The garden

A few weeks ago when Auntie Chris was visiting we got up pretty early Saturday morning and built this kitchen garden. The two raised beds are about 3 1/2 by 10 feet each and we also cleaned up the existing bed by the fence for herbs and the existing bed by the south side of the porch for peas and later pole beans. We'll set out tomatoes in pots, I think, on the triangle of gravel and cement walk way on the south side of the porch. Except for the last 2 years, very year for the past 19 I've grown a kitchen garden, so I'm glad to finally have a place for one here at the new/old house.

Anyway, the process is pretty simple. Pick a sunny spot. This is the sunniest spot we have, with the most southern exposure. Dig out all the grass -- this is the hard part, but in a spot that is about 10 x 10 it only took the morning. We used the grass clumps and sod to fill in some of the many holes Mollie has dug all over the yard. Build the raised beds -- this is where Chris is really good because she knows how to measure and cut things. These are just fastened to 4x4 "posts" at the corners, the posts go down about 10 inches. Put cardboard or something down in the areas that will be paths. Fill the beds with dirt and the paths with something else, we used gravel, and away you go.

We also had to rig up some chicken wire "fencing" to keep Mollie out. I hope that once the beds are filled with plants we'll be able to keep her out some other way. She often doesn't dig plants, but she can't resist dirt.

Peas, carrots and swiss chard are already planted. We'll get some spinach in the ground this weekend and the rest when it finally warms up a little. Liam is interested. So far the things he has seemed to like best are stomping on the gravel, he likes the noise and feel of it under his feet; and "planting" peas, he threw the seeds at the ground and I moved them into the furrow. He also likes the feel and smell of the rosemary bush. We can't wait for vegetables!