What's Growing On at The Plots mid-April

I've been spending a lot of time at the plots on the weekends. Due to the weather, some garden is behind compared to last year.....but, it's looking good and I'm happy!!!

View from the front left

Bed #1 with newly planted Broccoli and Garlic in the back

The Broccoli was planted over the weekend and it's looking good!

I put the pots around the plants to protect them from the windy weather we were having

 

All of the Garlic came up.

It's not as tall as last year. But, that's due to the dry weather. I'm sure it will catch up with some nice rain and warm weather.

 

I've been working on the Raspberry Trellises

It's hard to see from this pic. I'm adding some T's and wire to the posts to support them. I will finish them up this coming weekend.

Blackberry & Raspberry Bed

I've planted onions around the edges of the blackberries and in every location that I have room. Hopefully we will have a good onion harvest this year.....unlike last year

The Jersey Supreme Asparagus is coming up!

It looks like we will be having some asparagus for dinner this week!

 

The Purple Passion Asparagus has yet to pop up

 

I finally made a decision on Tomato Cages.

These are from Burpee. They had great reviews and I got a great deal! I found a coupon code for 25% off and then another coupon code for free shipping! I purchased 18 cages for around $200.

These cages are 5' tall before you put them in the ground and they fold up!

I hope they work as well as the reviews say they do!

There are Snow Peas & Snap Peas planted in two locations. They've all popped up since the rain!

The Strawberry Bed has been cleaned out.....

and they're looking good!

 

Another view of the plots.

You can see some additional Broccoli plants and onions planted in Bed #5.

I stopped by the plots on Monday and saw this pretty Bluebird. I think I spent 15 minutes taking pictures of him. He's a beauty!

 

I also took about 100 pictures of the Community Garden. Most of the gardeners have their plots ready to go. That's another post! 

  

Decisions, Decisions.........

It's that time of the year....time to make decisions! My seed inventory has been done for a couple of weeks now. Then I had to decide what seeds I "needed". Once that was done. I placed a couple of small seed orders. Which should have been enough. Then I started reading everyone's blogs. That got me thinking about some other things that I "needed" I mean "wanted". So, I placed just one more small order. Hopefully, I will have enough will power to stop! But, you all know how this is! Maybe I should join or start some type of group.....Seeds Anonymous????

This week I have been updating what varieties I am going to grow and how many of each I should plant. This leads to.....how am I going to fit everything in??? The next thing that came up is my tomato supports. The way I support them at home, doesn't work at the plots. So, I need to come up with something better. That got me doing some on-line research on tomato supports. There are a lot of great ways to support tomatoes. But, I really need to come up with something that won't take me forever to build, doesn't cost a fortune and is easy to store.

So far I have come up with two different supports that I think will work.

This one has really peeked my interest.

It's made out of PVC & Conduit.

 

I also really want some of these

Yes, the Texas Tomato Cage!

I know they are pricey.....but, "The Italian" got me the pressure canner for Christmas.....and maybe I can out live them and make the investment worth it!

 

So, what have I decided???? I think I'm going to buy one 6-Pack of the Texas cages and make some of the supports out of the PVC. I guess I better see how much they are going to cost to make first!

 

If any of you have any great support ideas....I'm open for suggestions!!

 

How's your garden planning coming along????

 

Independence Day & Plot 102

Our new Community Garden plots are 200 square feet smaller then at the old location. That means that we have 400 square feet less space then we had last year. We have been on the waiting list for another plot since last winter. I really thought we wouldn't get another one until next year. Last week, two gardens were red flagged out due to no activity. Wouldn't you know our name came up. My first response was no. Even after Dora said that we would get help clearing it and it would get tilled.  Then I told Dora I would think about it. When I told my hard working neighbor gardener Patti about it.....she said, take it and we can share. So I said yes. I think I'm going to blame my decision on the excessive heat!

Here is plot 102...full of weeds

Here another view of the weeds.....and

here's my partner in crime Patti! 

