its baptism by rain yesterday and is still standing, because my theater tech daughter is an excellent carpenter.
And the birds are, indeed, staying out of the beds.
Thanks, sweetheart!

Progress So Far...

Baby vegetables-

I haz dem.

Various garden views

The Garden Shrine
yes, that's a recycled squirrel feeder.

Inspired by the urban gardeners in the last post, I decided to make an experimental container garden area, using deck stair stringers from the Bob Store (Lowe's) and left-over and/or scavenged lumber. The shortest shelf is 24", the longer ones are 30". They're cut to fit the length of the planters, also recycled/scavenged.

The stringers with 2x2" braces in placed. I did not want to attach this to the fence, so we added some 2x4" uprights. A better view of the shelves in place. The three narrow shelves are placed in the middle of the steps to give the planters more room on the back. The shelves were attached with a single screw on each side. I'd like to put in a plug for the ratchet screwdriver, my new best friend. The kids got to help put the screws in. We drilled the holes before they arrived, b/c while I do allow them to mess around in Sedona Sunset deck stain, I do not allow them to actually use power tools.One of the purposes of this project is to play around with different types of DIY underground watering systems. I have ollas in one of the garden beds and am trying to find a less expensive substitute. This is an unglazed terra-cotta rose pot. Notice that it has no drainage hole in the base. I'm using one of these in both the pumpkin tub and the tomato container, sinking them so that their tops are a little above the soil level. They'll be covered with a terra-cotta saucer of the proper size.

Other candidates are plastic water bottles and large plastic drink cups from the BBQ.

The shelf unit in place:

And with some planters:

I'm wondering if the space underneath could be used for a small-scale composting bin, if you added ran some boards along the sides of the stringers. I think that with a wood frame and some plastic sheeting, this could also make a little greenhouse for seed starting.

The top shelf is herbs. The middle two will be salad greens, radishes, possibly carrots. The bottom shelf will have a tomato, a pepper and an eggplant in single containers.

You go, urban growers!

Wonderful photo links via Rowdy Kittens, via Tiny Houses.

I am in awe of creative, resourceful people. My personal favorite is Yozza's three-story patio bed. Made of oak, no less.

And next to these intrepid folks, my backyard looks like forty acres and a mule.

Journal May 4

Ow, Ow, Ow. Stepped in a mess of fire ants today. Time to buy bait.
Picked up four bags of clippings on a swing through the neighborhood. It was slim pickins' as the weather pre-empted a lot of mowing, so if it clears up this week, next Monday should be great.
I love my rain gauge- according to it, we've had 5 1/2" inches since last Thursday.
Today- mulched with the grass, weeded. Finished de-sodding the new bed area in the NP,
added grass. Intend to add compost and dirt, once the dirt dries out.
Bagged up the weeds.
Fed the birds. V. pointed out a dead one under the feeder, so I buried it under the Althea bush.
Picked peas.
To do: finish bed in NP. Mulch flower beds. Repair statue niche. Hand new bird bath from NP fence.
Squash is up, and there are blossoms on the TP's.
Trying to come up with a format for these posts, so they're not a hodge-podge.

Reading "Flee to the Fields", papers from the Catholic Land Movement, which was active in England between the late '20's and the beginning of WWII. Interesting.

Small World

A cheerful post from PTF, with a delightful video.
I want to see more of the West family.

Journal May 2

In the time of the 3 W's- Weeding, Watering and Waiting.
Put the new bed in the NP, added the dirt and TP tomatoes, pepper and basil.
Moved the bench to the back corner of the yard and have begun to dig up the space where it used to be, for another bed. Probably for shade vegetables, if the birds will let them be. Or root crops. We'll see.
Put in some new sages and guaras, re-set stepping stones and ran strings for the clematis. The morning glory and moonflowers are beginning to twine. Need to run strings for the moonflowers.
All flower seedlings are doing well. Thinned them out, a job I hate. I want everything to have a chance to grow. I throw them into the compost heap- the circle of life.
O and I need to make me a scarecrow, a job she would love.
TP daisy and marigolds in the tiny patch near the fence, after adding compost and new soil.
Put the rest of the marigolds in the mixed bed.

