Garden Season.....

Well, it's that time of the year again. I told myself that after my first garden experience last year that I would not start planting until June and that I would not start plants inside. Well, I stuck to both of those and now I feel like I'm behind the ball?? I don't think I really am, but who knows? I guess we will find out. My dad came up last week and and he tilled my garden area for us (thanks dad). Now, we are left to do the rest of the work on our own. Last year he helped us put the hoses in and put the plastic down, but he has been sooooo busy with his work that the rest was left to us, which is good because we need to learn how to do it on our own, right? My allergies have been really really really bad this year, so I have been slow, myself, in getting outside too. So, my husband said that he and the kids would get the hose laid in and then I could come out and help with the plastic.

After about an hour or two seeing that they had only one row of hose in, I couldn't handle it anymore and had to go help. Bless their hearts, they sure were trying, but I really needed to be out there. So, I went out and helped. My allergies still got me, but not nearly as bad as they would have last week.

So, we did it! We got the hoses in and put the plastic on top and now we are ready to plant. Well, we will be in a couple of days. After we do all of this, we have to leave the water on for two days to make sure that the ground gets saturated under the plastic, so the soil is ready for us to start planting. So, needless to say, we will be ready this week!

If you are new to reading about my garden (were not able to read last year), my dad has "connections" and is able to get us some AWESOME material that THE big farmers use over in the Columbia Basin area so we can have a successful garden with low maintenance. They are so generous to my dad and us (THANK YOU!!!). Anyway, there is a specific farmer that uses this material and throws some my dad's way to send our way. Isn't that just so nice? Anyway, this particular farmer uses this disposable hose type thingy. It looks like bicycle tire tubing on a wheel. So, we make a little trench type thing and then we take this tubing and measure it out (as long as we want our rows) (you can see it in the first picture above. It's that black "stuff" lying in the grass). Then, we just cut it with a knife or something sharp, tie in a knot at the end of the row, and hook it to this hose thingy that is NOT disposable, that my dad gave us. Then, we just throw some dirt on top of it and we are done with that row. Then, we take this BIG HUGE roll of black plastic, but it is not plastic. It almost looks like vinyl or something. It is lightweight stuff. Anyway, we take this and unroll it to the length that we want it, making sure that the hose that we laid is going to be in the center under the plastic. Again, we cut it with something sharp, and then we just make sure that there is no air underneath. Then, we start covering the edges with dirt and pack it a little. After we are done, we have to turn the water on for two days and make sure that the ground gets saturated under the "plastic." Then, we are ready to roll. Now the purpose of this hose and plastic......well, the hose, when we are ready to water we just turn the water on for a day or two and it will water my garden. I don't have to do ANYTHING just turn my water on and all the rows get watered from underneath, which apparently is better. Then, the plastic holds all the weeds out around my plants and keeps the warmth in the soil and they REALLY like that too. Now, I just need to figure out what to do about the weeds in between the rows. I think I'm going to try to figure out how to put some plastic in between the rows too? I dunno.

Anyway, last year I got a whole bunch of tomato plants at Big R when they had their BIG clearance, but I couldn't wait this year, BUT they still were the cheapest that I came across when pricing tomato plants and other vegetable plants too! Look at what we got.....

We bought quite a few tomato plants, some lettuce, brussel sprouts, celery, and some other stuff too! The price you ask? $1.29!!! Yes, I am very very pleased with the price! It was the cheapest I found. If you are interested, this was at the Big R on Trent and Vista! I'm ready to start plantin'.......

Do you have any garden tips?

Cheryl

Got Jalepenos?

Well, we just finished picking EVERYTHING from our garden. Check out the jalepenos that we got out of our garden.....

Wowzas! We are estimating about 100 or so jalepenos. Gosh, I REALLY cannot believe how productive our garden was this year. WE DIDN'T KILL IT! :)

Just thought I would share these awesome pictures. I sooo soo soooo happy with how we did!

Thanks!

Cheryl

Some Fruit from My Garden!

Check this baby out!

Look at our watermelon that we grew! Gosh, I am really really excited about all of the fine, yummy produce that we were able to get from our garden this year. I am already excited about doing another garden next year. I have even more plans! I cannot believe that we didn't kill it! YAY!!!

This watermelon was very yummy and the kids LOVED it. They especially LOVED the fact that THEY grew it! Hooray for them!

Anyway, just thought I would share.

Thanks!

