So you may remember I have been in the past a gardening fail...
However, this year I may have turned the corner. I discovered Square Foot Gardening. My uncle gave me his book, and I fell in love. It’s a little different from simply raised beds and it’s working really well for me.
Words to the wise though: Even if your husband is sure that the manure behind the bed is completely composted because nothing is growing in it, you would be wise to check it first before you combine it with your Mel’s Mix.
Chances are it is full of weed seed and has not been heated enough to be fully composted, which thereby completely defeats the purpose of mixing it with vermiculite and peat moss to have ideal soil, because you’ll STILL have to weed!
But you’ll be able to keep up with it, and due to the beauty of the grid, you’ll know you’re not pulling up your baby plants.
Also? Broccoli looks nothing like red root pig weed. Don’t bother carefully weeding around it because then your dad will say, “What’s that weed you’re so carefully tending there?” And you’ll say, “Isn’t that broccoli?” And he’ll have to say, “Sorry sweetie, that looks nothing like broccoli.”
Besides, that broccoli was from old seed and was never going to grow; which brings me to tip number three.
Don’t use seeds from 2006. Or 2004. Especially if they’ve been stored in the garage. Even if you think there might be a chance they’ll sprout, and you may as well since you have them on hand, you’re really just wasting your time.
Keep these little tips in mind, and you may just grow something and it won’t be so overgrown with weeds that you can’t even find what you planted. You’ll be able to make Texas Caviar with cilantro from your very own garden and rosemary potatoes fresh from the yard!
You’ll be so proud of yourself you may just forgive yourself for tending to a pigweed for a whole month and not even knowing it.
early June
early July!
I think we’ve made progress
Wow, the 'baby' is growing nicely! Lol, good job with the garden 🙂
Glad it is going well for you! It looks like it's doing really well! Great job!
I also very much love the other "crop" you are raising..that sweet little boy in the swing!
God Bless!
Impressive!
You're going to wind up thinking I'm some sort of crazy stalker, but I just have to tell you this.
I first found your blog when I read a letter that you had wrote in to Family Fun magazine; I've followed you since. Last weekend, I went to a rummage sale and bought a stack of old magazines. One of them was a back issue of Country. As I was looking through it, I saw a picture and thought, "I swear I know that chick…. Is she from that blog? Hmmm…" When I read the article and saw your kids' names I knew it had to be you. And when I got to the end and saw your blog, I knew I wasn't crazy!
So, anyway, just figured that as your newest blog/magazine stalker, I ought to tell you about it and say hi, lol.
too funny! And I love your labels – especially on the last picture!