A Gardener’s Job Is Never Done

It’s really sad actually.  I haven’t harvested anything except lettuce and some herbs and a handful of beans and I am already planning my fall, over-winter and spring gardens.  I am making lists of things I want to do, need to do to accomplish the goals I want to do.  Basically, I need 1x6 or 2x6 planks, some wood screws and several pickup truck loads of mulch/compost.  Luckily, the latter is near my house as is a U-Haul where I can rent a truck for the day.

I already have permission to expand my garden into a plot right next to my house.  So in the fall I will trim back the crepe myrtle and ornamental cherry (I think that’s what it is).  There are a lot of sucker plants growing up and would like to tidy them up.  Then between them I will put 4x6 beds.  I know I can get 3 in there, maybe four, with the fourth one, which will be more in the shade in the summer, being a lettuce/cooler weather plant bed.

After things are harvested this fall, I will attempt to dig up the trash trees/shrubs in the front.  I need to bury the electrical wires better (they were essentially on the ground).  Then I will put in a terrace of 4x8 (probably) beds.

Into all these beds I want to dump several loads of compost I can get from the local yard debris place.  Really cheap for local residents.  Hopefully, doing this in the fall and over the winter, I will get the jump on all those spring landscapers.  This is also allow me to plant early for potatoes and lettuce and spring peas.  I would like to get some courser mulch to lay between the beds to walk on.

Another project I want to accomplish is to make a ‘lid’ for one of the existing 4x4 beds for overwintering lettuce and such.

Then along the front of the trailer on either side of the stairs I want to put in a 2x6 bed along the length of the trailer and then down the side in front of the drive.  Besides the veggies I would like to get some flowers incorporated also.  Something that ‘smells’.  I would like a trellis over the front door and have a couple of different flowering vines growing over it.   Maybe a Lady Banks on either side as the trellis would have to be about 15 feet tall and would need something that grows that tall.  A Lady Banks on one side and a fragrant old rose on the other possibly.

I want to grow my own transplants so I can have some really different stuff rather than what the local nursery markets.  I like ‘odd’ stuff.  I do have a table I put in my storage shed I can bring back inside for growing the seedlings.  I have the back porch to set them out on – morning sun and shelter from the wind.  I will just need to get some lighting – maybe.  My tomato man does it without benefit of a lot of special equipment.

I also have some seed catalogs earmarked for seeds to order.  If I went through and ordered everything at one time I would need to win the lottery!  It’s interesting how we gardeners can go crazier over a seed catalog than a trip to the jewelry store.

Some of the things I would like to get for next year:

Zinnia Queen Lime and Red Lime

Corkscrew Vine – a friend in Texas actually told me he had started one and was transplanted recently in his yard.

Sweet Pea High Scent

Sweet Pea Old Spice Mix

Sweet William

Flowering Tobacco Baby Bella and Perfume

Carnation Clove Drops and Lemon Fizz

Angel’s Trumpet Ballerina Purple

Nemesia Masquerade

Heliotrope Mini Marine

Nasturtium Park’s Fragrant Giants

Hollyhock Spring Celebrities

Evening Scented Primrose Tina James’ Magic

Dwarf French Bean Velour – bush bean

Bush bean Festina

Bush bean Capitano

Bush bean Romano 14

Bush bean Tanya’s Pink Pod

Asparagus Beans Stickless Wonder

Lima Bean King of the Garden

Lima Bean White Christmas

Lima Bean Willow-Leaf White

Cucumber Ellen’s Family White

Cucumber Lemon

Cucumber Richmond Green Apple

Cucumber White Wonder

Arugula Even Star Winter Arugula

Mustard Tatsoi

Mustard Tokyo Bekana

Leek King Sieg

Romaine Lettuce Forellenschluss

Romaine Sweet Valentine

Lettuce Drunken Woman

Lettuce Salad Bowl

Lettuce Slo-bolt

Lettuce Thai Oakleaf

Bibb Buttercrunch

Bibb Capitan

Bibb Tom Thumb

Lettuce Anuenue

Lettuce Sierra

Muskmelon Ice Cream Melon

Muskmelon Sleeping Beauty

Pea Sugar Ann

Sweet Peppers Melrose

Sweet Pepper Carolina Wonder

Sweet Pepper Charleston Belle

Pepper Corino Di Toro

Pepper Perfection

Pepper Tequila Sunrise

Radish Misato Rose

Winter Squash North Georgia Candy Roaster

Pumpkin Big Max

Pumpkin Rouge vif D’etampes

Pumpkin Small Sugar

Watermelon White Wonder

Basil – Mrs. Burn’s Lemon and Red Rubin

Cucino Hybrid cucumber – mini-cucumbers

Perilla Red Leaved

Garlic Silver Rose

Garlic French Silverskin

 

Yes, quite a list.  Will I get all of them?  Probably not.  And if I did I could only plant one or two of most of the stuff.  But still, a girl’s gotta dream.