The Fall Garden Planted, Almost

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This weekend was gorgeous and since the garden is now fenced – I really wanted to get a fall garden in.  This year, I think was the first one in 11 years where I have not had a garden.  I have missed not having a garden, but at the same time there has been so many other projects – I wonder if I would have been able to keep up with a garden.  I have to admit that I cheated and bought my vegetable plants from the local nursery!  I have started putting my wish list of garden seeds together for next year and have started saving seeds and gathering seeds to get a head start on next year.

I am fortunate that there are some posts already on the property that I was able to use for a raised bed- not sure if I will do the whole garden this way, but it was a start.  I think it will take a couple of seasons to get the whole garden going.

My uncle came over a few weekends ago and tilled a good part of the garden – how thankful I am for that.

Materials

I am a little anal, well – really with some things a lot anal.  The morning was spent doing laundry and hanging it to dry and them mowing 2 parts of the front field.  It was a little sad to mow the orchard area and to see that in the last 2 days half the orchard had been destroyed by one or several bucks.  They took out many trees with the rubbing of their antlers – two of those trees were my almond trees – I am hoping to salvage 1, but I am not sure.  Then it was off to the garden.  Here is where I am somewhat anal.  I turned the soil and then laid the posts. When I was laying the post I used my level to make sure that they were as close to level as possible. Some of the garden is on a downward slope – so I want the beds to be level and drain properly.

After laying the posts I added some compost to the bed.  I then turned the soil again before planting.  It was quite the upper body workout – which is good, because pretty much the only exercise I get now is homesteading!  Hoping to get back to my running in September.

Then came planting the plants. I planted beets, kale, two types of broccoli, cabbage and chard.  I still have the spinach, lettuce and cauliflower to plant which I will do tonight – I wanted to see where the shade hit in the afternoon before planting – now I know.

I then raked up the grass clippings, forgot to put the bag on the mower, and put them in the wheel barrel.  I decided I would use the grass clippings as my mulch – figured it was free, held moisture well and would give back to the soil!

After all that, I watered and then I finished securing the bottom part of the fence.  I decided not to bury the fencing, but to use u-clips to secure.  I also decided that I would plant around the outside of the fencing with pollinator friendly plants.  That is three times the good – helps deter animals from digging under the fencing, brings pollinators to the garden, which is so beneficial and lastly that it will look wonderful.  I have put the word out to anyone that has some plants to give away!  So far I have gotten some bee balm, butterfly bush and one other plant that of course I can’t think of the name.  I will also be digging up some lilac runners and replanting the day lillies that are in front of the house!

The day was made complete by some homemade pizza shared with Stella and a dear friend!!  Wishing you all happy gardening!!!

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