Garden

Our garden now consists of many beds in differing states of fertility/quality, definition and disuse; as of fall-2016, the inventory was:

-Eight (8) large, composted and rail-defined raised beds;

-One (1) poorly tended and ill-defined* herb bed;

*define with plastic lumber and recover in the future?

-One (1) forever-wild asparagus zone;

-One (1) work-in-progress, plant-material heap, AKA flower bed;

-One (1) unwalled, poorly defined, debris-mulched and abandoned ancient bed.

The beds were turned in the fall to prevent meadow-encroachment and redistributes nutrients. Spring-time and pre-planting turning & de-rooting is also recommended. I usually run a spade down the inside of the rails, shake and remove roots/runners, then level the soils for planting; a skim-coat of mulch or compost is good for nutrient and water-retention.

-Tomato-bed gets black-poly cover and 12-15 plants, extras into other locations;

-Greens-beds (2+) get hoops and relay to retain moisture/reduce heating/thwart poaching;

-Onions/leeks, another 1+ for garlic;

-Snap/bush beans;

-Pole beans;

-Zucc/cuke/squash;

-The heap-bed gets sunflowers, ++;

That herb bed needs lovin' and fresh plants too.