waking up the garden

The weather seems to be turning here.  Not a moment too soon.

The pool is completely thawed out,

and the chives are perking up.

I had a really bad growing season last summer.  I don't know if it was because I was distracted with a new baby or if my soil was going sour. Either way, I've thought about bagging the whole idea of a back yard garden this year. I didn't order seeds. I don't plan to set up my indoor greenhouse. I can just imagine what Ian would do to that contraption!

It's all a lot of work. Can I really commit to planting and watering and weeding all summer long?  Wouldn't it be easier to just subscribe to a local CSA and let the farmers do the farming?

And yet, there is something about growing stuff yourself-- something really good.  I'm going to give it another shot.  

I had my soil tested. Wow.  What a helpful thing that was. My soil ph was way off. No wonder. The man behind the counter at the feed store took pity on me and has befriended me. He is going to help me get back on track. He told me that my soil is not hopeless. It just needs a bit of compost.

I've had help at home too. The kids have been pitching in. It feels good to work collectively outside. Sophie supervises and makes sure that we don't run off all of the quail she likes to hunt.

I've sent pictures to my "Feed Store Farmer Friend" and he is going to help me decide where to plant things this year. I think that we need to do a fair amount of crop rotating.  

We plan to stick to the basics and focus again on growing things that A) we actually eat, and B) that we can preserve.  I've been doing a lot of reading/skimming (see the sidebar) and have decided upon:

Radishes, corn, green beans, tomatoes (roma, genovese, cherry), cucumers, carrots, onions, potatoes, squash, and herbs.

Wish us luck!!

seedlings

I have a feeling that Spring will be here early this year.  We have had very little snow this Winter (I didn't mind because I couldn't ski in it anyways) and it seems to be warming up nicely.  Our growing season is fairly short here- mid May through early October. Starting seeds indoors is the best way to get a jump on our garden.

(See last year's garden in all its glory.)

Planning our garden always involves effort on my part to remain realistic, I am rarely successful. When Spring finally rolls around, I tend to have big BIG ideas for growing food.  With a new babe to tend soon, I'm just not sure how much time I can devote to tending a garden at the same time. I am aiming to keep it small. At the same time, I love the thought of eating our own home grown food all winter long. So, I am trying to grow only what we can pickle, preserve, freeze or can.

The benefit of planting year after year is that you learn stuff. Here is what I've learned about starting seeds inside.

*Dirt matters.  I once thought it made sense to start my seeds in actual dirt from the garden.  That way they wouldn't be shocked when I moved them outside.  Wrong.  It is just too heavy for those little seeds to sprout.  Seed starting potting mix is best. It is very light and fluffy. (I actually pour water into the bag of mix to moisten the soil before filling up my pots- otherwise you'll inhale it.)

*Pots matter.  I've tried those little pellets for starting seeds and my plants outgrew them too quickly.  I've tried making newspaper rolls for pots- they rotted and deteriorated before it wast time to move them outdoors. I've tried yogurt and sour cream containers, but they don't drain well. My seedlings grow for 3 1/2 months indoors before going outside to their garden boxes.  I need pots that hold their shape and allow enough room for growth.  I have had the best success with store-bought pots that were a minimum of 3-5" in diameter (bigger for tomatoes).

*Watering matters. I have found the best way to water these delicate little seeds is from the bottom.  Watering from the top tends to wash the seeds out.  I buy those black trays to set my pots in (I've used a cookie sheet in a pinch) and just keep a an inch or so of water in the bottom of the tray.  Once the seedlings are up and looking sturdy, I water from the top as usual.

*Temperature matters: In years past I have just used some wooded shelves or a baker"s rack to house all my plants while they grow.  They sit near my southern facing sliding glass door.  This year, I splurged on a little indoor greenhouse of sorts.  Wow! What a difference.  Already my seeds are up and looking great.  Must be that warmer temperature that they are basking in.

*Time matters: After nursing these little plants for 3 or more months, it is a great tragedy to send them outside too early. I've learned this the hard way.  One year I lost all my cucumbers because I wasn't patient enough to wait another week. It pays to take an extra week or so and harden them off outside before planting them in the ground.  I usually send mine outside on the deck during the day (and bring them in at night) for a week. Depending on how they look, the next week they are outside full time- then the following week they go in the ground.  It is a gradual process.

Hooray for dirt under our fingernails, earthy smells inside, and tiny little emerging plants.

Oh, hello there.

Yes, I have been away.  Yes, summer has been good to us.  Yes, we are enjoying every last drop.  I am however, missing all of you.  If you are still reading and visiting this lonely little space...well then bless you!  It is my intention to get back to writing in a more regular way- starting today.

The garden is in full bloom and the veggies are rolling in. It hasn't exactly been a bumper crop year in our back yard, but none the less, we are taking what we can get.  We have been fighting a little bit of blossom-end rot, some VERY bitter cucumbers, and those nasty squash bugs.  

Yesterday I caught the neighbor kids plucking cherry tomatoes in secret.  I had to laugh, not only is there more than enough to go around, but let them steal VEGETABLES...and eat them!!!

The sunflowers made their debut last week.  Oooohing and Ahhhhing ensued as we remembered just how magnificent they are.

The above ground boxes have worked well.  Next year, I plan to really try and amend the soil better.  We brought in topsoil for the boxes this year and I have the feeling it just wasn't very nutrient rich.

The other improvement that simply (or not so simply says my husband) must happen next year is: irrigation.  Watering with a hose day and night is a big task and one that doesn't lend itself very well to summer getaways and travel.  Some of my plants have indeed suffered because I haven't been the most consistent water girl.

I love the squash and corn patch. The girls call it "the jungle" and it is a favorite hiding place for Sophie The Cat. 

I never regret all the hard work that goes into our summer gardens.  It always turns out to be more than just a patch of dirt where food grows. 

    

It is a place where we invest ourselves, of sowing and reaping.  I love the way it fosters anticipation and helps us to find joy in simple things. Our garden is a shady little oasis of green that has kept our hands busy and our mouths happy all summer long.