Garden Prep 2011

It's time to start working on my garden. I reality, not just my day dreams!

According to my calendar and last frost dates, I need to start my seeds indoors this week and, as of this coming weekend, I can plant spinach seeds outdoors. Woo Hoo!!! Further proof that spring is here.

So, on Monday, I spent some time getting things together.

And, I made up my planting guide for my four raised beds. They are big and bright and pretty straight forward.

My when-to-plant guide thanks to Thy Hand Hath Provided. Very helpful!!!

As you may recall, earlier this year I said that I wanted my garden to be different this year. I wanted to only plant what we would truly use and I wanted to plant enough to get our family through the year. This "How Much To Plant Per Person" guide (The Grocery Shrink) was also very helpful.

 Here is what I decided on:

leaf lettuce- 5 squares/80 plants                         cherry tomatoes- 3 squares/3 plants
thyme-  2 squares/4 plants                                 roma tomatoes- 3 squares/3 plants
swiss chard- 2 squares/4 plants                          parsley- 2 squares/4 plants
kale- 4 squares/8 plants                                     carrots- 15 squares/240 plants
basil- 2 squares/ 2 plants                                    broccoli- 15 squares/15 plants
spinach- 5 squares/45 plants                              cauliflower- 4 squares/4 plants
potatoes- 15 squares/30 plants                           rosemary- 2 squares/ 2 plants
beans- 10 squares/ 40 plants                              sage- 2 squares/2 plants

*We may purchase a plot in our neighborhood's community garden and fill it with corn. I'm still thinking about that.

All that's left is to buy the seeds, freshen up the soil in my beds, roll up my little newspaper pots and pray for sunshine!

In other food news... I' have been successfully baking our own bread now. What was I so afraid of!!!???!!! I have made wheat, white and cinnamon swirl so far but I look forward to experimenting with other kinds.

I highly recommend square foot gardening if you live in a more urban area like myself. It is a great way to utilize the "perfect space" for a garden while keeping it neat, pretty and manageable. Our four beds on in our side yard (we live on a corner) by the road. It gets killer sunshine and is perfect for veggies but it had always felt to exposed to all of Lansing. The raised beds surrounded by mulch look really nice though, and the garden never felt like it was out in the middle of the neighborhood, also a plus! 

So, here's to Spring in all her sunshiny, rainy, hot-one-day-cold-the-next, glory! Happy gardening!!! ;)