Chronicles of a Noob Garden and Gardener

[Ben E Lou]

I'm not sure I recommend putting like 90% of a large garden in the ground, then leaving town a week or less later I'm dying to know how everything is doing. I guess the good news is that though I'll be disappointed to come off of vacation, I'll certainly have stuff to look forward to. (We return on Saturday.)

 

[ducks4you]

I think you will freak over how tall the grass has gotten before you check on your garden!! We are going away this weekend, and really need to mow tomorrow.

 

[Ben E Lou]

I think you will freak over how tall the grass has gotten before you check on your garden!! We are going away this weekend, and really need to mow tomorrow.

Heh. I cut it low the day before we left so the whiny we-hate-hens HOA wouldn't get after me.

 

[baymule]

Spoken like a true gardener! On vacation and thinking about your garden at home. LOL

 

[Ben E Lou]

Back yesterday evening. Reviewing the garden shortly before dark and again this morning, and here's what stands out in my mind right now...

• To our surprise, we were greeted with several fully ripe bright red strawberries.
• One of the tomato plants is about to bloom, as are many of the marigolds.
• The mulching and laying of cardboard I did seems to be paying off so far. I had less than 5 minutes of weed removal to do this morning after a week away!
• Several of my bean plants germinated during the week.
• The spinach and broccoli in the kids' gardens (where the top 6-8 inches or so of soil is 100% store-bought) is growing gangbusters--far better than that which is in the main garden.
  
• Nearly all of the seeds that I put in the ground before I left germinated. Only a small handful will need to be re-sown.
• I put up some anti-bird reflective ribbons, and perhaps they're working. None of the bright red strawberries that are showing had a single peck taken out of them, and this morning there were about six birds on the ground in the back--all on the other side of the yard from the garden.

A few pics in the next post.

 

[Ben E Lou]

 

[Ridgerunner]

Back yesterday evening. Reviewing the garden shortly before dark and again this morning, and here's what stands out in my mind right now...

• To our surprise, we were greeted with several fully ripe bright red strawberries.
• One of the tomato plants is about to bloom, as are many of the marigolds.
• The mulching and laying of cardboard I did seems to be paying off so far. I had less than 5 minutes of weed removal to do this morning after a week away!
• Especially for this one.
• 
  
• Several of my bean plants germinated during the week.
• The spinach and broccoli in the kids' gardens (where the top 6-8 inches or so of soil is 100% store-bought) is growing gangbusters--far better than that which is in the main garden.
  
• Nearly all of the seeds that I put in the ground before I left germinated. Only a small handful will need to be re-sown.
• I put up some anti-bird reflective ribbons, and perhaps they're working. None of the bright red strawberries that are showing had a single peck taken out of them, and this morning there were about six birds on the ground in the back--all on the other side of the yard from the garden.

A few pics in the next post.

 

[baymule]

That is awesome! Nothing like picking supper in the back yard. Fresh veggies are on the way!

 

[ducks4you]

Btw, you recent photos do NOT look like a noobie gardener.
I REALLY like your use of cinder blocks.

 

[seedcorn]

Btw, you recent photos do NOT look like a noobie gardener.
I REALLY like your use of cinder blocks.

I agree. Believe he and his helpers are ringers. Really professionals trying to educate some of us. I’ve got their numbers and am way too smart for them. They are not going to educate me.......