Do you see that cleared path? That's the only part of the plot that is cleared. The person in the plot to the left must have moved the marker a few feet and planted corn right on the plot line. We are going to measure the plot tomorrow and then make a decision about the fencing on that side. Wish us luck.....I must be out of my mind to take this on in this heat! Well, at least we will have enough space for our Fall broccoli and cauliflower!

Trellises at the Plots

I've been building some trellises at the plots this past week between the daily storms. I have to say that I am very happy with them and the plots overall.

Sophia's stepfather and his friend gave me some great bamboo!

Some pieces are 2" in diameter and were as long as 11'.

It's really nice and free!!!

I put two 8' high trellises in the front of the plots for two different varieties of yard long beans.

I really love the way they turned out!

And see that umbrella......Bill (another gardener) gave it to me! Boy, it's nice to have a shady spot to sit! Nope, the gate isn't in yet!

I also put up two trellises that I had at the other site. 

One is for Beans and one is for Cucumbers.

This bamboo trellis is at the end of the bed where I have the Raspberries and Blackberries. It's for the Dean's Purple Pole Beans.

I still have 4 or 5 more trellises to put up. This will depend upon whether I decide to trellis the little pumpkins that I planted. 

An Update on the Plots

The plots are starting to take shape. I managed to get everything transplanted from the old site to the new site last week. I also planted the potatoes, onions, overgrown favas and a couple of celery plants. Then we had some much needed rain over the weekend which lasted into Monday. Monday evening I went over  and turned over the next 5' x 20' bed. Yesterday was election day here in PA, so no visit to the plots. I am an election official and was working from about 6:30 AM until about 9:30 PM.

All of the potatoes have been planted in the long bed on the left. I covered the area in the front before the rain hoping to keep the grass from growing. This will be the last area dug, prepped and planted.

One post for the gates is up. I couldn't use the supports that we used at the old site. There is no way to pound those long supports in since there are so many BIG rocks deep down in the ground. Since I had already cut the posts down to 6', I couldn't just use concrete and stick them in it. 

I am using post tie that attaches to this bolt in concrete. I didn't take any pics of it and of course did have an issue with the one which I won't go in to today. Hopefully, it is all worked out and the other post will be in place soon.

Here are some Fava Beans planted in front of the Asparagus.

I started my Fava Beans inside since I didn't have a place ready for them at the plots. Then we had that really hot weather and.....as you can see they got really big before I was able to plant them. Hopefully they will be OK. I also planted a lot of onions in the middle bed and a few celery plants.

The Blackberries have been moved from the old site to the new site and seem to be pretty happy so far.

The Strawberries have also been moved. 

I lost about half of the plants from our severe heat and droughts last season. There are more roots on the way which are scheduled for delivery today.

Monday evening I turned over the next 5' x 20' bed. This bed will be prepped and framed in this evening. Once that is complete, I only have 3 more large beds to do. The rain really did help the working conditions over there......no more Dust Bowl!!!

Work Progresses at the Dust Bowl...a/k/a the Plots

Work is progressing at the plots. Yesterday was a scorcher though. It was 90 degrees at noon and we still haven't had any rain.  How crazy is that??? It's April!!

The long bed to the left is the potato bed. 

This bed is amended and ready to be planted. The potatoes will be planted tonight or tomorrow. I have held off planting due to the excessive heat. I also marked off the pathways so I wouldn't walk on the soil where the beds will be located. 

This is the compost that the county dumped. It's not the best. I put a thick layer on top of the grass along the fence. Hopefully this will decompose the grass. I will be planting pole beans & corn along this fence. I still haven't put the gate up. It's not my top priority at this time. I did decide to move it a couple of feet to the right. So, it's a good thing that it hasn't been installed.

I think this will be my problem area. This is some of the compost from the county which was tilled into the soil when they did the last tilling. As you can see, there are some clumps of grass that are starting to grow. I'm going to shovel as much of this compost onto the paths that I can. Then I am thinking that I should cover this with a tarp to help decompose the grass. 

