Garden 2024
Greetings: I’m in fresh (actually not so fresh LOL) from a day in the garden.
The 2024 garden got a slow start. First, there was a delay due to orthopedic surgery recovery and general immobility. Thankfully, we have a long growing season in North Carolina.
I don’t know if you recall my lovely elevated raised beds from previous gardening tales. They were 2018 vintage and sadly gave up the ghost. Breaking them down and carting them away was a major project that needed to be accomplished prior to installing new beds.
There were four 3'x6' beds and three 3'x3' beds, which contained a total of ~ 50 cubic feet of soil. All had to be scooped out (and raked to another spot). Then, the rotted beds had to be broken apart and discarded.
Multiple excursions to a West Jefferson farm supply store were necessary to haul home forty-eight 1.5 cu ft bags of Daddy Pete’s Raised Bed Soil. Unfortunately, the guys wouldn’t come home to help unload the heavy bags. The photo above only contains a portion of the dirt sacks.
The replacement job is nearly completed (three of four). New green metal beds, to match the metal roofs on our buildings, have been assembled and filled with raised bed soil. Today, I planted cucumbers, borage, beets, and dill in the left bed; green bush beans, wax beans, nasturtiums, carrots, and marigolds in the center bed; and sugar baby watermelon, two types of cantaloupe, marigolds, chamomile, and celery in the bed on the right. A fourth bed, yet to be done, will hold fall cabbages. The ground-level location required a new addition: chicken wire cages will help ward off the omnipresent deer and rabbits.
Do you remember the great hornworm invasion of 2023? That tragedy required a crop rotation. This summer, the tomatoes and peppers have been re-sited to the rear of the carport. These plants will be in the company of a rosa rugosa, three dwarf fruit trees (two apples and a cherry), and robust lavender plants.
Happy corn, squash, zucchini, and pumpkins are in the prior tomato garden.
A new crop of sweet potato slips is in place, also guarded from invaders.
Fingerling potatoes are eagerly growing…
…as well as purple potatoes, nestled in a new box handcrafted by a friendly neighbor (thanks, Gary!)
The perennial asparagus and strawberries continue to thrive.
I was blessed by a visitor while I gardened today: a yellow swallowtail butterfly, which flitted around all afternoon and even alighted on my arm.
Do you put in a garden? Or do you have a local produce stand where you can shop for fresh vegetables?
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