Grow Cheer - Support The Troops

Plans for the Future

This year has been a very frustrating year in the garden - or rather, OUT of the garden. Between my surgery, my job and my husband being deployed with the Army right smack dab in the middle of planting season, there wasn't much gardening done this year. I could have really used a garden this year to counter the stress of it all. But, as most gardeners, I am eternally optimistic - because next year's garden is certainly to be the best garden yet!

They say that winter is the end of the gardening season, but in reality, it is the beginning - for it is during the cold and dreary days of winter that the new garden is dreamed into existence

Sunflowers can stand quite a bit of cold and can be planted the same time as peas. I will have to be careful the peas do not smother the young sunflowers, but if I do, then they will have a head start at the northern boarder of the bed.

Certainly the peas will not survive the hot summer sun, and probably won't even survive our wild and crazy late spring. Luckily, chickens love pea vines! And, as the peas are pulled, the sunflower plants should start coming into their own. As I pull pea vines, I will plant a few zucchini's. Probably more than we need, but pollination is difficult to come by for zukes - probably because even our summer mornings are often too cold to lure bees out and the mid-day sun has all but the hardiest insects scrambling for cover. Last time I grew squash I hand pollinated. I also plan to plant some spinach and mesclun mix in the shade of the zukes and sunflowers. We'll see if lots of water and shade will help the salad greens survive.

And when the crisp autumn afternoons foretell of fireplaces and honking geese, I'll feed the last of the zucchini leaves and stems to the chicken, protect my sunflower seed heads from marauding wild birds, and plant out garlic.

I have three 4 x 8 ft raised beds. This is just an idea for bed number one. ... Actually, it is bed number two. Bed number one houses my perennial herbs and bearded irises. I haven't dreamed up what to do with the third bed yet. I am hoping to add at least 3 more beds for the 2010 season. And a better watering system than depending on myself and my erratic schedule. ... and a way to let chickens in the garden but protecting the plants from their sharp beaks.