Get Your Dirt On

Things I really feel dumb about buying:

*Zucchini (I don't buy this at the store anymore, so I only eat it during the summer)

*Potatoes (this is my first year of growing a bunch.)

*Dirt

Really, is there anything dumber than buying dirt?  I don't think so.  Yesterday I dragged Tom out to Menard's and bought three cubes of dirt. Yes, I said cubes. Instead of those unwieldy and bulky gigantic bags of dirt that weigh fifty pounds, there are now cubes of dirt. Awesome, yes? But still dumb.

Today the plan is to fill the two raised beds with the dirt and plant my fall garden. I bought beets, kale, turnips and radishes from Baker Creek.  I've not done a fall garden before, so I am excited. Not so exciting are the butternut squash vines trying to smother everything.  I shouldn't complain, though, because it's food.

I've already pulled out the spent broccoli plants and one of the zucchini that was being destroyed by the squash bugs. Those things are really annoying!

Raised bed ready for planting, sharing space with the surviving cucumber plant.

One  of the many volunteer butternut squashes.

Garden update

Image via Wikipedia

So the garden is not going as good as I'd hoped. While vines and plants are growing, they aren't as tall as they should be and aren't producing either. Two days ago I picked a small yellow summer squash. The rest are either too small still or rotting. :(  There area lot of cucumbers, but they're only an inch long and they're just sitting there. The cucumber beetles are having a great time, though, destroying the vines. Now they've moved onto the butternut squash and I am not happy about that at all.

There is a nice head of broccoli growing, however, and that's very nice. Last night Foo-Foo and I were down at the garden looking for pests to pick and drop into the jar of death (as I call it) and suddenly he gets all excited:  "Broccoli!  Broccoli!"   :)

I was reading in my gardening book about cucumber beetles and the only way to reduce them is to use floating row covers, so I guess next year I will try that. I also want to have the cukes grow on trellises. Right now they're growing on the fence and threatening to invade the neighbor's yard, but I have a feeling those little striped and spotted fellows will take care of that.

Summer?

Well, the calendar tells me it's summer, but the weather is another thing altogether. How simply delightful to have such a cool and rainy spring/summer! /sarcasm

Anyway, things are growing out in the garden, but not as quickly as they ought to. I have a few photos of the garden and whatnot to share:

the lovely compost containers!

Spring--for real this time

I think I got a little ahead of myself last time I posted. But the long winter is finally over, and Spring has arrived. Things are green, green, green! The grass (weeds) needs mowed today--it's on DynoDad's list. On my list today: not housework! Cleaning inside is a rainy day thing. So if you want to visit and would like a nice house, then visit when it's raining, okay? ;) 

Here's what's been keeping me busy lately:

Just a little flower/herb garden; of course I didn't buy enough scallops at Lowe's.

The garden site. Not very big, but a good start for this year anyway.

Romaine lettuce finally growing. i'm not sure what the two holes are....did a rabbit jump in?

Kale and Swiss chard. Notice the professional, straight rows.

Valkyrie wondering what the heck I'm doing.

Azaleas along the front of the house. They appear to be doing okay, considering I had to add soil when I planted since the whole flower bed is nothing but sand under those river rocks. Very strange.

Planting is up next, and finding more space for all the seeds I have. (yes, I got a little crazy with the seed catalogue!)

I love this time of year!

Spring!

I *think* it's safe to say that Spring has finally arrived here in NW Indiana. At least the nights are staying above freezing. I've started a bit of my planting, nothing major, just some kale, chard and lettuce in my two whiskey barrel halves. I also planted some canna seeds and a runner bean or two on the deck in a pot. I know, I  know, waaaay to early but I couldn't help it! The main project are my raised beds that will go in down by the fence. (photos,yes soon).  Dyno Dad will have to help me with those.

Also on the agenda is a sandbox for the kids. We have one of those Little Tyke turtle sandboxes, but it's just too small for three boys, so we're going to use the old Sleep Number bed frame we saved. It will be huge! Hopefully we'll get to that this weekend if the weather cooperates. (doubtful)

I love being able to get outside! I'm going to start running around the yard as well for exercise. Much more fun that doing P90X in the house.

Yay Spring!!!!!