The garden is done!

Today, we spent the entire day outside working. And boy, are my arms and back sore to prove it! But we got a lot of work done. We finished the garden up completely! And all the dirt is in....I don't want to count how many wheelbarrows full we did, but it was a lot! We planted the ones that could go in. There are some that are still inside that we're waiting for a bigger sprout yet. We even got all my fruit trees planted! (and Brad promises that we can go pick out two apple trees as soon as they get a bigger selection in for my Vday present ;) ). Then we tilled up the other flower beds, planting citronella and the blueberries in the backyard beds where there were empty spots (most of my stuff in the back is now making it through year to year, but I had a few empty places). We tilled up Brooke's little flowerbed and we are going to experiment with corn in hers. Just for fun...and she'll like how tall it gets. ;) We had enough mulch leftover to stock up the rose bushes. So all that leaves is to do something with the front flowerbed. That's the only bed that will be 'pretty' and non-functional...just for looks.


I'm pretty impressed with how much we got done today. Even with thunder clouds looming over us all day (it never really rained at our house) and the less than ideal temps (it probably never got out of the 50's today), we still got A LOT done. All that's left to do is to transplant the veggies/fruits that are still inside (the ones we're waiting to get bigger sprout), stake up the tomato plants (eventually...no hurry on that one), put the brick walkway back down around the garden, and do something fun with the front flowerbed. Oh, and go pick out my two apple trees (2, b/c you need 2 to pollinate ea other....I already have in my head what varieties I want) and get them planted.


Brad thinks I'm a little crazy for doing this "so early". It is still only February. But, the way I see it...I'm tired of waiting so long for things to produce and then producing their most when it's the end of August and they get all scorched up. This way, we'll start a little earlier and hopefully avoid that. And, I figure if it does happen to freeze b/w now and when Spring officially starts, I can go out and cover it. It's never really 'safe' in Texas, after all. Let's see, in the past 3 years, once it snowed around Easter and once it was freezing temperatures, so you just never know anyway.

Ok, so here's some pics of our work today!

The dirt is in....ready for plants! (our previous garden was 4' x 8', this was is now 4' x 16' and raised up by about 2 add'l ft). I'll have to find a before picture and come back later and do a before and after.Planting...The (almost) finished product...Close-up of my strawberries this year. From a very reliable gardener, I got this tip of planting inside a bag to avoid bugs getting on the strawberries...this way they stay off the dirt and out of the way of bugs. We'll see how it works. Though I don't really have a bug problem (or haven't in the past), I like the idea of keeping them of the dirt. And the ones still inside waiting for big enough sprouts to go join the outside clan...Brad unloading more dirt into the back 'flower' bed...The finished 'flower' bed, with blueberries and citronella (can't see them too good in the pic - they just kinda look like sticks right now :p )...Planting fruit trees...Fruit trees are done! From left to right, an orange tree, a key lime tree, and a plum tree (all Christmas or bday presents :D ) and the two apple will go on the other side of the plum going down our fenceline. Like I said, we also tilled up Brooke's bed and the front and filled around the rose bushes and pruned some other stuff, but no pics of that...yet. ;)