Manic Monday - Planting a Garden

Mondays in the Lowry household are usually pretty crazy. What, what am I talking about? Most days in the Lowry household are crazy. I just like the sound of 'manic Monday', so that's my Monday blog post now. :)

Black Cherry (Pepper)

Green Beans & Tomato

I have been thinking about, and talking about planting a garden. Well, my friend gave me good reason this weekend - she gave me a cucumber plant on Saturday. That put me into gear. Saturday night, Corey & I went to the store to get soil and some planting utensils; Sunday we went to the Farmer's Market and found several plants. First, I'll tell you what I thought I got, then I'll tell you what I ended up with.

What I thought I got:

• 6 Green Bean 
• 4 Spinach
• 1 Cucumber
• 2 Zucchini
• 1 Habanero Pepper
• 1 Bell Pepper
• 2 Watermelon
• 1 Oregano
• 1 Blackberry Tree
• 1 Black Cherry plant (mil says it will be a tree)
• 2 Beefsteak Tomato

What I really got (we think):

• 6 Green Bean
• 4 Spinach
• 2 Cucumber
• 1 Zucchini
• 1 Habanero Pepper
• 1 Bell Pepper
• 2 Watermelon
• 1 Oregano
• 1 Blackberry Tree
• 3 Beefsteak Tomato

cucumber, Zucchini, and Spinach

I'm kind of really upset. I only wanted one cucumber because I already had one, so now I have three. I wanted two zucchini, and now I only have one. :( The cherry plant I'm not SO disappointed about, but I kind of am. I am the only one in my house that willingly eats tomatoes. I sneak them into things, and of course if make spaghetti or whatever they like sauce... but three plants seems a little much for my family, so I was looking forward to a cherry tree.

Oregano, tomato, and Habanero

Well, after planting everything I knew I needed more soil. I hadn't done any research or anything, so I really had NO idea what I was doing. (My son is outside taking pictures of the garden now that will be in this post.) The garden is no where near done. I've decided we're adding two more beds on the other side of our patio. Oh yeah, we live in a townhouse, so we don't have a huge yard - and our yard will be fenced in sometime soon.

Blackberry Tree

My neighbor came over to look at it and told me a few things that I need to change. What I have planted in each bed is as follows: 6 Green Bean plants with 2 tomato plants, 3 cucumber with zucchini and 4 spinach, 1 tomato with habanero pepper and oregano, 2 watermelon, planted the blackberry tree in the ground, and what I thought was the black cherry (but is pepper) into the planter the oregano came in.  What I need to change is: Green beans will have their own bed. Move tomato plant from oregano bed into bed with the other 2 tomato plants so they have their own bed. Move the pepper that I thought was cherry into the bed with the oregano and the habanero pepper. Give the spinach their own bed.  Rearrange the cucumber and zucchini so that there is more room in the bed.

I'm hoping that this arrangement will be better for all plants. I need to make trellises for the bean, tomato, and the cucumber/zucchini beds.We are using egg shells, banana peels, orange peels, etc. in our beds to fertilize.

Watermelon

I'm really excited for this adventure. Oh, and the kids got to help me plant some. Well, the twins and Azariah, because Syleii was playing at a friend's house when we planted everything. Azariah has gardened at his grandma's with his mom a lot, so he's been a big helper. I'm sending Corey off tonight for some more wood to make the two other beds, and he's stopping to get more soil and manure on his way home from work.

What does your family do to be organic, save money, or what do you do in your garden? Do you compost?