Out in the Garden

Getting Ready for the Warm Season Veggies

Last weekend I got the plot ready where the warm season vegetables will be. I rented a big tiller and tilled the area we used to have our garden. It hasn't been there for 3 or 4 years, so I needed to till it. I'm generally against using a tiller because it can create a hardpan that hinders healthy root growth. After this one time, I won't have to till again.

I then rounded up some old landscape timbers to make some quick raised-beds. They won't be raised very high, but it will keep us from walking on the growing area and causing soil compaction.

We made two beds 4' by 36'. There will be another bed next to them that is 7' by 36'. After getting the timbers losely fastened together, we added peat moss to the growing areas. Peat is the number one additive to the organic garden!

My daughter did a good job spreading the peat around evenly. To mix it in to the soil, I used our little mantis tiller. This mixes it in to the top 6 to 10 inches.

After that the bed is ready for planting!

We are still a couple weeks away from our average last frost date, but I have many tomatoes that need to be planted soon. I will probably take my chances and plant some in the next few days. How many people actually wait until all danger of frost is passed? We'll see how it goes. Check back soon to see the bed filled with tomatoes!

Untitled Comment

06:15, Monday, May 8, 2006 .. Posted by Carol

Looking good. Hope you don't get any frost.
~Carol

Untitled Comment

10:53, Saturday, May 27, 2006 .. Posted by ItsMyDream

Wow, that looks great!!! I am glad you are including pictures of all that you're doing. I love to see it all, especially your wifey and the kiddies out there with ya. Are you near Louisville? I have a friend there and I have been there a few times.

It's hard to keep at the online journal thing huh? I didn't record anything for a month. I am going to add pictures of my corn tomorrow and you could see how much they've grown since I last took pictures of them as seedlings.