Monday, May 4, 2009

Finally We Can Start Gardening

I have been reading countless posts lately about gardening, lawn mowing and flowering trees, but we haven't been there quite yet... until this weekend. Finally the rain stopped and the weather was beautiful. The temp was in the sixties and sunny, and we have tulips!

The trees have started to bud.
I cleaned out the empty room in the barn that our barn cat was using as his personal litter box potting shed. We had been using that room (formerly the granary, I believe) for storing all of our gardening tools and supplies, but it was a big mess. The only way I can tackle a project like that is to remove everything, clean it all out, throw out the things that I know I will never use, then put everything back in with some sort of order.

I could use a table yet for working on but for now just being cleaned out and not smelling like old cat pee is a major improvement. I think I won... for now! It should stay clean until I'm ready to plant and everything is back to it's normal state of disarray.

***

The 4 Wheel Drive Gardener was at it again tearing apart the lawn to pitch the water away from our sheds.
We still need to seed the area and deal with all of the dirt he removed during the leveling process, but much improved.

***
I worked on prepping my vegetable garden for planting. I won't plant for another week or two but I had plenty of work to do. I pulled all of the grass and weeds out from between the raspberry and blueberry bushes, added some fresh soil around the raspberries and a mix of soil and peat moss around the blueberries and covered them all with a fresh layer of mulch.

Same thing for the strawberry patch and the row of asparagus, except I used straw instead of mulch.

I tested the soil for the first time because last year my garden wasn't as successful as I had hoped and had way too many weeds.
The PH was a little high (alkaline) and the nitrogen was low but everything else tested out fine. Good thing because the only levels I know how to alter are the PH (I added peat moss) and the nitrogen. Besides peat moss we also added some composted manure, our very own vegetable compost and some black sandy soil harvested from my father-in-law's field.


The vegetable garden is actually 2 huge 25X30 gardens with a row of rhubarb and a strip of grass in between, and that rusty looking thing on the left is our burn barrel. I have started a garden layout but I won't be sure until I buy all of the plants and convince my husband to construct some trellises. Like he doesn't have enough to do...

Today I am sore everywhere, the Gardener hobbled out of bed, and the sunshine we saw this weekend is obvious on our faces and my shoulders, but damn did it feel good.

17 comments:

Secret Mom Thoughts said...

I'm so jealous of the size of your garden. I really need to start getting ours ready. Also I love the 2nd photo of the budding tree. Very nicely done.

Out in Them Sticks said...

We lack large equipment, so the 20x10 garden we put in this year felt like a GIANT chore. We will have to expand slowly.

Your gardens look great (HUGE too!) I'm glad you were able to get your turn of that great weather!! :) Summer is upon us!!

LL Cool Joe said...

Looks like you've been really busy. Yeah every blog I go to seems to be talking about gardening etc.

We've cut the grass but that's about it so far. We have a large garden too so that's quite a job in itself.

Cool photos as usual. :)

Momma Bear said...

look at the space you have!! ahh everything looks so good!

You live in Oregon??

I have family in Oregon. Perhaps my family and I should vacation there in the next few years, stay and visit with family and then trek over to see my new found blogger Oregonian friends. i love the NW!

But at any rate so pumped to see what it's going to look like as everything begins to bloom!!

Unknown said...

My husband would weep if he had to take care of all that grass.

It's beautiful.

Shady Lady said...

This looks like it's going to be amazing. We have a very small yard, but the Lizard King just built 3 small frames for raised beds. I can't wait to get dirt and get started!

Who lives in Oregon, Momma Bear? If you come here for a visit you'd better stop by my house!! We'll have tea...the kids can play...I'll invite Freckle and her kids over, too. It'll be a bloggy party!!

Aliceson said...

Momma Bear,
Not Oregon, Wisconsin actually but a trip to Oregon sounds like fun!

2 Brits, 2 Yanks, 2 Dogs said...

You make me tired! I am useless at gardening - truly I love flowers but can't keep up with them. I have a great knack of killing them off. :(

skyewriter said...

In addition to your considerable talents as a photographer, you should consider a career in household organization! Dang!

Make me feel terribly inadequate in terms of our closets...

Ute said...

Oh my gosh, that is one enormous garden. Very cool! You guys rock. Happy gardening.

Riot Kitty said...

Can I just say that is the NEATEST shed I have ever seen. You would pass out if you saw Mr. RK's shop - gack. Send those 60s and sunny temps this way, hey?

sheila said...

Although I thoroughly enjoyed your post, I so so so wish I had a lot of land like you do! how nice to have a lot of wide open space! LOVE your barn, LOVE your garden, LOVE all your cool ride on power vehicles. ((sigh)).

We have a measley 1/2 acre. ((sigh)). :o) I'll look forward to checking in and seeing how your garden grows.

Aliceson said...

Skye, now clean closets are not my specialty. Our bathroom cabinets are so bad that when I open the doors I have to make sure nothing falls out. Yikes! That might be next on the old to do list.

Funnyrunner said...

holy cow. I am insanely jealous of your farm. The grass even LOOKS greener on your side!

Savvy-Motherhood said...

wowzers. and I thought my couple of plants were a pain. LOL

Sidhe said...

I'm getting pretty excited too and your pics just make me start to froth! We've got some garden plowed and will be putting in onions this week.

I cannot wait to garden eat! Well, something besides parsnips. I'm working on cleaning out the fridge, we are going to have soup tonight that will remind me of the sunny day last summer when I made it!

Debbie said...

Wow! That is some garden. I got tired just thinking about all that work.