Straw bale garden revisited

“Success consists of going from failure to failure without loss of enthusiasm.” - Winston Churchill

I like trying new things. They don't always work. Sometimes they are a complete failure, other times I just lose interest. But once in a while they're a success!

The straw bales, I have to say, I am counting as a huge success. It may have been an alignment of the stars and by stars I mean a combination of favorable weather conditions. We've had pretty good weather, not too hot or dry. I think the Japanese beetles came out later than usual this summer. The mosquitoes haven't been too bad which doesn't have much effect on plants but has a great effect on me and my interest in the vegetable garden. Finally, and most importantly and the only factor which I had any control of was my whole design plan and new outlook on the vegetable garden.

In order to assure my ongoing interest in the garden I did a little research into some practices that have been used for centuries and have only recently come back into vogue. The mandala  shape and permaculture both make best use of space and resources. In addition, I brought some perennials into the garden, both the pollinator attractors and also just the plants I love and have not been able to grow because of our abundant deer population.

So, the groundwork was laid and the conditions were right. I  conditioned and planted the bales. I read all the instructions on the internet. The success or failure of the straw bales determined whether I would have garden ripe tomatoes, basil, peppers and so on.

I was practical, yet hopeful. I put in the small bargain plants so as not to lose too much money on the experiment. I took advantage of the warm composted bales and planted extra early in case I needed to start over the traditional way. 

And lo and behold, to my amazement they have been a complete success.

It's late July and the bales have composted and sunken down onto the organic material I laid underneath them. They soak up much more water now than in the beginning. I have no worries about soil born tomato diseases since everything grows a few feet up off the ground. This also helps with air circulation so powdery mildew has not been a problem.


That said, I have a few tips and pointers that I learned from the experience.


1. Get your bales early in Spring or even the Fall before if possible. Let them go through the stages of composting including a period when the mushrooms started coming up all over the place.





















2. If you're tying 2 bales together, which I recommend for the larger planting area, tie them tightly with multiple layers of twine. Nylon string would be even better because it won't decay and break as it's exposed to water and sun.







3. If you're planting seeds directly into the bales separate the straw a little bit and sprinkle in a little potting soil in so the seeds have something to start in and so they don't fall too far into the bale.






















4. If the bales do break open you can try to retie or just hold them together with posts or sticks stuck into the ground, close to the side of the bale.










5. Tomato cages and stakes can be stuck right into the bales for stability.








6. Apply a fertilizer high in nitrogen midway through the summer or when the plant leaves begin to loose their dark green color.









“Success is not final, failure is not fatal: it is the courage to continue that counts.” - WC
Keep it fresh! Have fun!  

Soaking up the Rain

Sunny faces shine despite the cloudy skies. 

Just as the sun peeks out from between the  clouds the giant Allium seems to be reaching out to check that the rain has truly ended.

Everything looks so fresh.





Colors are more vibrant than ever. Greens are greener. Is it the plants and flowers or is it the light? the air?

 
All of the above?  
Or is it our outlook?

fresh!

clean!

clear!

Alive!

Common Day Lilies look like prize winning hybrids when they've soaked up the rain and have been rinsed clean of the dust of summer.

The rain renews flowers and spirits, as well. 

Fond Farewells

A last look before the rain knocks most of the peony petals to the ground.

Dry brown edges only serve to accentuate the beauty in a sort of "forgotten bouquet" sort of way. You know the bouquet from a special occasion that you just hang onto a little longer than you should. You just can't let the day go. In this case it's a saying goodbye to the lushness of Spring, the flowers that won't hold up to the harsh temperatures and unrelenting sunshine of summer.

When they say, "Take time to smell the roses," it's not only a call to daily quietude but an acknowledgement that days are fleeting and can't be retrieved from the dust and dirt of the earth below. Appreciate what you've got now for it will be different, changed before you know it. Smell the roses. Like memories, pressed roses petals and photographs cannot replace the actual thing. Live in the present and take it all in.

And don't despair, another day is dawning and it may look the same as the last but it's different. As one petal falls, a new blossom is getting ready to open. As the wind shakes the bow, yes, the petals fly, but the stem, the branch are strengthened. The rain brings down the old and dried and creates new life with it. The tinge of color is there in the green, promising new and vibrant fullness of life. You can practically watch it happen before your eyes.

