This weekend was a lot of things, updates on those in the coming days.
The big thing was to go ahead and get the garden started. We're much earlier this year than last so hopefully that will help with a much better harvest.
I got all the stuff I needed, the cages, the straw, the irrigation supplies and of course the plants (there's that Rubbermaid cart, I LOVE that thing!). I went to a local feed store and scored some of the veggie varieties that we wanted.
The beds were ready from a couple of weeks ago when I turned the soil and added to it so the first thing I did was plant the vegetable and herbs. Then I laid down the soaker hose and tested it. It worked (phew). I hooked it up to our timer so everything is being watered while we aren't there during the week.
Of course, the rainy season is coming so for a period of time this Spring, I can turn that off. Save the water!
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| Raised beds with tomato cages |
Then I put the cages over the plants. We also love our red cages, ha.
The last thing to do was to put down the straw...
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| 4x8 raised bed |
I left space in this bed to make it easy to add some more next weekend (might plant seeds here for the root vegetables). There are two Ichiban eggplants at one end and two TAM jalapeños at the other end...
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| Tomato bed |
Two tomatoes here I this one. These are two new varieties for us, chosen after research online (and from dear friends with experience). They are the best for our area/climate, so we shall see!
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| 4x4 raised bed |
These are most of the herbs we'll use this season. 2nd Man makes a wonderful chicken with lemon thyme, and if the basil gets as big as the one last year, we'll have lots of basil for pesto and pasta sauces (that's why I put it in the middle). Of course we use oregano and parsley and chives all the time and we have a rosemary bush on the porch in a container so that's it for herbs.
Because I combined the eggplant into the pepper bed (last minute change in plans), that has freed up a raised bed.
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| Raised bed garden |
I still have to plant the squash bed (have the squash but just ran out of irrigation soaker hose). We might forgo the Spring greens though, it's getting hot quicker than expected and greens might be too late so we'd go straight into planting two okra plants.
That will still leave us with one empty bed. Hmm...might put up the red trellis and try some cucumbers?
Let the growing begin!
looks great! I just wish I had done anything.
ReplyDeleteHey, it's never too late, maybe some herbs in a container?
DeleteWell done. A bit of work with HUGE rewards to come.
ReplyDeleteThat's the plan, we hope, ha.
DeleteYour cages look really nice. They give some colour to the beds. Well, I'm far from starting to plant, but I am planning on planting some basil for my window today! Have to do some planting on the first day of spring! :)
ReplyDeleteThanks!! I bought some large red coated tomato cages at the local big box store (they had red, yellow, blue and green) and we liked the look so much, I found some more specialized ones for different plants that were the same red vinyl coated. They fold up for Winter so they've been great so far. And it's nice to have the color and fun to have them match.
DeleteHope you get to play in the dirt!!
Looks wonderful. Cucumbers sound perfect for the last bed, then I'd tuck in marigolds and nasturtiums to draw in the pollinators, drive off the predatory bugs and add wonderful flowers. Nasturtiums are edible too, besides being beautiful.
ReplyDeleteDefinitely marigolds, LOVE them, so pretty and they do well here, I will look into nasturtiums, edible is a win win right? Thanks!!
DeleteComing along nicely.
ReplyDeleteI got 8 pepper plants this morning along with my sweet baby finger carrots.
Last year it was April before planting anything so yes, this year it's much earlier.
Reached 91 deg. for a high today. Beautiful day for the First day of Spring.
it's flirted with high 80's here. Yep, we started late last year, glad to be ahead of the game a bit here this season.
DeleteHooray for you! Looks to me like you were pretty good with the follow through!
ReplyDeleteTHANK YOU! I'm sticking to our plan this year. It's becoming a bit easier each season as we get more of the infrastructure done.
DeleteI love your colorful updates on the farm. I'm no gardener, so I have great appreciation for your talent and work.
ReplyDeleteLove,
Janie
OH, you are too sweet. Hey, I just post and hope that maybe it helps someone or gives someone inspiration or is at least interesting, ha. Thanks!!!
DeleteLooking great! We have along way before it's warm enough to plant basil but I do love making pesto, freezing it in ice cube trays and using it the rest of the year. I tend to plant too much but my daughter in law is a chef who loves taking all the extras. Keep up the hard work! (But never forget to take the ice tea breaks as well)
ReplyDeleteOh pesto is so good, We made it a couple of times last year but used it all each time. Nothing to freeze. I might stick another plant in the ground and grow some more. Is there such a thing as too much pesto? Ha.
DeleteIce tea breaks often. My favorite drink of refreshment out there.
You got a lot of work done - everything looks great! It will grow really fast with all this sunshine and warmth.
ReplyDeleteI usually wait until the end of March to plant my okra because it likes warm soil - well, since Spring came early this year, I planted my okra along with the rest of my vegetables and herbs. I’ll do a second planting of green beans and squash in about a week, to stagger the production.
I will remember that about okra in the future but you're right, Spring is early for us in these parts so I'll see about that going in soon. We'll see how it all goes.
Delete1st Man,
ReplyDeleteLooks really good 1st Man! I'm excited to see you have everything in the ground, and you're prepared for the rainy season there in Texas.
I pray you have a healthy harvest of vegetables and herbs this year.
Thank you for the thoughts, we'll see how it goes! I can't wait to see what y'all do at your new place. Ugh and the rainy season is coming (like your stormy tornado season too, be safe). Thank you!
DeleteLooks grateful and a good plan on growing as well. Can't wait to see what you get this year, you guys did so well last year.
ReplyDeleteThank you!!! Last year wasn't too bad. Hoping for enough to keep us eating them as they come in. We'll see. Thanks again!!
DeleteWEEEE!!!!!! So happy for you. I'm itching to get growing here in Maryland, but, alas, I have to wait until mid-May to get things into the ground. I love the red cages!! Everything looks great!
ReplyDeleteMid may!!! Wow!! We'll be 90's in mid may, ha. The red cages were a great find. Bought them at Gardeners Supply. Found some at a big box store and just went from there to get the ones for different types of veggies.
Deletehttp://twomenandalittlefarm.blogspot.com/2016/06/red-garden-trellis-cages.html
Post above from when I got them. Thanks again!! Hope you get to play in the dirt soon!!