Gardener's Corner

This entry will be a perfect example of how time flies when you are procrastinating...or meaning to do something & just never quite getting down to doing it. I am referring to writing about our new edible garden. (Incidentally, the picture above did not take place in our garden.)

I have been wanting to share with everyone about this new project we, well mostly Aaron, started at our house. Now, imagine it is March 2008. (Yes, that is how long this blog has been waiting to be written.) Our backyard grass is getting fried by the sun & the dogs' well, you know, & there is just no way we seem to be able to keep it alive, in good condition without spending lots of $$ & putting in sod. Aaron has always wanted to grow fruits & vegetables, but we never got around to actually making it happen. My biggest concern has always been the dogs. How are we to grow something edible without the dogs eating or trampling it? The answer...trust my husband & let him build his garden.

I was hesitant at first because I so worried that the dogs were going to make all Aaron's effort for not. It was hard to get excited about this new house project. However, Aaron assured me that the gate/fence he was going to build would work out just fine. There have been a lot of steps to do & figure out during this process.

Step 1: Where do we place the garden?

A garden needs sun, but between the fire pit, Orange tree, Lemon tree & Pine trees we have in the backyard, where can we get enough sun for our new garden? I also wanted enough grass space for Riley to play on when we do get grass again, someday.

The answer: move the fire pit & trim back the Orange tree.

Step 2: What do we, well, Aaron, build to keep the dogs out?

The answer: Surround the garden with a picket fence & a gate.

Step 3: What do we plant the plants in?

The answer: Two parallel planters separated by a path. That path will be used to access both planters.



Step 4: After the planters were up & the gate was secure, we had to think about what we wanted to plant & how.

We decided to start with small plants (plants that had already been started) on one side & seeds on the other. We thought that the small plants would produce first & then it would be time for the seed plants & we could just rotate. That would have been the case if we had planted the same things in both planters, but we did not...which is totally fine... in fact it still worked out great!

Step 5: Do we have a good, efficient way to keep them watered?

The answer: We needed a watering system that would help keep the plants watered when we were away, & would keep them moist during the intense heat we have had. Therefore, Aaron created & installed a drip system & set it up on our sprinkler timer. (How these men learn things like that, I will never know; but I am glad he did!)

Step 6: Wait.

Step 7: Prune. Trim. Wait. Prune. Trim. Wait.

All this while, Aaron would take Riley out to visit & play in her garden, & boy did she love it. She has enjoyed every step of the process; from discovering the path to picking out the plants to picking the strawberries & shoving them in her mouth. Oh yes, I said strawberries. Deliciously sweet strawberries!

Flash forward to June 2008 - The Current Results

On the small plant side - We now have an array of lettuce, cilantro, basil, strawberries, & green peppers. The peas were good, but have been burnt out from the heat & season. We have several tomato plants as well as red bell peppers on their way as I write!

On the seed side - Oh Boy!!! We have delicious, ginormous zucchini, & an abundance of radishes. The carrots & watermelon have sprouted & we picked our fist summer squash yesterday! (Yes, the huge overgrown plants are zucchini plants that we started as seeds in March!)

The fruits (& vegetables of our/Aaron's labor)

I hope to keep you all up to date on the latest happenings in the Millsy Garden. I am so thankful to my husband...God has blessed him with an amazing green thumb!