Cheryl

Garden Update

I shared with you that I wanted to show a picture to you of what we picked out of our garden the other day. Look at this.....

We picked a ton of stuff that day and then I went ahead and froze most of it. Wow! I remember in the spring when I was so worried that my garden didn't look as good as my neighbor's, but look at me now! This has been so fun and we are loving all the veggies from our garden this year. We EVEN have watermelon growing! Our tomatoes are FINALLY turning red! Wahoo!!!

Just thought I would share.

Thanks!

Cheryl

Garden Update

I am so VERY VERY excited to share pictures of my garden with you all. If you are just now following along on the garden updates, this is our first garden EVER. We have had AWESOME help from both my mom and my dad, and great advice from others. So, here are some new pictures.....

This is a picture of the whole garden. Look at how big my cauliflower (bottom center) are getting.

Look! I HAVE CUCUMBERS!!! YAY!!! :)

Here are some zuchinis. :)

Awesome! Summer squash. I started these ones from seeds in the house.

Here are some general pictures of the squash/zuchini, radishes (I started from seed in ground), and onions that my neighbor gave me.

Corn is lookin' good too.

We just put cages on this weekend. We counted and we have.......26 tomato plants. Yep, I think I got a little ambitious. (Yes, mom, you were right).

Looky, looky, we have two, teeny, little tomatos. This picture is a bit blurry, but I still had to share. :)

Look at how tall our corn plants are.

You guys/gals I am sooooo excited about how our garden is growing. I know I was a bit jealous of our neighbor's garden, but not anymore. I am so very proud of ours. It seems to be doing really well, as far as I can tell. I have just been having a blast with it.

Are you growing a garden this year? How's your garden doing? I would love to hear. I'm sure there are lots of gardens out there really producing and just awesome. Maybe mine isn't as great as I think it is, but really to tell you the truth, I'M JUST GLAD I HAVEN'T KILLED IT YET. :) I have said before that I have NO GREEN THUMB AT ALL, so I am quite pleased so far.

Okay, thanks for taking a look, and please share some of garden stories. I would LOVE to hear them.

Thanks!

Cheryl

Garden Update

Well, as I have shared with most you, I have no green thumb whatsoever, but through a lot of trial and errror, so far, and with the AWESOME help of my mom, this is what we have........

No, that is not lettuce growing there to your right. Yes, those are weeds we haven't pulled yet. Actually, my mom came over a pulled a ton of weeds just a couple of weeks ago, and now they need to be pulled AGAIN! Look in the second row of black there, towards the bottom, there is a bigger plant. That is my cauliflower. I grew that from seed.  I actually grew a lot from seed, but not very many plants took to my garden. I hear that is a pretty common problem this year. So, we (my mom)  have planted and they have died and we have planted again. So, now I have just been buying plants little-by-little. I do really like this whole setup though, thanks to my dad.

Okay, so this next picture is a picture of my peas that I grew from seed.......

Look at those babies! They look AWESOME!!! Yes, I started these from seed and their still ALIVE!!!

Okay, this next picture is a picture of the corn that we, again, grew from seed, but these ones we just put the seed right in the ground and this is what we have come up with......

Thse are looking GREAT! Like I said before, I didn't start these in the house like all my others, but started these straight in the ground. Not bad for my first run. :)

Okay, so, here are my tomato plants, most of them purchased as most of the 40 or so plants that I started inside did not take to the freezes that we had recently.......

Yes, mom just planted these a couple of weeks ago and they are not doing to shabby. I was able to pick these up at my "favorite" Walmart store for $1 each. I bought 10 of them!

Okay, this next picture is a picture of one of my very few (three or four) tomato plants that made it. I started them from seed, in the house, and now look at this pretty baby......

On, here is one more picture to show you...These are summer squash and zucchini squash that I, once again, started in the house and seem to be doing fairly well......

Some of the plants that I started in the house that didn't make it were:  Jalepenos, mixed peppers (green, red, purple, yellow), carrots, tomatos, cauliflower. I had a lot, but many lessons have been learned. I am not going to start my garden, from now on, until June. I can't devote that much time and money into having to redo it and redo it again. I'm still teetering back and forth of whether or not to start from seed in the house or not. Plus, I still have much much more to learn. You know, it doesn't really help when I get to look out my window and compare my garden to this, of my neighbor's.....

