Square Foot Garden bed build

Seems with the nice weather  social opportunities increase so there isn't as much time to work on things as I'd like. Good things happen to those that say "Yes." Had a wonderful afternoon yesterday with old friends. 

But today I wanted to get the  boxes filled and the grids laid out.

We fill the beds with equal parts (by volume) of compost (I used composted horse manure, and purchased mushroom and cow manure compost. The book suggests 5 different kinds. I could only find 3 so we'll see what happens), peat, and vermiculite.

You mix the compost first. Left to right, cow, mushroom. horse. I did this in a tarp as recommended.

By lifting one side of the tarp I could tumble the compost together to make a nice homogenized mix. I worked my way around the tarp multiple times to get a nice mix.

Add an equal volume of peat, and repeat the tumbling.

Repeat the process with the vermiculite.

Use the tarp to get it to the bed, dump it in and rake smooth.  Repeat for all beds. The smaller beds took 8 cubic feet of mix each, the larger took 14 cubic feet. Calculations are in the book. If you want to know, just ask.

Through the magic of the Internet, POOF! All done filling the beds! In actuality, working by myself, it took about an hour and a half.  I won't need to do it again, so that is nice.

At this point I have nice fluffy raised beds, but the point is to follow the SFG method. So out comes the trusty tape measure.

I measured and marked the frames, used some slat material and nailed them every foot.

The final step is to add the long pieces. The book suggests drilling a hole at the intersections and attaching with a nut & bolt. I decided to weave the long pieces in and out and let the tension hold it in place. Again, we'll see how that works out for me.

Repeat with the rest of the beds.

You can see why it is called square foot. About a month out from putting in most of the garden.

Still to do, add upright supports to the right of the long beds, I'll grow tomatoes, cucumbers and squash there,  I'm also going to mulch the entire back area that was the lawn, one less thing to cut.

Of course the perennial beds are in dire need of attention, which they will receive in turn.

Until next time, Keep Digging & Eat Well!

The Gastronomic Gardener
Garden blog http://amidwestgarden.blogspot.com/
Cooking blog http://ihopeyouarehungry.blogspot.com/
Twitter - www.twitter.com/DavidPOffutt
http://www.facebook.com/TheGastronomicGardener

Compost slow cooker

It has been a long time since I've gone over to the veggie patch. However this morning was sunny, and I could use some fresh air. Along with my intrepid wife, we headed on over.

There are two bins, one that we filled last year and stopped in August and the other that we started in August that we'll add to all this coming growing season.

The older pile is on the left. I was not responsible for the mess on the right. We'll get that sorted out in a few weeks. For now let's take a look at the older pile. It looks pretty good.

The piles face south and with warmer (relatively) weather coming I want to crank up the heat to increase decomposition and the destruction of any undesirables that might be in the pile.

An easy way to manage that it to cover the pile with some heavy black plastic. In two shakes of a lamb's tail we got that done.

Now, as the sun shines it'll warm the pile. We'll need to uncover it now and then to water it, or maybe turn, but in about 8 weeks, we should be ready to move it to the beds.

Speaking of the beds, I cut through the barn (saying hello the the chickens!) to go take a look.

They are still covered in snow. Yep, no getting in there any time soon, but as soon at the soil can be worked I'm planning on a rock removal project. The soil is terribly fertile, but loaded with rocks. It's OK for some crops but not so good for root vegetables. I'd like to improve that. Oh, here are the snow covered beds.

As you can see it's not sunny, in fact they are calling for rain, so the sunny morning had given way to a dreary overcast cold and damp afternoon. 

As I stood there, cheeks flushed from the cold, I could hear the  song of a male Northern Cardinal. I couldn't see him at first, but moving slowly I walked in the direction of his call. Neither my eyes nor the camera is good enough to see him in clear focus, but there he was, a bright  red smudge in the drab brown trees. He knows spring is coming.

Until next time, Keep Digging & Eat Well!


