Progress and Ideas

So, the second bed is built and ready to be lined with newspaper.

In addition, Richard and I developed the plan for our bean and pea structures. We will be using 6 6-foot lengths of a dowel (2" in diameter). We plan to erect the 6 dowels vertically along the pea and lima bean beds equidistant apart. We will screw I-screws in the top of each dowel. Then threading twine through the screw hole, we run it down to stakes placed in circles around each pole, creating a maypole kind of effect. The peas and beans will be planted around each stake allowing several plants to climb up one string, and several strings per pole, and several poles per plot. This idea is the cheapest method as well as the the most effective that I can come up with.

A teepee structure erected of 5-6 bamboo poles would require far more poles per structure, and the thickness of each pole would block more light than the width of the twine would. So our way= less materials, more light penetration, greater ability to manipulate lengths of each string. With teepees, each pole has to hit the ground in a circle, equal lengths apart. But with twine (because they are not the support, they can be staggered as fits our needs and even overlap)

We also got the majority of our herb seeds (the popular ones that are found everywhere). And the planting calendar is done for the fruits, veggies and herbs. Flowers are going to have to be more intuitive and spontaneous. Here it goes:

1/7- Jalapenos and Ancho peppers sown inside

1/20- Broccoli inside
cabbage inside
cauliflower inside
celery inside
eggplant inside
bell pepper inside
tomato varieties inside
valerian inside
mint inside

1/21-Rosemary sown inside
2/3-lettuce, inside
mustard inside
peas outside
spinach outside
2/4- chives outside
echinacea inside
garlic outside
thyme inside
2/10- carrot outside
2/14- sage inside
2/17- cucumber inside
melon inside
onions outside
pumpkins inside
summer and winter squash inside
zucchini inside
2/18- okra inside
peanuts inside
stevia inside
2/24- broccoli outside
parsnips outside
2/25- echinacea outside
swiss chard outside
3/4- cilantro outside
parsley outside
sage outside
thyme outside
watermelon inside
3/10- cabbage outside
cauliflower outside
lettuce outside
mustard outside
3/18- beans outside
celery outside
3/20- potatoes outside
radish outside
sweet potato outside
3/25- cucumber outside
fennel outside
horseradish outside
green onions outside
oregano outside
pumpkin outside
squashes outside
strawberries outside
zucchini outside
4/1- corn outside
melon outside
okra outside
rosemary outside
tarragon outside
valerian outside
watermelon outside
4/8- ancho peppers outside
bell peppers outside
tomatoes outside
eggplant outside
luffa sponge plant outside
4/15- Dill outside
peanuts outside
jalapeno peppers outside
stevia outside
4/16- basil outside

I calculated the dates on the flower seed packets we have already. But instead of putting them on the calendar, I wrote the dates on the packets. That way I can know them by looking, and can decide at that time whether to use them or not. I like to have some flexibility to fly by the seat of my pants in some area! Plus, if I planned it all out then what would I do if I found a beautiful specimen while perusing at the garden center?? When I find stuff I like, I already have a chart that I made (based on companion planting guidelines)so I know good place to just plug them into the garden. For instance, daisies and snapdragons would find a home by the celery. Columbines by the rhubarb. These placings are based on which plants benefit each other in various ways.

Some plants attract insects that pollinate the veggie. Some attract bugs that kill bugs that attack the plant. Some return minerals and nutrients to the soil that the vegetable plant uses more of. Like corn takes a lot of nitrogen from the soil, so interplanting them with beans (which return nitrogen to the soil), we create a soil system that feeds itself and doesn't deplete the soil. Also, the corn gets the nitrogen that it needs. There are lots of ways that plants can benefit each other, and by using these relationships to our advantage we can fill our garden with the plants and bugs that serve us! Also by filling all the ground with plants, there is no room for weeds to grow or eat or breathe, thereby reducing weed problems. We can use plants as a living mulch (like clover) that keep our fruits off the ground, and keep moisture in the soil, and prevent erosion. Also after the season, we can till them under the soil, adding precious organic matter. Those ideas are the basic ideas behind companion planting.

And it is ideas like this that I will be relying on heavily in this year's gardening efforts.