The war is on!

I'm declaring war on my garden.  Last year, what the deer and I'm assuming slugs didn't get get from the top, the gophers or moles got from the bottom.  I'm making boxes with hard cloth either stapled or tied to the boxes on the bottom and I'm going to make a cage at the top with a way to open that will have to take a security code to do so.

I'm taking on a project (why I keep doing this  I don't  know!) of making a garden for my kids club kids to have also.  The plan is to make birdhouse gourds to sell at our craft fair out benevolence group is putting together in September to raise funds for the club so it doesn't come out of the church fund.

I'm also having to do this by way if whatever I have and can find to use here or what other people are throwing out in the driveway for those driving by to pick up.  I'm really turing into a DIYer and I'm loving it!

So let the war begin!!!!!

My commitment for spring and summer 2012

My commitment is to make improvements from last year in my gardens.  I usually start out with a grand scale of things and by July (or the first snake in the yard), I retreat.

This year I'm going to try to commit to it.  Was playing Hidden Chronicles and got into the scene of "Bessie's Shack".  Was looking a little too much like home.

Getting an early start on some late start on others

I started planting my seed starts about a month ago and found old plastic containers to use for "Hot beds".  We've had several storms in the last three weeks that have caused a lot of rain fall and some chilling nights.  I went out to look at the  "beds" when the sun started peaking through the sky and saw some starting to sprout up. 

I'm thinking of finding someone one with a rotertiller to dig up my garden this year. Once its dug up I can work in it.  I'm getting a late start on that as I want to put some screen under about 6 in of dirt before I start planting or transplanting to keep the gophers from digging it up.  I have old pallets that I can tear apart to make larger beds to screen over my beans, peas and tomatoes.   I still want to do the square gardening as I get more room in my small space. 

A new concept in gardening

A film on using your own resources that God gave us to produce a garden by nature.  Very cool!
http://vimeo.com/28055108

Garden update

Like I've said expert gardeners would frown at my handiwork.

My first crop of beans were eaten the day after I transplanted them. My musk melon that I planted was dug up by a gofer then next day so I planted another one and it took was dug up as well.  I'm also missing a squash plant.

What I'm thinking of doing today since I'm off for the rest of the day is to look up what herbs are good deterents to the animals that like my plants.  I did a study of it many years ago when I did another square foot garden when we lived in Central Point but I don't think we had the problem with the deer there as much as we do here. 

I've got two chamomile plant starts that I'm going to wait another couple of weeks to transplant.  The same with one of the beans that decided to sprout.  I've got two cuke starts that my makeshift hothouse has kept them protected for the last month but even now I may have to take the cover off and think about transplanting them. 

Basically what is surviving is the tomatoes my zucch and my yellow squash and my peas, my basic  vegtable staple anyway.

Its a study day for sure.  I'm also wondering of clay pots play a part in basil growing as well as other herbs.

Plans for the week

Accomplished a lot this morning! Planted my onions and lettuce, and transplanted 2 bean plants. Wed, thurs and Friday mornings before noon I need to get my other section dug up for the rest of the beans, squash, cukes and other root veggies.

I'll try to upload pics when I get the other section done.  Right now I think expert gardeners would be turned off of what it looks like right now.

Planting the cukes in the ground last week seem to ward off anything that was trying to eat them while there were still in the containers.  They are doing fine planted next to the marigolds which are starting to bloom more each day also. 

I'm getting excited as I see the peas coming up which I'm told in this area they will do great here, and the beans will too, as I remember from the one pea plant and one bean plant I did last year.  I did 8 peas and 9 beans this year.  I am looking for a processing canner or I'll can them in vinegar in a water bath if I can't find one.  (A good excuse to get the processing canner is hubby doesn't like vinegar, and the peas would be great for the tuna salad he and dd do quite a bit.)

I'm taking on another caregiving job this week so I'll be having to get up earlier before Curves as the weather warms up to work out there.

What a day!

The other day I was getting discouraged when I walked out to my square foot garden area and saw that something ate one of my cukes.  One of my tomato plants it gone as well.   The weather was actually one of the best it had been but I was in no condition to work on it. (see my developing eagle wings blog and put the pieces together :) ).

So this morning I went out and harvested from my herb garden my rosemary, sage and English and French lavender.  I was surprised that when I was done putting them in the jars to make my bath oils that I filled all four jars that I had.  Now I need to go get some cheesecloth to cover the jars, and allergy pills for my husband. 

I feel renewed today with my garden.  I started Chamomile, Oregano, a second batch of Basil, and transplanted my Cilantro and planted a second batch of that also.   I still have four marigolds that I haven't planted in the garden yet to heed off the aphids that I think is what got to my cukes and the one tomato plant.  I put newspaper around both of the tomato plants that are out there as I was told deer would stay away. 

I really want to get a 5 ft high wire fence around this area of the garden to keep some animals out of it when I plant my root plants later this week.  Its going to be spendy and I'm trying to come up with an inexpensive way to do it.  The deer did leave my trellis alone, so I'm thinking that might be a good deterrent if  my cukes and peas last. 

Yes I feel like Noah did when he went to build the ark.  Granted I do have people who have treaded this path of Northwest Coast Gardening and we've all had tried and true experiences to find what really works.  We've got the climate for most of it as we are an even temperature all year around with the exception of mid July and early August.  Trust me its not an "I'll show them" attitude that I do this.  Its more out obedience to a call that I have.  And its more of my frustration that I share with my God as I ask Him "Are you sure I'm the one you want?"