Thought some pictures of a garden that doesn't look like a newly constructed prison might be nice.
Sunday, August 30, 2009
Friday, August 28, 2009
Logistics
I thought some detail on my garden set-up might be interesting.
We have a thriving deer population that shows above average aptitude for eating my plants, so I built a fence. Well, my friend Brian built a fence. I dug the holes, though. I am awaiting confirmation from the state, but I believe the 4 hours spent busting rock to dig those post-holes will count as time already served for any upcoming convictions I might have.
The fenced in area is 20 by 17 feet. I used three 8 foot treated-lumber post and two 12ish feet cedar post. The fence is six feet high and made from four inch square cattle panel. Brian thought I needed two 12 foot t-post half way along the 20 foot stretches for stability and I think he was right. They are pretty ugly, but I have plans to rectify that. Brian also built the gate out of cattle panel and pipe. He squared up the gate post and hung the gate as well. He's been a pretty good fellow to help me out. He even brought beer. The garden runs north to south along the 20 foot section, with the gate at the northeast corner. I think it is important to note that I could have built the fence on my own without Brian's help - maybe even had it done in time for next spring's planting.
Inside the fence are two raised beds. On top of the pure rock that is my property I have almost, but not quite, one inch of actual top soil. Therefore raised beds were a must. The beds are made from old railroad ties and are 13 feet long, three feet wide and just under two feet deep. I dug up some top soil from another site and trailered it over. It is not great soil, it is black clay and it came up in big clods that I had to break up with a shovel. I used this soil to fill half the beds, the other half I filled with compost. I had purchased three yards of finished compost (two yards of dairy cow manure and one yard of turkey manure) in June to amend my cottage garden beds, and I had about one and half yards left over. My plan is the compost and clay will mix to make a decent garden soil. I ran out of time for the fall, but I'm thinking in the spring I should send off a soil sample and make sure I'm not missing a bunch of minerals or something vital. Right now, as I await all my seeds sprouting, it is that something vital that has me worried.
There is four feet from bed to fence on the north, west and south side of the garden; three feet between the two beds and two feet from bed to fence on the east side of the garden. I would have liked for the beds to be centered in a bigger enclosure, but I dug one post hole before I placed the railroad ties and then was kind of casual in my measurements prior to building the first bed and then when I realized I was off a bit, there was no way that I was re-digging that hole or moving those 13 foot railroad ties so that was it. The ground around the beds is currently a very nice dead grass / compacted caliche that gives the garden that 1930's dust bowl feel that I would like to avoid. When time allows I think I'll spread mulch or pea gravel for paths.
That is the vegetable garden as it stands. I am going to make a drawing of the beds showing where I've planted what so I can rotate crops. I'll post that soon.
We have a thriving deer population that shows above average aptitude for eating my plants, so I built a fence. Well, my friend Brian built a fence. I dug the holes, though. I am awaiting confirmation from the state, but I believe the 4 hours spent busting rock to dig those post-holes will count as time already served for any upcoming convictions I might have.
The fenced in area is 20 by 17 feet. I used three 8 foot treated-lumber post and two 12ish feet cedar post. The fence is six feet high and made from four inch square cattle panel. Brian thought I needed two 12 foot t-post half way along the 20 foot stretches for stability and I think he was right. They are pretty ugly, but I have plans to rectify that. Brian also built the gate out of cattle panel and pipe. He squared up the gate post and hung the gate as well. He's been a pretty good fellow to help me out. He even brought beer. The garden runs north to south along the 20 foot section, with the gate at the northeast corner. I think it is important to note that I could have built the fence on my own without Brian's help - maybe even had it done in time for next spring's planting.
Inside the fence are two raised beds. On top of the pure rock that is my property I have almost, but not quite, one inch of actual top soil. Therefore raised beds were a must. The beds are made from old railroad ties and are 13 feet long, three feet wide and just under two feet deep. I dug up some top soil from another site and trailered it over. It is not great soil, it is black clay and it came up in big clods that I had to break up with a shovel. I used this soil to fill half the beds, the other half I filled with compost. I had purchased three yards of finished compost (two yards of dairy cow manure and one yard of turkey manure) in June to amend my cottage garden beds, and I had about one and half yards left over. My plan is the compost and clay will mix to make a decent garden soil. I ran out of time for the fall, but I'm thinking in the spring I should send off a soil sample and make sure I'm not missing a bunch of minerals or something vital. Right now, as I await all my seeds sprouting, it is that something vital that has me worried.
There is four feet from bed to fence on the north, west and south side of the garden; three feet between the two beds and two feet from bed to fence on the east side of the garden. I would have liked for the beds to be centered in a bigger enclosure, but I dug one post hole before I placed the railroad ties and then was kind of casual in my measurements prior to building the first bed and then when I realized I was off a bit, there was no way that I was re-digging that hole or moving those 13 foot railroad ties so that was it. The ground around the beds is currently a very nice dead grass / compacted caliche that gives the garden that 1930's dust bowl feel that I would like to avoid. When time allows I think I'll spread mulch or pea gravel for paths.
That is the vegetable garden as it stands. I am going to make a drawing of the beds showing where I've planted what so I can rotate crops. I'll post that soon.
Thursday, August 27, 2009
By way of introduction
This blog will chronicle my first serious foray into vegetable gardening, with some perennial cottage gardening thrown in as seems fit. I live in Dripping Springs, Texas which is on the eastern edge of the Texas Hill Country, a bit southwest of Austin. It is an arid, hot country and overrun with limestone. But beautiful in it's own right. We are putting the finishing touches on the hottest summer in history, so what better time to start a vegetable garden.
There should be some failure, for the egregious malcontents out there that like to watch other people fail. I know I always enjoy at least some of that. There also might be some success. I hope. It will at least be fun for me.
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