The Gastronomic Gardener
Garden blog http://amidwestgarden.blogspot.com/
Cooking blog http://ihopeyouarehungry.blogspot.com/
Twitter - www.twitter.com/DavidPOffutt
http://www.facebook.com/TheGastronomicGardener

Sunday Morning Bounty

I've not been out to the vegetable plot in a bit so  I needed to go see what was happening, harvest anything ripe, thin the radishes and beets that I've put in for a fall crop. I also had the usual bucket of kitchen scraps for the compost heap as well as the milled skins and seeds from the tomato sauce I made yesterday. That was intended for the chickens.

I like the idea of growing the tomatoes, giving seeds and skins to the chickens, who then make eggs, and contribute to compost heap when their coop is cleaned. Closing the loop and not a garbage can in sight!

I haven't shown you the garden recently but this time I remembered the camera. As I got ready to pull out of the drive, I saw some sunflowers, volunteers from the bird seed no doubt, but they were looking cheerfully jaunty, so I snapped a picture.

After arriving on site and dumping the bucket into the compost pile, I treated the chickens aka "the girls" to the skins and seeds of yesterdays tomatoes.  They are quite funny as they will run up to you and beg, and are generally pretty vocal. This quieted them as they feasted.

Here is the whole garden, it is very shaggy and overgrown but is producing  (a little garden humor for you!) quite well.

The eggplants are happy - the Japanese eggplants keep producing and the globe eggplants are getting there too. Despite the leaf damage the fruits are lovely.

The cherry tomatoes keep going - the homeowner claims these as they are his favorite.

The golden Romas were so vigorous they pulled down their support!

The acorn squash are enjoying themselves - we'll have plenty I think. And I  like that they will keep for months!

After all the photography it was time to do some harvesting. I was surprised at the amount of green beans, the plants look a bit ragged but they keep going strong. Also picked tomatoes, peppers, green beans, Indian cucumbers, and a few eggplant. Another good haul. I'm looking forward to making some golden salsa!

After picking I went over to the big box store, picked up some more canning supplies (on sale) - a little lunch and I'm going to tackle the out of control perennial garden!

Until next time, Keep digging & eat well!



The Gastronomic Gardener
My garden blog http://amidwestgarden.blogspot.com/
My cooking blog http://ihopeyouarehungry.blogspot.com/
Twitter - www.twitter.com/DavidPOffutt
http://www.facebook.com/TheGastronomicGardener

Bed rebuild and a trip to the veggie plot

A portion of one of the full sun beds has gotten a wee bit out of control. Ok, completely out of control! There are some iris  and sedum that have intergrown and when the iris are blooming it is is easy to overlook but now it is unsightly. The plan is to dig it all out and rebuild this portion of the bed.

I also took a few pictures of the purple coneflower, and the headed over to the veggie plot to drop off material for the compost heap and see what is happening. It has been a week since I've been there. All in all a dirty, sweaty, and very satisying afternoon.

This is what I'm starting with.

It's a jungle!

I tore it all out. Then added two bags - 80 lbs - of composted manure.

Raked it smooth.

Trimmed the iris, and  put some of them back, and replanted the sedum. It looks a tad barren but will be good next year I am sure.

While I was out, a moth was eating from the purple coneflower.

They sure are pretty!

Finished at the house I drove over to the veggie patch. Mixed news - the greenbeans and tomatos seem really great, the cucumbers are starting to fruit, the beets may see some fruition yet, but the chickens have gotten into the the butternut squash. Pecking enough to ruin the fruit and decide they don't like them. And, oddly the zuchinni that looked so vigorous just a short time ago have faded with no discernable reason why - anyone have any ideas?

We will have an abundance of tomatos!

Beets are looking good. I think.

Anyone have any ideas what might be happening here?

Damn chickens sampling the butternut squash. Grrrr

Eggs? I'm thinking SOUP! @#$% Chickens!

 

Cucumbers beginning to bear fruit.

This tomato is taller than I am!

We will have a good harvest!

 A few sweet jewels.

Beets might yet be harvestable.

Nice eggplant.

Back at the house with todays' harvest. I'll be prepping and freezing them tomorrow! Stay tuned.

Keep digging!

My garden blog  http://amidwestgarden.blogspot.com/
My cooking blog  http://ihopeyouarehungry.blogspot.com/