A first look at the garden in 2009

Hi everyone!

Randy and Meg just north of Durham, NC. We started planting our vegetable garden on January 24th , 2009. Meg planted arugula, peas, mixed salad greens and kale.the seeds on the 24th, I amended the garden with top soil and sand then tilled in it a week or so before.

To the left of the garden plot is our small pond. The straw is covering the planted seeds and sprouting plants. In the center back there is the newest garden plot, not planted yet. You can see the make shift trellis that we green cucumbers on last year. Last year 2008 was the first year we planted in the main garden plot, the organic soil already looks pretty good.

Here is a look at the small plot where we grow morning glories up onto the porch. We just started this last year as the addition was finished last year. Those planter boxes were what the morning glories grew in, but keeping them watered in our droughty region is a huge task. Today I added 4 wheel barrows of top soil and a half wheel barrow of sand and mixed it all in then added the field stone edging.

Above is some of the greens Meg planted on January 24, 2009. Hopefully they will survive the 26 degree night expected tomorrow night. Meg added more straw for insulation just in case. On January 31th Meg planted more greens Then February 14th we planted Bright lights Swiss Chard, spinach, golden beets and red beets. On February 15th, Meg set out the onions, more peas and Easter Egg Radishes.

Here is the biggest achievement of the weekend, moving out the top soil pile and making way for the creek stone path between the ramp to the deck and the pond. I planted a Chinese Butterfly Bush, Buddleia lindleyana that was being nursed in the top soil pile, and a few other unknown plants hiding in it also. The dirt is mounded up about a foot and will be part of the butterfly garden.

At one time I used to get 30-40 or this dutch iris blooming in February, but all the garden and house renovation has scattered them to who knows where. Hopefully more with pop up. This was the first spring flower to bloom here this year.