Garden
This spring, David and I put in two raised beds following the Square Foot Gardening method. Unfortunately, the boxes also served as the Squirrel Salad Bar until we enclosed them with ugly chicken wire cages, which is why the right box (enclosed several weeks after the left) is a bit stunted. Both seem to be recovering, though, and our recent hot weather (following a couple of weeks of thunderstorms) has been perfect for growing.
I tried to label the images directly, but as that didn't work for me, you can use this chart for reference: 
Left Box:
1, 2: Beefsteak tomatoes
3, 4: Roma tomatoes
5: Dragon tongue beans (heirloom)
6, 7, 9, 10, 11: Sweet Genovese Basil (heirloom)
8, 12: Cilantro
9: Garlic chives (sharing with some basil)
13, 16: Marigolds
14, 15: Dragon Carrots (heirloom)
Right Box:
1: Chewed-down cherry tomatoes
2: Replacement cherry tomatoes
3: Zucchini (you can't see it in the picture, taken this morning, but by this afternoon the seedling had surfaced!)
4: Cucumbers (heirloom)
5, 8, 14: Beets (heirloom)
6, 7, 10: Lettuces (heirloom)
9, 11, 12: Onions (heirloom)
13: Nasturtiums
15: Butterfly garden flower mix
16: Gerbera daisy
Actually, on the right box, I'm not exactly sure what's where. I'm a bit afraid I planted beets and onions on top of each other. I was pretty distraught when the rodents dug up the seeds and chewed the tops off the seedlings that had thus far managed to survive. I was so distraught, in fact, that when I texted David to inform him of their acts of destruction, he immediately went online and ordered an electric fence kit ($24)("delivers a mild but memorable shock"). We haven't set up the electric fence yet, though, as the chicken wire alone seems to be working so far. Our squirrels might be nefarious, but they are also apparently lazy.
I've replanted the lettuces they destroyed (there were four per square, including some lovely purple varieties that were apparently particularly delectable), but they don't seem to be coming up with any speed. The smaller cucumber is also a re-plant. And for some reason the basil also seems to be slow--maybe just because I'm so anxious for it to be producing abundantly. The cilantro (from starts) really is producing abundantly, and we've eaten from it several times.
I hope to keep you updated with photos of lovely foliage and produce from the SFGs; fingers crossed!
4 comments:
Nice garden!! We bought the square foot gardening book this winter and maybe next year we'll implement. This year we are focused on yard drainage and only managed to bring in enough dirt to make a long mound for planting 7 tomatoes, one lemon cucumber and one zucchini, though if the name "Cash Crop" proves to be apt, that may be quite enough zucchini for us!
very cool! i'm looking forward to starting something like this when we have yard. and man, i love me some cilantro.
Oh, I'm so jealous!!! I miss gardening so much. I can't wait to have the tiniest yard, just so I can put something in the ground.
Thanks, Adrianna! I'm terribly impressed with all you've done with your yard.
And Mandy, I love me some cilantro, too! Unfortunately, our recent hot spell apparently made ours bolt; oops! I guess we'll need to plant some more...
And Leah, with SFG, even a tiny yard can grow a lot (at least in theory). I hope you have one soon; it seems like BR's growing season must be about year-round!
Post a Comment