neighbor's and my garden planning session this morning

[rafiwinters]

We looked at all of her seedlings, brainstormed those and other things we want to grow, made a shopping list, started talking about where to plant what (in terms of light and so on), and came up with a to-do list. She's thinking square-foot gardening and companion planting, so I'm reading up on those a bit. We've got stakes and twine to separate out the plots. With 96 square feet we could plant a LOT of different things. No way we're going to get everything that we want into the bed... but we could still do quite a few things. And she has access to two other gardens she's going to use, and could do some things there.

Obviously we will need access to the various plantings so can't use up all the bed in actual plants--will need footpaths or something--maybe some boards laid across the soil? Any suggestions?

We are also thinking of several things we can put in pots and/or stacking planters so they don't take over the whole bed. One stacking planter for herbs of various kinds, one for strawberries.

We are going to get our hands on some compost from various sources, including the local co-op grocery store, and spread that in the bed, then add the raised-bed-specific garden soil we got. We have our next gardening date this Friday, by which time it is supposed to be decently warm, so maybe we start working the compost and soil in and/or start laying out the square-foot plots with the stakes and string.

I'm going to take some graph paper and start a chart. We are going to build a trellis between two tall metal poles that are at one end of the garden. They probably used to hold laundry lines. I can't think what else they would have been. Anyway they can hold beans and other climbing things.

Comments

[recently_folded]

My concern about boards would be harboring a happy slug population under them. I have a sloping lot with good soil drainage, so I don't have to worry about mud problems. What I use is leaves, the ones I mulch the flower beds with over the winter. They keep down incidental weeds and keep my feet clean enough, and when deep, are plenty stable. And they break down into the soil, returning nutrients to help keep ahead of those consumed by the garden plants. I also use them as a heavy mulch around the base of berries and rhubarb, often with some grass clippings thrown on as well. If you've got good clean grass clippings (no chemicals), that can make a good alternative to leaves that won't blow around, if wind is a problem.

[rafiwinters]

My dad, who has been an enthusiastic gardener for my whole life up till recently, taught me a gross but effective way to kill slugs. Wanna know?

[recently_folded]

Is that the beer lure? Supposedly the ground eggshells doesn't actually work. Here we mainly throw them in the street and the birds (or cars) take care of them. Honestly there isn't much to do with slugs that isn't gross.

[rafiwinters]

Yes, it's the thing about beer. I hadn't heard about the one with eggshells, but if it doesn't work, that's fine. And yes, slugs are intrinsically gross.

[rafiwinters]

p.s. Also, can I snab your lovely cat-and-yarn icon?

[recently_folded]

Of course. I have no idea where it's from any longer since I've been using it for years—alas but I can no longer credit the artist.

[rafiwinters]

Thanks! :-)