Elitism is a Stinky Cologne

I liked this via Liberty Girl:

And they did it all, somehow, without being sneering, contemptuous
asstards. I’m sure they’re looking down on you from Valhalla right now,
wondering why your parents failed to raise you with anything resembling respect
for those who work so hard to provide everything you snap up weekly at your
local Whole Foods. Think all that just falls out of a gigantic horn of
plenty, do you?

Check out the comments as well, especially the one about newbie gardeners somehow threatening the oldsters. Really, we're not trying to steal any of your 'dirt cred'. We thought you wanted everyone to do this, right?

Journal April 23

Another beautiful day. Made a trip to Lowe's for new hooks, bird food, some marigolds for a bare spot, a couple of natives, mulch and potting soil.
Put together the new bed frame for the NP and moved the bench out. It needs tightening up, so will stay on the porch until then.
Ro came out and got interested in finally uprooting the old enormous rosemary, or what was left of it. She also helped me move the new bed into place.
Watered, tidied up weedings, weeded in NP.

Journal April 21-22

Tuesday
Beautiful weather. Lots of work.
Cut and attached brace to tool rack and re-stained it.
Bundled up rose trimmings, put old chair out for the curb pick-up.
Picked up porch in general. It looks lovely uncluttered.
Re-seeded zucchini, beans and lettuce.
Dilemma: tomatoes and peppers are struggling back and I do love persistence. BUT I already purchased a new batch of replacement plants that have to go somewhere. I think I'll knock together a bed for the NP and put them there, to use up the last of the dirt. It was going to be sunflowers, but I'll tuck them in elsewhere.
Weeded and watered. Put up rain gauge on side fence.
Okra is coming up.
Cut broccoli for dinner. And greed onions for black beans.

Wednesday
Washed back porch, and windows. Moved green rocker to garage to go to storage.
Pulled up sod in back corner, put down weedblock and mulch.
Mulched pumpkins, added mulch to paths.
Cut boards for new bed in NP. Moved tool rack into place, replaced trunk. Tool rack needs hooks for: kid's shovel, the fork/hoe, possible the pruner.
The only things I want to keep permanently on porch: tool rack, trunk, caddy, bird food can, galvanized bucket, white litter container with kid's tools. Everything else in garage!
Jasmine is blooming. Wondered why it smelled odd, then realized I'd just pruned the cilantro without gloves, so was smelling that on my hands.
A few peas have set.

Journal April 15

After the cold killed so many seedlings, I determined not to re-plant 'til after Easter.
It has gotten warm enough for various flower seeds, the pumpkins and the cowpeas to sprout.
Today is the first day in almost two weeks that there was anything really to do, or nice enough weather to work in.
Weeded beds, re-set pavers in Bird Area, which will be known as the Nature Preserve (NP) from now on, weeded in NP. Harvested lettuce.
V. has almost completed the tool rack- I assured him I could finish it while he was at the coast. I'm thinking of staining it a rust color, to blend in with the house brick.
Leaves are so compacted in the compost bins that it may be a good idea to turn them. A two-person job that might need a captive daughter.
To do:
Buy, TP peppers, tomatoes, eggplant, basil.
Re-plant squash, beans, cukes
Buy 1x2's to brace tool rack. Finish rack. Stain?
Mulch weeded areas in NP
Move dirt, plant sunflowers in NP.
Birdola, suet, seeds.

Journal April 4

Put together Bed 6. Shaved sides off the dug bed until the frame was close enough to plumb for government work. Raked the soil smooth, laid down the newspapers and filled the bed.
When the bed was finished, I rolled out the weed-block on the rest of the paths and mulched.
The grass/leaf bags were from different houses, so the contents were varied- it makes a nice, patchwork effect.
Also mulched the Butterfly Barrow.
Decided to devote Bed 6 to okra and more cowpeas, and to plant only corn in Bed 3. Seeded all of those. Moved the pumpkin planter to the end of 6, added more soil and re-planted it. It wasn't getting enough sun against the fence, next to the compost heap.
Watered all areas.
And that's enough for one day...

