It's almost mid September and I'm already looking ahead to next year. This year I had 2 @ 4'x7' and 2@ 2'x8' Squarefoot garden beds, 3 Growboxes and a few buckets that my wife AKA "The Student" grew.
After visiting a few other gardens, and getting a year of SFG under my belt I'm already planning to expand. It will require some good old fashioned hard labor, as I'll be moving some perennials to the front and side yards and converting more of the back to boxed raised beds.
Here is a birds eye view of the whole back:
It isn't very big and my garage to the left is to the east so that back doesn't get sun until late. At this point I'll leave it well enough alone.
So let's see what will be expanded. On the right side, I'll move some iris, coreopsis, lilies, knock out roses, echinacea and russian sage. The clematis I'll leave, and the trumpet vine I'll start what I suspect will be a multi year effort to eradicate. Seven or eight years in and no blossoms. Forget it.
I have not decided how to divide that space up but I suspect a narrow bed against the fence, a walk way and then another bed.
To the left,
Again things to move, creeping phlox, iris, sedums, salvia. I will also be severely pruning back the roses. They may not bloom next year though I doubt I'll kill them. The root structures must be vigorous after all these years. I also think I can probably squeeze in another bed or two where the bench and bird bath are now.
So what do you you think? Sound like a plan? are you expanding/making changes? I'd love to hear from you.
Until next time, Keep Digging & Eat Well!
The Gastronomic Gardener
Garden blog http://amidwestgarden.blogspot.com/
Cooking blog http://ihopeyouarehungry.blogspot.com/
Twitter - @gastrogardener
http://www.facebook.com/TheGastronomicGardener
email: thegastronomicgardener at gmail dot com
After visiting a few other gardens, and getting a year of SFG under my belt I'm already planning to expand. It will require some good old fashioned hard labor, as I'll be moving some perennials to the front and side yards and converting more of the back to boxed raised beds.
Here is a birds eye view of the whole back:
It isn't very big and my garage to the left is to the east so that back doesn't get sun until late. At this point I'll leave it well enough alone.
So let's see what will be expanded. On the right side, I'll move some iris, coreopsis, lilies, knock out roses, echinacea and russian sage. The clematis I'll leave, and the trumpet vine I'll start what I suspect will be a multi year effort to eradicate. Seven or eight years in and no blossoms. Forget it.
I have not decided how to divide that space up but I suspect a narrow bed against the fence, a walk way and then another bed.
To the left,
Again things to move, creeping phlox, iris, sedums, salvia. I will also be severely pruning back the roses. They may not bloom next year though I doubt I'll kill them. The root structures must be vigorous after all these years. I also think I can probably squeeze in another bed or two where the bench and bird bath are now.
So what do you you think? Sound like a plan? are you expanding/making changes? I'd love to hear from you.
Until next time, Keep Digging & Eat Well!
The Gastronomic Gardener
Garden blog http://amidwestgarden.blogspot.com/
Cooking blog http://ihopeyouarehungry.blogspot.com/
Twitter - @gastrogardener
http://www.facebook.com/TheGastronomicGardener
email: thegastronomicgardener at gmail dot com
the more the merrier, I reckon. What is it about veggie gardens that makes them seem never big enough! Mine is huge compared with yours...but I want MORE! I would try to somehow move the bench and the bird bath but still keep them in the overall plan. It is nice to have somewhere to sit and contemplate your next move in the patch...and a bird bath...well that is a necessary component in any garden!
ReplyDeleteSounds like a plan to me! What is behind that arbor? Looks like a perfect spot for another bed or even a greenhouse!
ReplyDeleteI'll be making a few changes for next year, but nothing drastic. I've decided to grow all determinate tomatoes, except for one or two cherry toms, and keep them all by the house rather than in the main garden. The main garden toms were diseased this year, so none will be planted there in the near future.
Sounds like a good plan! More is ALWAYS better when it comes to fresh vegetables!
ReplyDeleteAnd good luck getting rid of the trumpet vine--I am trying to clear an area that "featured" one and though I dig and dig and DIG some more, you should see the hundreds of sprouts magically reappearing. Why can't tomatoes be so tenacious!!
Hazel - I agree, it is nice to be able to sit in garden. I sat on the deck for a whole summer back before i started the perennial garden and it wasa complete blank slate.
ReplyDeleteGranny - the shade garden is back there - hostas, ferns, helleboris, bleeding hearts. It doesn't get much sun. I like the idea of all determinate, makes canning much easier that's for sure!
Sue - Thanks, I know the trumpet vine will be a pain in the neck. If it had bloomed profusely I'd propbably leave it, but out it goes!
Love your expansion plans but your perennial garden was also so pretty. I am not quite ready to give up on all the flowers yet.... I saw a few gardens this year where some veggies were mixed in with perennials and it was actually quite pretty, - the cabbage plants, lettuce, and a few smaller veggies didn't detract from the flowers and actually added interesting shape and color. So next year I am going to try that while keeping my larger veggie plants (tomatoes and the cucumbers and zucchini contained in the veggie garden. I will pluck a few "pretty veggies" into the flower beds and thus have more room in my veggie garden without losing my flowers completely... I may eventually get to the point that flowers all get moved but I am not there yet....
ReplyDeleteThanks Patrice, I'll be relocating the flowers to the front. Let's see if I can eliminate the need to mow at all!
ReplyDeleteI like the idea of mixing veggies with flowers, but not so much in my garden.
Thanks for coming by!
It looks like you are really going to make some big changes! My only changes are going to be growing some things on trellises and growing things east to west this year in smaller rows.
ReplyDeleteI would love to have my whole garden stretch across the lawn. I am not sure why Phil won't let it, it is not as if he "likes" to mow it. Anyway, I am taking it bit by bit, lol.
ReplyDeleteMrs Pickles, I'll be adding more trellises next year.
ReplyDeleteBecky - there is no lawn in back, at some point I hope to achieve the same in front! I think bit by bit is the way to go!