This is a picture toward the back of the plots. I have the posts and gates laying by the big pile of dirt. I think that the gates will go up as soon as I finish the strawberry bed along the back. 

This is the back of the plots. The bed on the right is the strawberry bed. I installed the bunny fencing and framed out the bed. Then I started prepping the soil. This is a process. First I pull out the clumps of grass that have any life in them, lay the clumps on the path or on top of the dirt and relocate any worms that I find. Then I add some of the organic manure that I purchased last year to the soil. By the next day, the grass clumps are dead. So, I crumble them up and add them back to the bed. This drought is a blessing and a curse. It is making it easier to deal with the clumps of grass...since they die so quickly. Next, I water the bed then add another layer of some of the bagged hummus that I purchased, water again. Then add some of the good dirt, water again, mix in a little and water again!! I've been spending a great deal of time watering the soil!

The bed on the left is the raspberry and blackberry bed. The raspberries are doing well and the blackberries have yet to be transplanted. The straw is really doing it's job and keeping the moisture in. 

The Asparagus transplants are sending up new shoots!!! Yippee!!!

So what gardening did you do in that crazy heat yesterday????

We've Got Dirt!!!

Yesterday my load of nice good dirt was delivered to the plots!! There's nothing like a big pile of good dirt to make a gardener happy!

Look at that dirt...isn't it great??? 

Now I can get my potatoes and onions in!!

Wednesday, I marked off and turned over the 3' x 25' potato bed. The bunny fencing was also installed along this side.Today I will put the boards together, they are just laying there. Then I will amend the soil with some good poop and soil. Then it will be ready for planting.

After the soil was delivered, I put the fencing up along this side. I started to pound in the post supports for the gate. But I broke the piece of wood and dinner was ready....so, I went home. Those post supports are 2' long and take a lot of pounding! I plan to finish putting up the gates today. Hopefully, "The Italian" will be able to come over after work and install them correctly!

Working at the Dust Bowl....a/k/a....the plots!!

I have been diligently working on the new plots the past few days. It's so dry & windy here that it has been like working in a dust bowl! I come home with a thin layer of dust all over. It's in my ears, my teeth, my hair, up my nose and just about anywhere dust can get. Boy, I sure home we get a good rain soon. We do have a chance of a few showers today. If that does occur, it most likely will happen when I am over there working.

Not the best pics.

The county finally moved the barrel of rocks that was in my way. I took some of the compost and put a thick layer on the edge where they didn't till. I will also add some good soil, when delivered on top. I'm going to plant pole beans and corn along the fence in this area. 

The "guys" brought me two 55 gallon drums yesterday! They also hammered the two taller stakes at the end deeper into the ground for me with "Big Bertha"! Thanks a bunch guys!!  Along the right side we have the two transplanted asparagus beds and a 13' bed in the middle for onions. I amended the soil with the bagged hummus and manure that I purchased last fall on sale for 75% off. The asparagus has been covered with straw to keep the moisture in and weeds down. I will add some good soil in the front of the beds and then plant some Parsley and I think the Fava Beans that are growing in my basement.

I transplanted a bunch of Raspberries in a large bed near the back of the plots. This bed is 5' x 20'. There are 4 rows of raspberries about 4' apart. This soil was also amended and the plants covered with some straw as well. After I took these pictures, I brought the lumber over to frame out 3 more of the beds.

Look at the gardens....boy, the gardeners have been busy!!!

There is something going on everywhere!

We have running water!

I am just amazed at how much has happened here in the past week!

There is action everywhere!

And planting!

And Whitie!! 

He is our most senior gardener. I believe he is 83 or 86...I can't remember. He has two plots, end to end. He comes and goes all day. He has his plots amended and I think he said he planted 50 lbs of potatoes!

I have been reading through your blogs. But, there's not enough time in the day right now for me to leave comments. Happy Gardening Everyone!!