What did we plant today?

Actually, that is a really good question. As you know, we are using the Square Foot Gardening technique (loosely). The fire ants colonized the bamboo we were using to partition off the squares, so we tossed those aside for everyone's safety. The beds are still planted in a square foot pattern, and as of now there are no empty squares. I didn't write down what we planted as we went, so from my poor memory... it might go like this:

(CLICK TO ENLARGE)

Green Bean	Bell Pepper
Celery (10/23)	???
Eggplant	Onion
Bell Pepper	Parsley
Leeks	Peas
Basil	Beets (10/23)
Carrots (10/23)	Green Bean
Raised Stone Bed (10/23)
Carrots (10/23)	Beets (10/23)
???	Kale (10/23)
???	Green Bean (10/23)
Lettuce (10/23)	Beets (10/23)
Bell Pepper (10/23)	Kale (10/23)
Parsnips (10/23)	???
Carrots (10/23)	Peas (10/23)

I admit, in the ??? spaces I can't even guess what we planed there. But there is, really, some seed there! There are only two spots labelled Empty/Available in the image above. If you have a hankering to plant something, tell me which of those two you want.

What Is Where?

I've received many questions regarding the layout of the garden. What is growing where? How are we watering everything? Well here is our current layout, not showing the various junk that needs to be cleared out (Friday, Aug 19th, 3pm). Click the image to enlarge.

Eggplant, Japanese

Tomato, Heirloom Tiger Stripe

Pepper, Orange

Pepper, Red

Okra

Citronella

Leeks

Marigold, Orange and Yellow

Flower (I keep forgetting to check the tag!) Pink

Mulberry

Banana

Cantaloupe

Pumpkin, Early Sugar

The pump is not working, because it needs to be primed each time it is used or the motor will burn out. Essentially a one-way valve needs to be installed in the hose, as close as possible to the water source. Since we can put it on a timer, that would be essential. It is an inexpensive part that will require some tools for cutting and resealing. However, my big concern is that I don't know whether the water in the pond/stream is safe to put on our edibles. I've been told that people who live along this water let their kids fish and swim in it. I'm not sure if that means it is safe. I've also heard that we can send a sample to the water utility and they will test it. I just have to get around to that. Meanwhile, it has been raining plenty. If it hasn't rained in a few days we only need two or three pails of water carried from the faucet outside the church. Alternatively, with as much rain as we get, we might set up a rain collection system.

Our Garden Grows!

The weather cooperated again today, and I moved two loads of patio stones. I was sore and tired of dodging mosquitos to get the stones, so then I did some other work in the garden. I will get one more load of stones tomorrow, to give us a final 5-stone deep (about a foot) raised bed. I want it deep enough for carrots, and tall enough for people to sit on it and garden.

I went to dig up the compost heap and pile some nutrient-rich awesomeness into the nearly complete bed. Lo and behold, the compost was in use! Some of our stray cantaloupe seeds from the last couple weeks decided to sprout up and take residence. They were clustered in the center of the heap, where all the good stuff is. Well I decided to respect the interdependent web of existence, value the inherent worth and dignity of the melon vines, and envision a future with free cantaloupe every Sunday.

I cleared the covering leaves from the heap and carefully dug up 2 wheelbarrows of pretty good compost from around the plants. Then I transplanted the smaller plants a little further from the center to give them all plenty of room, and put back the covering leaves. I marked a larger area with some bamboo poles and added more leaves to compost for future melon plantings. The entire area is now our Melon Patch! I hope all the gardening will be this effortless.

Besides the cantaloupes, there are a few things that were already growing in the garden.

The mulberry tree.

This sad little banana plant.

Whatever this and this are. (Someone told me, and I forgot)

A whole bed of something that appeared with the rain. Possibly a weed, but maybe an herb? (I decided it was a weed, and pulled most of them)

Aspirations and Inspirations

I started going to the local Unitarian Universalist church earlier this year, and found a really nice community. The large community garden, however, had fallen into disuse. So I've spent the last few months formulating a plan and creating compost. I am, by no means, a skilled gardener, so this is all a huge learning experience for me.

There are large patio stones that were left in a pile when the stones were replaced with a recycled wood patio (or so I am told by reliable sources). The sandy soil here is (apparently) awful for gardening, with lots of parasitic nematodes and burrowing critters of all sorts. Today I started to build the raised bed out of those patio stones. It may not do my stone mason heritage proud, but I am pleased with the progress.

First I laid down some old chicken wire, and then a weed cloth over top. I made sure the patio stones covered at least 2 inches of the wire and cloth and held it down well. I'd say the stones are about 2 inches thick, and I plan to stack them 5 high. This way, those of us with bad knees or backs can sit and help plant, weed, and harvest if we would like.

first layer of stones

Next, I plan to utilize Square Foot Gardening techniques. I will need to get seeds, peat moss, and coarse vermiculite. Planting will start soon, and following these guidelines. I plan to start from seeds directly in the bed, because I have no idea where I would store seedlings in the meantime.

There are many challenges ahead, which I will detail in later posts, but I am up for it.