Garden Update March 18th, 2010

From Garden Update March 18th, 2010

Red Clay. Excellent water retainer and full of nutrients. Some plants that need good drainage do not grow well in clay. Sticks to and builds up on shoes, shovels and tires. Stains everything it touches. I have a love/hate relationship with red clay. It is awful and wonderful and will always remind me of home.

From Garden Update March 18th, 2010

Good Dirt. Tons of organic matter. Drains quickly and doesn't hold moisture for very long.

From Garden Update March 18th, 2010

Nanny berries. (Goat Manure) Very rich in nutrients, won't burn plants like chicken manure can.

From Garden Update March 18th, 2010

Red Clay + Good Dirt + Nanny Berries + Tiller = Plant Bliss.

From Garden Update March 18th, 2010

Start of the new perennial bed. Iris, heirloom and English roses, phlox, several salvias and agastaches and all sorts of other lovelies.

From Garden Update March 18th, 2010

Another view of the perennial bed. Please avert your eyes from the propane tank and the well pump with the gradoo blanket tucked around it so it won't freeze. They will be camouflaged in short order.

From Garden Update March 18th, 2010

Start of the mint bed- cultivar "Kentucky Colonel". It isn't the strongest grower, but it is sweet and smooth, not coarse or funky like some mints can be. I need lots for mint tea and mint limeade.

From Garden Update March 18th, 2010

I do not generally like growing traditional rows of vegetables- I prefer the kitchen garden with raised beds of flowers and herbs and veggies all jumbled together. We are going to grow a few rows because the order they bring to our universe makes Kevin happy. If I am going to put up (can/preserve) tomatoes and green beans (like I hope to do) I also need more than my raised beds will produce. These rows will be for squash, green beans, tomatoes and melons. Oh, and okra! We all love pickled okra. And Okra Fritters. Man, do I love okra fritters. Most of the yumminess of fried okra without the mess.

From Garden Update March 18th, 2010

Here is our pile of Good Dirt with Pearl standing guard. She likes this vantage point and is going to be sad and confused when it is all gone.

From Garden Update March 18th, 2010

Thank heavens for this tractor with the bucket for moving the Good Dirt- it has saved many backs. Thank you, Kubota tractor!

From Garden Update March 18th, 2010

This uninspiring little sticks are blueberries and blackberries. The angle of the photo makes them look very close together, but they are actually fairly spread out. I can almost taste those fresh blueberries now! We planted 2 each of Alapaha, Brightwell, Powderblue, Climax and Tiftblue so that we would could have berries ripening over a longer period of time- we can also decide which are our favorites and plant more of those.

From Garden Update March 18th, 2010

Asparagus "Jersey Knight". We planted two asparagus beds last year- 25 plants in each bed. They need a few years before you can really start harvesting them- the root systems need to build up so they can produce over many years.

From Garden Update March 18th, 2010

Asparagus "Purple Passion". It is taking some serious willpower on my part not to harvest these. I love Spring.