Friday, April 12, 2013

getting started

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i was in bed most of the week with a back that went out. i couldn't do much of anything, especially in the garden. i don't like lying around much so needless to say i was a bit grumpy. but to cheer me up a bit i ordered a large load of compost to be delivered in hopes that i would be mended and ready to go this weekend. my kitchen harvest, a local curbside organics collection and composting company makes all of it's compost right at hillside farm where i work. it felt so good to be using compost made with local kitchen and yard waste. a little contribution from many community members involved now helps my garden to grow!

 i was so happy to find that by friday i was feeling better. i headed straight for that pile of black gold and got started. we spread a majority of it throughout the garden as a feed/mulch but saved a bit for some flats of seeds. hannah chose several types of heirloom tomatoes,cucumbers and watermelon. we also made a new raised bed along the chicken coop. we planted lemon verbena and borage and planted some sweet pea seeds to grasp on to the wire. after the sweet peas are finished we will replace them with pole beans.

 by the end of the day my hands were stained black and my back ached just a little. i went to bed with a heating pad and a smile on my face.

4 comments:

  1. I love your garden. Mine is a similar size I think (front, back and side yard). Do you mind sharing what variety of watermelon you are growing? I've never grown one and fancy trying it this year.

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  2. so glad you are feeling better, amy! That raised bed will sure look sweet there at the chicken coop. Will the vines survive the chickens pecking at them? I know here, when I grow beans and peas up the deer fence, some of them don't make it due to nibbling deer.

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  3. lova, we are growing crimson sweet watermelon this year. i also love sugar baby, moon and stars and yellow doll.

    abby, yes i am hoping i can come up with a strategy to keep the hens from pecking. we had cukes growing up last year that survived. keeping my fingers crossed:)

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  4. Glad you are feeling better! And that community compost sounds brilliant. Love the idea that what waste you have can be reused in the same area! I wouldn't want to risk the chance of getting some weird weed seed or disease, that spread because of a change in climate or terrain from compost being shipped in from who knows where...

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