Journal April 3

Temps still below normal for spring: only 71 today.
Finished digging up Bed 6 and since it is on the higher side of the yard, cut a deep trench
along the high side, to level it.
I notice that the bed I didn't dig out (being a lazy man in a hurry), but only loosened the sod and covered with several layers of newspaper before adding the topsoil, is completely weed-free.
The other two have problems. So, will cover 6 with paper as well.
Mulched the path between Beds 1 and 3 and the herb bed. One of the leaf bags had quite a few twigs mixed in, but I think they will break up when walked on.

One brave cowpea has sprouted. No okra yet- soil temp too cold still, I think.
TP the cherry tomato. The Big Boy shows signs of recovering, so I will leave it for now and save the new plant.
Moonflowers are up, two anyway. My very favorite annual vine.

NB: READ LABELS. I think the broccolli is actually brocolli rabe. This makes no difference when steamed and tossed with a nice lemon-garlic vinaigrette, but it would have been useful to know.
I was letting the 'heads' almost flower, waiting for them to form the big bunches.

V. bought the lumber for the tool rack he's making for me. I look forward to not having them lying about the porch. Because of the bank of windows that look out over the porch, he's constucting it horizontally, instear of vertically. Think of a car gun-rack, but with two sides.

Learning From the Land: In the School of Saint Benedict

From the newsletter of Our Lady of the Annunciation of Clear Creek Monastery:

As we enter the Lenten season- leaving behind the splendors of Christmas and looking forward now to that other pole of the liturgical year which is Easter- we discover that the greater simplicity and sobriety of this time of year lends itself well to a meditation on man's proper place in the universe as caretaker of creation.

For many years now ecology has aroused much interest, not only in regard to the immediate practical decisions that must be made by governments and businesses, but also as a topic of discussion in the broader cultural context. Our contemporaries seem to experience an ever increasing alienation from nature and a need to somehow "re-connect" with the earth, while scientists continue to point to signs that the ecological balance of the natural world is being seriously compromised by the excesses of our technology.

The Church too has participated in the discussion. The Holy Father recently alluded to these questions in an address to the members of the Roman Curia (December 22, 2008):

Since faith in the Creator is an essential part of the Christian creed, the
Church cannot and must not limit herself to passing on to the faithful the
message of salvation alone. She has a responsibility towards creation, and must
also publicly assert this responsibility. In so doing, she must not only defend
earth, water and air as gifts of creation belonging to all. She must also
protect man from self-destruction.

What does the great monastic tradition issuing from Saint Benedict have to say about this essential relationship with creation?
In fact, for men and women living in Saint Benedict's day, the question would have had little meaning. The vast majority of human beings lived in rural areas then and for them life was intimately and necessarily connected to the rhythm of nature. The day's activities were programmed according to the hours of sunlight. The year was punctuated by the various seasons in which planting, harvesting and every important task found its appointed time. In such a world, excepting the case of a few very rich people in large cities, it was scarcely possible to become disconnected from the rhythm of creation.

Nonetheless there is much in the wisdom of Saint Benedict that speaks to our present needs in terms of returning to a wiser way of life, a life closer to the land.
( to be continued)

Journal April 2

Note to self: enter something daily, please. Or you forget.
Noticed a few other things cold-killed: squash and bean seedlings. Need to re-plant.
Built another trellis.
Staked out and began to dig out Bed VI. And I'm dropping the Roman numerals.
Laid down some weed blocker and covered the path between 1 and 2 and 4 and 5 with some grass bags. I will try proper mulch in other places to see which works better.
Once I get Bed 6 in place, I can cover all paths.
It has actually been too windy to work today- gusts of up to 45 mph.
Morning glories and Liliput zinnias are up.
Bought some more weed-block, some replacement tomatoes and a RAIN GAUGE at H-D.

R.I.P. Tomatoes

Got back from Austin to a sad site- two of the tomatoes were limp and brown.
Ro said "I tried to call you to see if I should cover them up the very cold night we had, but your phone was off."
New directive: when in doubt, cover.
Snooze, lose: Red Pick-up Guy beat me to the real mulch on Chesterfield, but didn't get the grass bags on Cromwell. Someone took the metal frames off the shower doors on Wingate, and left the glass. That was kind of random.

