Garden Update

Here we are, with an early spring, and I am having to wait until Easter, when it is officially safe to put my plants in the ground. Grrr. When is Easter anyway? Ugh... April 8. It's been 80 degrees for past week at least. So when am I putting my plants in the ground? Probably this week.

Last week, the guys put the garden together. It took about 12 hours, but I really like the results. It's not as elaborate as I had wanted, but it'll do. I wanted to put up a nice "garden gate" all the way around, but you know what? Nobody is going to see it but us. Well, us and all of you! Ha!

I'm excited this year. Last year was a trial run, to see what we could do. This past winter I have been making all the preparations for spring, doing the research, planning, etc. And then the income tax refund came in! So off we went to get what we needed, and we found ways to make the money stretch. Once the garden is in, we won't have to do it again, but I am already collecting newspapers for next year. But I digress.

A few days ago, the guys put in the grapevines and put the raspberry and blackberry bushes in huge pots until I can decide exactly which part of the yard they can go in. The dwarf figs and kiwi plants are ordered, along with several other kinds of seeds. One of my joys is to watch the hummingbirds and butterflies as they enjoy the garden, so we are planting plenty of hummingbird vines to attract them. No more buying nectar! In fact, no more buying what we will produce in the garden! I am planning to do a lot of canning and freezing once the harvesting starts, and from the looks of our seedlings, we will have a bumper crop! I love filling a pantry full of beautiful vegetables and jams that were made from what we have grown ourselves.

My garden will be my special place to go to get away from daily stresses. Lord knows, I'm so tired of going to classes this year, and I just want to be done! I want to go play in my garden and then be fresh for the fall. Have I mentioned that I'm going to be attending the Loewenberg School of Nursing? Just two more years... two more... two more... and spend all my in-betweens in the garden. It may not be perfect, but it's mine!

Nazdrowie'

Paczki Puta

Spreading Sunshine

I have been anxiously awaiting the spring this year, and it looks like it will get here sooner than anticipated! I hope to be ready, as my hubby and I have been gathering seeds and gardening materials every week. We don't have much money (read that NONE!) but I'm sure it will be worse this summer, when gas prices are expected to go up to $5.00 per gallon, which raises the prices of everything else. Last year, we attempted our first garden. I haven't had a garden in a great many years, so it was a learning experience. We have learned so much that we are expanding on it this year.

First of all, we will not be using pallets this year. We are building a real raised bed garden. We gathered up old wood from the neighbors when they tore out their deck. Dzia Dzia used to say that there was no such thing as a bad piece of wood, so I sent the guys out to see how much decent wood they could find, and they brought back enough to build the beds up! So now we have a huge pile of wood against the fence, and are making our plans.

Today we looked at fencing, but knowing how fast seeds and plants get bought out, I decided to buy my seeds, bulbs and bushes first. I am planning on a lasagna style of bed preparation, with newspapers on the bottom, then leaves (I have LOTS), then coffee grounds, then soil and lastly leaf mulch. I have some coffee grounds, and leaf mulch, but no newspapers as yet. However, I have a couple of classmates who have promised their old newspapers to me. I told them I would take as much as they wanted to get rid of, and I pay off in vegetables! They readily agreed, so I am hoping they come through quickly. We want to get the bed ready so planting can be done in March.



I have decided to use companion gardening this year, and it has been quite an education to learn what helps which plants to grow, and which ones repel insects and rodents. I am really getting into the idea of edible landscaping this year, and am moving my Rose of Sharon bushes to an area of the yard that is better suited for them, and using the empty space for fig trees, mint, ferns and rue. I am planting onions between azaleas and garlic under the oak tree. Since I have such a small area in the backyard, I am going to use every spare inch I can find to give us a bountiful harvest this summer and fall. I will even cultivate between houses if necessary. I have a small piece of land that I am going to use for raspberries and blackberries, and am planning grapes along the fencing. I am going to plant my blueberry bushes around the graves of my dear departed fur children, and they will become part of us, even as they become part of the landscaping. I have three bushes from last year that I am cultivating into six bushes. If all goes well, we should have a good harvest from them this year.

We will have to protect our gardening from the dogs and birds, so fencing and bird mesh will be in order. We had only a few blueberries last year, and birds took a couple of them. Since we need the berries more than the birds do, bird mesh it is! I am still hopeful to get a cover built for the patio, and that will offer shade for the sliding glass door and give the dogs a place to lay when it's hot outside. It will also offer us a peaceful place to watch the hummingbirds visiting the garden. Life can be so good when you look at it that way!

With a song in my heart and spreading sunshine wherever hopeful gardeners are,

Nazdrowie'!

Paczki Puta