My Garden June 1, 2010

the 6x6 garden bed is doing well

1st sign of a tomato

A while ago, I had read that it is possible to feed 2 people all the vegetables they need for a year by using a 4x4 ft garden bed. It would have be rotational crops, and constant harvest and planting. I have a 6x6 bed, and that is the big hope to that one year I can feed my household with food grown in the 6x6 bed. This is not the year. Had I tried it this year, we would have starved.

So far so good with the garden bed, but nothing has matured to ripeness yet. There are plenty of birds, rabbits, squirrels, voles and chipmunks that live in my small backyard, and I am sure they would like to get their tastebuds on my ripe fruits and vegetables.

I have a few surprise squash plants. I can't wait to see what they are. I am guessing pumpkins, but I am hoping for more conventional squash like summer, zucchini, acorn, or butternut. I had bought some organic compost and put it in the 6x6 bed the weekend before the flood. The flood came and washed away all the compost, so I had to get more compost. I went the community garden down the street, and made a donation for some compost. In their finished compost pile were some leafy sprouts that look like squash/pumpkin leaves, so I took 4 spouts and planted them. The leaves are so big now, so I am guessing pumpkins. After Halloween, the community compost asks people to bring unwanted pumpkins for a smashing pumpkin party, so it is likely that the plants are pumpkins. I will let you know what they squash plants are.