What did you do in the garden today?

[BReeder!]

The plants just did not thrive or produce much.

Strawberries tend to produce bestv in years 2 and 3. Many people even suggest removing the flowers in year 1 to let the plants focus their growth on strong roots.

That said, I fear I may have killed much of our stranger bed. It for very dry in late summer last year and I was neglecting it since fruiting stopped. I thought I was letting it grow out, but found it was dried out to the point that the dirt shrunk and was pulling away from the frame of the 2'x10' raised bed. I think many of the strawberries' roots dried up and died. Waiting to see what pops up this year.

 

[BReeder!]

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That's some work right there! Is that a pitch for or a spading fork? It looks like a heavy duty pitch fork - if it is, consider getting one of these: https://www.ruralking.com/tru-tough...cebqbjr-jnBF_WxcC5xoCseMQAvD_BwE&gclsrc=aw.ds
Also, what are the bushes that look cut back in the third photo? Curious to know as I keep slowly adding perennial food plants here.

 

[CluckNDoodle]

We're ready to start planting here! We have passed our last "likely" threat of frost, the garden is weeded, compost added, and wood chips are spread in the food forest!
Spring is here! At least, my hen is convinced it is because her chicks are hatching, lol.

 

[CluckNDoodle]

So I have a 2 ft x 4 ft raised bed that I planted a Glencoe raspberry start on one side of it. Looking for suggestions about what I can or should plant on the other side? I'm assuming the Glencoe will get bushy at some point....so I want something that can remain small or short but not let that bed space go to waste. Here are some thoughts I had about what I could put there:

• An herb (Basil, Chamomile, or Parsley maybe?)
• Annual flowers - Bachelor Buttons or Calendula (both may self seed), cosmos, Clarkia
• Perennial flowers - Echinacea, Stocks, Lavender
• Hinnomaki Red Gooseberry start - this spot gets full sun all day long. Not sure if it'd be too hot for Gooseberries?

Thoughts? Opinions? Suggestions?

Maybe some onions or garlic? They deter some pests and don't take up much space.

 

[ShrekDawg]

That's some work right there! Is that a pitch for or a spading fork? It looks like a heavy duty pitch fork - if it is, consider getting one of these: https://www.ruralking.com/tru-tough...cebqbjr-jnBF_WxcC5xoCseMQAvD_BwE&gclsrc=aw.ds
Also, what are the bushes that look cut back in the third photo? Curious to know as I keep slowly adding perennial food plants here.

I’m not sure exactly what it is tbh hahah but I’ll look into getting one of those! But tbh I found this thing in the greenhouse and found it to be extremely useful and way easier LOL not sure what it is. And the bushes are raspberries. we’ve had them years and years. My grandma planted them way back when. They’ve probably been here longer than I have lol we just cut them back yesterday and added fertilizer today.

 

[CluckNDoodle]

I’m not sure exactly what it is tbh hahah but I’ll look into getting one of those! But tbh I found this thing in the greenhouse and found it to be extremely useful and way easier LOL not sure what it is. And the bushes are raspberries. we’ve had them years and years. My grandma planted them way back when. They’ve probably been here longer than I have lol we just cut them back yesterday and added fertilizer today.

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Looks like a hand tiller! We have one too, they're very handy.

 

[ShrekDawg]

Looks like a hand tiller! We have one too, they're very handy.

They definitely are! I was shocked lol

 

[BReeder!]

We're ready to start planting here! We have passed our last "likely" threat of frost, the garden is weeded, compost added, and wood chips are spread in the food forest!
Spring is here! At least, my hen is convinced it is because her chicks are hatching, lol.

Very nice set up. Love the food forest idea. We don't have the room for that here, but I have started a single row of fruit trees and rhubarb along the fence on one side of our yard - 1 peach tree, 2 native plums, 1 dead apple tree I need to replace this year, and 4 or 5 rhubarb plants.

Btw, our rhubarb are just coming back this year after their first winter since we planted the crowns last Spring. Tbese things look like they are going to be HUGE this year. I'm very impressed with how much they have spread from the little crowns we planted last year. The bunches of leaves popping through the mulch are over a foot in diameter now!

 

[Acre4Me]

Very nice set up. Love the food forest idea. We don't have the room for that here, but I have started a single row of fruit trees and rhubarb along the fence on one side of our yard - 1 peach tree, 2 native plums, 1 dead apple tree I need to replace this year, and 4 or 5 rhubarb plants.

Btw, our rhubarb are just coming back this year after their first winter since we planted the crowns last Spring. Tbese things look like they are going to be HUGE this year. I'm very impressed with how much they have spread from the little crowns we planted last year. The bunches of leaves popping through the mulch are over a foot in diameter now!

What variety of Rhubarb? We bought some Victoria from either Walmart or TSC…it’s very common, but large! Ours is coming back too! We have 3 varieties, but the Victoria appears to be the largest.

 

[CluckNDoodle]

Very nice set up. Love the food forest idea. We don't have the room for that here, but I have started a single row of fruit trees and rhubarb along the fence on one side of our yard - 1 peach tree, 2 native plums, 1 dead apple tree I need to replace this year, and 4 or 5 rhubarb plants.

Btw, our rhubarb are just coming back this year after their first winter since we planted the crowns last Spring. Tbese things look like they are going to be HUGE this year. I'm very impressed with how much they have spread from the little crowns we planted last year. The bunches of leaves popping through the mulch are over a foot in diameter now!

That sounds like a great selection of perennials! You would be amazed how much one fruit tree will produce once it's mature! We get tired of picking pears when they're in season because there are so many!