ManyBlessings

Gardening again??

Before we moved here, we lived on about 1.25 acres. We had a pretty large garden, but we haven't had one since we moved from there. We haven't been able to find a good area to put one here yet. Although we have more land, it's all spoken for. Here's what I've got and maybe you guys can give me some suggestions. We have two paddokcs in the back of our house, and we need all we have for our horses. Our backyard is now a pool, and our front yard is sloped and the right side has a barn on it and the left side is too shady. At the very bottom of ous slope in the front is our drain field. There is one small area that might work diagonally from the house, but it's not REAL flat, AND my dogs can get in there. I really would love to plant some green beans and corn and onions and tomaotoes again, and perhaps some asparagus again. Oh, and how could I forget the ultimate SQUASH!!!

I know you don't know my yard, but I'm up for suggestions anyway.

It depends -

09:37, Friday, January 12, 2007 .. Posted by jewlsntexas

I know this seems totally insane but once I had a garden directly in front of my house. It was the only land on the mountain we could get tilled up. I enjoyed it very much although I am sure my neighbors hated it as they would drive by and roll their eyes. But aren't you at the end of the street? If you have space towards the end of your property couldn't you go up on that side? I am not remembering very clearly as I was never around the front of your house. Looks like you might have to move. Who is gonna break it to Del? :) I know a place with HUGE-mongous tracts of land!

How 'bout raised beds, terrace-style

11:16, Friday, January 12, 2007 .. Posted by PattyMarie

Hello from a fellow West Virginian. We have a small place outside of Wayne, about an acre and a half, mostly flat. I use raised beds for my gardens for several reasons.
First, you can get more produce out of less land: 16 carrots in 1 square foot; 9 bush-type or 8 pole type bean plants in 1 square foot; etc.
Second, it's easier to keep the dog out if she has to jump up 10-12 inches to get in the garden ('cept for the green peppers--she pulls the whole plant out and eats it once she eats all the peppers off--I'm surrounding that bed with chicken wire this year!). I have wood or brick (leftover building material) around each 4 ft square bed.
Third, I have two great books that help me plan carefully: Square Foot Gardening by Mel Bartholomew and Lasagna Gardening by Patricia Lanza. With combining the two books, I don't have to put forth much effort once the beds are established. Crop rotation and succession planting are a breeze.
You can terrace your raised beds on a slope and have a very useful and decorative garden. I agree with the previous commenter...put it right out front. I use flowers in my garden to help deter pests-my son's favorite, marigolds, especially. My gardens are fun and pretty.
I have also grown small seedless watermelons in pots on a deck up 2' x 8' lattice trellises. This would work for some squash and other melons. Just recycle old pantyhose: put strips around the melon or squash while it is still small and tie it to the lattice. The pantyhose strips expand when the melons grow so the vines stay intact.
Happy Garden Planning!! It's almost my favorite thing to do in winter!

oh drat!

11:58, Friday, January 12, 2007 .. Posted by morningsunshine

the previous comment was what I was going to say! We have a lot of hills - in fact, the only flat spot on my 11+ acres is where the house is, and a small flower/native plant garden in front. so I am going to try the square foot gardening this year. I hope it works!
and I love when I see gardens in the front of houses - I think it can look very nice. my neighbors in SLC had squash growing in a narrow flower bed between the driveway and front porch - it was pretty and green all season! (more than I can say fro most grass around here!)

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12:22, Saturday, January 13, 2007 .. Posted by Kathie

Hey JJ,

I have absolutely no advice as I have NEVER had a garden. I was hoping that since you were a seasoned gardner and have done this type of thing if I could talk to you on starting one of my own... Sounds ambitious doesn't it?

Kathie