Saturday, May 9, 2015

Garden Sprucing Up

As the days are getting warmer we have found ourselves outside working on various projects.  One of those projects is fencing off the front portion of the small garden.  It was fenced on three sides already and metal posts were in place along the front but there was no fence.

CountryBoy tilled up a good part of the garden where previously there were raised beds that had rotted.  We've planted a few things in there but the rest of the garden is waiting for the seeds to sprout that we've started indoors.

Meanwhile, the cats have discovered the loose dirt is great for a litter box which is not the kind of fertilizer we want in the garden, wink!  So, it was time to fence off the rest of the garden.

We scrounged up some fencing from around the property and began installing it on the wire posts.


Since we were reusing fencing from around the property one of the sections was used in the dog kennel and had been attached to a 2x4 with thick staples.  Rather than trying to undo them we decided to use it as it was.


I took some wire flower pots down from the side of the well house.  They were being taken over by vines.  I will get some larger clay pots and plant some herbs in them.

We still need to move this gate (that is currently on the left side of the garden as you face it) to the front. It's such a cool gate.  We'd like to see it when looking out the kitchen window.  Plus, we'd like to walk straight to the gate from the back door rather than walk to the far side of the garden.


The posts are cemented in the ground so it will take some doing to get it out.

Another item we are reusing is an old claw foot tub that was in the front yard lying on its side.




We've moved it to the corner of the upper part of the garden and will use it as a compost bin.  I am going to paint the outer sides to dress it up a bit and I'm reusing a horse feed bucket for compost 'tea'.

I'm also using the bird bath we used when traveling as a bee watering station.  Since the water was evaporating too quickly I put a ceramic flower pot base on it, filled it with gravel (so the bees don't drown) and added water.


It is positioned beneath the cherry trees which, when in bloom, are loaded with bees buzzing around.


We have quite a few cherries forming.  We're not sure what kind of cherries they are but we're hoping for a good crop.


There are some pretty yellow Irises planted around this tree which is inside the garden.  I will be adding more flowers as I learn which ones pair well with the veggies we are planting in there.  This should help keep pests at bay and make it pretty at the same time!


Here is the large garden a neighbor plowed up for us the other day.  He came back a few days later to till it but it was already tilled.  Here's the mystery... we have no idea who tilled it for us.  We thought he did it while we were in town but obviously it wasn't him since it was already done when he came by.  We think it might've been another neighbor at the end of our road but we haven't seen him yet to ask him.  Tis a mystery for now!  I do know that we have some awesome neighbors though!  So helpful and willing.

CountryBoy spent yesterday and today picking the rocks up and then tilled it again using our small tiller.  Very soon we will plant some potatoes, corn, okra, watermelon, cantaloupe and purple hull peas in there.
 

And in the small garden we will plant tomatoes, cucumbers, radishes, peppers, garlic, onions, basil, green beans, limas beans and who knows what else, ha!


Bit by bit.

We are close to finishing the kitchen renovation but with the warm weather and planting season among us we are working outdoors and sprucing up the gardens.

Till next time,
GoneCountry

2 comments:

Debbie said...

Amazing job!! Can't wait to see all that you get to harvest. And also can't wait for the kitchen reno reveal!!

Jacque said...

I love that old garden gate. The farm I grew up on had one at the entrance to the front yard. That's a great idea to reuse the fence with the board attached. The hanging baskets look great.