I recently moved 300 miles away from the area I had lived in for forty odd years. You'd think that, since I moved from an urban area to the boondocks of upstate New York, I'd have more land than before, but no. I am trying to homestead on 1/6 of an acre. This is my first gardening season here, and my garden is still mostly visions of the future, but I am getting quite excited about the possibilities that this tiny plot affords.
First up, my favorite aspect of my tiny yard!
This baby is tucked behind the garage. I have no idea when it was last used. It has supports for three racks inside. I think I can customize this to bake and/or cook a whole lot of foodstuffs. Very exciting!
The bones of my raised beds:
The plan is to fill these boxes, built of larch that I purchased from the Amish, with 1/3 garden soil, 1/3 peat moss, and 1/3 composted cow manure. I've been waiting for a good month for that cow manure to be delivered. Apparently, the weird weather we have been having is preventing the Manure Man from turning his pile properly. I'm told his is the very best manure there is, and is worth the wait, but if it doesn't come soon, I'll have to rethink that plan.
If you look very closely you can see four blueberry bushes behind the rightmost bed, in front of the cold tunnel, which has sweet pea seedlings in it. We've had mad weird weather, definitely geo-engineered, and I popped that tunnel over the peas, which were a good foot high on a ridiculously cold night last week.
I'll be starting seedlings inside soon. The plan was to start them today, but here I am spending the time writing this post instead.
There's gold in this tiny yard!
I scored in the wild plant department! I have cleavers and dandelions galore, so that many food and medicinal needs are met just with those two. And there are strawberries all over the place. I have no idea if they are wild or were originally planted on purpose, I have no idea if they will produce many fruits, having been neglected for ages, but boy am I looking forward to those!
When I was young, I loved loved loved Forget Me Nots. They grew everywhere back then. I haven't seen them since I left home for urban living, nor have I been able to grow them in any of my gardens since then. But now that I have moved back to the small town of my birth, I find Forget Me Nots in this backyard! Joyful little creatures that I am so happy to have gracing the feet of my maple tree.
My biggest stretch
I miss my chickens, but this yard is simply not big enough, so I'm thinking a nice 4-ish by 12-ish by 8-ish feet high cage along the side of the garage would be a great place for quails. The rhododendron would be inside the cage, giving the birds cover and interest. The birds would give me eggs and fertilizer. What do you guys think?
Now for something totally off topic!
My puppy is quite the charmer, and not so good at posing for photographs, but I rather like the way this one turned out.
This is my entry to May Garden Journal Challenge. Come show us your stuff!!! Or your dreams or your memories or your favorite flower, but do come!
