Garden 2011 - Week 4

This year we decided to start with a clean slate so to speak. We got a pretty late start but it always warm here well past September so I think it'll be alright. First I pulled up all the brick that was between and around our raised beds and we tossed the original beds (the wood was starting to rot). After some research/reading I decided to try square foot gardening. Doug built us six 4 x 4 boxes and then we divided them into smaller square using cotton yarn and nails. They're filled with a mixture of organic garden soil and composted cow manure. We hope to add pea gravel in between the boxes and frame out the area with a picket fence and gate. We're not sure yet if our budget will allow for this summer or if it will happen next year but I think it'll look nice once the total vision is complete.

This is my planting list, all from Seed Savers:

Ideal Market Bean

Climbing French Bean

Dragon Carrot

A & C Pickling Cucumber

True Lemon Cucumber

Star of David Okra (okra seems to take a lot longer to germinate for some reason)

Blue Boy Bachelor's Buttons (flower)

Morning Glory (flower)

Giant Zinnias (flower)

Plus tomatoes, basil, parsley and marigolds I bought as plants. I do hope this year's growing season will be better than last year. It was so dry and hot a lot of my plants died before or shortly after they first produced something.

Carrots and Bachelor's Buttons

 Okra and Morning Glory

Cucumbers and Beans

Tomatoes, marigolds, parsley, basil & Zinnias

This is the first year I've planted any petunias and I think they look great with the chartreuse potato vine.

I'm so in love with our patio right now, everything is coming in nicely and despite the sudden onset of heat, I really like sitting out there under the umbrella.