So Saturday morning I woke up at my usual time, 6 am, and went outside to give my potted herbs some water. It looked like rain so I decided to hold off for a while. I certainly didn’t want them overwatered.
And right next to the herbs is my large raised bed strawberry patch. See all those blossoms? It won’t be long before I can pick bright red, juicy strawberries.
Back in the house to wake hubby up and ask him if he wanted to ride along while I got a truck load of mulch, he said yes so off we went bringing home 2 yards of natural mulch.
With hubby’s help we shoveled it all into the perennial bed and around all our trees. We did run out so I will go for another load next weekend to finish up. Next hubby got out the bobcat to move some soil into my raised vegetable garden beds.
After weeding over the years, I loose soil so more needs to be added. Luckily we have a soil pile on the property so I can have as much as I want. He proceeded to top off the old garden beds. The night before I weeded everything so I would be ready when hubby wanted to move dirt.
I don’t know why it is but our dog had to rest in the cool dirt every time hubby would dump another scoop. No bed was spared she tried them all out. She even made a trip to the pond to cool off and then plopped in the black dirt, making mud.
Hubby also added 6 new raised beds to the garden this year. I didn’t have any landscape fabric, and wasn’t about to stop production to run to the city so I called my friend who owns the local pizza shop and asked her if she had any cardboard. She did so I took all she had to use in the bottom of the beds as a weed barrier.
As hubby dumped the dirt I raked it around to smooth it out. I started out wearing flipflops, my shoe of choice for any occasion, but quickly kicked them off and got my feet all dirty.
Apparently I didn’t have the beds leveled off as much as hubby would have liked so he took a shovel to them and did a little improving. Yep, that darn dog is trying out these beds now, and you can see right where I kicked off those red flip flops.
After we had all the work done I decided to add a plant to my old bike basket, and discovered seeds growing where I had a huge gourd placed last fall. I think I’ll let it go a while and see how they do.
And while watering the ferns on the deck I noticed a tiny birds nest down inside. I guess now I’ll have to be careful when I water. It was a back breaking day, but it looks so nice around the cabin now.
Love your raised beds and buckets of herbs. How wonderful that you have so much land surrounding you. Great idea to use the cardboard and that your friend came to the rescue….I have 10 ferns hanging on the back veranda and they all have bird nests in them…the birds love to nest in the ferns…however, last year, the black birds found where they were all nesting and came and ate the eggs…it was awful!..
Shirley, oh my 10 nests in your ferns how fun I hope you find a way to keep the black birds from getting the eggs this year.
doesn’t it feel good to get your hands (and feet) dirty??? I never wear gloves when I’m planting…and I always wreck my manicure, but I don’t care!! LOVE your raised beds…not sure if I have the space for those, but I can’t wait to see what you grow!! We’ve had some crazy weather here in Ontario this past week, from needing the air conditioner to now needing the furnace back on!! I sure hope it settles into a steady pattern soon…we had some mild frost in areas this morning.
Cheryl, our weather is strange too. 80 one day and 40 the next, I just turned the heat on again last night and had to cover my plants because of frost.
Wow, you are going to have lots of strawberries. Already past time here. I love your cute dog laying in the raised beds.
Kim, we first get strawberries in June here and they another batch throughout the summer. I can’t wait. I just used my last bag of frozen ones in my smoothie today so I’m ready for more.
I have had birds nest in hanging planters before too Dawn..I would never disturb them..That is a beautiful Sheppard you have there..
Nancy, I take the planter down every night and carefully water around the nest. I don’t want to disturb it for sure.
OK well I am way impressed! What a day but so worth it in the end. Can’t wait to see them in a month or two all green and full.
Ann, I love it when so much gets accomplished, it’s looking nice around here.
I see you have Stevia, too! I just bought one and I don’t know how to use it or harvest it. Do I have to dry it?
Anne, I just dry the leaves and crush them when I want to use them as sweetener. You can run them through a food processor to make them into powder too.
Your dog wants to test the beds for comfort for the plants. I hope you can grow some surprise gourds too. Back breaking work for sure, but rewarding. Happy Gardening Dawn! Kathleen in Az
Kathleen, the gourds are right by the driveway so as long as they don’t interfere with where we drive I will let them go.
Hi Dawn,
The raised beds looks so great. Funny about the dog trying them all out. Too cute. I am coming by to pick strawberries with you. That would be so great to enjoy those yummy treats. Have a great rest of the week.
Kris
Kris, I think the berries will be ready early June so get your suitcase packed:)
Your dog is adorable. Dogs love the dirt, don’t they? It must feel cool on their bodies. Oh boy! Strawberries. You know I found a few leaves like those strawberry leaves in my side garden bed and they have the same blooms. Do you think I have wild strawberries? Wouldn’t that be cool?
Claudia, I bet they are, we have them all over our yard. I’ve never quit mowing long enough to see if a berry would actually appear. You should leave them and see if you get anything.