Rainy days and Mondays are days for fond farewells and promised tomorrows. 

Let it rain, let it pour. It's all good.

 Sure enough, the wind and rain took out the peonies and brought down some old branches.

It wreaked havoc with many tall stems but all in all rejuvenated the garden!

***Ready for the heat? These tough guys can take it!***

                                                 

Words Cannot Express

The fun I've had in the garden this week:

The fairies accessorized their porch area in the Fairy Garden! That, in turn, motivated me to freshen up the wood chips on the path and enrich the soil with some nice dark compost. 

 I stopped to admire the garden path and tried hard not to be overwhelmed by the amount of work waiting for me in this garden. A dear friend reminded me that I don't actually want to be done with garden work. This is what I like to do. Luckily there will always be plenty of work/fun to keep me out of trouble.

 I took my cue from this young lady who enjoyed a rest in the cool shade. Instead of rushing out to get to work I drank my coffee and waited until she was ready to move on.

 I took time to smell the roses, my Mom's favorites, wild ones that the bees goes nuts over!

 Then I got to work on tying and staking all the wonderful plants that have grown by leaps and bounds lately. It's always nice to get a jump on this rather than trying to cajole them into standing position later.

 Rain was in the forecast  and I knew these peonies would be face down in the mulch if didn't prop them with some branches with lots of, well... branching.

 I gave the butterflies a drink. I remember being amazed when I learned that butterflies don't have mouths for eating, that they receive all their nutrients from drinking. So I make sure there is some soil in their saucer. I just didn't want you to think I was a bad hostess, offering muddy water and all that.

In addition to mulching the paths through the fairy garden I also did the vegetable garden. I stuck some leeks and onions in where the radishes had been.

After that I played some hopscotch on my double duty path. Yup, I really did, before the rain started.

 And every so often a friend came to visit. This friend of mine likes to help with the pruning. She's not very good at it, but what she lacks in talent, she makes up for in beguiling cuteness.

It really has been wonderful week to garden. I am appreciating every moment, knowing that all too soon we'll be dealing with mosquitoes, heat and humidity, pests in the vegetables... oh please, don't get me started!

Garden Cliques and Communities

From a distance it looks like a clamoring crowd but when you think about it, you realize gardens are like communities.

 Look more closely and see the little clusters of social groups. They have so much in common: they love the sun, the dirt between their toes and drinks after a long day. However they are also individuals and proud of it, with their colorations, textures and heights. Husker Red Penstamone, soft, fuzzy Lamb's Ears and the very tall variety of Black Eyed Susans create quite a contrast.



Often times, family members show similar qualities but can be so different.  Size, color, texture, and leaf shape in endless combinations make hostas one of the most collectible plants. Both their variations and their similarities are what make them look so nice together.

It's true, often opposites attract. Short and tall, thin and wide. They compliment one another, showing off one another's best features. Alone, each is stunning but together they are breathtakingly beautiful.


The serrated edged leaves of the fall blooming Anemone, the red tips of the spring leaves on the Spirea with the cuppy woodland Ginger look phenomenal together.

Some speak a loud, colorful language, while others are subtle. Throughout the summer conversations ebb and flow with first this one, then that one, voicing their thoughts and opinions. 

Some are quiet and let other others do all the talking but the neighborhood just wouldn't be the same without them.

Taken as a whole the subtleties of the garden can be overlooked.

With coffee in hand one needs to stop and observe each little cluster. Listen to the conversations, notice their interactions.

When one is obviously dominating or crowding others, measures need to be taken to assure harmony, often in the form of a sharp spade.

Other areas I wouldn't touch for anything, wishing they could stay in this perfect balance forever.

At first glance this monochromatic gathering seems about as interesting as dry toast, until you notice the sprinkling of dots like laughter and the over-reaching leaves in a wide-armed stretch. Now that's comfort in your surroundings like old friends who know each other well.

Springtime is like the first time neighbors come out after the long cold winter, full of smiles and stories.

Enjoy it now before everyone starts getting into everyone else's business or retreat in the hot summer temperatures.