Our little family lives in a precious little house on 1/3 acre. I really like the house, I like the area and the neighbors aren't bad. Many of you are aware that I really want to move. You may wonder why. 1/3 acre is plenty of room for a garden, a bee hive and a small flock of chickens! Well, part of the reason I am unhappy with our current living arrangement is our total lack of sunlight. This lack of light is responsible for my lack of garden. I have tried to grow things in the areas with the most light and have never had any luck except for some pretty decent luck with herbs and some beautiful flowers.
Last year we had pretty good success with sugar snap peas and a couple of varieties of tomatoes. I planted them in containers and put them at the very edge of our front yard by the road. While not a gorgeous solution, I got no complaints from the neighbors and we don't live in a neighborhood, so no association to worry about! My large tomatoes did not do well as, I believe, the containers were too small. I had 2 varieties that thrived, though. I grew heirloom varieties of a cherry tomato called Mexico Midget (Purchased from Seed Savers HERE) and a beautiful little pear tomato called Beam's Yellow Pear (also purchased from Seed Savers HERE). Because they did so well, I plan to quadruple my efforts with these varieties this year.
My Mexico Midgets on the vine.
I also plan to try a different planter for another attempt at a larger tomato variety. Check out these self-contained gardening systems! I hope to build 2. These are supposed to be able to support up to 4 tomato plants. I may try lettuce in the boxes before tomato season arrives. I may do a couple of bush beans in the second box. We'll see how it all goes. It has been disheartening to try to grow things and year after year have little success.
A tomato horn worm I found stripping my tomato leaves last year.
I feel like I may be getting somewhere with the man. He finally understands that I am serious about having a small flock (4-6 hens, no rooster) of chickens. I think he thought I was kidding for a while. It won't happen this year, though. Maybe we'll re-visit the chicken thing once the baby arrives.
Is that your house in your profile pic? It looks so cute in the picture! Not that it's not a cute house out of the picture... it's just been so long since I've been there :P I hear ya on the tomato frustration. Sorta. My problem last year was thrips and I didn't jump on them soon enough. Good luck with the planters! I know you are eager for your garden :) Will you be starting your tomato plants from seed?
ReplyDeleteNo, I will buy seedlings from seed savers. I did them from seed the year before with lights in the basement and it was such a pain to keep track of them down there and I think it was a little too cold. Anyway, last year I bought seedlings and it was perfect! I'll do seed for the other stuff, though. The house is cute, isn't it? That was in spring (obviously) and it is SO pretty then when everything is green and blooming. I only have 1 azalea anymore, and I have TONS of iris and dutch iris and daffodils and a few tulips. I'll have to do a new pic this year!
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