It will become raised!

Well, the rain flooded the yard... or at least, part of it. Unfortunately, the flooded part includes one of my new veggie plots.

I have declared that those boards around the 4'x4' plot will be dug up and put in to create a raised bed. I'd already put some lettuce seeds in there, but I suspect they are shot now.

I've only lived here for 7 months, and its crazy weather, for sure.

Grow lights and seedlings

Well, freezing weather suppose to be moving in tonight. I've so enjoyed the warmness, I'm disappointed!

I set up a grow light today. I bought a simple shop light and put together a support with PVC pipe. I probably have too much under the light and not enough light, but it will work for now. I'm about out of gardening budget money!

As you can see, Uncle Chuck's Beans are growing wonderfully. In other pots, I have Habenero and Serrano peppers (found the seeds! YEAH!) in one hanging pot, Mexico Midget Tomatoes in one hanging pot, Cherry Roma Tomatoes in the last hanging pot, Amish Paste Tomatoes in 4 of the cups, Garden Huckleberry in 4 of the cups and 5 different herbs on that flat in the back (its the bottom cardboard sodas came on). Here's to hoping I can do the "from seed" well! If not, I guess I'll buy transplants.

I also got the stuff to make ollas. I plan to make 5 pots, 1 for the 4'x4' plot, and 2 for each 4' x 8' plot. Everyone tells me July and August are just too hot to keep stuff growing, and to plan to just start over in September. I'm hoping the ollas will make it possible to do *something* in July and August. But we'll see, it will be my first full summer here.

I wonder what it is....

Look at what I found in the compost --

He is tiny, grey on top and white on bottom. That's my hand, and my hands are fairly small.

I'm guessing he is a common garden snake, and I'm very happy to find him in my garden!

One down, one to go

I got one of two beds dug up.

I took boards from the compose pile (why does that need tall sides?) and lined the two beds with them. I was quite happy to get to use the mider saw my in-laws purchased for me (thank you!) -- see the short-ends of the beds.

I dug up one of the beds (the farther back, 4' x 8'), bowered sand from the side yard (replaced holes with the heavy clay from the now dug up veggy bed), and piled on the compose, then turned and turned it. Its nice and fluffy now. I layered newspaper over the top to keep stuff from growing for now, till I get my seeds started.

Last week, I started some seeds in newspaper pots. They are outside for now, as the weather is so nice. The bottom row is "Uncle Chuck's Beans", given to me by Uncle Chuck. The top two rows are bell peppers. I can't find my Habenero, or Serrano seeds, which is very disappointing. I saved them and moved them all the way from LA, special to plant here to have those peppers. Oh, well, perhaps I can get some more.

to raise the beds or not to raise the beds?

That is the question. The soil is so heavy with clay, I'm wondering if it will be just tons of work getting it more plantable if I'm just digging down. The side yard is "heavy" with sand, maybe I can steal some from there and put the clay stuff back there, to even it all out some. Maybe I will just line the garden with some boards that are already out back, define the borders and still aim to just dig down and move a bunch of the dirt out to make room for some good stuff.

Wal-mart had all their bags of dirt, manure, etc out in a fenced area in the parking lot. I guess this is the time to start getting the beds ready! My beans, in the newspaper pots, are sprouting, as are the pepper plants. I lost the seeds for Habenero and Serrano peppers that I saved sometime in our move. Real bummer. I might have to spring for some seeds.

:::sigh:::: if only I had more time and money! Oh, well, do with what ya got -- probably the best advice.

Gardening 2010

My garden has a humble beginning. I've dug up one little 4' square and layed out papers for the larger bits (4' x 8' or so). The soil is a whole lot of clay and not much else. I found spark plug digging up the small square in the back, so I'm hoping there isn't to much motor oil in the soil. That would really stink.

I've got seedlings going inside, and I'll get lettuce into the square bit in a day or so. The rain is so nice, but makes the clay hard to work with. Gonna have to get some sand and compost into it.