February 1, 2012 - Should I or Shouldn't I?



I approached Mr. Granny with an idea, and he actually didn't fight me over it! What do you think......

This is a master garden plan of my existing "North" and "East" gardens, with the "Kennel Garden" joining the two at the corner. Pay no attention to what it shows planted in the beds, it's actually a plan of my 2009 garden, just pay attention to the spaces. The red line would be the new "North" garden boundary, and much of the "East" garden would be eliminated. This would add about 300 square feet of planting area, and sod removed for the expansion would be put over in the "East" garden. There's a lilac tree there that is a constant PITA with its suckers spreading through the garden. If it were back in lawn, the suckers would be mowed with the grass. I would eliminate the kennel, the welded wire fencing and the plastic mesh fencing, and put in a 3' high chain link fence with a gate wide enough to accommodate the garden cart.


Of course, I might change my mind, but if I go ahead with the plan it will have to be finished by mid-March. It might actually be better to work at it a bit at a time this year, with a finishing date set for spring 2013. I just hate to have the garden in bits and pieces between now and then, but it would be a lot easier on the gardener.


The monster shelves in my bedroom are no longer empty. Under the lights, I have some seedlings that have sprouted. The celery, tomatoes and lettuce are all up. Parsley, which is notoriously slow to germinate, is still a no show. The two containers on the right were planted with about 170 onion seeds yesterday, when my new seeds arrived from Mike the Gardener's Seeds of the Month Club.

Lettuce seedlings will grow under lights, it's way too early to plant anything outside. Of course, a few seeds were put outside in pots yesterday, 'cause there's always a slim chance the weather will cooperate!



29 comments:

  1. I have one question, where are you going to put a cold frame? Since you no longer snow bird, you have to have a cold frame.

    I think that I am going to plant those onion seeds too. Even though I said that I would never plant onions from seed again.

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  2. I'd go for the slow transition. I've been planning on expanding since last spring, but mother nature and life never co-operated so that I could do everything all at once. This year I'm going to start with the fence and work from there. Starting in March I hope to have ot finished by May. Remember, the Gardener is worth so much more that the garden. Now if I could only find a home for all those daylilies...

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  3. Robin, I'm thinking if I widen the North garden, a couple of cold frames could be built at the south ends of those raised beds. There's not enough roomnow, but I'd be adding 14 feet to the width. If we have our windows replaced this spring, as planned, I'll have some 4' double pane sliders to use for the cold frames. If they slid open from the top, that would be great for ventilation.

    I wasn't planning on starting onions either, I was going to buy my sweet onion plants. I figured I could try these for green/cooking/keeping ones though. We do use quite a few green onions, and I hesitate to use the sweet onions for that.

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  4. Ed, I think it depends on whether I can get my son to help. If we rent a sod stripper, it would be quite an easy task. I could leave the existing fencing in for a while, get the sod moved, swear at the dogs each time they tracked in the dirt, then have it ready for mid-summer fencing and planting. Or I could use the plastic temporary fencing. I have a rototiller, so it wouldn't be any problem to get it dug up once the sod was moved. It might all be a pipe dream, and never come to fruition!

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  5. Wow Granny! That will be a lot of work. However, if your son can help with the use of a sod stripper it may be worth it just to get your garden away from the lilac tree. I know how much of a pain those suckers can be.

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  6. I sure do love my gated garden, it's much easier to care for than the one the rabbits get to LOL... your garden is always beautiful and functional whatever you do! Make sure it's really worth the effort thought, that's lots of work :)

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  7. At my last house I always had my dogs fenced out with really fencing. It made life so easy. Though they did get to come in with me when I was actually in the garden. I had them well trained to walk in the paths. They rarely made a mistake. I know you have had issues keeping your dogs out and it would make that part of your life easier at least. The larger garden would make it harder. Personally I can't eat all the thing that come out of my garden. If I had one two thirds of the size I'd be fine trying to eat it all (and still wouldn't succeed). But I know you get help. I just wish my son liked vegetables. Then I could ship them to Providence.

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  8. Rachel, you know what I'm talking about! I spend way more time hoeing out suckers than I do planting or weeding!

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    Erin & Daphne, my garden is all fenced to keep the dogs out. The back (north) fencing was removed last year, but replaced with plastic net fencing. It would be a simple matter to move the plastic fencing forward 14 feet (14 feet puts the garden even with the front of the shed) and leaving it there for as long as needed, while I worked at developing the new garden area. I'd only have permanent fencing installed once the garden was completed. My gate into the garden now is too narrow for the garden cart, so I have to undo and pull back a section of fencing to get the cart in. Daphne, you are correct that I don't really NEED the extra space, but the new neighbor's weeds and the shade from her walnut tree are really limiting where I can plant now. I'd have much more sunshine, and no weeds, in the new area.

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  9. DO it! DO it! DO it!

    Granny, I know you've gotten this before, but I'm just giving you some love back.

    http://twomenandalittlefarm.blogspot.com/2012/02/versatile-blogger.html

    You don't have to do anything, just wanted you to know I was giving back to you for all you do!

