I'm getting ready to leave for a two-week trip to the desert, and my timing couldn't be worse. By the time I get back, I may have missed the first round of planting. In the Puget Sound area, that usually means President's Day.
Wanting to get a jump on things, I did some research to find who was planting peas. No one. That's because the soil is just too wet. I went to the garden and did "the" test. I dug down about 6 inches, grabbed a handful of soil, rolled it into a tight ball, and then tossed it into the air and let it drop to my hand. The result: no change. If the soil was dry enough to plant, it would have crumbled on impact. Instead, I grumbled and walked away.
I'm going to check out the extended forecast. If it looks like more cats and dogs, I think I'll add some compost and cover the garden bed to help dry out the soil.
Hopefully, upon my return in March, it will be full speed ahead. I can taste the peas already!
Monday, February 15, 2010
2009
Noe: I guess I kept my head down and my hands in the dirt, to a fault. No time or inclination to follow through on writing about my gardening experiences. Round two, two years later, I'm going to try again.
To recap quickly, I had two wonderful years in the garden. After the first year, my garden expanded to double its' size. I now have 10 beds about 12 feet long and 3 feet wide. That's enough room to grow plenty of fresh food for myself and to trade some for doggie day care!
I began the second year with much angst. I was feeling very disconnected from the process and feeling overwhelmed. But just as Mary Oliver says, "You just need to let the soft animal of your body love what it loves," I rekindled the passion and had a near embarrassment of riches pouring forth all Spring, Summer and Fall. (Winter gardening is still a bit of a mystery- but I did eat harvest brussel sprouts.)
Along the way, I've learned what a sugar snap pea looks like when it is perfect to eat. I've learned how to plant carrots and enjoy the thinning process. I found new ways to plant and harvest lettuce, and I know the difference between the annual and perennial varieties of arugula (both are yummy!). And so much more!
I figured out that I don't learn well from reading the "how to" garden books (though I do try). I find they are full of contradictory information, and that makes a neophyte like me crazy. I'm better off asking people I know and learning from my mistakes and successes.
I'm becoming a better cook and eating better, and find there is nothing more satisfying than sharing the bounty of the garden.
I still have a ton to learn and am excited for the 2010 gardening season. I'll do my best to document and share resources for other beginners like myself!
To recap quickly, I had two wonderful years in the garden. After the first year, my garden expanded to double its' size. I now have 10 beds about 12 feet long and 3 feet wide. That's enough room to grow plenty of fresh food for myself and to trade some for doggie day care!
I began the second year with much angst. I was feeling very disconnected from the process and feeling overwhelmed. But just as Mary Oliver says, "You just need to let the soft animal of your body love what it loves," I rekindled the passion and had a near embarrassment of riches pouring forth all Spring, Summer and Fall. (Winter gardening is still a bit of a mystery- but I did eat harvest brussel sprouts.)
Along the way, I've learned what a sugar snap pea looks like when it is perfect to eat. I've learned how to plant carrots and enjoy the thinning process. I found new ways to plant and harvest lettuce, and I know the difference between the annual and perennial varieties of arugula (both are yummy!). And so much more!
I figured out that I don't learn well from reading the "how to" garden books (though I do try). I find they are full of contradictory information, and that makes a neophyte like me crazy. I'm better off asking people I know and learning from my mistakes and successes.
I'm becoming a better cook and eating better, and find there is nothing more satisfying than sharing the bounty of the garden.
I still have a ton to learn and am excited for the 2010 gardening season. I'll do my best to document and share resources for other beginners like myself!
Sunday, April 6, 2008
The Call
The phone call from my longtime friend Steph came out of the blue. Or maybe it's more accurate to say the compost pile. Although her news of a gardening opportunity was unexpected, it was something I had been turning over in my dreams for a long time.
The raised beds are in a community pea patch that has been under cultivation for 100 years. Owned and gardened by many different people over its long history, the land is now under the stewardship of Hyla Middle School, a private academic institution on the south end of Bainbridge Island.
In yet another passing of the garden fork, I was being offered five beds, each one approximately 12 feet long (plenty for a newbie vegetable gardener!). The area had not been actively tended in the prior growing season, and aside from the weeds, grass, and overgrown plants, the beds had been inundated with sand due to a barn moving. Getting them back into shape and ready for planting seemed a bit overwhelming.
It was agreed I would think on it, dream on it, turn my internal compost pile over, and make my decision in a few days. I decided to ask my friend Chuck, a permaculturist, to meet me at the garden and give me some advice. He talked about mulching and amending soil and was very encouraging. He dug up dahlias and three variates of sage and off he went.
Still, I wasn't sure if I was ready to take on such a big commitment. But there I was on a beautiful Spring day, shovel in hand, just taking in the beauty of the full garden. And without much thought, I started digging deep. I turned soil and pulled weeds. I noticed where the sand pooled and crumbled caked dirt in my hands. My mind was relaxed and my muscles were sore. And after three hours passed, there was no longer any doubt; I had fallen in love.
The raised beds are in a community pea patch that has been under cultivation for 100 years. Owned and gardened by many different people over its long history, the land is now under the stewardship of Hyla Middle School, a private academic institution on the south end of Bainbridge Island.
In yet another passing of the garden fork, I was being offered five beds, each one approximately 12 feet long (plenty for a newbie vegetable gardener!). The area had not been actively tended in the prior growing season, and aside from the weeds, grass, and overgrown plants, the beds had been inundated with sand due to a barn moving. Getting them back into shape and ready for planting seemed a bit overwhelming.
It was agreed I would think on it, dream on it, turn my internal compost pile over, and make my decision in a few days. I decided to ask my friend Chuck, a permaculturist, to meet me at the garden and give me some advice. He talked about mulching and amending soil and was very encouraging. He dug up dahlias and three variates of sage and off he went.
Still, I wasn't sure if I was ready to take on such a big commitment. But there I was on a beautiful Spring day, shovel in hand, just taking in the beauty of the full garden. And without much thought, I started digging deep. I turned soil and pulled weeds. I noticed where the sand pooled and crumbled caked dirt in my hands. My mind was relaxed and my muscles were sore. And after three hours passed, there was no longer any doubt; I had fallen in love.
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