Sunday, October 19, 2008
Please Welcome "A Fistful of Stitches" to our Blogroll!
Welcome, and I know we will enjoy reading your blog.
Please Welcome Life on Tracy's Farm to our Blogroll!
Welcome, Tracy, and can't wait to read more of your homesteading adventures!
Saturday, October 18, 2008
Tropical Vegetable Garden, Phase 3
Finally got all the weeds out today. As you'll notice in the picture, the side of the house is in need of serious stucco repair, which hopefully will be accomplished within the next few months.
The carpet is there to keep weeds down for now on the pathway. Once the pathway is laid out, the carpet will be laid down and covered with mulch. I'm going to be calling tree trimmers this week to see about getting some free mulch. I could really use a whole truckload for this and other projects.
Next, I will be planting the right side of the bed. I've discovered that the front of it gets a lot of afternoon sun, so I'll be putting some veggies in there for now to keep it going until I can figure it all out in the spring.
The carpet is there to keep weeds down for now on the pathway. Once the pathway is laid out, the carpet will be laid down and covered with mulch. I'm going to be calling tree trimmers this week to see about getting some free mulch. I could really use a whole truckload for this and other projects.
Next, I will be planting the right side of the bed. I've discovered that the front of it gets a lot of afternoon sun, so I'll be putting some veggies in there for now to keep it going until I can figure it all out in the spring.
Thursday, October 16, 2008
Tropical Vegetable Garden - Phase 2
Worked in the bed for a couple of hours today. Weeded and dug out wedelia for almost an hour. I know I didn't get it all, and some will probably come back up, but at least it's under control for now. I hope that the perennial peanut will take off now that it isn't competing with all those weeds.
I dug up and gave away the Brugmansia that had never done well there, and some Allamanda shoots that will probably never stop coming up. In trying to figure out how to plant things so that they would get enough water (the lot slopes down to the front and the side on this side of the house), I decided to terrace the top part of the garden. I managed to find a few mis-matched but useable landscape edge blocks. I'll fix the mismatched part later, just wanted to see how it would do.
I was going to put the milk and wine crinums there, but opted for the Ice Cream Bananas and one Dwarf Cavendish on the end instead. I figured that having those there would keep the water from running down and out of that part of the garden. Planted them in the free compost we got from the city park yesterday. This compost was better than what is normally there, and had some shell mixed in, which will add calcium to the soil. Watered in well, and mulched, of course.
Next step will be to finish clearing out all the weeds and put down mulch and stepping stones on the walkway. I'm going to be calling tree trimming companies tomorrow to see if I can get a load of free chips from one of them.
So here are the pictures of phase 2. The bananas will act as a screen from the road as well. Of course, they are tiny now, but they grow very quickly, and put up lots of pups, so by next year this time, it will be all screened in.
From the front
From the Side
I dug up and gave away the Brugmansia that had never done well there, and some Allamanda shoots that will probably never stop coming up. In trying to figure out how to plant things so that they would get enough water (the lot slopes down to the front and the side on this side of the house), I decided to terrace the top part of the garden. I managed to find a few mis-matched but useable landscape edge blocks. I'll fix the mismatched part later, just wanted to see how it would do.
I was going to put the milk and wine crinums there, but opted for the Ice Cream Bananas and one Dwarf Cavendish on the end instead. I figured that having those there would keep the water from running down and out of that part of the garden. Planted them in the free compost we got from the city park yesterday. This compost was better than what is normally there, and had some shell mixed in, which will add calcium to the soil. Watered in well, and mulched, of course.
Next step will be to finish clearing out all the weeds and put down mulch and stepping stones on the walkway. I'm going to be calling tree trimming companies tomorrow to see if I can get a load of free chips from one of them.
So here are the pictures of phase 2. The bananas will act as a screen from the road as well. Of course, they are tiny now, but they grow very quickly, and put up lots of pups, so by next year this time, it will be all screened in.
From the front
From the Side
Tropical Vegetable Garden - Phase 2
Worked in the bed for a couple of hours today. Weeded and dug out wedelia for almost an hour. I know I didn't get it all, and some will probably come back up, but at least it's under control for now. I hope that the perennial peanut will take off now that it isn't competing with all those weeds.
I dug up and gave away the Brugmansia that had never done well there, and some Allamanda shoots that will probably never stop coming up. In trying to figure out how to plant things so that they would get enough water (the lot slopes down to the front and the side on this side of the house), I decided to terrace the top part of the garden. I managed to find a few mis-matched but useable landscape edge blocks. I'll fix the mismatched part later, just wanted to see how it would do.
I was going to put the milk and wine crinums there, but opted for the Ice Cream Bananas and one Dwarf Cavendish on the end instead. I figured that having those there would keep the water from running down and out of that part of the garden. Planted them in the free compost we got from the city park yesterday. This compost was better than what is normally there, and had some shell mixed in, which will add calcium to the soil. Watered in well, and mulched, of course.
Next step will be to finish clearing out all the weeds and put down mulch and stepping stones on the walkway. I'm going to be calling tree trimming companies tomorrow to see if I can get a load of free chips from one of them.
So here are the pictures of phase 2. The bananas will act as a screen from the road as well. Of course, they are tiny now, but they grow very quickly, and put up lots of pups, so by next year this time, it will be all screened in.
From the front
From the Side
I dug up and gave away the Brugmansia that had never done well there, and some Allamanda shoots that will probably never stop coming up. In trying to figure out how to plant things so that they would get enough water (the lot slopes down to the front and the side on this side of the house), I decided to terrace the top part of the garden. I managed to find a few mis-matched but useable landscape edge blocks. I'll fix the mismatched part later, just wanted to see how it would do.
