My Garden – 2011

This is my 4th year gardening. When we moved into the condo that we rented, I knew right away that I wanted to garden – the balcony was amazing. I loved my garden. Take a look at the pictures from last year. Ohh, I don’t have any pictures from the year before, but here’s pictures from the year before that.  I enjoyed gardening and I was determined to do it right. Or at least try my best!

Fast forward to this year. Welcome to our new garden. I have 2 9 x 3 plots that the lady who lived here put in. I have no idea when they were last used – the ground was as hard as a rock. But, thinking on the positive side, it was at least there!

Can you see how hard the ground is? We used a shovel, some spikey tool and a hoe that came with the house, and a cultivation tool to work the ground by hand. We watered the ground and played in the mud that created. We added 7 bags of compost. Next year, I want to order a truckload of compost and put in another couple of bed. We might build a couple of raised beds – we’ll see what the year (and the finances) bring.

Can you see the difference in the dirt? It’s lovely. And the clods are really not that prevelant – it looks worse than it actually is.  E is dying to walk the middle path between the beds and I’m dying NOT to let her. I spent hours loosening that soil and I don’t want it compacted. She knows to stay off the beds, but I’m scared! She is doing great with the plants and I need to loosen up!

The bed furthest from the house has basil, tomatoes, peppers, squash and cucumber planted. It was also have a few pumpkin plants at the far end as well as a spagetti squash. I may plant the strawberries (4 plants) there also.

The bed closest to the   house has herbs in it currently. It will have onions (I have 60 onion starts – I have no idea if I will actually use all those onions!) and some bush beans planted. I also have to put in some more basil, some turnips, some lettuce I already started from seed, some beets (if I can actually find my seeds with the move!) I will plant pots of carrots and radishes, beans if I don’t have enough room in the garden. I’m freaking out about space. When I look at my garden plans I have empty squares, but when I think about I wonder how big will those plants actually get? Last year, my plants were huge! I already see some things that I may want to do differently next time (should I plant the basil in between two huge, sun-sucking tomato plants?) but I’m excited for this year. Whoo hoo.

I should have taken a picture of the thyme I put on my windowsill. I may not have unpacked any boxes last night, but at least  I got my garden started!