Welcome To My Garden
Some people may wonder why it is called a secret garden. My home is shaped like a capital H with the front legs half cut off. The back side consist of patios, decks, and a pool area that are basically hidden from site. This makes the patio garden very secluded. I decided to fill the swimming pool in and expand the little garden patio to the enclosed area that was the pool. This would give the garden a pretty fenced in area. The picket fence would also protect my vegetable garden from those four-legged friends that enjoy coming to visit. The garden is filled with all varieties of flowers and vegetables. It has a few palms, because of my love for the ocean, and they remind me of that little breath of fresh air when I can't be there too. I guess you could say, I am blessed to be able to have the best of both worlds, country living and Gulf air.
I want to take you on walks in my garden, share some of my how-tos and even some of the how-not tos. I try to grow mostly organics, but sometimes in the south, there is a need for a little extra help. The garden pest can become like homicidal maniacs to some of the plants. Without a little added protection, they are sure to become incubators and later a meal for the newly laid eggs of the Cabbage White Butterflies. The tiny plants become collateral damage from these horrid, aggravating, but beautiful creatures God made.
Today, is just an introduction to the garden, and next we will take a look at how some of the garden containers are built and why the shape and size matter for growing certain vegetables. Down the road, we will discuss what all is put in the soil to make a rich incubator for the tiny seedlings. Until then, may your days be joyous and your sleeps full of wonderful dreams!
I want to take you on walks in my garden, share some of my how-tos and even some of the how-not tos. I try to grow mostly organics, but sometimes in the south, there is a need for a little extra help. The garden pest can become like homicidal maniacs to some of the plants. Without a little added protection, they are sure to become incubators and later a meal for the newly laid eggs of the Cabbage White Butterflies. The tiny plants become collateral damage from these horrid, aggravating, but beautiful creatures God made.
Today, is just an introduction to the garden, and next we will take a look at how some of the garden containers are built and why the shape and size matter for growing certain vegetables. Down the road, we will discuss what all is put in the soil to make a rich incubator for the tiny seedlings. Until then, may your days be joyous and your sleeps full of wonderful dreams!
A Hard Winter's Freeze
January 3, 2023
Christmas was a cold one. The storms that moved across the United States during this season brought horribly low temperatures to our part of the South. I learned that 14 degrees will decimate greens. My winter garden looks like someone poured boiling water all over it. I took a walk through it and just thought about what to do next. I decided to just leave it be for a few days.
Today, I walked through it again, and of course, the collards, turnips, cabbage, and kale are history, but I noticed the green onions and carrots trying to shoot out new green leaves from the top. This made me smile and think, all is not lost. I went and got the sheers and cut all the dead back, pulled up all the greens that were melted, and laid them all out to dry a little before adding them to the compost pile. I did this simply because the leaves had a horrible smell and adding them to the compost pile a little dryer might curb that stench a bit, at least, I hope.
After getting all the dead cleaned up, I stood back and thought about my next move. This would be an excellent time to add new chicken poop to the compost pile and straight to the beds for curing. Never put new poop straight onto your plants. It will burn them to a crisp. I used the wheelbarrow to bring a load from the pile that I keep below the chicken house. It somewhat will cure there but usually only top layer gets wet. As I came back to the garden with the wheelbarrow full of the poop, I stopped at each empty bed and added a fair amount. I continued doing this until I had all the beds done. Then I took my forked rake and turned it all into the soil and smoothed it all over the bed. Job is done for now. In the spring when it is time to replant the beds will be ready. Less work for this old soul in the spring.
We will just have to watch the carrots and onions to see if indeed they do finish their growing season and give me a gift from mother earth.
January 3, 2023
Christmas was a cold one. The storms that moved across the United States during this season brought horribly low temperatures to our part of the South. I learned that 14 degrees will decimate greens. My winter garden looks like someone poured boiling water all over it. I took a walk through it and just thought about what to do next. I decided to just leave it be for a few days.
Today, I walked through it again, and of course, the collards, turnips, cabbage, and kale are history, but I noticed the green onions and carrots trying to shoot out new green leaves from the top. This made me smile and think, all is not lost. I went and got the sheers and cut all the dead back, pulled up all the greens that were melted, and laid them all out to dry a little before adding them to the compost pile. I did this simply because the leaves had a horrible smell and adding them to the compost pile a little dryer might curb that stench a bit, at least, I hope.
After getting all the dead cleaned up, I stood back and thought about my next move. This would be an excellent time to add new chicken poop to the compost pile and straight to the beds for curing. Never put new poop straight onto your plants. It will burn them to a crisp. I used the wheelbarrow to bring a load from the pile that I keep below the chicken house. It somewhat will cure there but usually only top layer gets wet. As I came back to the garden with the wheelbarrow full of the poop, I stopped at each empty bed and added a fair amount. I continued doing this until I had all the beds done. Then I took my forked rake and turned it all into the soil and smoothed it all over the bed. Job is done for now. In the spring when it is time to replant the beds will be ready. Less work for this old soul in the spring.
We will just have to watch the carrots and onions to see if indeed they do finish their growing season and give me a gift from mother earth.