Journal March 26

A wrap -up of the week:

Monday- in pre-dawn raids, picked up boards, a landscape timber, a nice big piece of bead board plywood, three plastic planters and some leaf bags. Had a fellow scrounger- a fellow in a red pick-up. We kept passing each other, slowly trolling up and down the streets. I was at an advantage as I pick likely sites on Sunday evening, after Mass. But there are always new things out in the morning.

I briefly considered a shower door, for a cold frame, but our climate doesn't really make that necessary. And I don't want to start collecting items, since V. just worked so hard cleaning out the garage.In the afternoon, I planted cowpeas, okra and cukes, new radishes and new peas. Also, the African daisies, marigolds "Citrus Mix", and Liliput zinnias in Bed V.

Hung the herb baskets on the fence, and stapled trellies up for the morning glories and the peas.

V. hung up the shrine for me and I installed the statue.

Wednesday- I bought the boards for the new and last, garden bed. Now there will be a neat rectangle with mulched paths, so the mowing will be reduced/simplified. See how E-Z that is? or so I tell V. It was raining again, which was great, since we need every drop. Put together a new grid for the beds, and a teepee for the beans. Beans were up Monday.

Thursday- picked up three bags of leaves and a lovely big round hanging basket. It has to be hung from somewhere- I'm considering making it part of the Butterfly Barrow. Or putting up a brace on the fence and using it there. There are two or so in the garage.

To Do- depending on the weather: make cuke trellis, make another grid, make bean teepee, construct last bed.

Butterfly Barrow

In the spirit of recycling- an unsuccesful bird feeder becomes a waterpuddler.



Lantana, alyssum and parsley

Coreopsis "Jethro Tull". You know you'd buy it.

The completed project.

Journal March 21

Busy days. Babysat on Tuesday and took O to the nursery with me that afternoon, then had all the children overnight on Thursday through Friday afternoon.
Ordered another load of topsoil from Strong's, which they delivered the same day (Thursday).
Constucted and filled two 2x10' beds across back fence. O and I planted one (Bed IV) with coneflowers, zinnias, cosmos and moonflowers. The second (Bed V) has yarrow, summer squash seedlings and morning glories for now.
Drilled holes and filled pumpkin barrel with planting mix.
Ollas arrived from Path to Freedom. They were wrapped in T-shirts and a sweatshirt, which will be re-cycled to the Thrift Store. The kids and I planted them in Bed II, and filled one as an experiment. Checked the soil around it today and it is, indeed, damp.
Mixed planting mix for the hanging baskets and TP herbs to two of them to hang on back fence: one has three thyme varieties, the other has chives, sage and rosemary.
Bed I: TP summer squash, basil plants. Zucchini is up. Harvested romaine and mesclum for dinner. Watered with soaker hose.
Bed II: TP Roma tomato.
Bed III: Corn is up- most of it overnight at the same time! Watered with soaker hose.
Bed IV: Moved in shepherd's crook from Bird Area, hung with lantana in hanging basket.
Bed VI: (formerly Herb Bed): TP zucchini along fence.

Bought a new mom-friendly drill at Lowe's, as well as a new saw. Also bought V. a ratchet screwdriver for his poor old hands. He finished the little shrine for me - I think it will go on the back fence.

To Do: construct cuke trellis
Hang trellies for squashes on fence.
Put up strings for morning glory, moonflower
Hang shrine.
Finish paths: buy mulch, collect cardboard (from MSSC?), put down weed block.
Plant pumpkins, cowpeas, cukes, flower annuals, sunflowers
Dig up old rosemary
Hang baskets on fence
Construct bed in Bird Area.
Work out watering schedule: print

Idea?

The plan was to put up the hanging baskets on the fence with bee-attracting flowers- but I may convert them to herb baskets and put more veggies in the herb bed.
Hmmm...

Drunk Sailor in Port

That would be me- at Lowe's this morning.
But I am now supplied for the squash trellis, which I put together this afternoon. V. came out to see what I was hammering on and we had a little "Ur doing it rong" tiff. My take: it's a trellis, not a house. His: it should still be square.

