Here are the 26 raised beds (each 4' x 8') I have to work with. All but four are planted out. Some that are planted may look bare because the plants are either so small or haven't germinated yet. I'll be posting pictures of individual beds later; these pictures today were taken from hubby's upstairs office window so I could get each entire area in one shot.
The field garden is 35' x 40'. The bottom left is the strawberry patch which is looking really good right now with oodles of blossoms on each plant. To the right of the berries I have four rows of potatoes. My potato sets were sprouted more than I'd have liked them to be when planted, but I'm hoping for the best. I'd say about half of them have leaves showing above the soil now.Above the strawberries you can see a teepee trellis that has morning glories planted around it which are about an inch tall. Beyond the trellis is a row of green beans (just breaking through the dirt) and then bare ground that I'm going to plant some Red Kuri squash in. I wasn't going to plant any squash or pumpkins this year because we're improving the soil in the pumpkin patch but because I cut back on some other veggies, I have this available piece in the field garden that just HAS to be planted out in something. I love Red Kuri squash but almost had a coronary when I purchased one in our local organic co-op this winter. It was about 6-7" in diameter and cost $8. Gulp. Yup, I'm gonna stick a few squash seeds in that there bare spot!
To the right of where the squash will be planted and above the rows of potatoes are four rows of trellises; two for pickling cucumbers and two for shell peas. The peas are about 2" tall and the cucs have yet to be planted.
Last but not least is the pumpkin patch (14' x 23') planted out in an oat and barley mix. It's getting very close to being ready to be plowed under (before it heads out) as a green manure crop to enrich the soil. Then we'll plant some buckwheat and plow it under in time, also.So that's the garden area as of today, June 1st. Here's hoping it looks a lot different on July 1st!
14 comments:
It's looking fabulous! Mine is a bit sad looking right now, but hoping to get more seedlings in soon! Keep up the good work, and I love how you want to document it
I can tell you are a quilter from the very first photo! Ok, now I'm going back to read the post!
Your gardens always impress the heck out of me. So productive and orderly! And, as we got to sample, they turn out some excellent produce!
Wowowowowowow W-O-W! It looks gorgeous! And so tidy. Wow. I'm looking forward to seeing July 1st and onwards. Thanks for sharing :)
Ok I'm back! It looks amazing! Your garden is an OCD Girl's Dream! Everything is so neatly laid out and looks incredible, can't wait to see the photos later in the summer from the same vantage point, what a great idea - Chicken Mama did that on her blog from the same vantage point in different seasons and the results are amazing.
P.S. Are your cuke trellises the cattle panels you bought this year? I'm trying to figure out a cuke "system" and I can't decide whether to go with a horizontally run tent/teepee or a flat panel made of twine/chicken wire/cattle fencing (which is totally warped and a pain to work with)... Any thoughts oh wise garden guru lady? :)
Hey, Stephanie - I've thought about taking periodic photos throughout the summer for a long time, but have never done it. Now with the blog, I have the impetus to do it!
Hi, Erin - You silly girl! Only the birds flying overhead (and me hanging out of the second floor window) would see that!
I'll trade ya your garden lay out for mine right now. Yours is so much more artistic!
Hi, Claire - You are too, too kind. You've got a good start on your own garden, Pregnant Lady!
Howdy, Fiona - I gotta say it looks better from the second story than from the ground!
The trellises for the pickling cucs are our new cattle panels. But for years I used homemade 4' wide vertical trellises made with scrap lumber frames and chicken wire. For some reason I've always grown the pickling cucs on vertical trellises but let the slicing cucs trail on the ground.
It might be fun to try a teepee arrangement . . . just so it wasn't so tall that when the vines climbed up it they were out of reach to pick. Take pics of what you decide on, eh?
Beautiful gardens, Mama Pea. Just beautiful. Do you have to weed-wack in between your raised beds, or are you able to just mow it?
VERRRY nice! I also like the idea of taking pictures from the same vantage point at monthly intervals - what a great way to illustrate your years' gardening journal! Yeah, that one, that you make all the daily entries in... oh, that's what blogs are for: right.
Really lovely to see your beds though. What a lot of great food you have to look forward to!
And if I'm not mistaken, those paths in between look just like a mower's width. Smart, very smart.
Hi, Jo and Thistledog - Yep, we can mow right between the beds . . . BUT grass (weeds, actually) still insist on growing up right against the raised bed frames and has to be weed-whipped. We've kicked around the idea of graveling the whole area around and inbetween beds, or maybe covering with wood chips, but in the end the grass seems like the least trouble.
Thank you both for your kind words. Here's hoping you can actually see the veggies growing on July 1st!
Your gardens are wonderful, Mama Pea. Just absolutely wonderful. I will use you as an inspiration - I'm up to three raised beds! I know how much hard work went into that garden - and I am really looking forward to the seasonal views!
Oh my goodness, everything looks fantastic. You have the potential for a huge yield in just those raised beds. We get more than what we can eat and put up from ours and we have half what you have, How exciting. I sure look forward to up coming pictures.
Hi, Susan - Thanks for your kind words. For sure, a lot of work goes into it but I do so love gardening that it's not work to me. (Well, except for planting those really itty-bitty seeds that you can hardly see!) :o)
Hi, Lorie - Just checked out your garden blog and think your garden is beautiful! I've bookmarked you (that sounds like a threat) and will be following.
I preserve enough veggies from the garden to feed us year round which is a good feeling. And, of course, there's some to share.
Our strawberries are just now forming berries and I'm going to keep track of the harvested weight for the first time this year. I probably won't come anywhere near your poundage though!
Thanks for your comment.
I have serious garden envy :)
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