Garden Journal

Got the first vegetables planted in the garden today. I'm doing sort of a modified "square foot gardening" style - putting more vegetables in wider rows, and making certain the paths are wide enough to reach both sides. Last year our tomatoes were such a jungle we missed harvesting a bunch that fell rotten because we couldn't get to them without smashing 'em. I've got potatoes and onions and gourds and cucumbers - which really don't need to be accessed on both sides - on the edges of the garden that are surrounded by fence. See, that fence, while vital to keep the deer out, is problematic. On the one hand, it is a trellis of sorts for the vines (pickling cucumbers, apple gourds and luffa gourds), but the 2"x3" squares make it difficult for my fat hands to reach through and snag fat, ripe vegetables. I think if I ever put in another garden I'll model it more on Mel Bartholomew's square foot gardening style - and either fence in the whole area or fence in walkways around it. I dunno.

Yesterday, though, I raked out rows and decided where things would be. I changed my mind about 4 times, but I think I have it worked out now. I planted loads of sweet white onions (vidalia-type), yellow onions, 7 potato sets, 3 tomato plants - sweet millions?- my dad gave me when we went to Norfolk last weekend. I think they will survive - one of them got a little windblown in the back of the truck...and, I guess that was it...in the afternoon I put in cucumbers, corn and gourds along the row to the right - maybe the gourds will use the corn to vine on? I harvested a bunch of rocks that the girls put in the wagon to haul to the creek later...and I planted some hostas in front of the shed/chicken coop. Those were divides from a friend who lives over by the Humpback Bridge.

Anyways, in spite of the "help" from the littles, I was able to get a good start on the garden. The forecast for the next 8 days is rain of some type or another - showers, thunderstorms, whatever, so if things don't get too incredibly soggy I should be off to a good start.

The berry patch....raspberries, blueberries & (wild) strawberries.