Also set up my soaker hoses in Beds I & II. I cut the hoses to length, capped the ends and put these genius snap-on connectors on the other ends. Now I just put a two-faucet unit on the hose, attach the soaker hoses and turn it on.
Bed III gets the ollas. I'm wondering if something similar couldn't be rigged with a terra-cotta flowerpot and saucer. Just plug the hole in the bottom, bury the pot, fill it with water and cover it with the saucer. Might be worth a try. They might not be porous enough, though, for the water to wick through.
TP eggplant, red bell pepper, green bell pepper.

Bought cedar for the back fence bed, plus fence palings to put across the bottom of the fences. And some bee-attracting seeds: coneflower and cosmos. Plus pumpkin seeds for the tub.

I also bought some squirrel repellent spray for the bird feeders, called Critter Ridder. I'm not anti-squirrel, but enough is enough. They can eat corn off the ground with the doves.

There was a cute family- dad, mom and a little boy about five- looking at seeds with me, and trying to select some things for his garden. He wanted everything hard to grow: carrots, onions, flowers that needed to be started inside six weeks ago. I mentioned to his mom that the onion sets and vegetable seedlings were out front and saw them again when I went out to look for another basil plant.
If I were doing a garden for a small child, I think I'd use the bags of top soil method and plant:
Radishes- you plant a little seed and only leaves come up, but then you pull on them- and there's a radish! It's magic!
Cherry tomato
Lettuce seedlings
Sunflowers- so you can share with the birds
An annual from seed- probably a short Zinnia variety
and if possible, some vining plant: beans, or morning glories.
If they turned out not to like gardening, you just pull everything up and scatter the dirt on the lawn.

To do: order dirt

Journal March 15

Just had a week of steady rain and cold temps- lows in the hi '30's. While the rain was very welcome, that may have slowed or stopped germination of the hot weather stuff I planted last week. May re-plant when the soil warms up, as I can always thin.
V. brought me back three kitchen trash bags of fresh horse manure, from Becky's place. I put some in each compost bin, along with the latest batch of bagged grass/leaves. I mulched the tomatoes, and the herb bed with some of the same, and saved two bags for future mulching.
Weeded the herb bed- mostly nut grass.
To-do list:
Trellis for squash
Trellis for peas. Also re-plant peas
Grids for Beds II and III
Boards for flower beds along back fence (thin are okay)
Order another cubic yard of dirt from Strong's
Order cuke seeds. All heirloom seed vendors are three weeks behind or no longer taking Spring orders. NB: order early next year.
Start lettuce seedlings to transplant, in the seed starter from Lowe's.

Ordered some ollas from Path to Freedom, to test out. They sound like a good idea for our climate.
This issue of Natural Home was the garden issue. They have an article about community gardeners who plant and tend the yards of people who have suitable property, but don't like/want to garden themselves. They share the produce between themselves. This is genius.
The uplift of green growing things and whatever feeling of self-sustainment we can acquire can't be underestimated.

Journal March 9

Overcast, windy. Hi: mid-'70's
Went out scavenging this morning and picked up some discarded plastic edging, bags of grass and a large plastic tub with rope handles. I'm thinking of using that as a planter for a pumpkin.
Moved Bed III into place and rather than digging it completely out, forked up the sod a bit and covered it with 3 copies of the Sunday Dallas Morning News. Then filled the bed with dirt and leveled it. It's been blessed and planted with 4 squares of corn. Okra takes up the rest of the bed. I can dig it up properly in the fall.
Also planted: nasturtiums (they came in a group pack with the morning glory and moonflowers), green beans and zucchini.
V. put a hook and eye on the gate, so we can lock it open.
New wheelbarrow is taking some getting used to- the load has to be balanced differently than in the old one.
First load of dirt is almost gone- must order more.
Found a volunteer vine growing behind the bird bath- I think it's a clematis. It will be fun to see what it turns out to be.
Absolutely MUST get a rain gauge, for watering. Also a pack of early corn seed, a pack of pickling cucumber, and a summer squash plant.
How can it be 6: oo in the evening? Darn that DST.

