Plowing The Veggie Garden (By Hand)

Cleaning up the gardens each spring is a major job. I'm working as much as my sore old muscles will allow and taking care of fifteen flower and perennial gardens throughout my yard. Fortunately, I still have another week or two to plant this year's vegetables. See?

Planning for More Squashes and Herbs This Year

Some squashes will keep without refrigeration for months. Butternut squash is a great crop to grow in a veggie garden that has lots of space, LIKE MINE!

I want to GROW FOOD this year and save some money! I will plant peppers too. They freeze well and do best in bright sun all day. They will be south of the taller plants. I usually find starters in the local nurseries to get me going.

I can only deal with about 10 or 12 tomato plants. I like at least one to be a cherry or grape variety to start eating them in my summer salads early. They will fruit sooner. On a normal year that's more than I can use even if I do canning and giveaways to neighbors.

Last season the Japanese beetles were really bad. They have reduced my raspberries but that's okay because they were taking over the garden.

The asparagus needs to take back it's half of that west end, so I'll try to weed away the raspberries and contain them better in their own section. The herbs are going back over there too.

This year my SUNFLOWERS won't be dominent in the veggie garden. I've got other plans for them. It's the year of the squashes!

My gardens were neglected after hubby passed last spring. The chives were lonely. I DID plant sunflowers down the middle (about a foot tall here), but didn't add anything else - just mowed it over. THIS YEAR it will thrive again. Watch for updates!