Tuesday, March 18, 2014

Garden Progress

So the progress on the garden is slow, but steady.  We finally got the entire garden covered in layers of mulch hay, newspaper, mulch chips, and now we're working on a layer of manure.  Paul was nice enough to drive into the pasture and scoop a trailer load of manure for me. 

Of course then it got really cold, and all the manure froze.  Which makes it a challenge to break up and spread.  But we got half of the garden covered.  Maybe at some point we'll even get the other side done!  Here is a picture of it in the midst of manure-spreading:

Next year I definitely need to get started earlier!  How about you, readers?  Are your gardens ready for planting?

38 comments:

Sunnybrook Farm said...

I had problems with manure freezing so that it was hard to pry off the ground when collecting it. I piled it up in piles inside and when warm I hauled it over to the garden. I still need to bring more over but now it is too muddy. You will have plenty of time to get it ready for most crops. You have a good start on it.

Buttons Thoughts said...

My garden has at least a foot of snow on it so ....no:) Great start for you. Hug B

Barbara said...

That is great progress! I kill everything I try to grow - so no gardening for me. :(

mail4rosey said...

Not me, we've still got snow on a good portion of our ground, and it's c.o.l.d. :)

mail4rosey said...

I guess I should add you're braver than me because I don't want to be out in the cold, hahaa. :)

We've got squirrel challenges too (big ones). I don't want to have an acorn tree removed, I love it and it's huge, but so much havoc is caused (not just in the garden) from the squirrels that it's a light consideration. so hard to find the right thing to do. I wish I could just tell them to behave and they'd listen. ;)

Roan said...

Not prepared here! It has been a nasty winter, but the seed catalogues are arriving and our orders made. Hopefully soon.

Anonymous said...

Our garden is nowhere near ready. First we plan to enlarge it and that will mean bringing in a delivery of more garden soil. We seem to plant late at our house, but gardening is new to us as of last year so call us garden rookies I guess. LOL

Sandra said...

We can finally see our raised beds.
Have fun digging in the dirt :)

Linda said...

My "trial" garden is ready. Photos on my Wetcreek Blog. Linda

TexWisGirl said...

no garden for me. i've never gotten used to texas' growing season.

Sally said...

We've had so much rain. Can't wait until SPRING!!! :)

An Apel a Day said...

We have seeds inside started. You know Nebraska, it's still cold here.

Alica said...

I'm trying something new this year. In the fall, we had several inches of shredded leave and yard waste spread onto our garden. I had also spread out some straw/chicken manure from my chicken pen. I'm thinking of doing "no till" gardening this year...not rototilling all of the goodies under, but letting them on top and planting right into the good stuff. We'll see how it works for weed control, and how rich the soil is! I'm anxious to see if decaying leaves are as good as they say they are!

jp@A Green Ridge said...

The Pres is foregoing the work and reaping from his friends greenhouses!...:)JP

Gail Dixon said...

You are off to a good start! I cannot imagine working with manure though.

The Cranky said...

I'm ready for gardening but the weather isn't willing to cooperate!

Angela said...

My husband tried to start our garden last week when it was warm but the tractor's wheel came off the rim. This Saturday he was able to get our garden a little dug up with his potato plow. He'll use the tiller attachment later. I have bought a few seeds and I still have seeds from last year that we never even used because it rained too much in June we couldn't plant.

Bas. said...

ja je moet er toch iets aan doen.

Our Neck of the Woods said...

I hate it when the weather interferes with gardening plans! Our garden is ready to go, just need warm weather.

Michaele said...

You are going to have one heck of a harvest will all that good soil help. Still frozen here.

Angie said...

It's hard to get any outdoor projects done with this crazy weather. Your ahead of me though!!

Lin said...

Our garden is still half under snow. :( I'm ready for it, though. I can't wait for gardening season!

Rob-bear said...

Whatever we have than could be tuned into garden is currently buried under snow. And after the snow goes, I'm faced with a huge patch of stone, which has regularly been treated with Round-up to keep the weeds under control. Sigh!

This does not seem to be an enviable position. Maybe planting pumpkins for jack-o-lanters, and not eating, will be of some help. And then maybe some sunflowers for the birds. I'll have to be creative, and hope my back holds up.

Blessings and Bear hugs.

Chatty Crone said...

Can't say I know too much about this! lol

Montanagirl said...

We don't have space for a garden, but our neighbors share the bounty from theirs!

LONDONLULU said...

I have the opposite of a green thumb (a purple thumb?) but look forward to how beautifully yours grows:)

Michelle said...

Yours is looking good! I am back to straw bale gardening this year and trying potato towers. We shall see!

Tat said...

I'm not a gardener.. maybe one day. Slow and steady seems a great way to make progress!

Slamdunk said...

You are way ahead of us. The snow has melted except for the big piles, but we are still in the freezing temps. I am sure once we get two 60 degree days in a row, the Mrs. will get into garden mode though.

Tina Fariss Barbour said...

We are so behind. We don't even have dirt in the raised bed yet. Soon--we must do something soon!

Tweedles -- that's me said...

That looks to me like some mighty fine manure that will help your garden grow some good stuff! I bet there are lots of worms in there!
love
tweedles

Unknown said...

This has been a tough winter. Has put much outdoor work on hold.

Anonymous said...

You guys have done a great job. We don't try to garden any more but I sure love to see photos of everyone's gardens and the yummy dishes you prepare. Your children love a variety of foods.

Endah Murniyati said...

I'm really interested with your way in mulching, hay and newspaper as a layer. So interesting

Out on the prairie said...

be a while before I will even till

Debby@Just Breathe said...

It is looking great. Hope Spring comes and stays around so you can finish it!

Nancy said...

The ground here is still too hard to work -- hoping next month that will change!

Busy Bee Suz said...

At least you've got some of it started….ummm, you'll hate me when I say mine is flourishing and will most likely be finished by the time yours is going.