Last Spring, having been in the Outer Banks for just a few months, I needed to find a hobby. My wonderful husband helped me dig a small plot in the back yard to start a garden. Having grown up on a farm you would think I would be a natural at this, but there were some good lessons learned last year. I've always wanted to start a blog but had nothing of interest to write about. Now in my second year as a gardener and having gone through our local cooperative extension master gardener program, I sort of know what I'm doing. Maybe by sharing some of the things I learn as I go along, I can help some of my fellow gardeners.
Last year's plot was a small area with a just a few of each plant (tomatoes, squash, zucchini, green beans, red peppers, carrots, onions and lettuce). We had a great tomato harvest and a small harvest of the other stuff.
This year we have gone all out! My husband built several raised beds on each side of the house, along the back of the house and a flower bed in the front yard. So far in the ground are carrots, onions, spinach, several types of lettuce, kale, peas, sugar snap peas, radishes, strawberries, potatoes, watermelons, cantelopes and blueberry bushes. I've got tomatoes, peppers, cucumbers, squash, zucchini, and green beans to fit in somewhere. I've gone just a little bit crazy. I've got seedlings in the house under special plant lights. I save milk jugs, water bottles and soda bottles to cover my plants when the wind starts blowing, which out here on the beach happens a lot! I've even started a worm composter. Never did I think I would see a day when I would get excited about having a box of worms! It's been a lot of fun to learn about gardening and enjoying the fruits of our labor.
Last year's plot was a small area with a just a few of each plant (tomatoes, squash, zucchini, green beans, red peppers, carrots, onions and lettuce). We had a great tomato harvest and a small harvest of the other stuff.
This year we have gone all out! My husband built several raised beds on each side of the house, along the back of the house and a flower bed in the front yard. So far in the ground are carrots, onions, spinach, several types of lettuce, kale, peas, sugar snap peas, radishes, strawberries, potatoes, watermelons, cantelopes and blueberry bushes. I've got tomatoes, peppers, cucumbers, squash, zucchini, and green beans to fit in somewhere. I've gone just a little bit crazy. I've got seedlings in the house under special plant lights. I save milk jugs, water bottles and soda bottles to cover my plants when the wind starts blowing, which out here on the beach happens a lot! I've even started a worm composter. Never did I think I would see a day when I would get excited about having a box of worms! It's been a lot of fun to learn about gardening and enjoying the fruits of our labor.
Last year's garden....
This year's garden....
How's your garden growing? Anything new?
ReplyDeleteHey Holly, I saw your link on Facebook. We also garden and are figuring it out. We have a plot in a community garden.
ReplyDelete