It's been a very long time since I spoke of my back yard garden, mostly because I've been so preoccupied by the needs of our boat. But recently I have taken notice of the garden again, especially the area I call Evie's Secret Garden. I built this area of the garden especially for my grandchildren, should I have any. With Evie's arrival and now being the ripe old age of 2, I thought it might be a good time to take back that special space from the weeds and blackberries that have invaded it.
It is bounded on one side that blocks your view from most of the rest of the yard, by a 7 foot tall English privet hedge I planted with her in mind. You enter the space through an arbor which stands between two hazlenut trees. Inside the garden area are two raised beds, borders with a variety of flowers, blueberries, and fruit trees including three apple varieties and an Italian Plum.
My first task was to weed the two raised beds which had primarily been taken over by dandylions. They were doing very well, many growing as tall as two feet! Out they went.
In their place Evie and I have planted carrots, Walla Walla onions, snap peas, and lettuces of all types. The carrots were seeds and they are beginning to pop up making a nice row of carrot tops. All else was planted from starts I purchased at the store.
Evie was particularly taken with the lettuces which I showed her could be eaten if a piece was carefully torn off. She thought that was pretty cool. We got a photo from her mum and dad the next week showing Evie eating her very first salad at home. I'd like to think I had a little something to do with her enjoyment of her first green salad.
I found, through a source on Facebook, that the use of white vinegar on weeds is deadly. Good news for me since I just won't use Round Up any more due to it's being so poisonous. Certainly not something I want Evie exposed to. So I plan to go out with a sprayer and attack the weeds that are in gravel areas adjacent to the raised beeds and see what effect it has on those pests. I'll get back to you on that.
Meantime, we have about completed preparations for departure on our first cruise of the summer, this one to Canadian waters. So I'll be away a while. You didn't think I could write without mentioning something about the boat, did you?
Cheers!
