Dreaming of My Garden in January 2015
I don't recall ever thinking about my garden this early in the year, but I know I should have been all along. My hope is to start being more mindful of my garden and what needs to be done and when so we can enjoy the longest and most productive growing season possible. That means I need to have a plan, especially if I want to start more from seed this year - which I do. So I will do my best to set time aside for "garden thoughts" this next couple of weeks so I can have a reasonable plan that we can actually stick to for the most part.
New raised
beds with a completely new design that will be friendly to our aging bodies.
The primary use for our raised beds is vegetables.
We cut down many non-productive and/or severely
diseased small fruit trees at the
end of the last growing season and plan to plant new healthy trees in the spring. We
are also going to move two of the current trees so we can start growing them in
an espalier. Space saving is our goal so we’re willing to
try some new things.
Our grapes need a better area to spread their vines and grow – and an actual trellis system to support them
Blackberries need pruned desperately and a new trellis system as well
Blueberries – we need more plants and a better way to contain the plants so we can provide the best soil for these little lovelies. They're very particular.
Raspberries – more plants, more plants, more plants
Strawberries – I am probably more excited about the strawberries than anything else! Some folks in our neighborhood cut down a rather big tree while clearing some of the common ground and left the trunks there to be removed eventually. I’ve already asked and received permission to remove them myself for use in our own yard. Now the trick will be getting them moved to our yard – they are quite large in diameter! And then I will have to learn how to safely use the small chainsaw we purchased recently to make space in the logs for soil and plants. Are you shaking your head? Yeah, I wonder if it will work or not too.
Rhubarb and horseradish both need new homes…
Herbs! I have BIG plans/hopes for the herbs. I have several separate beds dedicated to herbs currently and need a more efficient and expanded area to grow them. Our landscaping in the front bed is all herbs. I have two raised beds purchased from Sam’s Club a few years ago in the back yard just outside our basement doors dedicated to more herbs. I have one bed that is unintentionally dedicated towas taken over by
chives. The new plan includes a
series of individual beds each dedicated to a single herb. I was inspired to do this after we visited
Mari-mann’s Herb Farm in Decatur, Illinois last summer. Eventually, I would like to offer a hearty
supply of fresh herbs at our local Farmers’ Market and this growing system
would provide a larger quantity to do so.
My sweet daughter is very interested in joining me in this adventure.
I have what I intended to be an herb shade-garden under the deck but I quickly decided I didn’t really like that location for it. I’ll be contemplating where to move it. It’s also meant to be our “babies’ garden” – a place we lovingly created as a small memorial to the babies and grand-babies our family has been blessed with that went to their Heavenly resting place all too soon. It is a reminder that the losses my daughter and I experienced through miscarriage are never forgotten. I have some ideas about where I want to plant this new garden and what it should look like. My sweet Samantha will be part of this adventure (and Cailin, too, as she gets older). And, of course, there are always the container plants that fill the deck space for our sheer pleasure and kitchen garden.
So, as you can see, I have a lot of work to do to get a good plan together. Starting from seeds for many plants is high on my list of priorities. Wish me luck, won’t you!?
Do you have garden hopes this year? Please share!
Susan
Here are some hopes we have for the 2015 season:
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What we hope to do... |
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Wow! I want this in my back yard! |
Our grapes need a better area to spread their vines and grow – and an actual trellis system to support them
Blackberries need pruned desperately and a new trellis system as well
Blueberries – we need more plants and a better way to contain the plants so we can provide the best soil for these little lovelies. They're very particular.
Raspberries – more plants, more plants, more plants
Strawberries – I am probably more excited about the strawberries than anything else! Some folks in our neighborhood cut down a rather big tree while clearing some of the common ground and left the trunks there to be removed eventually. I’ve already asked and received permission to remove them myself for use in our own yard. Now the trick will be getting them moved to our yard – they are quite large in diameter! And then I will have to learn how to safely use the small chainsaw we purchased recently to make space in the logs for soil and plants. Are you shaking your head? Yeah, I wonder if it will work or not too.
Rhubarb and horseradish both need new homes…
Herbs! I have BIG plans/hopes for the herbs. I have several separate beds dedicated to herbs currently and need a more efficient and expanded area to grow them. Our landscaping in the front bed is all herbs. I have two raised beds purchased from Sam’s Club a few years ago in the back yard just outside our basement doors dedicated to more herbs. I have one bed that is unintentionally dedicated to
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Photo of Mari-Mann's Herb Garden |
I have what I intended to be an herb shade-garden under the deck but I quickly decided I didn’t really like that location for it. I’ll be contemplating where to move it. It’s also meant to be our “babies’ garden” – a place we lovingly created as a small memorial to the babies and grand-babies our family has been blessed with that went to their Heavenly resting place all too soon. It is a reminder that the losses my daughter and I experienced through miscarriage are never forgotten. I have some ideas about where I want to plant this new garden and what it should look like. My sweet Samantha will be part of this adventure (and Cailin, too, as she gets older). And, of course, there are always the container plants that fill the deck space for our sheer pleasure and kitchen garden.
So, as you can see, I have a lot of work to do to get a good plan together. Starting from seeds for many plants is high on my list of priorities. Wish me luck, won’t you!?
Do you have garden hopes this year? Please share!
Susan
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