Journal March 8

Sunny, partly cloudy. Hi- low '80's. Begin Daylight Savings Time. Grrrr.
We put the newest bed together this morning. Lesson learned: don't be a Stingy Man. Get the wider lumber- it will pay off in time and frustration saved. But it will be adequate. I was going to put it in the Bird Area, but V. wanted to move the old landscape timbers away from the fence.
So, they will form the bed in BA, and I'll put the new one (Bed III) in the back yard.
Encroachment proceeds. I had to offer to mow the backyard, though.
Bagged up the rosemary branches for trash pick-up.
Scouted the neighborhood after Mass for bags of leaves, for a pre-dawn raid.
Carrots are up.
Watered TP tomatoes, marigolds and Barrow.
Have taken down the squirrel feeder. They eschew if for the easy pickin's of the bird feeders. But I am going to convert it into a statue holder- think Austrian roadside shrine- and put it back up on the fence. Or mount it on a pole. We'll see.

Journal March 7

Partly cloudy, WINDY. Hi- mid 70's
Sissy and the kids came over and the little ones and I put together the Butterfly Barrow, in wind gusts that almost knocked us down. There was dirt in eyes and other crises, but we got it done.
We also fed the birds and put out the nest materials holder- an old suet feeder with bungee cords. We only put in the wool yarn scraps (no more non-degrading acrylic for us!) and I'll add some raffia when I get it out.
When Sis instructs me in how to download pics without doing them all, I'll add one of the Barrow.

Journal March 6

Sunny, windy, hi: 70's

First time in a week I've had time/felt like working in the yard, other than feeding birds and watering.

Picked up mobile butterfly garden plants, one more herb and two tomato plants at Lowe's.

Time to start P/TP the hot weather vegs.

Blessed Bed II and TP two tomatoes: Better Bush and a cherry type.

There are now two peas up in the herb bed.

Moved some pavers in the Bird Area (it needs a better name) to make room for the new bed, and cut down the rosemary, prior to digging it up. It's about 10 years old and we let it grow out of curiosity to see how large it might get. But it's now in the way of a bed and nobody needs that much rosemary. So, good-bye and thanks.

Washed the feeder, watered. First daffodil up in the BA.

Ves mowed and trimmed for the first time this spring.

If Sissy brings the kids by tomorrow, we will plant the butterfly garden.

First!

This little narcissus claims the honor. To me, the scents of spring bulbs and new grass are some of the most evocative. They are the fragrance of re-generation.

Compost Heaps

Heap 2, set up, with brush in bottom
Heap 1, filled with leaves.

Plan to turn these in August or September, and use next spring.

Progress So Far...

The back yard

What got dug up

Mimi and helpers

Ready to plant.

Starting to plant.

Journal Update: February 25

Bought the new wheelbarrow at H-D, plus boards for a new bed.
These are 9/16x6 x8, so we'll see how they hold up.
TP: basil and rosemary
P: carrots and radishes
Re-staked compost heap into a rectangle, rather than a circle. Space-saving.
Ro requested we not throw away the old wheelbarrow of her childhood memories, so we are going to plant it as a mobile butterfly garden.
H-D has pressure-treated 2x4's, which we can use for the tool rack.

Journal Feb 25- Ash Wednesday

It's been cool and windy the last several days.
Made two compost bins for all those bagged leaves out of green plastic fencing and bamboo
poles. The bamboo proved to not be quite strong enough, so it's being replaced with wooden stakes. I cut 12' lengths of the fencing, joined the ends with twist ties and staked them to the ground in a 4' circle, one near the front gate, one by the side back fence.
For future reference, the 4' fence is too high, but the height can't be cut down, so the remainder of the roll will make nice trellises. Get 3' tall next time.
Peas are not coming up, may try them somewhere else and replant another vine crop in their spot. Or a flowering vine.
Planted the mint, in a flowerpot.
Planted a holly in the Bird Area.
Cleaned out the plastic trunk that I keep the gardening stuff in. (It was the kids's camp trunk, many years ago.) Also, the yellow plastic caddy for the hand tools. There was a green skink in that- we gave each other a start!
V. is going to build a rack for the big tools. It has to be shorter than the den windows and will be kind of like a gun rack. There may be space underneath to store things- we'll see.
Things sent to the garage: planters, pots, brackets, weed block, plastic fencing, bamboo poles, seldom used tools, pesticides (to be locked up), and potting soil.
Collected a box of old pesties to send to Chemical Disposal.
I need a screwdriver for the garden trunk, to go with the hammer. Also, a container for the bird items- suet blocks, the brushes for the bath and feeders, yarn scraps, Dawn, Clorox solution. Gathered up the seeds into a Texmati jar- great solution.
Shopping list for H-D:
wheelbarrow
plastic bin
5 cedar 2x6s
8 angle irons
Screws for irons
Large screws
Cedar 2x4s ? for tool rack
There are buds on the narcissus- a plant I'm not allowed to grow indoors. "Mom! That stinks!"

