Let the embarrassment begin.....

Okay - here are the first pics of my yard as was, and up until today 4-9-11, with first boxes built.

February 2011, covered in snow but enough thaw to see some posts and a bit of last year's crud that I did not clean up before winter.

THis is BEAUTIFUL! I'm sure you wish it weren't there though!
It will eventually thaw and as my mother used to always say, "THis too shall pass".

Late March 2011 and enough thaw to see ground - and the mess left from 2010!

Back bed

Late March 2011, after a bit of clean-up.

Today with 5 of the 8 SFG boxes I built this afternoon.



They are just sitting in their approximate final resting places. They are not filled yet, but I hope to get my first load of cow poo compost tomorrow!

The other 3 boxes. These are 4x6, the 5 in the previous post are 4 4x3 and the carrot box 1x1.

That's it for now - sorry there are so many posts with just one pic each, but my computer is sooooooo slooooooow that it would let me do one pic and would lock up on the second every time, so I gave up and did individual pics per post. Hopefully I will have more pics in a few days if I get my cow poo and we do not get the T-storm that is forecast for tomorrow afternoon.

TC

Looks great, you've been working hard.

Goosegirl, nice job on your boxes.

Once you get your Mel's Mix in, the FUN can begin.

GOOD JOB !

Beautiful boxes! Anxious to see them planted. Please do keep us informed. BTW, what wood did you use?

sistabelle wrote:It will eventually thaw and as my mother used to always say, "This too shall pass".

If I had a dollar for every time my father said this to me.........while I was in the diaper phase alone with my kids........I could retire at age 37. LOL.

The garden looks great, Goosegirl! Thanks for sharing your pictures. I hope these aren't the only shots we'll see. I love the layout with the carrot box in the middle. Let's hope that white stuff is gone for good this year!

Nonna.PapaVino wrote:BTW, what wood did you use?

All of the big boxes are 1x6 cedar, the carrot box is 2x6 fir - scraps from a neighbor's re-model (all of my grid lath so far is from the same scrap bin!). I went with 1x6 purely for cost because our nearest Menard's has a rack with 'odd' sizes of lumber, basically anything under 48", from 1x2 to 2x12. So, all of the short sides of boxes were bought for $1.59 each, then I had to pay full price for the longer pieces (my 6' sides). THAT is when I really found out what a STEAL the shorter boards were!

The boxes are currently just tossed in their approximate destinations. I still have to level out the ground and put down my weed barrier on the walkways, then reset the boxes and fill 'em up. Any CHEAP ideas what to use for covering the weed barrier to make it look good?

I just talked to my source for horse and cow poo and we are getting ready to get our gardens set up. She is not sold on the SFG thing (loaned her my book for snowday reading), but she loves the MM idea and is mixing a batch of it just for re-doing her blueberry bed.

TC

BackyardBirdGardner wrote:Let's hope that white stuff is gone for good this year!

You said it!

Thanks, Goosegirl--easier if we call you G.G.? Inspiration, that, scoring such a deal on your cedar boards! Congrats.

Nonna.PapaVino wrote:Thanks, Goosegirl--easier if we call you G.G.? Inspiration, that, scoring such a deal on your cedar boards! Congrats.

GG - I like that!

I did it! I got more than one pic to post in one reply!

It has been a month, and between snow storms and thunder storms, I have been able to get a bit more done with my boxes.

SW Corner has salad stuff in one leg and yukon gold potatoes in the other



The South Side beds are in and after this pic was taken I got the mix leveled - just needs grids and seeds. Also, along the porch I added a 1x12 bed for asparagus





The East Side beds: One box has strawberries, 2 have peas and broccoli planted, and the other is awaiting my attention. And of course the 1x1 with Nantes!



G.G.

Wonderful, Goosegirl, beautiful layout! Can't wait to see it full of green in, say, July?

Nonna.PapaVino wrote:Wonderful, Goosegirl, beautiful layout! Can't wait to see it full of green in, say, July?

One can only hope!

Looking good there G.G. I only mastered getting second pics to post by editing to add the second.

Those boxes should last you a good while and look handsome too. You got a good deal. I wish we could get scrap offcuts locally to make short sides but there doesn't seem to be a timber firm around here that cuts to size. I've got 8" x 2" x 12' 9" boards to saw. I think I'll follow suit and make a couple of dedicated carrot and parsnip boxes.

I'll watch out for pics as it all flourishes.

June Update:

Here are the peppers in the SW corner:



SW Corner lettuce and spud sprouts:



South Side Beds with the first of the trellises and the stakes for the determinate toms:



1x12 asparagus bed on the north edge of the South Side:



East Side with first trellis and the conduit for the rest of the trellises (and if it all ends up a disaster I can always ask my neighbor with the little skid loader in the background to come and dig it all up!



Spud Sprouts in the SW Corner:



Nantes box for Carrot Week - They are a little wonky in the box, but that's what happens when the box (no bottom) gets picked up and moved twice AFTER planting!

Carrot box moved or not you still look more organised then me. Mine are in a plant pot! I envy your asparagus bed being up and running. I know where mine is going but can't get in to clear the area and we can't harvest the first year of planting. Your garden is looking very promising indeed.

Thanks Barkie! I am trying to organize at least one little corner of my life! If I had put in my asparagus bed when I had first bought crowns, I would have been harvesting for several years by now!

GG

Goosegirl wrote:

Nonna.PapaVino wrote:Wonderful, Goosegirl, beautiful layout! Can't wait to see it full of green in, say, July?

One can only hope!

Well, July is here and it IS full of green!
Yukon Golds

Lettuce on the way out

Peppers (with some red lettuce hiding underneath)

South Side

East Side

Dragons Tongue Beans

Butternut and Acorn Squash (with the last of my trellises in pieces in front)

Wonderful, Goosegirl! So, besides the last of the lettuce, what else are you harvesting now? Looks like a lot of veggies coming on. Nonna