Monday, April 11, 2011

Kitchen Garden Progress Report #2




Well, to quote my husband's reaction to my progress on the new kitchen garden, "Not bad for using only FREE mulch, manure and bricks!"


To begin with, I live in West Texas and we had a scarry weekend of wildfires all around! There was an evacuation of our neighborhood here in Alpine on Saturday afternoon. Also, there were fires on my husband's family ranch where land and fences were lost but PRAISE GOD we were all okay. However, many families here in West Texas lost homes and animals. It truly is tragic to hear of many of the stories of loss. To read more about the details of the fire visit BigBendNow.com

However, this is a happy place here in blogland so back to the kitchen garden. I was spending time outside anyway watching the smoke and watering the lawn.
To read my first post on the kitchen garden click here. But basically, we added a cedar post fence around the property and then started installing raised vegetable beds. So we went from this:

To this where I had the raised beds installed and newspaper and mulch laid on half of the kitchen garden.

However, I still had all of this to deal with!

So this weekend I had Zach (my hubby) to help babysit and I started working. I had a tall stack of old brick that I salvaged. I had some left over composted manure from the thrity-foot trailer that I unloaded last week. So first I made the berry patches. I put the wooden barrels in the middle of the beds and planted the blueberry bushes ("Star"). Then I planted strawberry (Everbearing ones) plants and marigolds in the oval berry patches.


Next, a curve of brick to be an edge to the strip of grass.
Then I had to come in and take a shower so I could evacuate the house with my 8 month old baby due to wildfires in the area. Ugh yeah, we live in the wild west. So after some fun pizza with my friend in town and her baby we came home! Thank you Lord! So the next morning up and at them again. I added the curved bed in the bottom left of this photo below.
Then I added a thick layer of red granite to under the faucet area. This area will be where my potting bench will go.


Then I did the far curved bed next to the cedar post fence. But I still need to prepare the soil for the roses.

Then I STILL had more brick so I decided on a patio. It isn't perfect but interplanted with thyme it will look great.
The strip to the left in the above photo is going to be grass. And don't forget this is the plan for the beds along the house:
Except that instead of walking to the french door seen in the inspiration I have a cedar post gate.

And of course here is the plan I drew for the kitchen garden. Hopefully this week I can get most everything planted. We will see!


So we are getting closer to completion. Forgive the iphone photos but I still looking for my charger to my big camera. Oops!
We are part of the Metamorphosis Monday at Metamorphosis Monday at Between Naps on the Porch
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6 comments:

  1. YOU DA MAN!!!
    All that AND you had to evacuate!!!
    Looks great!!!

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  2. Ha, ha! Thank you for the compliment! Who says girls can't move brick!

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  3. You go girl! Geez you did an enormous amount of work...all while evacuating wild fires and caring for babies. You really are a rock star! The garden looks great, Kelsey. Don't you feel so productive after a day (or weekend) of such hard, but rewarding work that you love? Can't wait to watch your progress :)

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  4. Wow, that's gonna look just great !!! I'm trying to get something going in our very shady back yard ... I'll be watching your progress for ideas !

    gena

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  5. I am sorry about the fires... We have wild fires here too, but fortunately they haven't come too close yet. You did a lot of work on your garden, it looks great! I wish mine were so neat... We have the exact same sandbox in our backyard:). I can't wait to see your roses blooming.

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  6. Diane, you are so right! It is great to accomplish something and then sit back at the end of the day with a sweet tea and see the results! Thanks for stopping by!

    Gena, thank you for stopping by. Yes, there is lots of progress to make in the kitchen garden this year! Looking forward to hearing from you again! Love your blog. Purple is one of my favorite colors!

    Masha, I am so excited that we have the same sandbox. Well, now if only I could copy your roses too! Your rose photos are always a bright spot in my day!

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