Gardening with Bug

Some day lilles, sunflowers (thanks vaca daddy!!!) and a leaf from the squash plant








The weather is warming up, it is after mother's day and that must mean it is GARDENING time in our area.

I love to garden, that was the whole reason I wanted a house, just so I could garden !!!

Last, i did not do too much- Bug was coming home right as gardening season started and I knew that it would be difficult to garden with a little one who needed to be cuddled, loved and held (not that he does not need those things this year, just he much more independent and willing to play on his own). The year before that I was planning on him coming home, found out that was not going to happen and then lost my job- so gardening was not a priority.
But the garden plans are always in the back of my mind.

I rely on 2 books for my Gardening:
gardening by the square foot (http://www.squarefootgardening.com/)
lasagna gardening


using both these books, I can add a 4X4 foot garden anytime I want and it is easy to maintain.

So on to the start of the gardening year with Bug:





Bug with the geranium I transplanted from my mom's house in the middle of summer last year- yes the drought- apparently the geranium loved the drought and loves the rain this year.


Bug refusing to stand and look at the camera with the roses








the roses- these are Rugosa roses from Great lakes Roses in Michigan (http://www.greatlakesroses.com/)
The same roses in the front of the house. These were bought 3 years ago and will be 4-6 feet (front of the house) or 5-8 feet tall (side of the house) when fully grown. I like the ones in front because no one can hide behind them due to the HUGE thorns on them.
I barely watered the roses last year in the drought- maybe once a week, I never cover them in the winter and I certainly never fertilize them. Easy maintenance gardening is what I am looking for in plants.

This year's vegetable garden is mostly being done in pots. Easy to move, great for blocking Bug from an area of the backyard that I want him to be away from (steps to the basement with a rickety handrail)

This is our sweet red pepper plant


same plant in the middle, tomatoes on the left, lettuce on the right






Wrong size cage 9switched out the next day, for 2 tomato plants.




A cucumber and eggplant sharing a pot








Square foot gardening-- 1 squash, 1 zucchini, each in their own separate space (these will get huge of they are like the ones I grew 3 years ago)





My goal this summer is build the spaces for corn, blueberries, and potatoes for next year. I also need to plan ahead to start radishes, carrots and green onions from seed to move to the garden, or I need to build a cold frame for starting the seeds outside.

In a few weeks, I will begin to expand the front flower garden (not in the pictures), I need to seen how big the day lillies get so I can divide them and I need to see what goes on sale at the gardening centers as the summer starts and folks lose interest in gardening.

Now, if I could only get Wendy to come up for a weekend- then i get it all done in one weekend.

have a great holiday weekend.

love to you,
Deb