Dead zinnia stalks needed yoinking and dead grass needed to be raked up. As I raked the overgrown grassy areas, it reminded me of combing knots out of my hair when I was a kid. I had to clean the rake every few swipes to get the "hair" out of it.
With more dirt exposed, I then used the cultivator to lift clumps of grass roots to the surface to dry. I can shake the dried dirt from the roots and toss the grass in the trash pile.
SM came out during halftime of the football game he was watching to see what I was up to. I had just transplanted one of the blueberry bushes and was struggling with another one that has a pricker bush growing through it and the roots where intertwined with the rabbit fence we have around the garden.
"Here let me." SM takes the shovel from me and chews his way through the pricker bush root system. "Where do you want it?" He asked.
"In the wheelbarrow for now." I said. "I want to see if I can salvage the bush from the pricker bush...See how it runs?"
I pointed out the running root system. "It's as bad as Bermuda!" In the end I tossed the bush. It was just too intertwined. I had one more blueberry to move.
"Why are you moving them?" SM asked.
"It just too tight over here and they're not doing well anyway. I thought I'd use this big bed over here and turn it into a fruit bed." I told him sweeping my hand to show him the area.
"I want to buy more blueberry bushes and make a patch here, maybe buy a few more fruit trees and I think we need to build a proper grape arbor and transplant them. It's too tight where they are now." I continued.
When we tore down the old deck, SM suggested saving the wood to build another small sitting area underneath the maple tree (a nice cool spot on a hot day) and to use some of the posts for a proper grape arbor instead of the fencing we'd put up a few years ago to support the vines.
Our garden was expanded in stages and some of the garden beds are too tight for the plants I use them for.
I also want to weed-block and re-mulch the pathways this winter, defining extra working space so I can maneuver a little bit better.
Every time we expanded we just kept squishing stuff together so that when the garden is in full maturity, you can barely get through it. This made me feel overwhelmed.
I'd rather have less garden and more function.
This will be my fifth year with this garden.
Last year I was a big time slacker in the garden.
I want to invest a bit more in my 2015 garden.
More fruit, more flowers and tried and true veg.
You'd think after five years I'd know what works and what doesn't. But that's not how it goes is it?
Are you starting to think about next years garden?
Yes, just this morning when I woke at 4:15 (4:15!!? . . . geesh!) my mind started thinking about this coming season's garden. Even if you don't ever expand your garden space physically, there are always things to change from year to year. I love the saying, "There are no failures in gardening, only experiments." Some experiments you keep, some you dump. And, of course, even after you find out what works for you, there are always those tempting NEW things you just have to try!
ReplyDeleteI have started to think what really works in the garden. I thought I would try corn in one of my 4 x 8 raised beds.
ReplyDeleteI'm sitting here in the cold, gray, rainy day and thinking of the garden in the Spring. Working on a plan for a new irrigation system and what will be in which beds.
ReplyDeleteI too was a slacker in the garden last year...I was amazed at how much stuff "self-seeded"...so the garden did supply me with lettuce, leeks, celery and potatoes I never planted!! This year I'll spend more time making sure the garden is taken care of...and maybe I'll get back to blogging! I read all of your posts, even though I seldom comment...2014: glad it's almost over!
ReplyDeleteA new plan may spur you to getting out there more often.
ReplyDeleteWe are still enjoying gardening, as summer is our time off because of the heat. I'm beginning to research what grows up there when, since we will be moving to the area soon. Excited to be learning about a new planting zone, but wondering how to make the growing season last longer, as we've been spoiled here to have so many yummies to eat almost year-long.
Can't wait to see the new design!
I really want some blueberry bushes. I have read that you have to have more than one. I don't know why. My problem is that supposedly you need full sun for the bushes but I want to put them in a place where they will get "some" full sun but not the whole day. What do you think?
ReplyDelete