I recently moved 300 miles away from the area I in lived for forty odd years. You'd think that, since I moved from an urban area to the boondocks of upstate New York, I'd have more land than before, but no. I am trying to homestead on 1/6 of an acre. This is my first gardening season here, and my garden is still mostly visions of the future, but I am getting quite excited about the possibilities that this tiny plot affords.
First up, my favorite aspect of my tiny yard!
This baby is tucked behind the garage. I have no idea when it was last used. It has supports for three racks inside. I think I can customize this to bake and/or cook a whole lot of foodstuffs. Very exciting!
The bones of my raised beds:
The plan is to fill these boxes, built of larch that I purchased from the Amish, with 1/3 garden soil, 1/3 peat moss, and 1/3 composted cow manure. Apparently, the weird weather we have been having is preventing the Manure Man from turning his pile properly. I'm told his is the very best manure there is, and is worth the wait, but if it doesn't come soon, I'll have to rethink that plan.
If you look very closely you can see four blueberry bushes behind the rightmost bed, in front of the cold tunnel, which has sweet pea seedlings in it. We've had mad weird weather, definitely geo-engineered, and I popped that tunnel over the peas, which were a good foot high, for a ridiculously cold night last week.
I'll be starting seedlings inside soon. The plan was to start them today, but here I am spending the time writing this post instead.
There's gold in this tiny yard!
I scored in the wild plant department! I have cleavers and dandelions galore, so that many food and medicinal needs are met just with those two. And there are strawberries all over the place. I have no idea if they are wild or were originally planted on purpose, but boy am I looking forward to those!
When I was young, I loved loved loved Forget Me Nots. They grew everywhere back then. I haven't seen them since I left home for urban living, nor have I been able to grow them in any of my gardens since then. But now that I have moved back to the small town of my birth, I find Forget Me Nots in this backyard! Joyful little creatures that I am so happy to have gracing the feet of my maple tree.
My biggest stretch
I miss my chickens, but this yard is simply not big enough, so I'm thinking a nice 4-ish by 12-ish by 8-ish feet high cage along the side of the garage would be a great place for quails. The rhododendron would be inside the cage, giving the birds cover and interest. The birds would give me eggs and fertilizer. What do you guys think?
Now for something totally off topic!
My puppy is quite the charmer, and not so good at posing for photographs, but I rather like the way this one turned out.
This is my entry to The Very First Garden Diary Challenge on Blurt!! Come show us your stuff!!! Or your dreams or your memories or your favorite flower, but do come!
Sorry I missed this my friend - great to see this all coming together for you. It looks like you're maximising your space - and I imagine you should be able to grow an abundance of delicious food. :) Great find with the strawberries -we have loads of raspberries in our garden - and lots of dandelions, which at this time of year I'm eating everyday - alongside the nettles. Love your puppy - dogs are such great company. I learn more from mine than I do from most people. :D
This great your garden, great plans you have space to take advantage and exploit, although you already have an idea of what you want to do I think it is never too much to see ideas on the internet, there is always some ingenious proposal that we can take all or part, I hope to see soon a preview of your new garden I'm sure it will be spectacular.
PS: your doggy is a beauty
She really is! I'm so happy I got her. Thanks for stopping by and for your support. Spectacular or not, my garden makes me happy. Do you garden?
I don't really have a garden I live in an apartment, but in the bottom of the building there are gardens and there we can plant plants in addition to those that my mother has at home, about the orchids I don't know how my mother did it, but she doesn't have them in the ground she has them in a trunk and the trunk is inside a container with water, maybe that's the secret.
I am answering you two comments in one because I don't have many Blurt and I have to give them up.
Your property is so big enough to sustain you with vegetables and other fruiting trees and plants suited for the climate there plus it will keep you occupied for tending it while waiting for the bountiful harvest that you can either sell to or preserve. 👍
My eldest brother is also planting hot chili peppers, bottling it and selling it for cheap considering that those are carolina reaper variant.
I just started some jalapeno seeds. Does you brother pickle his?
He makes chili oil out of it @owasco, I think he attended a workshop for this side-business of his.
Nice! Maybe I'll have enough to can some. That's the plan anyway!
For other vegetables it is good to pickle or ferment it because of the additional good bacteria that it creates.
Wishing all the best for your gardening hobby, it is indeed a very rewarding activity . :D
#gardendiary #blurtgardens #gardening
Thank you!
Thankyou for entering the #Gardendiary Challenge!
It's amazing what one can grow on a small plot!
I hear that quails don't make such a mess of the garden.. you should go for it! The beds look great.
I aim for amazing!
Did you start this community? It sure has your mark on it.
😜 Good guess. I thought it would be awesome to have more garden content here! 💚
Even if you are the only entry this month, hopefully I'm doing my bit to help Blurt grow so there's more next month!!
I hope you'll get more. I've put the link on a couple gardening posts. @northern-tracey? You in?
yes been waiting for some weather to take pics of my updates this week. About to do one indeedy. Thanx for reminding me.
You are the best. It's my small contribution to help Blurt grow 💚🥦
Congratulations, your post has been curated by @r2cornell-curate. Also, find us on Discord
Felicitaciones, su publication ha sido votado por @r2cornell-curate. También, encuéntranos en Discord
Thank you!
Hi, @owasco,
Thank you for your contribution to the Blurt ecosystem.
Please consider voting for the witness @symbionts.
Or delegate to @ecosynthesizer to earn a portion of the curation rewards!
You're very welcome! Thank you for the generous upvote!