Wednesday, April 13, 2011

I come to the garden alone . .

I love that old hymn: "I come to the garden alone, when the dew is still on the roses . . "

Planting season is short and sweet in Minnesota.  So it feels like a 3-day window to get a decent garden started.  Johnny C built amazing raised beds last Spring and I'm itching to get them planted for season #2. 

But each weekend fills up like a rain gauge in a monsoon, leaving me precious little time for gardening.  The garden sits there begging me to put on the grubbies and dig.  The weather is supposed to be COLD and yes SNOWY this Saturday.  And it's prom, which means the whole family will be deeply involved in the twins expensive dress-up day.

Every year I dream of a large lot filled with raised beds, pots, trellises, etc like the one below.  But we do pretty well in our small rented yard.  This year I'm trying some succession planting, and one bed is dedicated to "the 3 Sisters" - putting corn, beans, and squash in the same hole and letting them grow together.

I've been intrigued by hay-bale planting, where you partially dig out the cut-end sides of a hay bale and plant in there.  I may just add to my garden space with them. 
The next big hurdle will be the mosquitoes - those buggers are determined to swarm and kill every human outside June - August.  Up here we grow them big and aggressive.  Too bad I can't teach them how to hoe and water.





6 comments:

Churlita said...

I have so much shade in my yard, that I can only plant in one little space. I would to have a bigger garden.

SkylersDad said...

I envy your large yard.

Oh, and you said hoe. he he he

Anonymous said...

I like the straw bale idea, it turns the garden into sculpture.

Sheleta said...

Girl I have heard gardening is so therapeutic. I've never tried it but I'm going to start. I see people working in beautifully grown gardens. And while I think about all the work it must take, the look on their faces always say "peace, love, relaxation".

Unknown said...

I don't garden...most things that are green and grow are soon dead if I touch them.
My parents always had a garden, and we ate so much good stuff.
I do not have a green thumb, and I envy that.

Cheesecake Maven said...

I started hundreds of seedlings inside, they are growing beautifully so far, although the squash seeds need to be transplanted soon, they are HUGE! I may have some extra tomato plants for you if all goes well, about 5 varieties of seedlings sprouting!