the farm out back

this was the plan.  once i decided to turn my patch of unused space into a garden that will grow veggies to feed more than the occasional varmint i couldn't stop thinking about it.
and then, once i measured it out i had more space than i expected... now, it i am sure is going to seem like less once i start planting and things begin to grow, but right now i am pretty pleased.

and sore.

i spent all of last monday and tuesday digging, sifting (until i decided that rocks in the soil are not all that bad) building, composting and covering with cardboard for the winter.  my muscles were hurting something fierce on wednesday, and my left index finger still hurts and seems like it might for some time... but that's it and i am done with prep.  i didn't expect to finish in two days so i was on a little high because of that.  now, all i need to do is hunt some worms during the rainy days and toss them under the cardboard and let them do their business for the next 5 months and i will be set.  that and some mulched up leaves and maybe some coffee grounds too.

 
the alley end of the bed is different than imagined.  so is that lone post up toward the top sticking too far up.... i am going to plant herbs and things in the little outside triangle bits and work up an irrigation plan over the winter so i can have that ready to place when spring and planting comes...  my huge downfall in gardening, both inside and out, is watering.  it bores me.  but, i have found that living things like water.  and i did not bust my ass digging this beauty to have everything go to waste because i end up being too lazy.

hmmm.  a metaphor for my life, possibly?

nevermind.

this is the list so far. of stuff to grow.  squash is out, expect maybe patty pan or one if it's close heirloom cousins.  but they take up a lot of room and i need that room for the list.

and there might be some asparagus up at the top of that little rock wall.  it would be experimental but what the hell... i might as well try.

crop reports to follow from here on out.

Comments

[Blaize]

Yay! Garden!

Mom and I, through the error of my "sponsor" (who was out of the country when the yearly fee came due), lost our community garden spot. Which was hard. However, Mom started farming her yard, and I--since I have only a partly-shaded courtyard--started farming my neighbors' yards.

Gardening is good for my brain because it is tactile and productive.

You could totally maximize that space by planting climbing rather than bush beans, training them up a trellis. My mom has her lettuce and chard in containers, rather than in her garden beds.

I'm going to plant another neighbor's yard with clover this winter, so that next spring I can put the squash there, and even pumpkins, because those things take up a lot of space.

I'm so excited for you! I can't wait to see what happens!

[debra]

what a lovely bed! You can also do lots with layers--lasagna gardening. It's a no-till wonderful way to start new beds. Blaize is right about containers. I have a 10 x 20 raised bed garden. I made a trellis and grew peas up it.The trellis was 2 tripods with a stick across the top, so it was like an A. I planted greens underneath the peas so they stayed shaded. Then when the peas were done, the beans climbed up the same trellis. The whole thing got composted in the end.

[tut-tut]

An artful list of veg; I've found that lemon cucumbers are not worth the effort, but you may feel different. Any veg would be proud to sprout there.

[MM. Faast]

Make sure you put food in there for those worms. Some scraps to feed on for winter. They won't survive if there is no food matter in the soil for them to munch on. Your raised bed is lovely.

[Autumn]

Hello! I have read your blog for a while, and this will be my first comment. But I wanted to say that as a novice gardener (who is waiting for the weather to cool off a bit more before digging beds) and the child of two soil scientists, your dirt looks great!

[irrigation systems]

i agree with autumn that as a novice gardener (who is waiting for the weather to cool off a bit more before digging beds) and the child of two soil scientists, your dirt looks great! really a nice blog.