Now to catch up with 2013!! What an awesome year it will be! Obviously as it is January there is a limited amount of gardening to be done. Since last year's warmer seasons we have added two new raised beds, a 4x4 and a 4x10. Some of the container garden made it inside the storm porch and some made it out back between the raised beds. Another idea we implemented was to use soak hoses for the garden during the spring, summer, and falls heat. By moving a few containers near the raised beds, we hope to be able to not lose any water from the soak hoses as we place them across the beds and containers (not currently on the containers). Also, by moving the herbs and flowers to the 16x16 we hope to attract beneficial insects and naturally repel mosquitoes with the catnip, thyme, and lemon basil (to be planted in raised beds possibly). Much work to do, but here are a few pictures of what things look like currently around the garden :)
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| January 16th update of the garlic. Between this picture and the one last posted we mulched the garlic by adding a 3 inch thick layer of leaves on top of the soil level to keep them warm and weed free. We have since removed the mulch and added 3 inches of soil to warm and let the bulbs grow. If weeds do start to present themselves, we tend to mulch again. |
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| January 16th view of the two new beds and the three containers in the ideal spots to attract beneficial insects and benefit from the soak hoses. |
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| January 16th Gladstone onions and bunching onions with a little more soil to warm them and recently weeded. Soak hoses not being used, but testing methods of laying them efficiently. |
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| January 16th Carrots, cilantro, onions, and spinach struggling. The season, the soil needed more amendment, either could be effecting their growth but this was the first time gardening in the fall/winter, learning process. |
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| January 16th Spinach and carrots, red ant nest along the inside edge of this bed, all the way to the fence. Seems to be fading fast though. Only 2 bites so far in 2013! |
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| January 16th Strawberry update. Not much love there, but I am thinking of muscling out the cold tomorrow to mulch them as this cold weather rushes in. Hoping for a strong 2nd year for these tribute strawberries! |
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| January 16th Broccoli and Cauliflower doing well, I think. Learning through trial and error how to plot them efficiently. |
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| January 16th The other half of the new 4x10 which was planted a few weeks after the first, not as many plants grew as seen. The cilantro however excelled! Maybe plant two times as many next colder growing season to fully utilize the space. Also our chocolate mint container, still holding in there. |
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| January 16th One of three Habanero peppers which starting fruiting last week on the storm porch. Peppers are crazy haha! Many many more are starting to form! |
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| January 16th Rosemary update! Havent they grown since first being planted in that container! Still holding up, but an odd webbing and necrosis is occurring which we hope will cease as the plant goes back outside to embrace the beneficial insects. |
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| January 16th Naga Bhut Jolokia, or Ghost Pepper. One of the hottest peppers in the world, native to India. I personally do not consume many peppers, certainly not the Naga Bhut Jolokia nor Habanero. The Scoville scale rates the peppers at ~1,000,000 and ~500,000 respectively. Pepper spray is ~2,000,000. Now why would I choose to grow such a plant? To preserve the richness of diversity and rare plant genetics. To show the unknowing gardener that there are not just Banana and Bell peppers in the world. Who knows, maybe some local might just be crazy enough to bare the heat for the sweet unique flavor of this plant. |
