Wednesday, September 17, 2008

Updates, and some other things

We have come to the conclusion on the veggie project...elaborate is not necessary.
Why were we considering such a magnificent and complex production seems silly now.

Let me explain the original concept that included a lattice fence enclosure, cottage design, of our side yard, and having a yard of top soil delivered and lumber of the non toxic kind, but weather resistant and wide enough to make a few raised bed gardens in different fanciful shapes. Our main problem after set up cost was the enormous amount of types of vegetables we were going to grow. Each of us has our favorites, which we found out to be way too many! And of course the costs of the lovely fence, just two sides alone were over $500; and that’s broken down, building it.

It's not like we are feeding an entire family with these veggies, there is just the two of us.
And so we have downsized the actual project, and with that logical resolve we have gotten the cost down as well, to a fifth of the original cost, which now appears to be doable.

Our newest concept is considerably smaller just a fourteen foot by 14”, the width of the edging, a decorative block that we decided on, it’s actually 16” but 14” with the 2” overlap. This will be situated under our back windows that faces the south; just right for a fall garden in Florida with enough sun exposure for our crops.

We will purchase bags of topsoil, and a bail of peat, and the appropriate fertilizer.
A separate container, large urn design will be used for herbs with basil, thyme, dill, mint, parsley and the like. A drip hose will also be purchased for irrigation, but not too often since we are still in our rainy season. We would love to make a cistern someday.
We have been composting for months, and that too will be useful.
Now about the veggies, we agree on six tomato plants so far, we both would like onions, and I would like garlic, and my husband would like potatoes, peas, and for me, some bib lettuce for the tomatoes, carrots, cauliflower, and broccoli too. You can see our dilemma now, we have a small space.

It would be so much easier if we had a blank slate, but we are quite elaborate gardeners, and our yard comprises of several small gardens throughout already.
We have fruit trees, lemon, tangerine, grapefruit, Key lime, banana, Muscadine grapevine and even an Avocado tree. Not to mention our other tropical garden around our fishpond and vines of Alamanda, Plumbagos, Bougainvilleas, and clusters of Hibiscus along our fences, and here and there this and that, as well as the mixed species including palms under or near our front windows and an island garden of Gardenia with Crotons in the front center where before there was a mighty oak that was lost from Hurricane Charley, and quite a bit more I could go on for days with our list of flora.
And we had, had a Florida vegetable garden years ago when our boys were young on the other coast in a different cooler planting zone. We have been here in Florida for 22 years respectfully, on this coast the longest, nearly 14 of those years.

So far all of this is just in the planning stages, and I do know that in the cooler areas of the country they are planting pumpkin, other types of squashes, lettuces, etc. We did live in New Jersey for over 36 years, and have gardens there as well, after all that is called the GARDEN STATE! LOL
As everyone knows though each climate is different, and what grows well in one locale doesn’t necessarily grow well in another.

Our motives are good, so we want to err on the side of caution since we see this project as healthful by the shear reasoning of growing these vegetables ourselves without chemicals, and the exercise value, and don’t forget some of our choices are considered the super veggies that are considered preventative and curative for what ails you.

Change of topic: the pool filter that very next day was fixed by my amazing husband and has been working just fine since Monday. The best part is that the pool supply place took one part off another instead of ordering it, and since it was just a part of a part the price was less than half what we thought it would be by our research online!

Our tropics are quiet, thankfully.
The weatherman said that we may be lucky enough to stay this way for about 10 days…whoopee!

Good night to all.

Speaking My Mind: Which way will the war go?

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