Blueberries

This entire blog is about me buying things and then promptly killing them.  It is amazing how bad I am at gardening, however, I feel like I am learning things.  When I'm 80 years old, I'll probably be the best gardener thanks to 50+ years of trial and error.

So this year, I promised myself and my husband I would not buy anything more.  I meant it.  But yesterday I took my mom to the nursery to get dirt for her square foot garden and to get starter pods for her seeds.  I thought I was safe because hell it is March in Pittsburgh.  Nursery centers have squat..... WRONG!  There were three pallets of blueberries.  I've been wanting blueberries.  So I caved and bought two plants.

This morning, before we get our rain and in the next few days snow, I finally got them planted in what I hope is the perfect spot.  It is hard to tell because our yard is so sunny in spring until all of the leaves grow back in.  For now, I think they are planted in full sun.

If You Aren't Square Foot Gardening, You Are CRAZY!

This time of year comes and I want to be out in the dirt as much as possible.  I want to dig and plant and dig some more.  However, with my recent change in work, I'm now working most weekends.  This is the time my husband and I used to set aside in spring to get the garden going. This morning, I woke up late and had a lazy Sunday off from work.  At about 1:30ish after fighting with the hub about a project, I went outside to clean the clover out of the garden from last year.

Last year, we built two square foot gardens the right way.  We put down cardboard and then topped it with soil and peat and vermiculite just the way it said in the square foot gardening book.  The year prior to last we kind of did the square foot thing, but in a more lackadaisical way.  We failed two years ago, miserably, however last year I think we would have done better had we known how to garden.  You see, no one tells you when to start picking.  So we spent the majority of our time thinking our items needed time to grow and by the time we were picking them, they had already gone to seed.  This year, we are wiser.

So today, hub says, "There's no way you are going to have time to plant today.  That garden bed needs so much work, you are going to be out there cleaning it out forever!"  He ate his words, for one hour later my garden was cleaned out and spring seeds were planted.  Honestly, this was the easiest space to weed and plant.  I don't know why more people aren't using this method!

Tomorrow, I plant some swiss chard and I begin to tend to my containers..... Let Garden Season START!

New Garden Bed Achieved!

Today was one of those days that if I could start it all over again, I would. I had a million things keeping me from getting out into my garden beginning with the last day of work being done on my basement, followed by needing to meet up with a friend for Easter candy, followed by a trip to the garden center where my kids and husband realized they were hungry, followed by a stop at a local restaurant. FINALLY, we got back home somewhere around 5:30 p.m. and began our garden.

Earlier in the day, we snapped together our brand new Vermont Cedar raised bed garden. My husband found this link and he said he couldn't buy the wood for the asking price which also included shipping. ( http://www.gardenraisedbeds.com/ ) One thing I am disappointed in is that the 4x8 ends up measuring somewhere about 39 inches x 87 inches because of the mortise and tendon joints. This means I have about a quarter of a square which runs down one short side and down one long side. I've reserved this spot for carrots since you can pack them in to a small space. Aside from the size being a bit off for square foot gardening, the construction is nice, the wood is great, and the shipping was fast. Not to mention the price was also very, very good.

At the garden center, we bought peat moss, manure and vermiculite. All three in equal parts is "Mel's Mix". I was hesitant on using the vermiculite as it is a form of asbestos, but last year I didn't and my garden soil is crap this year. So sticking with the "rules" I caved and got it.

The guy at the garden center also talked me into a few fertilizers. One ironically is epsom salt. I've used this for years as a soak in the tub and once as a "gall bladder cleanse" (NOT RECOMMENDED!). But apparently this "salt" is also good for plants. I also bought Monty's Joy Juice and Osmocote. All three together supposedly make you an excellent gardener. And hell, let's be real. I NEED THAT!

When we got home with all of our miracle working gardening "tools" at 5:30 p.m. we began dumping the peat, vermiculite and manure all together. We stirred it by hand and even had the kids helping until they smelled the manure. Matt and the kids drilled some screws into the frame so I could use string and make my squares. Lastly, I planted spring crops. Lettuce, Scallions, Leeks, Spinach, Brussel Sprouts, etc.

My husband says if this fails, I should give up as a gardener. I hate to admit he is right, but he is. Honestly, if I kill these plants, I may just give up all together. But then, maybe not..... digging in the dirt is addictive!