Journal Feb 20

Been under the weather with a bad cold, but made a trip to Lowe's today.
Bought green plastic fencing and a pack of bamboo for the compost heaps and possibly some trellises. And some mushroom compost for Bed II.
Onions are up. It was cold enough last night- high 30's- that I put a cover on the lettuces, brocollis, and onions.
To do list: plant carrots and radishes, buy materials for new beds, make new beds.
Order cucumber and okra seeds on-line
Explore watering options, buy rain gauge(s).

Scoring

Snagged 13 bags of leaf/grass clippings yesterday in pre-dawn trips around the neighborhood. Why does that still feel vaguely illegal, even though it's all set out to be hauled away by the city?
A lot will be used for composting and some will be used for mulch.
I've decided two 4x4 beds at the end of the 4x8 rows (one of which is still in my imagination) are all that will fit before the ground slopes down.
There was a Carolina Chickadee at the feeder. It has gone bird-crazy around here.

Bed III? or Stomach Big, Eyes Bigger

Marge wants to try making pickles, so I am now committed to cukes. These can grow on the fence on trellises.
But- I forgot okra. Well, I didn't forget it; I just left it out b/c I wanted to keep things small and I'm the only one who really likes it. Unless you fry it, which destroys all its nutritional value.
But I really, really like it. So there may have to be another bed for that, half of which could be bee-friendly flowers for pollination. Or, there could be bush cukes. We'll see.

Journal Feb 14

Cool, partly cloudy. HI: mid-50's
Sis came over with the children and O and Bubs helped me set the bed in place.
We had a little lesson on using a level. It's not perfectly straight, but it's better than the first one.
We carted several loads of dirt to fill in the trenches and the bed.
O helped me rake it smooth. I need to get them a small shovel and hoe or rake.
Made one grid for the new bed. Only need one, as half the bed will be devoted to corn and cowpeas.
Mesclun is just barely up.
Next projects: resetting the pavers in the Bird Garden (its new name), using some of the dirt and moving the bird bath out from under the feeder.

Journal Feb 13

Windy, cool. High mid-60's
V and I put together Bed II and I finished digging it out.
Once it was in place, it needed some additional trench digging on the sides.
Pruned the rose bush and the jasmine and cut back the fennel.
When I picked one of the leather gloves to prune the roses, a copper-colored skink
fell out and scuttled away.

Journal Feb11

Sunny, windy. Hi: 70's
Exciting night last night, with the tornado warning sirens going off and the power going out.
Heavy rainfall- the run-off from the back porch gutter cut a trough through the back yard.
I see a rain barrel in my future. All our premises are fine and the power came back on around daybreak.
T/P: chives, catmint, lemon thyme, two lavenders. Mint to t/p later, in pot. All from Calloway's.
Also bought cowpea seeds and corn seed. No inexpensive rain gauges, though. Try W-M.
Finished digging 3/4 of Bed II.
New book: How We Garden Now from library. Divided into small, medium and large projects that teach all the basics of gardening. One idea she has intrigues me: a sunflower folly. I don't have enough space to do this in the backyard and the front is out, due to street repair. But I might try this in modified format in the Bird Area. A short, medium and tall variety by the front gate, maybe.
I also want to try a no-dig temporary bed idea from MEN's veggie supplement. This is planting directly into cut open bags of topsoil, that are then covered with mulch.
Garden Now has two good trellis ideas, which I might use for the squashes and beans.
Two little skinks on the porch- one tail-less. Want to encourage them for bug-eaters.
Vile nut-grass already sprouting in herb bed. Sprayed it with clove-killer. Really don't want to use Round-up. Will explore other organic remedies.

