The one thing I had to keep up with has been the garden. (It doesn't care if you are sick or not, it must be planted and weeded and watered...)
Which meant a couple of days weeding with a hacking cough as well as numerous days leaning up against a pole while watering it all.
(Hubby has been busy finishing the last of the raised beds and pulling huge weeds which sprung up between the beds since we didn't get the weed fabric on it earlier... as well as doing all the lawn work.)
I just love the way it looks now and I want to encourage anyone who is interested to build a raised bed. Ours was done over two spring seasons... built and planted a little at a time... budgeted a little at a time.
The two boxes in the front were build last spring, the box in the back at left was built earlier this spring (it will remain an herb garden), and the back right box was just finished a couple weeks ago.
We'd like to expand it next year. I find it easy to take care of, even given fatigue issues. Of course, hubby does the hard job of actually building the whole thing... then he hands it over to me. :)
It is built very simply, how do you like the way we keep our gate closed?
This is the newest built and planted. It will be one of two beds used for rotating tomatoes since these two get the most direct sun. It contains three herbs transplanted from the deck container.
It also has recently planted green beans, a few pepper plants, and a watermelon plant (curious to see how it grows there). Next year I'll plant tomatoes in this space.
This bed contains green beans and tomatoes this year. It is also where I transplanted the cute globe basil plant when it wasn't growing well in a porch container (which was not draining correctly).
This year, this bed has green beans, broccoli, kale, and lettuce. You can't see the lettuce from here, it is looking like it needs to be picked... does not like those hot temperatures.
I pinched back the basil after taking pictures. Will "harvest" some apple mint and lemon balm for teas soon.
I hope you enjoy the tour of the garden. More storms are moving in so I wanted to get some picture taken this morning.
13 comments:
Everything looks green and healthy to me and I am glad to know that your gardening provides therapy for you. Soon it will be providing lots of fresh and tasty things to eat. I love the look of the raised beds. You and your husband have done very well!
Your vegetable beds are fantabulous, and I would love to have some raised beds. You and your husband are getting wonderful green results.
Very nice! I like the music choice with the garden tour!
I love your garden. We just don't have enough sun in enough places to raise a garden. We've planted a few tomato plants and pepper plants but we've never had good luck since we've lived here. So...
It is looking really good Brenda! How wonderful to see a healthy, growing garden.
We have raised beds this year. We love them - will probably do more next year!
Dee from Tennessee
It looks like out of a magazine!! Where we live, we can't have a garden -- and, when I think of the gardens my grandparents had . Glad I get to "enjoy" yours! Still praying for you.
Your garden is looking fantastic - way ahead of mine! We need sun between the rain showers if we want to see growth! I hope you are gaining strength each day and feeling better!
Thanks for sharing this...and how it was done!! A real encouragement to me!! I will show my hubby in hopes that someday we can do the raised beds too...
Glad to hear you are doing somewhat better...some things take a long time to get over.
Blessings, Elizabeth
Love these photos! I don't have raised beds, but our garden is inside a little fence in our yard too. (And we keep the gate shut with bungee cords :) You're right -- my apple mint keeps escaping its pot and taking over!
Angela
Your garden looks wonderful!! Apple mint, eh? Was that a Homestead Blessings inspiration? My mom went and bought us all some after we watched that dvd. :)
Your garden looks great. I am amazed at the size of your plants. Everything is slow here this year. It's been cool except for one warm week. Soon enough it'll be hot, and my beds will be a tangle of beans, cukes and tomatoes, mint and lemon thyme.
Does you applemint really smell appley? Richter's Herbs sells an orange scented mint (or was it orange thyme?) and a LIME balm. Hmmm... It's fun to read their plant list. Especially th emint family. I'm am so tempted by plants that smell like something else. Like nutmeg geranium-my favorite! And sweet cicely-licorice! Lemon verbena is incredible. It's more intense than my lemon thyme, and that is intense. (Too much in a chicken and you'll be sorry).
I hope you feel stronger each day.
And that the weeds slow down:)
D in NY
Beautiful garden!
Hi Brenda!
I'm glad you're feeling a bit better. You're so right about the garden - it doesn't care if you don't feel well - it must be tended or you pay for it down in the road (which always seems to be worse and more work than just keeping up with it)!
Your raised beds look great! Everything looks so healthy. I'm having the same problem with my lettuce. It's been so hot a lot of it is bolting. Which is a problem since I only like to eat salad in the summer! I'm thinking of making a shade covering for it.
Manuela
Manuela
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