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Musings on organic gardening, frugal living, the environment, self-sufficiency and whatever else strikes our fancy. 

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Shotglass Sonata

IRL Codger

PostPosted: Sat Mar 07, 2009 10:09 pm


This seasons project is a garden.

My friend and I picked out a plot at his place after quiet a bit of deliberation about 3 weeks ago and have been working on it since. Not having a place of my own to garden, and him having all the space possible but being the type to need someone's help or not even start this worked out great.

So far it's been quiet a process. We're both very busy people so we take maybe about one day a week to get it worked on.

This was alone took about two weeks:
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One day of us working together, and then another day of me going out to finish it up. See all that thick green around it? That's mowed down weeds that we had to clear out of our spot... There was also angry stinging nettle that went up to my knee's all along that fence line that I tore out like and angry beetch. The heavy autoshop work gloves saved my hands though. Over all though, it was about 2-3 hours worth of total work.

This week we got out there twice in a row and did an amazing amount of work compared to our usually process.

Yesterday we worked/turned all the soil together.
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As you can tell, I went OCD and smoothed it all out after.

Today, we did some shopping and bought topsoil that I laid out and mixed in.
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I'll be honest, the stuff we got was cheap and I was throwing out random chunks of concrete. To be honest though, we're already working in soil that's like an archeological dig. There used to be a house over that spot that burnt down years and years ago, so there are all sorts of old rusted needles, glass bits and old giant concrete piping bits that we keep cleaning out.

That center pile of dirt you may have noticed is where we just chuck it for the current time being. So far that pile has nails, glass bits, old rusted bits of who knows what, rocks and concrete galore, and of course, many unhappy and hopefully now dead weeds.

As my friend worked on a path along that building, I got to work on the rows.
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From order to closet on back, it's red sweet corn, tomatoes/red jalapeno's and then that back corner is for our squash and cucumber.(hence the random stuff sticking up that shall be used for trellis's)


The next row I got confused and worked for how I wanted to plant to carrots, but it was instead meant for pea's. That meant I smoothed it over and started again. By the time I got to the carrot patch, I couldn't seem to recreate what I was trying to do in the other spot. I wanted to try a kind of raised garden of sorts to help guarantee as much smooth worked soil as possible for them to grow correct.

This equaled a lot of wasted time by comparison to the other garden work I had done. Over all though, I'm still happy with it. These are the last three plots. It was dark tonight by the time we got to take the pictures so please forgive that.

Snow Peas:
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Carrots and the last lot which will be for Lettuce, maybe broccoli:
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We don't have everything planted yet, but I did the short rows in hopes of saving some water or at least making watering easier and also, this way everything else can go swiftly in the ground once it's ready!


I do really hope this all comes out well! It's the first time since I was a child that I'll be attempting to garden like this again and I'm doing all sorts of research and planning in what spare time I have. I even have a notebook for it all!

Also, if all else, we might put some strawberries in that last patch if we can afford to buy the plants ^_^

Didn't my friend do an awesome job on that pathway? He was very precise with it, and even started it over at one point!



ps: Someone visited us while we were away today. I'm tempted now to make a scarecrow; if all else just to have! ^_^

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PostPosted: Sat Mar 07, 2009 10:55 pm


That is looking just great!!! Where are you? You've worked hard so far, I wish you great success!!! There's just nothing like your own garden---keep up the good work!

sunsetsmile
Crew


Shotglass Sonata

IRL Codger

PostPosted: Sat Mar 07, 2009 11:14 pm


sunsetsmile
That is looking just great!!! Where are you? You've worked hard so far, I wish you great success!!! There's just nothing like your own garden---keep up the good work!



California Central Valley, perfect farm country.

PostPosted: Sun Mar 08, 2009 3:08 pm


Oh wow that looks great!
I cant wait to see photos when stuff is growing! Keep us tuned in!

PiercedPixie2
Crew


Shotglass Sonata

IRL Codger

PostPosted: Mon Mar 09, 2009 5:35 pm


I haven't been out to the garden yet since I've been so busy, but I logged on today and my weather bug has a frost warning for tonight.

ACK!!!!

Anyone know how big of an issue this is for the seedlings? I'm doing research as fast as I can but so far it's all about already well grown plants getting damaged and etc!


The weather is so strange in my area right now.
PostPosted: Thu Mar 12, 2009 6:37 am


This is awesome! You've done a lot of hard work.

Why'd you tear up all the nettles? They are edible and chock full of iron. Supposed to be really good for your hair.

peas and carrots are colder weather crops so a light fright wouldn't do much harm. I'd be more concerned about the tomatoes. they don't like cold. Not sure about the cucumbers and corn but those are warmer crops as well.