Journal Feb 10

Partly sunny, rain. Hi: 60's
Dug some more of Bed #2. Need to use the level to set this one straight.

Too Wet to Work

After a mostly cloudy day on Sunday, we had a short, heavy rain in the early morning.
Too wet to dig, so the new bed will have to wait.
Will work on the grids for the beds instead.
These are made of bamboo cut to the right lengths (48" and 44") and secured with twist-ties
at the junctions, then laid directly on the planting beds, two grids per bed.
I also need to get a cheap rain gauge.

Blessing of the Soil and Seeds

P. And other seeds fell upon good ground, and yielded fruit,some a hundredfold, some sixtyfold, and some thirtyfold.
PSALM 64: 10-14All: You have visited the land and watered it; greatly have you enriched it. God's watercourses are filled;you have prepared the grain.
Thus have you prepared the land,drenching its furrows,breaking up its clods.
Softening it with showers,blessing its yield.
You have crowned the year with your bounty,and your paths overflow with a rich harvest;
The untilled meadows overflow with it,and rejoicing clothes the hills.
The fields are garmented with flocks,and the valleys blanketed with grain.
They shout and sing with joy.
V. Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit.
R. As it was in the beginning, is now and ever shall be /world without end. Amen.
V. And other seeds fell upon good ground, and yielded fruit, some a hundredfold, some sixtyfold, and some thirtyfold.
HYMN TO THE HOLY SPIRIT
Come, Holy Ghost, Creator blest
And in our hearts take up Thy rest.
Come with Thy grace and heavenly aid
To fill the hearts which Thou hast made,
To fill the hearts which Thou hast made.
PRAYERS FOR BLESSING OF SEEDS
V. Our help is in the name of the Lord.
R. Who made heaven and earth.
V. The Lord be with you
R. And with your spirit.
V. Let us pray.
All: To you, O Lord, we cry and pray; bless this sprouting seed, strengthen it in the gentle movement of soft winds, refresh it with the dew of heaven, and let it grow to full maturity for the good of body and soul (They are sprinkled with holy water.)
BLESSING OF SOIL
V. Our help is in the name of the Lord.
R. Who made heaven and earth.
V. The Lord be with you.
R. And with your spirit.
V. Send forth Your spirit and they shall be created.
R. And You shall renew the face of the earth.
V. For the Lord will give goodness;
R. And our earth shall yield her fruit.
Let us pray.
All: We humbly beg Your clemency, O Lord, that You would render this soil fertile with rains in due season, that You would fill it with Your blessing, and so grant that Your people may be ever thankful for Your gifts. Take infertility from the earth, and fill the hungry with Your gifts, which the fruitful earth will yield in fullness, that the poor and needy may praise the name of Your glory for ever and ever. Amen.(They are sprinkled with holy water.)

Journal: Feb 7

Weather: partly cloudy, windy Hi: 60's
P(lanted): peas (F-M), mesclun (Burpee's)
TP (Transplanted): brocolli, sage, cilantro, German thyme (all from Bonnie's)
Rosemary (from garden cuttings)
Strawberry slips
Lettuce (Buttercrunch)
Onions
Dug part of second bed.

Welcome to $30 Tomatoes
One of my New Year's Resolutions was to get back to gardening as part of living a slightly greener life. Where does the title come from? Well, consider what we've spent so far:
$96 boards for beds
$15 angle irons, screws and assorted hardware
$ 6 bamboo for planting grids
$70 topsoil
$ 3 recycled plastic bin, for composting
$ 6 2 brocolli plants
$ 3 nine-pack lettuce seedlings
$ 5 bag of onion sets
$12 assorted vegetable seed packs

for a total of $216.00.
Of course, that doesn't include the enjoyment of the fresh air, the sunlight, the satisfaction of a job well done in digging up the yard for beds, the companionship of building stuff with the spouse or having a two-year old navvy helping you haul dirt - "I do a good job, Mimi?" "Yes, Bubs, you do a great job."
Hard to put a price on that.