FRC: I know I'm late getting it in, but after years of setbacks - I finally got my garden in!

M

mariadnoca

Moderator
Yesterday I finally got the side house/backyard garden planted! I know it's late in the season, but with limited help it was all I could do to get it in by now.

In this garden (all organic and/or biodynamic organic):

1 zucchini

2 UFO yellow squash

4 eggplants, 2 kinds

6 bell peppers: 2 red, 2 orange and 2 purple

2 artichokes

And all those tomatoes (21! in total - 5 out front; most all are different types)

will likely stick some leftover basil/etc. from the front in here and there.

And I about died of heatstroke getting them in. I kept having to take breaks, so it took all day. I soaked my feather pillow (yuk) and my face was beet red for hours, but I got it done!

Today:

I just finished the deep soak watering of the new garden plants. Seeing one plant looking sad, I stepped on the first stepping stone to walk toward it. Well, the ground with much compost (3.5 yards) just got 45 mins of water, so the stone tipped and sank! I tipped but thankfully only tipped except for reaching out with feet to get balance where I promptly sank to above my ankles in mud. With my good, formerly white, flip-flops on. However unlike many other occasions of this tip over nature, the only harm was mud vs. any broken bones/torn ligaments. Sad plant...you're on your own.

http://i788.photobucket.com/albums/yy163/4ebay_bucket/Garden/garden%20photo%20planted_zpsg2oukrcb.jpg

 
Yes I've had a garden there before, besides the front it's the only sun I have...

That side of the house faces south and the backyard faces west, so in the summer it gets full afternoon sun as the sun shines down that side yard. It gets 6-8 hours of sun there. I can't recall what time I took that photo, but it might've been morning which would get more shadows.

You were both thinking, rut ro...she doesn't get enough sun, right? Well, it's not perfect, but save chopping down the 50 yro trees in the back or ripping out the front lawn (which I'm thinking of doing) this is it for sun exposure. It's worked out well in the past and this is the first time I've really amended the heavy clay soil.

This image was when I had a garden there before - that little one, my niece, has little ones of her own now.

http://i788.photobucket.com/albums/yy163/4ebay_bucket/Garden/Amandainthegarden_zps6aaf9cd8.jpg

 
Woo Who! Congratulations!

Looks to be the perfect spot! Our vegetable garden is even skinnier but gets that precious 6-8 hours of sun while the house and rest of the "landscape" is wonderfully shaded.

Maria, you will enjoy your adventure ahead! Colleen

 
You are going to have a fun summer! I am sure your neighbors / kids will enjoy seeing the plants

grow and help with weeding. Will be fun finding recipes to enjoy your garden! The veggies will match well with the herb garden up front!

I am excited for you!

 
Having killed just about everything possible, I salute your gardening temerity. It looks lovely!

I see a wonderful tomato tart in your future.

 
I added two more planters in front for the kids; today one kid came over...

One of the 5 yro twins (the one that wasn't that into the garden) just pounded on my door, took me outside "to show me something" which turned out to be "look, the garden - it's growing!"

It was so nice! We had a good long talk, I showed him the back garden, he accidentally picked a cherry tomato so I made him eat half (yuck!) I ate the other half - how can you not like a ripe Sungold? Then we went back in front and we rubbed and smelled all the herbs telling me he was so proud of the garden. Lastly, we hunted and ate about 10 ripe strawberries, his favorite. His visit made my day, because planting the front gardens was mostly because I wanted to teach them about growing food and the wonder of nature. Today I could see that lightbulb go on. smileys/smile.gif

My heart runneth over.

http://i788.photobucket.com/albums/yy163/4ebay_bucket/Garden/trio%20garden1_zps4qqiyk95.jpg

 
Well, the garden tried to die today in the heatwave, but still see lots of tomato rec requests soon

Some did keel over and likely will not recover, but I have too many so it's ok.

I know better than to plant in a heatwave, but the forecast was for it to get hotter and stay that way for the next 10 days. So the high was 82 the day I planted (and I planted early in the day to avoid heat) and will be in the high 90s+, but I didn't want to wait even more time getting these in the ground.

 
I have a hard time getting a fall crop in. They are supposed to be planted

here right now and it is so hard to nurse the transplants through the typical 95 to 105 this time of the year.

 
What a beautiful story! Thanks so much for sharing! I am sure their interest, excitement gives

you motivation. You are so great for the kids!!!

 
In Dallas, you plant Fall crops in June? We have high heat here through October

and it is suggested to plant Fall crops in late August or early Sept. You guys must cool off faster than we do here? Or are you talking about planting seeds first?

 
The nurseries here suggest planting right after the last frost, which is supposed to give the plants

time to send roots out from the contained ball they are in when you take them out of the pot. Tomatoes usually will not produce much when temps are over 90°. I made the mistake of getting heirlooms this year. The only tomatoes I am getting are Sungolds. Our Farmer's Markets are loaded with them, however! I only have one place to put tomatoes and I understand that you are not supposed to plant them in the same spot every year. A grower told me to put clear plastic, weighted down so it won't blow off in the winter. This is supposed to kill (bake) all the diseases, insects, etc. Then he said to put down organic compost before planting. He is a CSA participant and had great gardens.

 
Yes, got my garden in super late because

even though I tried to start early, this old disabled body still couldn't keep up. I hand weeded and broke up all the very heavy clay soil myself, all 40x6 feet of it. Rented a dump truck and dumped 4 yards of compost in the driveway that had to be moved to the backyard and mixed in. Pulled up (and threw my back out) and relaid all the stepping stones. (Got a skin infection in my hands from the compost and had to go to the hospital - even though I had gloves on.)

All this took much longer than I'd planned - with weeks of dr ordered bed rest for my back. Now I'm watching all my $$$$ plants fry to death in this heatwave smileys/frown.gif so it might not be till next year I get to enjoy planting and reaping my bounty. However, I still feel the accomplishment of all that prep.

 
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