Keep us updated on your garden! I love garden pictures. 3nodding

onicoe
Captain


Shotglass Sonata

IRL Codger

PostPosted: Thu Mar 12, 2009 8:51 pm


onicoe
This is awesome! You've done a lot of hard work.

Why'd you tear up all the nettles? They are edible and chock full of iron. Supposed to be really good for your hair.

peas and carrots are colder weather crops so a light fright wouldn't do much harm. I'd be more concerned about the tomatoes. they don't like cold. Not sure about the cucumbers and corn but those are warmer crops as well.

Keep us updated on your garden! I love garden pictures. 3nodding





I found everything should be more then fine since they hadn't sprouted yet or whatnot. My dad's an ag. business major so I checked with him when he got home finally ^_^

I tore up all the nettles because I hate them and they were in places that they would sting us if we did any work in the garden. There is still more then plenty of it all around, TRUST ME. I have such a uncomfortable history with it that I don't know if I could bare to bring myself to eat it. Is it good? I just can't picture it somehow being tasty.
PostPosted: Fri Mar 13, 2009 6:24 pm


i've mostly used dried nettles in the form of a tea. It has a strong grassy taste like many herbal teas, so I didn't mind so much. I don't see it around that much but i've heard you can steam fresh nettles just like you would any sort of greens (spinach, kale, etc.)

onicoe
Captain


DiffergO

PostPosted: Sun Mar 15, 2009 5:23 pm


Wow I love the space you have made for your garden. Did you dig up all that land? I tried the digging method last year and it really killed my back for days after. Of course I was digging solo.
I plan to expand my garden this spring but I heard you can place big black plastic bags on the ground over the grass (err. grass/weeds, in my backyard) and the bags will trap heat to smother and cook the underlying growth. This should make it easier to clear.
Keep up with the pics! Can't wait to see your progress.
PostPosted: Tue Mar 17, 2009 11:24 am


off to a good start! can't wait to see more pictures biggrin

jaffa kreee


Shotglass Sonata

IRL Codger

PostPosted: Sat Mar 21, 2009 5:03 pm


So far, we've got the corn sprouting out, but that's it.
I'm also having issues with the tomatoes I'm trying to start
before we put them in the ground.

I'm prepping myself for the idea of buying the little 6 packs of
them and just doing it that way if I don't get better signs soon. xp

No more pix at this time.


I'm also tempted to buy some strawberry plants to keep in pots.
I just think they're cute! ^_^
PostPosted: Sun Mar 22, 2009 5:38 pm


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Go for it! Strawberry plants are indeed adorable! heart

jaffa kreee


Shotglass Sonata

IRL Codger

PostPosted: Sun Mar 22, 2009 9:11 pm


jaffa kreee
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Go for it! Strawberry plants are indeed adorable! heart



Monies is the issue with that. Mostly, for the pots to put them in. I have to rummage through what we have and see if I have something that works good ^_^
PostPosted: Tue Apr 07, 2009 9:35 pm


So then, update time! Things seem to be going well enough. I think our garden is quiet catching to look at. We want to put up some chairs in the area to sit around in and enjoy it when we get done working or when we take rests between work.

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Our corn is going nuts, the snow peas are coming up and well... not much of anything else yet.

We put down some walkway stones and labeled them with chalk ^_^

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I tried to start the tomatoes and jalapenos before we put them in the ground and failed horrible so those will still have a while to wait on them. We ended up just directly planting the seeds. I've only barely found a little 6 pack of the type of tomatoes my friend wants but no sign of the red jalapenos.

The squash and cucumbers don't seem to have any interest in coming up and the carrots are barely showing any signs of life. I priced some packages of plants at a grocery store of all places and found some really good deals. Very healthy looking plants as well.

I'm seriously worried about the squash and cucumbers because I planted a seed in a pot randomly that my fiance gave me from his gardening seeds and it's already up and ready for business after just a short few days! I mean, it was mostly an experiment and I spat on it for its first watering! sad

I wonder if the brand/batch of seeds we got aren't good.

I'm also impatient and worried I did something wrong. That's just how I am though. I'm a bit of a perfectionist and will worry till I know it's all good and set.

Today there was quiet a large storm. It's supposed to rain tomorrow as well. I hope our garden enjoys it ^_^


Also, we we're given some spaghetti squash and have no room for it. We're debating making a small plot somewhere else for them.

Shotglass Sonata

IRL Codger


niaouli

PostPosted: Thu Apr 09, 2009 4:42 am


That looks great, well done.

Good luck with it, I can't wait to see more pics 3nodding

I'm thinking of trying to grow some strawberries in pots, but I think that I need to get onto that pretty soon. I got some lovely pots today that would look so cute with strawberries in them.
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