Today is May 21 and I still haven't planted a thing-- no flowers, no vegetables, not one seed or plant anywhere. For the flowers that's not so abnormal, especially since we're still not entirely out of danger of cold temperatures at night, but for the vegetable garden, it's pathetic. Pathetic! I'm not going to have lettuce at this point until the frost comes again in the fall to kill it. Today. I must get the garden planted today.
OK, now it's written down, so it will happen... right?
Thursday, May 21, 2009
Pathetic Gardening
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I hope so. Also, what do you think about planting some berry bushes?
Where?! What sort of berry?
I love the idea in theory, but in our tiny yard I'm not so sure it's the best use of space.
Blackberries - as far as I know they are the only berries that will handle deep shade. I thought we could get a bush in between the red bud and the rhubarb bush.
If they can handle deep shade then why not between the redbud and the fence since there's nothing back there right now?
Are you meeting us at church or are we all going together? 5 p.m. right now and I'm working under the assumption that I'm on my own, but let me know if I am (happily) mistaken.
Did a vegetable get planted?
Your children planted two rows of pole beans this a.m...seeds they dried and saved from last year's crop.
So . . . did it happen?
If you try blackberries be sure to get the THORNLESS kind. My red currant bush doesn't get full sun and requires no upkeep whatsoever. Blueberries need acid soil, which you probably don't have, though you could amend. Also can take a little shade. As for the lettuce, you could save space by planting in containers - just a few seeds (ten or so) at a time, but start a new batch every 2 weeks or so for a steady supply. Use a "slow-bolt" kind in the dog days of summer. Get a jump start now by "cheating" and buying a few seedlings at the garden center. I am putting in strawberries this year - have seen them in part shade as well. Get the everbearing kind and put them in a spot where they can behave like a groundcover.
Jung Seeds has some pretty fantastic web specials right now--berry plants included.
*Sigh* No, Cheryl, no planting yesterday. I did, however, get out and buy the seeds I needed, so if the rain holds off for a bit today then it will get done... I think. ;)
Pru- I love the idea of staggering my lettuce! What all do you do w/your red currants? I only ever remember Mom making jelly with them, but I'm sure there are other good ways to use them.
Off to check out Jung's website-- thanks, Erin!
Currants: make a pie, if there are enough. Otherwise put them in muffins, scones - alone or in combo with other things. Throw them in the freezer and add (for looks, and a bit of tartness) to fresh fruit compotes made up of sweeter things. I think that when you have a suburban garden and a relatively small lot you have to think about how to tuck the edibles in among the flowers and shrubs, rather than try to have a "farm"-type garden. Traditional rows waste a lot of space. Think in terms of how much square footage any crop takes and then plant accordingly. Mel Bartholomew's "Square Foot Gardening" is helpful in terms of doing the math (check his website).
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