Layout
Instead of rows this year, I'm doing beds and making them densely packed. I'm also doing a smaller garden this year. A total of 4 beds side by side, 2 feet wide by 12 feet long, with 3 feet of hardwood mulched path between each bed and around the garden.
Watering
This year, instead of soaker hoses, I'm using sprinklers. The soaker hoses break and leak too easily, don't lay exactly where you want them, and only water a narrow area. Some parts get soaked, some stay dry, and it takes just long enough to water that you forget to turn the water off in time to avoid flooding the garden. Soaker hoses beat hand watering, but I wanted to try an alternative this year. Since a single sprinkler doesn't quite cover the full garden area, I'm using 2 sprinklers. One between the first two beds and the other between the last two beds. It seems to be quick, easy, and effective so far, with the only downside being that the placement of the sprinklers needs to be adjusted based on wind speed and direction at watering time.
Fencing
So I thought the fence didn't do much last year because the rabbits could squeeze through and hop over. However, since the peas, spinach, and lettuce have already been decimated this year and I've been forced to replant, I am seriously rethinking my no fence decision. Stay tuned.
Companions
In Bed 1 we have a double row of peas (1/2 pound Early Frosty, in keeping with tradition) climbing a 12 foot long section of (ironically) rabbit fencing. On either side of this double row is spinach, planted about 4" apart in each direction to fill the bed, and with beets and turnips interspersed. I planted this year's Bloomsdale Longstanding (one packet was not enough) on one side of the fence and last year's Melody Hybrid on the other. Beets are Baby Ball and turnips are last year's Purple Top White Globe.
In Bed 2 we have half the bed devoted to zucchini (Garden Spineless) to be interplanted with nasturtium, and the other half of the bed reserved for bush lima beans. I went with Fordhook 242 (1/2 pound), although it was a close call between those and the Burpees Improved Bush variety.
Beds 3 and 4 each have two rows of corn (Argent, rows 1 foot apart), intermingled with head lettuce and leafy greens.
Bed 3 includes Paris Island Cos Romaine (transplanted) and Swiss Chard (Large Ribbed Dark Green, direct sown).
Bed 4 includes Buttercrunch (transplanted) and Mesclun Salad Mix (1500 seed packet containing arugula, endive, buttercrunch, black seeded simpson, grand rapids, and prizehead lettuce), with a few feet devoted to last year's collards instead of mesclun.
And in the flower bed out front, surrounding the trees, I planted strawberries. 24 plants of the Everbearing Quinault variety. Purchased cheaply as roots from Wal-Mart.
Saturday, April 23, 2011
Asparagus
The asparagus are on!
We've had asparagus soup already, as well as a new recipe. Rather than boil or steam the asparagus and serve with cheese sauce, I fried it up in butter with onion, garlic, salt, and pepper. Yum! Today Ann did some in the oven with olive oil, salt, and pepper - another winner.
So far all but one of our stalks has come from the asparagus we started a few years ago, and only one stalk from the plants we planted last fall. But I suppose that's to be expected. Looking forward to lots more asparagus this season!
We've had asparagus soup already, as well as a new recipe. Rather than boil or steam the asparagus and serve with cheese sauce, I fried it up in butter with onion, garlic, salt, and pepper. Yum! Today Ann did some in the oven with olive oil, salt, and pepper - another winner.
So far all but one of our stalks has come from the asparagus we started a few years ago, and only one stalk from the plants we planted last fall. But I suppose that's to be expected. Looking forward to lots more asparagus this season!
Tree Update
The peach tree bloomed beautifully recently. It's really taken off recently and seems to be thriving.
The dogwood we planted last year has shown no signs of life since last year, so we're discussing replacing it.
The Norway spruce seedlings we planted last year are clearly long gone. They were shipped at the wrong time for planting so we didn't expect much from them. However, Ann got some free Norway Spruces for Earth Day last week and there happened to be exactly the right number we needed to replant, so we did. Here's hoping second time's the charm!
The dogwood we planted last year has shown no signs of life since last year, so we're discussing replacing it.
The Norway spruce seedlings we planted last year are clearly long gone. They were shipped at the wrong time for planting so we didn't expect much from them. However, Ann got some free Norway Spruces for Earth Day last week and there happened to be exactly the right number we needed to replant, so we did. Here's hoping second time's the charm!
Spring Planting Timeline 2011
The spring planting season has only recently begun and I'm already behind on recording the details. Here's a recap so far.
March 21: Planted peas, spinach, turnips (experimenting with earlier than recommended), and beets (earlier than recommended) in a single 2' x 12' bed. Started first batch of Romaine and Buttercrunch head lettuce indoors.
April 9: Peas were sprouting. Filled in gaps in peas, beets, and turnips. Transplanted first batch of head lettuce.
April 21: Spinach and peas were ravaged by rabbits. Replanted both. Sowed leaf lettuce, swiss chard, corn, and zucchini. Still early for corn and zucchini but extended forecast calls for no frost between now and May 1.
April 23: The rabbits moved on to devour most of the head lettuce. Perhaps I need to reconsider my decision to skip the fence this year.
Apparently I forgot to note down exactly when I started the second batch of head lettuce (sometime after March 21 and before April 9), or when I transplanted them (sometime between April 9 and April 21). Oh well. Things are going well so far, aside from the rabbit damage.
March 21: Planted peas, spinach, turnips (experimenting with earlier than recommended), and beets (earlier than recommended) in a single 2' x 12' bed. Started first batch of Romaine and Buttercrunch head lettuce indoors.
April 9: Peas were sprouting. Filled in gaps in peas, beets, and turnips. Transplanted first batch of head lettuce.
April 21: Spinach and peas were ravaged by rabbits. Replanted both. Sowed leaf lettuce, swiss chard, corn, and zucchini. Still early for corn and zucchini but extended forecast calls for no frost between now and May 1.
April 23: The rabbits moved on to devour most of the head lettuce. Perhaps I need to reconsider my decision to skip the fence this year.
Apparently I forgot to note down exactly when I started the second batch of head lettuce (sometime after March 21 and before April 9), or when I transplanted them (sometime between April 9 and April 21). Oh well. Things are going well so far, aside from the rabbit damage.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
Posts
