Above are pictures of our two gardens. The first garden was well established (although neglected for 6 years) and the second garden is on its 2nd year. We grow everything from Artichokes to Zucchini. The garden is amended with aged cow and chicken manure then soaker hoses are laid and black plastic placed over the beds. Plants that have been started either in the house or the greenhouse are then placed into holes cut into the plastic (which we reuse every year).
The benefits of growing plants in the plastic are that the soil warms much faster, water doesn't have an chance to evaporate and the only weeding required is on the sides of the beds and a few inches around each plant. We have also learned that the wild rabbits apparently don't like the black plastic and have left the gardens alone. (knock on wood).
New this year are dried herbs and vegetables. We have our new packaging from Swisspak. Stand up and resealable.
Fruit and vegetables are available fresh (in season), frozen or dried. For the freshest produce we sell straight out of the garden or at the Tuesday Farmers Market in Centennial Park. Every year we try a few new vegetables. Last year it was ground cherries and okra which both did very well. This year we've tried; Brazilian peas (excellent) soybeans for edamame ( very tasty but apparently don't sell very well) and asparagus peas (total bomb = cow food)
The half acre surrounding the house is where the orchard with 5 (30 year old) plum trees, 2 converse pears, 4 apple trees and 9 grape vines are grown. In raised beds throughout the backyard are black and red currants, blueberries, rhubarb, kiwis, loganberries, raspberries, roses and herbs. We have since added 5 apple trees, 2 Italian prune plums and 2 lapin cherry.
The benefits of growing plants in the plastic are that the soil warms much faster, water doesn't have an chance to evaporate and the only weeding required is on the sides of the beds and a few inches around each plant. We have also learned that the wild rabbits apparently don't like the black plastic and have left the gardens alone. (knock on wood).
New this year are dried herbs and vegetables. We have our new packaging from Swisspak. Stand up and resealable.
Fruit and vegetables are available fresh (in season), frozen or dried. For the freshest produce we sell straight out of the garden or at the Tuesday Farmers Market in Centennial Park. Every year we try a few new vegetables. Last year it was ground cherries and okra which both did very well. This year we've tried; Brazilian peas (excellent) soybeans for edamame ( very tasty but apparently don't sell very well) and asparagus peas (total bomb = cow food)
The half acre surrounding the house is where the orchard with 5 (30 year old) plum trees, 2 converse pears, 4 apple trees and 9 grape vines are grown. In raised beds throughout the backyard are black and red currants, blueberries, rhubarb, kiwis, loganberries, raspberries, roses and herbs. We have since added 5 apple trees, 2 Italian prune plums and 2 lapin cherry.
The new back yard. All the raised beds except the raspberries were dug up and a 5 foot perimeter raised bed was built. In between all the flowers and roses are groupings of herbs; chives, lavender, parsley (flat and curled), chamomile, marjoram, sage, fenugreek, cumin and thyme.