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  10. Oh Granny you know how I love garden projects. Wish I lived closer I would help you knock that out in no time.

    Take it at your own pace. There is no rush.

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  11. You are such a sweetheart, 1st. Man! Thank you for thinking of me. Yes, I've already received that award, but it's every bit as important to me the second time around.

    As for the garden expansion, I am leaning toward "do it".

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    Liisa, I could send you a bus ticket. LOL! At my age, everything is a rush...out of necessity ;-)

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  12. Ha! As soon as daytime temps stay at 50F or higher, or when the sun shines...whichever comes first!

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  13. Annie, long time reader here. I am curious, wht are you using for your planning? It looks like something I saw from Organic Gardening Magazine? Do you use that application?

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  14. Granny, if you're willing to take advice from an idiot, here goes.

    Do it, and do it now. Don't try to spread the period of work. It will get done somehow, but I always find that the desire is strongest when the plan is new, and the desire is what carries it through, along with a wave of panic. If you prepare and buy seeds and plants in advance, and start the work in a few places, you'll finish it. If you don't, you'll know you've wasted your money and made your garden look like shit!

    Hell, before the end of March I have to build a greenhouse, build three raised beds, create a deck area for Mrs IG, build a concrete path for motorcycle access, prepare 250 square metres of field and finish the bathroom. And I'm fitting in a holiday.

    Okay, get started!

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  15. I think it looks like a great plan and if someone else does the fencing work and the sod stripping - U bet you are able to manage it in the current year. Having the hardscaping chores in the early spring will keep you from climbing the walls with cabin fever! :D

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  16. Mom, you don't just have John to help. You also have 3 other children, several teenaged grandchildren, and a great big son-in-law. Have a "garden party" and we'll get it all done in one day!

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  17. Sounds like there are alot of reasons to make the change.... sunshine, fewer weeds, no lilac. What's your son's schedule? Maybe you should just start and assume you can finish? How are you with things left up in the air? Does that make you nuts??? I find if I just get a project going, I'm more apt to go out and work on it. But, if not being able to finish something stresses you out, then that's probably not a good thing. Boy, I'm a big help, huh?
    ~~Lori

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  18. Hello, Jason! No, I haven't seen that application. I simply scanned a page from a tablet of graph paper, downloaded some cute veggie pictures and sized them to fit the graph squares, and I keep all the pictures and different sizes of the graph paper in a file where they are easily accessible. To do a garden layout, I just open whatever size graph I want in Paint. The master garden plan takes more than one, copied and pasted together, but I usually it's a 4'x8' or a 4'x4' graph size. Then I find whatever veggie picture I want to insert, copy and paste it onto the graph. Fun, easy, free!

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  19. TIG, I am you. Well, not technically, but we do think a lot alike. I'm an idiot, too! I am leaning towards "do it". Of course, it's only 25F outside this morning, so I do still have time to think about it. I first have to serve on a jury, paint a room, install some new carpeting and baseboards and then I can think about gardening.

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  20. Kitsap, other than the sod removal and moving it over to fill up the east garden, there would be no more work than usual for me. Oh, I'd have to bring in and apply more composted manure than I have on hand, but that could be done a bed or section at a time. I definitely would have the fence professionally installed. Yesterday Annie figured out how to move the folding wire fencing that holds the bottom of the plastic net fencing securely (I thought) to the ground. I thought she was rolling in something (I've left the gate open through the winter), but she was working her way under that wire! Little stinker.

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  21. Amy, A garden party is a great idea. I printed your comment out and pinned it to the refrigerator. I'll be holding you to it, LOL! I know Bryan would be the first one here to help, he always is.

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  22. Lori, I'm not stressed out by it, just wondering if I should go for "something I want" over "something I need". No matter what the size of my garden is, I'll still plant more than we can eat and have to give much of it away. I just love to make those veggies grow, and I love looking at a pretty garden all summer! See the comment just above yours, my daughter has volunteered the entire family to come over and get it done!

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  23. Do it now. None of us are getting any younger and if you wait a year or two and then wish you had done it, it may be tough luck. Also, maybe 'need' isn't the best word but it does sound like it would be 'beneficial' to do it, based on the shade issue you mentioned.

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  24. MasterpieceMom, you all are convincing me ;-) The kennel would be moved, so I could actually construct another lettuce bed where I have the shade problem.

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  25. Granny, I was just going to suggest, before I read Amy's comment, to have a big party with your extended family, friends and neighbours to help. Many hands make light work!! Go big or go home.

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  26. Heather, I think I'd better dig out the old rototiller.....I have a feeling I'm going to get my new garden space!

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  27. :-) Can I vote for 'Wanna see where the new beds will be' ? LOL I'm curious to that point. as for do it or don't - is that REALLY the question here or is WHEN the question!? ;-)

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  28. Barbie, I tried to explain the bed layout here in the comment to you, but I think it will have to be in a blog, LOL! So far I'm definitely leaning toward starting as soon as I can find time (and get the help) and completing by March or April.

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