This season started my third spring in my new to me house. Last season I had one micro-garden, which grew raspberries (very successful year) and strawberries, that were planted in the first year I moved in. The raspberries were transplanted from The Farm up in the The Mitten. I also attempted 1 grow bag and some corn in a big planter. When last fall came around, I made plans to increase my garden area and try out things to see what would work in my suburban setting. I like to name my gardens. We also named our two decks. The screened in deck is The Oasis and is the wife's, while mine is the open air deck called The Grilling Deck, because that's where I grill things.
The Side Micro-Garden
I moved the strawberry and raspberry plants around in the Side Micro-Garden and made room for other plants. My wife gave me a blueberry bush and a grape vine, which I planted at the east end of the garden. I tried to plant peas, carrots, borage, lettuce and I put some extra tomato plants and potatoes in different spots of the garden. I
The Container Garden
I was also given two BloemBagz Potato Planters, which I put at the footing of The Grilling Deck, which is where I also relocated the corn planter, which I call the Container Garden. I took out one potato and it was a good size. However, when I checked the top layer, I didn't find any potatoes of good size in either planter. I think that the soil wasn't loose enough.
The Grilling Deck - Grow Bags
On The Grilling Deck I added to the one bag I put up there last year with two new bags. Later I would add a fourth bag, when I won a bag of PittMoss. I planted the tomato plants and various other plants that I had started in a seed tray. The tomato plants in the bags have given me cherry tomatoes, which we have already eating and there are more being produced.
The Front Micro-Garden
In the front of the house, I started another garden, which was bout two feet wide and six feet long. That's all I could do at the time with the red clay. This made it look like I buried something in the front yard for a few weeks. The Front Micro-Garden gets the most sun during the day. I planted a few tomato plants, cucumber, cantaloupe, radish, rhubarb, celery, egg plant, lettuce, basil and pumpkin. So far, the tomato and cantaloupe are the only things doing well. The radish did bolt and I am going to try to replant the seeds.
The Wild Flower Garden
My backyard is fenced in and the back length had some holly bushes, I cut them down to create the Wild Flower Garden. The plan was to plant a bunch of wild flower seeds in order to attract more pollinators to my yard and gardens. Later my parents bought some other flowers to plant as the wild flowers didn't really produce much. The holly bushes have also started to grow back, so I need to stump grind them into nothing. I did put some cucumber and summer squash seeds in the garden, but after the cucumbers showed some promise, they just gave up.
My Jungle
Behind the fence is what I refer to as My Jungle. It is an area that is basically out of control. I attempted to plant a couple of cherry trees back there, but unfortunately they didn't survive. I am getting replacements, but they will most likely go either in the wild flower garden or the front yard. I am leaning towards the front yard, because there are a couple of bushes I want to get rid of.
This year's harvest has been hit and miss. I have some ideas on what I can improve for next year. For one, I need to get even more organized and make sure things have enough space and the right soil to grow. I will replace the grow bags, with some better and bigger bags. I won a Mister Landscaper Drip Kit, which I didn't get around to setting up, that I plan to use for the grow bags and else where. Also, I started a vertical hydroponic wall project that I need to complete and test out next season. And, I might have to hand pollinate things next year. The growing season isn't over, so there is still hope for surprises.
Here's my video of my first tomato harvest.
