Monday, April 24, 2017

Ready For Planting!

After a LOT of very hard work, my crooked little country garden is ready for spring planting!

I'm always a little overwhelmed with the amount of work that needs to be done around the gardens in the spring. 

Somehow, I always manage to get it done, but it sure would be easier if I had a clone. 

This weekend I managed to finish getting the veggie garden ready for planting, and I truly feel as if I have a weight lifted off my shoulders. 

Between the rebuilding of the garden, removing all the weeds and debris, and then replenishing the soil, there was truly a lot involved this season to get the garden ready. 


Sunday I took a ride to a neighboring village and purchased 560 lbs of composted manure and mushroom compost.  After returning from the garden center, I spent the next 4 hours removing debris and weeds from the garden. 


There's nothing much left in the garden but this straggly blueberry bush. 

I sure hope it takes off this season, last year it struggled and I had to prune it down to nothing. 


I left these scallions that somehow survived the winter as well. 

Don't you just love my sexy gardening shoes and socks?  Hey, they might not look like much, but these are the best gardening shoes I have ever had! They are so comfortable, and I love the fact that I can slip them off easily when I go into the house for something. 

Like a cocktail at the end of a long day in the garden. 

Anyway, I digress. 

The last thing I did before I collapsed in a heap was dump fourteen 40lb bags of composted manure and mushroom compost into the garden. Yup, 560 lbs, 40 lbs at a time. 

Ouch. 


I hobbled over to the garden cottage, stored away the wheelbarrow full of tools I had been using, and brought out what tools I'd need to finish the project. 

The funky chickens were given the task to watch over the garden overnight. 

I dragged my sore body into the house to get dinner ready, and checked in on my garden helpers. 


That's about what I expected. 

This morning I worked all that compost into the soil along with 5 lbs of kelp meal, which will also help replenish the nutrients for the coming season. 

The final step was to reinstall the soaker hose. 


And the funky chickens, of course. 



Now that the chickens are back, I know it's truly time for planting. 

But I might have to have the Monkey take care of it, as I can't bend over today. 

Good thing she has her trusty garden hat to keep the sun off her cute little face. 

30 comments:

  1. Oh my goodness, that is a ton of work!! I was going to pick up my plants from the garden center today but it has been raining for days, and won't clear until tomorrow. Planting later this week.

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    1. I guess we got your rain, Carole, it's here to stay today!

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  2. Your garden is already beautiful. Love how nice it looks with the new soil and chickens. :):) You are a tough young lady. Who needs a gym , right? Blessings, xoxo, Susie

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  3. You are ready!!! I love it and you have done a ton of work there already. I have shoes like that, too, and I love that you can hose them off if they get all mucked up. I won't have a garden at all this year, I'm afraid. xo Diana

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    1. Sure you will, Diana - after all, Spring has to hit your area at some point! :)

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  4. Good Lord! I'm tired reading this LOL I can't wait to see what you plant this year. And pictures if Monkey actually gets up and helps ;)

    xo,
    rue

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    1. She helps by barking like a maniac when I'm trying to work in the garden....she wants me to throw her ball so she can chase it over and over again! Silly little Monkey!!

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  5. Wow, that's some endeavor! I'm sure your garden will reward you for all of your hard work.
    I have a couple of pairs of Sloggers too, and I love 'em!

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    1. I have another pair that are way cuter, but they have the back on them, and are less comfortable than these. So, the ugly green ones stay, Daisy! :)

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  6. Wowzers, That was a lot of work!
    I love the design of your garden beds.

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    1. Thanks, MJ - they are pretty easy to plant, with that design. There are only a couple of far corners that require me stepping into the garden to work on. The only thing that would be better would be if they had wide ledges I could sit on while working in the garden. I solve that by using my little purple garden kneeler/bench - perfect!

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  7. Your funky chickens are just too cute, but that chicken bell thingy is just wonderful! I like that you decorate your garden. I'm sure your back is just screaming right now, but it will all be worth it when the garden is in it's full glory. I will send happy thoughts to your blueberry bush - maybe she just needed to spread her roots and will "take-off" this year!

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    1. I sure hope so, Vickie! I planted the blueberry bush in the dead center of the garden just to keep the bear away, and I thought it would be so happy there! Maybe you're right and this is the year I actually get some blueberries? That would be nice!

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  8. Wow Debbie ~ What a lot of hard work you did, but it will reward you generously once it starts producing.

    Have a great week ~ FlowerLady

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    1. Very true, Lorraine, and since I haven't had to purchase any seeds so far this year I guess I had to put money into the garden somehow!

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  9. O how tired I am....at your expense. I love your chickens!! I got all of my mulch today, but the weather is far from cooperating. I'm not much of a vegetable gardener, and I plant perennials cuz they should come back every year. I love your blog.

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    1. Awww, thanks so much, Cindy!! I really should mulch more, but it seems to be one thing that I don't keep up with - too much else to do, I guess! I love perennials and add to my perennial beds every year.

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  10. Oh I would be so sore and out of commission for a week if I did all that! YOu rock woman!

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    1. Believe me, Debbie, I was plenty sore after that....and mighty cranky, too!

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  11. How exciting to watch as you get ready for planting. Can't wait to see what you have planned. And, I love those funky chickens!

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    1. Thanks, Laurie - I got those funky chickens a few years ago from Gardeners Supply - they make me smile!!

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  12. I love your chickens and your garden shoes and sox. That is what I need. I wear my crocs out sometimes. You sure did a lot of work. Would take me a week to do all that. Well, let's face it I could not even lift those 40 lb bags! It looks like you are going to have a wonderful garden this year! Nancy

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    1. I sure hope so, Nancy! I'm researching companion planting right now, hoping for the best possibly yield in the garden!

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  13. I would show this post to my husband but I don't want him to feel bad.

    My stars, what one woman can accomplish! I'd say you know your onions when it comes to gardening.

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    1. Ha ha, speaking of onions I just ordered my onion sets and garlic for the garden - hoping for a great harvest!! I use so much garlic and onions in cooking it would be nice to have some stored away at the end of the season....if they last that long!

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  14. Wow, I am exhausted! Phew! You always have such a good harvest from your garden, both for eating and preserving. Do you remember where you got the chicken bell? We are expecting our new hens soon. They sure do provide plenty of good fertilizer for the gardens. Hmmm, methinks I need new garden shoes...yours look dandy.

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    1. I used to keep chickens also, Donna! I actually thought about keeping them at this house, but opted not to as my last chicken was left half dead by a hawk....and we had to finish off the poor little thing. It broke my heart. I think the chicken bell was bought from Sierra Trading Post - I got a bunch of Woodstock Chimes super cheap from there when I first bought my house!

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