(Alternate Title: Luckily We're Not Share Croppers or Land Serfs or Aren't Required to Pay a Part of Our Mortgage in Produce Raised on this Partially-Bank-Owned Property of Ours)
Last year we made our first foray into vegetable gardening. Russ had decided that (based on the one gardening book he'd read) we'd get the biggest yield in our small garden space if we made it a Square Foot Garden. You can read about what it makes it an official Mel Bartholomew SFG here, if you're really that curious. It's sufficient to know that it's a 4x4 foot garden, divided into 16 square feet, and the special soil mix that you use is purported to grow squash the size of the island of Manhattan in approximately four weeks time. (slight exaggeration there... you won't find that actual claim in Mel's book.)
Last year we thought that our two Square Foot Gardens, and other various container gardens throughout the yard, would be bursting with large, delicious, good things to eat. We thought we'd be saving all kinds of money in the produce department and that our root cellar (we don't really have one of those) would be full to the brim and get us through the winter. This year, we're hoping to get enough beans and peas for one or two afternoons of backyard snacking.
Truthfully... we live in the city. We have a small-ish backyard and it's more important for me to have run-around space for the kids than to have fresh arugula. And, we're not ready to be those neighbors who convert the entire front lawn into an urban-bunny buffet... although you have to admit, THIS looks amazing...
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| from sangfroid.blogspot.com (Awesome garden, guys!) |
So, leaving behind our illusions (or delusions...) of an edible estate or mini-homestead, we are pressing forward with our small and simple urban garden... mostly because it's fun and science-y and we all enjoy seeing what comes of it! This year we have cherry tomatoes, bell peppers, sugar snap peas, pole beans, bush beans, various lettuces, and carrots. And we actually all like veggies - so, yum!
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| something is getting our pole beans... |
I predict we get one salad and a side of string beans out of it this year!
I love your garden! I love how simple it is versus ahem, some people's I know. I have a garden post in the works because pretty much the incentive to blog it is the only thing that will get me out there this year :)
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