OUR GARDEN
- May 28, 2015
- 2 min read
We have had a garden every year since we've lived in our house -- going on 10 years! My favorite garden included Atlantic Giant Pumpkins that weighed over 100 pounds and were bigger than (our then) 6 year old.
Different varieties of greens and vegetables have proven to be successful. That said, over the years, our erratic soil has become more and more compromised -- ridden with rock, sand, wood, and a bit of clay. Unfortunately, this combination produced little structure or microbial activity for healthy growth. Instead, the soil became very sterile and had very little nitrogen for the plants to grow.
As such, this year, we decided to put in two raised beds and mix brand new soil ourselves. Peter did a lot of research and combined 2/3 Mel’s Mix (from Square Foot Gardening) and 1/3 Dr. Earth Garden Soil - which contains a lot of healthy bacteria. This new mixture created an excellent environment for our existing plants to grow - and, so far, so GREAT! Our plants are growing like gang-busters and I have to constantly stay on top of harvesting. Additionally, Mel's Mix has vermiculite that requires less water so it's particularly decent for areas that are drought-ridden like ours (Northern California).
I've included a quick video of our garden as of May 28, 2015 below as well as a comprehensive list of all items planted. There's nothing better than nurturing and watching your own garden grow. "Farm to Table" takes on a real meaning for us. Surburbanite farmer or otherwise -- there's nothing better than freshly snipped garden goods.
Our two square-foot raised beds contain the following:
1. Tomato - Sweet 100's
2. Tomato - Cherry
3. Greens - Salad Bowl
4. Tomato - Nebraska Wedding
5. Kale
6. Cilantro
7. Italian Oregano
8. Carrots
9. Kale
10. Cilantro
11. Tomato - Tye Dye
12. Kale
13. Broadleaf Sage
14. Carrots
15. Romaine
16. Parsley
17. Tomato - Cherry
18. Greens - Red Leaf
19. Parsley
20. Tomato - Napa Grape Hybrid
21. Lemon Cucumber
22. Heirloom Zucchini
23. Cucumber - Tendergreens Burpless
24. Sweet Banana Peppers
25. Gypsy Peppers
26. Red Bell Pepper (European)
27. Mixed Green Lettuces
28. Sweet Basil
29. Ancho Poblano Peppers
30. Spinach
31. Arugula
32. Shishito Peppers
33. King Arthur Peppers - Fat & Sassy
34. Yelllow Crookneck Squash
35. Squash - Roman
36. Padron Peppers
Can't wait to keep you posted and share which varities grow best this summer.
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