2012 Garden - Mid-season Project 24

I thought blogging would be as easy this summer as it was last summer. Turns out being pregnant, doing some room remodels, getting Cole to baseball 3 days a week, and working full time does not allow for garden photography or blogging. Bummer!

Here is my garden update:


Walking into the garden.



My garden is approximately 30+ by 30+. It is messy and cluttered and I have way too much planted in each row/section. I cram everything in to see how each grows and to learn more each year

 I love it and it is my sanctuary!



Looking to the left-northwest.



Looking to the right-northeast.

 I have only weeded once prior to today since the end of June (an all day event). It has just been too hot for me to be out on the weekends days and the mosquito's are not kind in the evening we have been home. It is much different this year, I can't squat to weed so I have to literally crawl around on my hands and knees, or sit with my baby-bump constantly in the way. I have to make sure I drink enough water and take breaks.

Today, Cole and I were out in the garden for over 3 hours weeding! My potatoes were in desperate need of space and my walking path was scattered with dead weeds I had attempted to pull during my visits to the garden. He was the best helper. I had to put in him in the pathways because we had an incident in June in which I 'lost' a few onions and garlic due to the little boy helping.  The weather was nice and cool, so we weeded away the morning and after lunch. There are still weeds mixed in with my veggies, but not nearly what was there this morning.

It was such a great feeling to see it look like a real garden again!

Pinterest Tuesday Idea

For this particular Pinterest idea I am going to need to hit a couple garage sales, flea markets, or possibly junk yards. Even though we expanded the garden this year I love the idea of vertical gardening. I love to make the most out of the space I have and not waste an inch. Even if this means growing more than I need, just to give it away to family and friends. 

Last year I didn't plant peas. I thought the soil would be too heavy. I am going to try it this year, and just plant extra in the case that only some of them can grow in our garden. I am going to plant snow peas and shelling peas. I will try this vertical planter for my snow peas and let the shelling peas grow in their bushes.  Here's the idea!

http://www.suitedtotheseasons.com/2010/09/peas-and-raspberries.html 

This homemade trellis is as simple as it looks.

Materials:

2 bike rims

1 metal post

String and wire

Pinterest Addict (I could quit anytime, I just don't want to!)

Hello, my name is Shannon, I'm addicted to Pinterest.
Wow, it felt good to get that off my chest!

Months and months ago I joined Pinterest, completely unaware of the wrath of pinning and scrolling that was about to be unleashed. I know quite a few people who are uninterested in the whole thing, a few that use it for fun, and a few people like me who pin, and pin, and pin, and pin. It would take me years to make or do my pins, I'd gain 100 pounds if I cooked everything on my 'Bite Me' board, and it would cost me thousands of dollars buying the clothes and other useful(less) things I find amazing and intriguing enough to pin.  I've even gotten to the point where I've gone through and deleted a few of my pins because they aren't up to my current (pin)interests.

The greatest part of Pinterest though, is the amazing amount of gardening ideas I have been able to gather (aka hoard, aka pin). There are so many that I'm going to try to feature one per week, starting today!  There have been ideas that I would have never-in-a-million-years thought of. Also, some ideas that I thought would be great, but never had the instructions to go along with my idea. 

If you're on Pinterest, click here for My Garden board.

Tuesday Pinterest Idea:

Container Potatoes and Vertical Gardening Potatoes

I knew of the idea of using raised beds for potatoes. But these two ideas really made me believe in vertical potato growing and small space gardening.  Last year I planted potatoes and they grew well, but small

Idea 1: Layer soil and mulch with potato seeds in a barrel or large container. Treat like you normally would growing any potatoes and at the end of the summer dump out the container for fresh potatoes!



http://www.motherearthnews.com/



Idea 2: Using chicken wire, or similar product, make a square or circle using stakes. Add a layer of mulch/soil to the structure with the option of adding straw along the sides, which helps to keep everything in.  As you add more mulch/soil, start layering with potato seeds or sprouts. Keeping the straw along the whole structure will help keep in moisture as well as the mulch/soil and potatoes.  At the end of the summer, remove the wire and harvest your potatoes!



http://urbanfarmerseward.posterous.com/potato-towers-and-living-fence-posts



http://www.hillgardens.com/potatoes.htm

Please visit the links attached to the photos to get all the details on how to build a structure.

All three are great websites and have other great information.

I'll post my photos and how I put mine together within the month (or less).