Let the growing BEGIN!

[mommy4ever]

Just discussed with dh, we are not relocating the gardens this year. It'll be done next year.

The plan is I want a little red barn in the backyard. Just a shed, but I LOVE the sheds that are build to look like barns, I find them quaint and charming. It will sit in the backyard(north side of house) in the North East corner at a 45º angle from either fence and fairly close to the fence. My existing raised beds will move to be parallel to the fences and adding more as well, likely triangular to the inside to from a pathway to the shed. (i might need to sketch it to better explain).

I'm looking into what I can put in the path ways to eliminate the grass growing through. I know FIL can get us crushed rock, but I need barrier fabric or something underneath.

So for this year, it stays the same, so I'm getting some compost, lookign into having some delivered to beef up my current beds.

But in the front is where this year will be fun! Last year I cut down trees, or rather got the lumber jack next door to do it. He said he'll pull out the stumps. Where the pine tree was(it attracted wasps like crazy, as beautiful as it was, it was a hazard and had to be cut down) in front of the picture window, I'll be planting an apple tree! I'm told a deciduous tree is perfect for our climate, it will(eventually) provide us with shade in the summer, and allow sun in the winter. Further up in the yard, where we had a weeping birch that was dying, I'm going to plant a cherry tree!

We have an overhang with a flower bed below it, it's a dust bowl in there, and our cat has declared it her little box ....EWWWWW. SO this year, I'm adding barrier fabric and rock. Nothing grows there. Then in front of it, I'm adding trellis and will plant some hard grape vines! In front of that bed, the eavestrough runs, so it's very lush, well drained. Nice and warm, but not scorching.

If we do get our dog kennel built(chain link), I would like to use that to be the trellis to some kiwi plants too!

I want to investigate asparagus too, it's perennial, and I love it pickled...mmmmm.

Of course, this is all subject to the cost factor..lol. But I'm thinking it can and will be done, but how quickly it'll happen is another issue.

Next year, I'm thinking that the old hedge that divides the 2 yards(on our property) will be removed, and replaced with Saskatoon bushes. Being on the front property, the neighborhood kids will feast, but over time, there will be an abundance. And as we have no plans to move away.... why not?

So, I'm looking at apple and cherry trees for this year. Possible grapes. But this weekend all I know for sure is I'm getting or ordering compost for the raised beds And will put in seeds over the next week. Kale, spinach, lettuces, carrots, green onions. And will get tomato plants later when frost danger is past, this is zone 3 after all.

[justpeachy92]

I love the sheds that look like mini barns also. For your pathways I would probably price rolls of that black fabric barrier you put down to keep weeds from growing, then cover it with the rock. If you do the asparagus I will look forward to hearing how that works out. My dh and I haven't tried to grow it because we have been told that it is very hard to grow.

[mommy4ever]

Dh aunt had asparagus, and lots of people at the farmers market have it in the spring, so it does grow here. I need to do the research. I know I need to dig a good size pit...lol. But I need to look it up.

I figure, since I can't move to an acreage, I'm going to turn the backyard into a mini homestead with food. I'm going to also see if I can get a permit for some chickens.... at this point the bylaw says no, but we'll see if I can get a permit for it.

[rsbs]

newspaper works well as a barrier under crushed rock too! Lay it out (be generous, layer it to make it thick), wet it down, & cover with the rock.

[Missy]

I was gonna suggest the newspaper too.

Sounds like a great plan. I have a similar goal here. I am planning on covering every plantable square foot of this property with edibles. I won't have a fully functioning "Farm" so to speak, but maybe what I can call a farmette. I hav all my fruit trees, I have vegetables, chickens, quail, and so on. The quail for meat (especially the males)and eggs, the chickens for eggs and sales (extra hens get top dollar here). I have every vegetable we enjoy eating sprouting in transplant pots right now.

I love the barn sheds too. I think they are so cool looking. I hope to get one built soon. DH will build it, the ones at the home depot and lowes are so pricey here.

[mommy4ever]

There are a couple of barn sheds at the campsite that we rent at(seasonal), and I mentioned it, dh and FIL said ti would be easy to build. Since we aren't in the position to build it in the next couple weeks, it'll be later, either after the gardens are fall, or next spring. And they are relatively cheap to build. Our neighbor is a house builder and is often getting rid of 2x4 and 2x6 that come slightly twisted, as well as plywood. FIL is an industrial builder and we get the wood they use for concrete forms, it can't be re-used for their purpose so we'll get 4x4 and stuff like that, so really, all that is needed is plywood(which we sometimes get from the neighbor anyway) and paint, nails and joist attachment thingies. So pretty cheap over all.