Petals (Back Yard)


Our back yard is constantly evolving. It looked like this in Spring of 2010: 


We cleared space for our first garden beds that year:

Digging up buttercup. 

Adding soil and mulching around the edges.

Four garden beds, Fall 2010


The harvest our first year was modest but delicious- lettuce, brassicas and some zucchini.  
Lettuces and squash, early Summer 2010

In 2011, we built three raised beds, using reclaimed cedar fencing.  

Constructing raised beds, spring 2011

We added tomatoes to the rotation and added a hoop house over the tomato bed to give them an added heat boost. 


Raised beds just after planting


View into the hoop house.  

Chad watering the garden, summer 2011

Brassicas and lettuces,  late summer 2011

In Spring 2012, we expanded to six raised beds, and built a tomato house and an early season hoop house for squash and cucumbers.  


The tomato house made a huge impact on tomato yield.  The original plan was to remove it part way through the summer, but the tomatoes were so happy, we decided to leave the house in place for the entire growing season.



We also started utilizing metal concrete reinforcement grids for trellises.  This approach is inexpensive, durable, attractive, and really easy to install.  We are now using them for everything that climbs- beans, peas, squash, cukes, etc.


One of the six beds was dedicated entirely to flowers, to attract bees and enjoy the bright pleasures of a cutting garden.




Late summer 2012
Spring 2013:  Trellisses just in, tomato house before the cover was added. 








2 comments:

Unknown said...

What a terrific project. Growing plants is participating in a miracle.
Uncle Mike

Megbikes said...

Thanks Uncle Mike! I agree- it is participating in a miracle. BTW, we could use your pruning advice for our laceleaf maple! It's taking over our sidewalk and needs a haircut! Hope to see you guys soon.