Hello Lovelies,
Spring is finally here! This means….take 4 or 5 or I can’t even remember what season we are on with our adventure into gardening :P. We try so hard to deal with our environment the best way we can and make the most out of it. Sometimes that involves doing things in a way that you really didn’t originally intend. Environment is so important and I read it all the time among homesteaders that adaptation is the name of the game. I had my heart set on in-ground gardening. But seeming we cannot alter our landscape and after numerous failed attempts I decided to go above ground. Most recently, my darlin babydoll built me a raised garden bed out of cedarwood. You can view the post here. He did such an amazing job! I created a small area near the garden where we can easily water plants and grab our compost that we also made ourselves. Easily accessible from all four sides and large enough to house what our environment currently allows. We positioned the bed in a way that only allows 6-8 hours of direct sunlight. Being in North Texas, we can get temperatures over 105 degrees. In past attempts, our garden was at the furthest point in our yard and in direct sun light 12 + hours a day. See the problem? Now, the garden gets the sun it needs yet around 5pm is shaded by the roof of our house. Problem solved! Although, I’m thinking about adding yet another 4′ x 8′ raised bed along side of it in the fall. Making half of our yard a garden.
I spent most of the day Sunday arranging the garden, paying much attention to the “flood zone” in our backyard and also where the sun hits. We have a good size yard for where we live which is a stone’s throw from a huge city. Our lawn is in the shape of an L, around a concrete patio, and is slanted, uneven, and floods. Thank God we rent! Otherwise this mama would be gutting the yard LOL! Our goal in just a few short years it to get on some good acreage, about 10-15 acres. So I’m trying to find inexpensive ways to get around the obstacles we face because our time here is temporary, but long enough where I can do “something”.
This year we planted:
- Brandy Wine Tomatoes
- Early Girl Tomatoes
- Cherry Tomatoes
- Brussel Sprouts
- Purple Bell Peppers
- Orange Bell Peppers
- Green Bell Peppers
- Jalapeno Peppers
- Strawberries
- Blueberries
- Comfrey
- Chamomile
- Rosemary
- Purple Basil
- Cilantro
- Italian Oregano
- Cucumber
In due time, I will have the garden of my dreams. We eventually want to plant every vegetable and herb we consume. Until then, my dream is get one plant to bear fruit. The compost is doing very well and much better than expected. I almost have dirt! I’m so glad I tried it and made the bin myself. Almost nothing goes to waste in our home and especially during canning season.
I’d love to see photos of your gardens! Please post a photo of your garden in the comments.
Life of a Frugal Wife 