2011 Garden

I am so excited that it is Gardening Season. Although it has still been pretty cold and rainy with very few sunny days in between, I have a few things planted. I have to say a million thank yous to Zac because he roto-tilled our garden for us, because Matthew was sick and I was chomping at the bits to get into my garden. I feel bad though because Laura is still waiting for hers to be roto-tilled.

So my dad went to this Gardening seminar this past winter and he sent me this book that the guy who taught their class wrote (I think anyway). I have read almost the whole book and have realized that I do a lot of things wrong in my garden. Mostly I water everything wrong, and after reading a looking back to last years garden I can see where I went wrong. We had beautiful plants last year, but the harvest was a little disappointing, and according to the book thats what was supposed to happen with our poor watering job. So I have read the book and outlined my garden plan and my watering schedule. So I hope that it will help me have a bountiful harvest this year.

So here is my garden layout and the watering schedule.

So the book told me how far apart the rows should be and how to plant and water everything. So I am trying it like is says in the book and I will see what works and what doesnt. The cool weather plants such as my carrots and potatoes need water twice a week. My cucumbers, onions, peppers, beans, corn and pumpkins need watered once a week, and my tomatoes need watered every 10-14 days. The water is supposed to sit in the furrows (or corrugates as I call them) for at least an hour and that is all the water they need. 

Here is the garden all laid out and grass clippings around the border.

 I am so excited because this year we actually did a watering system. It isnt anything special, but it works for what we have. And all we have is the hose coming from the house. So what we did was get 1/2" PVC pipe and then a piece that attaches to the hose for all four sections of our pipe and then an end plug. Then we simply drilled holes in the pipe for each furrow. The sections are split so just the right amount of water comes out so that we can water for the right amount of time. All we have to do is adjust the pressure at the faucet on the house. It is pretty simple and pretty sweet. I was like a kid on Christmas when we got it all put together. Yep thats me easily excited and entertained :)! 

Here are a few pics of the watering set up:

It made my whole weekend last weekend :)!!!

I just think it looks cool. I am so excited to work in my garden this year :)!!!!!!!

I have to say that my carrots are coming up, the onions are really coming up and a few potatoes and corn are starting to come up too!!!! I just need a little bit more warmer days so that I can feel comfortable to plant the rest of my garden. Oh its going to be a fabulous gardening season. I can already taste it :)!!!!

A few cute little stories about Logan helping me:

We were making the furrows with our hoes and we were only about half way done and Logan walks and puts his hoe down at the bottom of the rows and says "Mommy, I tired." Then he goes inside and gets his cup with milk in it. I couldnt stop laughing. What a cute little boy!

A while back Logan went with me to buy the onions and I bought one package of white onions and one package of yellow onions. He insisted that he carry one package to the counter and ever since then that has been his package of onions. So when we went to plant them, he gave me mine and he kept his. I couldnt even get his away from him so that I could open it to plant them. Anyway, we were planting them and he had to help so I would mark in the mud where he needed to plant them and I would say "boop" and he would put one right where I would show him. He then would say "boop" everytime and give me the biggest smile. I loved it. He is such a big helper and I love that the garden gives us time to work together and have fun.

Thats why I love gardening. It is relaxing and we all have fun doing it :)!!!