I was going to put the milk and wine crinums there, but opted for the Ice Cream Bananas and one Dwarf Cavendish on the end instead. I figured that having those there would keep the water from running down and out of that part of the garden. Planted them in the free compost we got from the city park yesterday. This compost was better than what is normally there, and had some shell mixed in, which will add calcium to the soil. Watered in well, and mulched, of course.
Next step will be to finish clearing out all the weeds and put down mulch and stepping stones on the walkway. I'm going to be calling tree trimming companies tomorrow to see if I can get a load of free chips from one of them.
So here are the pictures of phase 2. The bananas will act as a screen from the road as well. Of course, they are tiny now, but they grow very quickly, and put up lots of pups, so by next year this time, it will be all screened in.
From the front
From the Side
Friday, October 10, 2008
The Tropical Vegetable Garden
I have a large area on the side of my house that I have never really known what to do with. I've planted many things there over the years, but it really never worked out the way I planned. It had become very overgrown with weeds, and since that side of my house needs stucco work, it was really an eyesore.
I went out today to weed it, and started to try to figure out what to do with it. It seemed that the only thing that ever did well there was elephant ears. WAIT! Elephant ears can be edible tropical vegetables! In fact, I have several EE's in the back yard that have edible roots, and I could buy some roots like malanga, eddoe, and such from the grocery store and plant them.
I also have several banana plants that really need to be moved, and some tropical spinach bushes that also need a new home. I just planted some papaya seeds.
I decided to turn that spot into a tropical vegetable garden! I will plant the root crops that look like elephant ears, and make a big screen in the front of bananas. Along the side, I will plant papayas and spinach bushes.
But what about the stucco? Well, forget the stucco! I'm going to put up cheap siding, paint what's not showing, and put up a trellis for beans or maybe chayote.
I can turn that problem spot into a spot that is not only beautiful, but will produce food for me! In the summer, I can plant sweet potatoes to act as a ground cover, so that the weeds will not take over.
I don't know why I did not think of this before! I'm going to be keeping a running picture log going on this post so you can see the progress. Right now, you'll see that it looks NOTHING like a tropical vegetable garden, but just you wait. By the end of the winter, it will be the prettiest tropical veggie garden you ever saw!
Here are the first pics. October 10, 2008
I went out today to weed it, and started to try to figure out what to do with it. It seemed that the only thing that ever did well there was elephant ears. WAIT! Elephant ears can be edible tropical vegetables! In fact, I have several EE's in the back yard that have edible roots, and I could buy some roots like malanga, eddoe, and such from the grocery store and plant them.
I also have several banana plants that really need to be moved, and some tropical spinach bushes that also need a new home. I just planted some papaya seeds.
I decided to turn that spot into a tropical vegetable garden! I will plant the root crops that look like elephant ears, and make a big screen in the front of bananas. Along the side, I will plant papayas and spinach bushes.
But what about the stucco? Well, forget the stucco! I'm going to put up cheap siding, paint what's not showing, and put up a trellis for beans or maybe chayote.
I can turn that problem spot into a spot that is not only beautiful, but will produce food for me! In the summer, I can plant sweet potatoes to act as a ground cover, so that the weeds will not take over.
I don't know why I did not think of this before! I'm going to be keeping a running picture log going on this post so you can see the progress. Right now, you'll see that it looks NOTHING like a tropical vegetable garden, but just you wait. By the end of the winter, it will be the prettiest tropical veggie garden you ever saw!
Here are the first pics. October 10, 2008
Monday, October 6, 2008
Finally getting the veggie plants into the ground
Well, I decided to just plant the veggie plants I have right now, and maybe try to do another crop in January, when I'm more organized. I managed to get two tomatoes and the pepper into the ground today, on the side where the house next door was torn down, since there is so much light there now. Had to dig up all the cannas to do it, but they never bloomed much there anyway. I'm sure I can find a better place for them. I plan to dig up more bulbs, and plant more veggies on that side as well.
I looked at the western side of the house, and although it will break my heart to dig up the sunshine mimosa I finally got to grow well there, I'm going to have to put the permanent veggie garden there. It's the only place that gets enough sun for most of the veggies. I measured, and I can put in one 16'x4' bed, and one 10'x4' bed, or I can just dig the whole thing up and make it into one big garden. I don't know exactly how I'm going to do it yet, but I know that's where it's going.
I already planted the 6 pineapples in the bed where the lemon grass was dug up, and I'll probably put a couple more of those in, if I can beg them from my neighbor.
All the lemon grass will be put in a sort of hedge between the two properties. I may put something else there as well, but I don't know what yet.
Doing this will take me until January, I'm sure, so I'm not looking to plant anything there right now. I may dig up and plant one small spot at a time, I just don't know yet.
I looked at the western side of the house, and although it will break my heart to dig up the sunshine mimosa I finally got to grow well there, I'm going to have to put the permanent veggie garden there. It's the only place that gets enough sun for most of the veggies. I measured, and I can put in one 16'x4' bed, and one 10'x4' bed, or I can just dig the whole thing up and make it into one big garden. I don't know exactly how I'm going to do it yet, but I know that's where it's going.
I already planted the 6 pineapples in the bed where the lemon grass was dug up, and I'll probably put a couple more of those in, if I can beg them from my neighbor.
All the lemon grass will be put in a sort of hedge between the two properties. I may put something else there as well, but I don't know what yet.
Doing this will take me until January, I'm sure, so I'm not looking to plant anything there right now. I may dig up and plant one small spot at a time, I just don't know yet.
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