Okay, so now take a look at mine and mine doesn't EVEN come close to her beauty. I REALLY REALLY have garden envy and really hope that some of her garden mojo blows my way. :) Isn't that just a beautiful garden? I am sooooo jealous. When I grow up, I hope to have plants that look like that. :)

Just thought I would share my update with you all. I can't wait until it actually starts getting produce.

Thanks!

Cheryl

Are you growing a garden this year?

I am, and I haven't a clue on how to do it. Here is part of the story...We just purchased our house in August of last year and it came with a big, huge area that the man that lived in the house before us used as a garden area. Well, me and my "new" frugal ways and the idea that I really want my kiddos to be involved in something spectacular has decided to grow a garden, but not a small garden. If you know me at all, I love big! ANYWAY, I HAVE NOT A SINGLE GREEN THUMB! BUT, with the help of both of our parents and their knowledge, and encouragement of everyone around us, I am hoping that we will be a bit successful. So, a few weeks ago I planted a bunch of seeds inside. We started jalepenos, 40+ tomato plans, green peppers, mixed peppers, and cauliflower. Well, they are now growing and I got a tip from Leah over at La Vida Cheapo to start hardening them. Well, I have been doing that and putting them outside during the day, so that they can get used to the weather and then I am bringing them in at night. Well, I don't know about yesterday, but my little plants are not happy campers today. They look real funny. Here are some pictures of what I have growing ....

As you can see, I also tried growing some plants in an egg carton, because I think an egg carton is a lot cheaper than buying those trays and it is working, and working really well. Those are the plants off to the very left side of the picture.

Here is another picture....

I think they are getting pretty tall.

These are some tomato plants that are getting pretty tall, though not as tall as the ones in the store.

Okay, now, here is what they look like after yesterday. I have not a clue what happened, but now they are turning yellow!

Don't know what to do, but I am just gonna keep on trying. Maybe they are little upset about being in the sun yesterday. I dunno?

Anyway, if you have any ideas let me know.

Okay, now my dad was here this weekend and between him, my mom, my husband, the kids, and myself we got the garden prepared.... Here are some pictures of the dirt all tilled up and ready to go...

Look at how big this baby is going to be!

Okay, so dad has "connections" and was able to get us some kind of plastic-type, disposable hoses that go under the ground and water your plants from underneath. This is something that the produce growers around here, in Washington, use to grow their crops. It is supposed to make is real convenient to use and works really well when growing a garden. So, that is part of what you see here. You can see little, faint lines in the dirt and that is where the water is running. They kinda look like rows, but it is the water.

Okay, here is the last picture. This is what my garden looks like now, as we wait to plant here in May....

Oh, I forgot to mention that I have two big, huge rhubarb plants too, there at the end of my garden. You can see them there at the top half of the picture. Anyway, again, my dad has "connections" and got this special plastic. I don't believe this stuff is sold in regular stores. Anyway, we laid this plastic (it really looks like vinyl, but feels like a thin, stretchy-type of plastic) down and burried the ends with dirt. This is supposed to help keep the weeds out and really help my plants grow. We will be poking holes in these to plant our plants when the time comes. Each set of plastic is going to make two rows of garden. So, I will be planting two rows of garden in each row of black plastic. Oh, and my hoses are under the plastic.

Sorry, about the long post, but I am really excited and very nervous to take this on and I just really wanted to share with you all. Anybody else getting ready for garden? Have any tips? I would love to hear from you all and maybe see some picture too?

Okay, thank you for letting me ramble on. :)

Please share some stories with us. I would love to post them too.

Thanks! Cheryl

More Free Seeds

Go on over here to sign up for your free Bentley Seeds.

Thanks Good Deal Mama!

Cheryl

Want Some Free Plant Markers

Starting a garden yet? I have and boy it sure is fun. Well, if you are in need of some plant markers, go on over here to score some for FREE.

Thanks A Thrity Mom!

Cheryl

Dinner Garden=Free Seeds for your Garden

Well, we are actually planting our first garden this year. Pretty frightening. I'm just really worried, as I HAVE NO GREEN THUMB! I KILL EVERYTHING! Unlike my sister-in-law over at Danger Garden. If you get a chance, go check out her blog. She has the greenist thumb that I have ever come across. She has a BEAUTIFUL garden. Anyway, the people over at Dinner Garden are offering free seeds for your garden. So, if you go on over here you can sign up for some FREE seeds for your garden.

Thanks Good Deal Mama!

Cheryl