Square Foot Gardens
Last year we did something new.
And it felt crazy.
We started four Square Foot Gardens so I could do less kneeling hoping that would help my bum hip! I've always just had "normal" gardens which meant lots of squatting and kneeling and weeding. Square Foot Garden's help with that problem!
Last year was a bust due to the fungal infection I had in my eye. I was so light sensitive that I couldn't stand the August sunshine. Too bright. But I'm SUPER excited that we are working our Garden Planning for 2015.
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Red Raspberry patch
Last spring I bought some very cheap red raspberry plants. They were small and but several survived.
Simple method for us. Steve dug a hole. I put the cardboard down & topped it with mulch. We did manage to keep them watered. Yeah for spring rain!
Now there are also new baby raspberry plants coming up off the parent plants. As you can see in the picture below, we do have some grass poking through. Time for MORE mulch!
**UPDATE: Make sure you read what we have learned in 3 years about how to grow raspberries and see how the patch looks 5 years later!
Strawberries in Square Foot Gardens
This year we are going to grow strawberries in Square Foot Gardens and add to our berry collection. Steve recently built 2 more that are 4 ft x 8 ft. Square Foot Gardens don't have regular dirt in them. It is a mixture of compost & vermiculite. Its very light and fluffy and extremely easy to keep weeded. I like the idea of having all the berries and fruit trees in one place.
The Orchard
When we bought our place a year and a half ago we had 6 mature apple trees, 1 peach tree, & 2 plum trees. Last fall we added 4 peach trees & 2 pear. We got them in late due to my eye problems. We shall see if they survive.
Spring blooms
The peach tree & plum trees haven't given us any fruit. Boo! But apples? Well we had an amazing harvest! They were so sweet we were able to make TONS apple sauce & butter with no sugar.
We go through so many strawberries in a year it is crazy. I usually buy them when they are $0.99 a container and freeze but that really adds up. I'd much rather get mine from my berry patch.
Do you have any hints or tips about growing strawberries?
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