Container Garden Ready for 2013

Strawberries doing great in their new home.  Not too many this year, but next year should have more...so says the cashier at Walmart:)

All potatoes have sprouted.  You can't see in this photo but the final potato up in the right hand corner has just come through the soil and should be catching up to the others soon.  I will be repositioning the chicken wire so the growing plants are still protected from the digging squirrels.

Different growing containers.  Peppers and Squash.

Peppers and Tomatoes in the containers covered with chicken wire.  I ran out of chicken wire, so a few are braving it, and we will see if the critters bother them or not.

Covered Garden 2013

Top Portions Ready to be Attached to the Top of the Garden

"T" Bars in the ground to support the wire

Covered Garden ready for 2013 - planted bush beans in the garden yesterday and today expecting a severe storm system coming through the area.  Hopefully everything turns out ok.

One of the hazards of using chicken wire. 

Compost Ready!

Finished Compost loaded with worms and ready to put in my garden!

Compost started about a week or so ago.....will take about 2 months to compost in this weather.  Will have updates to follow progress.

Worms love my compost.....worms are flourishing, eating, reproducing and pooping in my compost making it perfect to add to my bush bean garden this year!

I don't make nearly enough compost to fulfill my soil needs....This year I have expanded my container garden and needed a butt load of organic soil.  I bought most of that from the garden center and will use the compost I made to add to my garden and to try my hand at compost tea.....it will be a first for me....we will see :)
You can see my youtube video on making compost here....
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xCP_-p76dc4
I have a few other videos on my youtube channel:  gardengnome765

Day One - Hardening off plants

Day One of what I consider the worst part of gardening....hardening off the plants grown indoors....Ugh!  This is also just the first batch...will have more plants which are smaller to harden off also.  Next time..............
Today is partly cloudy with a light breeze and a temp of about 70 degrees farenheit.  Put the plants in a shady area for two hours then lugged them back indoors under the grow lights till tomorrow.

 

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Strawberry plants bought from walmart.....wanted to give it a try....had strawberries a few years ago and the animals kept eating them....of course, this time I covered it in chicken wire and the animals will have to get dessert somewhere else!

Planting Potatoes for the First Time Ever!

First planting of the season!  I find it so  exciting to start the spring with my hands  in dirt!  This year I will be planting potatoes for the first time.  I planted six smaller potatoes in a tote container which I drilled holes in the bottom for water drainage.  The potatoes had two to three eyes on each and I planted them down about 4 to 5 inches, watered them, and covered the container with chicken wire to keep our animal friends from digging them up....which they will definitely do!  Updates to follow........