Our Garden!

[JennaBoBenna]

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[Mary]

I saw this thread and had to jump in! I just planted my "square foot garden" yesterday, after having rototilled and worked in compost into an area of my backyard that I've wanted to convert to a garden for some time now!

What's really great about this gardening method is that you can grow more veggies in a smaller space and it is much easier to maintain than most regular garden layouts!

Here's a picture of my garden layout right after laying out the squares, without the plant labels and bean supports I put in yesterday:



I planted strawberries, purple, green and striped pole beans, lemon cucumbers, artichokes, wild cardoon, agretti (an Italian green), muscari (wild Italian edible hyacinth), Sicilian basil (because I'm half Sicilian and had to try this one!), three kinds of melons, pumpkins, broccoli rabe, purple Sicilian cauliflower, tomatoes, peppers - I think that's it!

My herb garden is also done in square foot gardening:



I would encourage anyone to try this technique - I am eagerly awaiting a bountiful harvest!

Blessings,

Mary

[JennaBoBenna]

Mary,

Wow! What a beautiful yard!!!

I can't wait to see your garden when it grows up :)

[Mary]

I appreciate your kind words, Jenna! Thanks - from a former San Josean! (I was born and raised in San Jose... I keep moving further north!)

We moved up here because we could actually afford a house with a little bit of land here! The only drawback is the summers are extremely hot and I miss driving to Santa Cruz!

We are very fortunate to have a huge yard, so I've been landscaping in bits and pieces - we could have never afforded a house with a big yard in San Jose. We have been here 5 years, and the previous owners had nothing but lawn! I've been slowly putting in plants and trees... my goal is to make the garden full of native California plants to harbor local wildlife, with the exception of the veggie garden, herb garden, and small orchard (those I want the wildlife to leave alone, especially my fruit trees and almond trees! Last year, the jays ate EVERY SINGLE ALMOND on both trees before I could pick them! ARRRGGGGHHH!).

I planted the fruit trees the first spring we were here, the herb garden two years ago, and now this year the veggie garden. Next year, my project will be to create a water garden and meditation area. That will be after I clear out the overgrown ivy and tame the blackberries (I like some blackberries, but they are taking over the yard!). It's a lot of work, but it's a real sense of accomplishment too.... nothing beats picking your own fresh fruit and veggies - they taste so great and you know they are organic!

Your garden looks great too! I like how you used the bricks... that's what I wanted to do, but lumber was cheaper. I eventually want to do brick as well, but needed to just get started with something!

I'll certainly share pics of my garden along the way and hope you'll do the same!

Take care,

Mary