Gardening, May 28-30 2011

**Early Bird** · 05-29-2011, 12:12 AM

Over the past few weeks, we have been doing a lot of roughscaping in the garden: Tilling the ground; adding peat moss; laying out soaker hoses; putting down weed barrier.

Today, DH, DD#2, and I built a LARGE cage for our one cucumber plant:

IMG_5404.jpg
Can you see it? It's the five-foot cage surrounding a 5-inch plant. (I don't know why it turned sideways in the post.)

We also put up sizeable pre-purchased tomato cages around the 6 tomatoes we put in the ground last week:
IMG_5408.jpg

Walls O Water are messy and cumbersome. Last weekend, we filled them when we planted the tomatoes, but some of them tipped over. We're hoping the cage structure will help.

The reason that bell peppers and basil are in tomato cages is that our dog thinks sprinting through the garden is great sport.

Anyone else work in the garden this weekend?

**Spirit Deer** · 05-29-2011, 06:53 PM

Yup! I built the garden gate finally!

We got that installed so the fence is now completely done. It turned out better than expected and I was able to use up some of the many 1x2s that have been hanging around for years in the garage, so that's a bonus.

I still have some seeds to put in out there, but my back is too wrecked. If I sat down on the side of the garden bed, I'd need a crane to get me up again!

It's worth it though, to have that done. Our dog insists on being in the garden with us, and now we don't have to worry we'll forget about her and she'll get lost in the woods. Now she can't get out and the deer can't get in.

**Debbie-cat** · 05-29-2011, 07:08 PM

Yep, planted everything here except potatoes and onions. Will do that when I get back from a trip on Wednesday. Now I hope the weather cooperates!!

**Spirit Deer** · 05-29-2011, 08:28 PM

I took a chance and planted potatoes a couple weeks ago. They're just starting to come up now. Love that.

I transplanted our walking onions and bunching onions a week or so ago and they didn't seem to notice, so that's a relief. They're both blooming like crazy. Yea! Even the little bulbs from the walking onions have taken off since being moved. They must like the new, lighter soil and the built-in fertilizer.

It's supposed to be rainy starting tonight and continuing till Tuesday, so you might have to plant in wet soil! Which isn't all bad, really.

All our plants survived the cold overnights this week and everything is doing great. I'll have to remember that next year. It worked fine to cover stuff up when it was cold. The days have been warm enough to keep the seedlings happy. We have radishes, spinach, beets, and a bunch of other stuff an inch high or more already. I think this might be the year we finally have a decent garden. *fingers crossed*

**NikoSan999** · 05-30-2011, 10:07 AM

Love reading everyones gardening sucess. Nice pix. Have a very impressive woodpile going there too. Congratulations on what you've done so far.

**Early Bird** · 05-30-2011, 09:53 PM

Today we put up the rabbit-proof fence, then planted

* swiss chard
* romaine lettuce
* red sail lettuce
* jumbo marigolds

Here's what it looks like:
IMG_5417.jpg

Happily, we found several worms when we were planting today.

**Early Bird** · 05-30-2011, 09:55 PM

But the cucumber we planted on Saturday isn't looking too good today:
IMG_5422.jpg

I hope it'll perk up.

**Lisac** · 06-01-2011, 07:54 AM

I have a small property in a townhouse community so I am really trying to grow as much food as possible in my small space. In the past I've had very spotty success but I keep learning and trying.

I at this point have everything planted as far as the veggies.

I have been digging up a perennial area around my lamp post that over the years I have spent way too much time and money trying to make it look nice, and it just doesn't. We are going to put a wooden box around the post so I can grow more stuff there. It's been a huge job, moving plants, giving away plants, digging out a stump, but I feel so satisfied that I am almost done!!