It was almost two years ago that I put in my raised bed garden. My landlord gave me some space near our back field and I spent a full day digging and hauling nutrient rich soil into a 4 by 4 foot plot.
I'm a firm believer in the Square Foot Gardening method of gardening. Square Foot Gardening uses raised bed plots carefully delineated into 12 inch by 12 inch squares. Each square contains a specific number of seeds, seedlings or plants depending on the plant. For instance, you can plant 16 carrot seeds in a square but only 1 cauliflower plant. I first learned about this method when I was a bored stay at home mom back in 1990 after my son was born. Mel Bartholomew, on his PBS series made it look so easy and it was! I felt like I'd invented gardening when I proudly presented my first broccoli harvest to my family. What a sense of accomplishment! I was hooked.
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| The first plants go in! |
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| The garden at its peak (and a photobomb by Willow) |
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| Just a small portion of the summer of 2011 harvest |
This year's garden is already being planned in my mind. Kale, arugula, endive, cantaloupe, jalapeno peppers, swiss chard! Parsnips! My boyfriend doesn't know it yet but he will be putting in another bed for me next to the existing one. What I don't use will be donated to the Lisle Community Garden to feed local families. Nothing like taking a passion and using it to help others.
So as I sit here listening to the winter wind howl outside my window and eagerly anticipate the thaw that will allow me to return to my daily walks at the lake, I dream of colors of carrot orange, mint green and squash yellow and a chance to once again indulge myself in the feel of rich soil between my fingers; a communion with nature.
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| My Beekman 1802 gardening gloves hanging on for spring! |
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