Saturday, August 27, 2011

Laugh At My Garden

A few summers ago, I had my hubby build me a garden box.  We did it in the backyard around a small tree.  There were several reasons why people said this wouldn't work. For one, it was under a tree.  Two, it was under a tree and the tree would take all the nutrients needed for the garden.  Three, it was under a tree, therefore it would not get enough sun.  Four, it was too small and it was under a tree!  Well, I'm here to tell you that for the last few years I have crammed that baby with veggies (I plant my seeds waaaaay closer than the recommended spacing).  The previous home owners here had a horse.  So each spring, I take a few big scoops of horse poo and toss it into the dirt.  Great fertilizer.  It thrives.  Well, it did thrive.  This year, the spring was cool, and by the time I got around to buying seeds for my garden, the stores were sold out. So I've turned in into a strawberry patch this year.  I'm hoping by next year I'll have strawberries coming out of my ears.  Wishful thinking?  I dunno.... the last few years, all the garden pessimism has not stunted it's growth!  It seems to say, "I'll show them!"

So this spring, as most of you readers know, we were in the middle of a huge addition project.  The drywall guy told me that drywall was really good for gardens.  He said the gypsum in the drywall is good for the dirt.  I believed him (you can google it, he wasn't totally off his rocker) and spread it out like he said.  While I was doing this, the guy hooking up our LP gas was next to me and looked at me like I was losing my mind.  I told him the drywall guy made me do it.  He replied with "yeah, he's probably watching the gullible blond out the window right now and having a good laugh!"  But then it rained and I took a hoe and did the back-breaking word of breaking it up.  It didn't break up very well.  And it didn't look very pretty.  But now, it's all blended in.... and we'll report next summer on how the berries are! :)

3 comments:

  1. I think your garden has been successful because you have such good gardeners.

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  2. I have a ton of drywall lying in the yard because of our remodel and everything in the yard is dead..maybe I need to spread it out like you...http://theoutpost-jackied.blogspot.com/

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  3. I don't know about drywall in the garden, but maybe you could've saved the drywall for a neat little project. The manure would've been enough. Also, start a compost pile. Those are awesome for gardening. Fresh organic material does wonders. Also, if you want a cute little sturdy flower for under a tree: vincas. Vincas are the toughest annual I know of. And if you want something that comes back every year, daylilies, tigerlilies, phlox, and hydrangeas are the tougher perennials for under a tree.

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