New Kids on the Block and some oldies too

Remember my topiary idea? Well DIY network had a special this featuring Yard Crashers at Walt Disney World. And guess what is a huge attraction at Disney? yup, topiary. They semi should how to put one together, and I was shocked to find out that most of them are bushes inside the wire but drip irrigation and the outside of the frame is covered with moss, then plugs of plants are put in for a textured design! I googled "Disney topiary" and apparently DIY network had a whole episode on how to make them. Now I have streams of ideas flowing, with using colored moss and textured plants! This is so much faster than waiting for rosemary to fill in a frame. Added Bonus: Moss frame topiaries are mobile since no ground planting is involved, so if needed, I can change the location! My biggest concern now is finding out how in install a drip irrigation system in the frame. Maybe I can just hose it down once a week?

This Jazmin Vine was tangled in a corner near the new location of my worm bins. I dug it up and used an old doggie play pen as it's supporting fence. The location of the Jazmin is perfect, everytime the slightest breeze hits it, the air lifts the vine's perfume arcoss the garden! It also marks a division path so folks don't cut across the newly planted seeds behind it.

*Notice the pvc pipe in front of the jazmin? I placed it there so when the hose snakes around, I don't bang up against the plant!

Are my peas and beans growing? they look the same size as two weeks ago.

The corn has risen and it will be transplanted this week!

The lavander used to be in a pot in this exact location, I decided to plant it so it can be free to expand.

New Improvements!

Ed surprised me and got me mulch! A whole truck load was enough for 4 foot wide 40 foot long path! It feels so spongy and soft to walk on!

The pumpkin vines are doubling each day in size!

The new and improved chicken coop! Same frame, door and chicken wire from the old home was re used. The tool shack was the original chicken coop from like 3 years ago. But since they weren't fenced in they went everywhere they weren't supose to. This was my Mother's Day gift from Ed.

Peas vs Gourds: Round 1... My original plan was to be harvesting peas and beans right about now and reusing the wire home as a gourd home in a couple of weeks. However, with the warm weather, I have a lot of gourd seedlings already emerged with second set of leaves and my peas haven't even touched the wire part of the house. So I decided to zone this area for a gourd pathway which will lead to the giant pumpkin patch area.

New Additions!

For a couple of bucks, we purchased some horseradish. The bottom of the pot is open to help the roots grow, but not spread.

In my strawberry pot, I planted some of the herbs that I plan to use with my reindeer.

The tomatillo's are blooming, the onions, peas and beans have started to popped out.

The boys found something more fun than gardening.

We also purchased a Monarch bush. I'm not sure what kind of bugs are on it, but I'm hoping it's catterpillars.

This week the onions and peas started to pop out the ground!

Finding a home for my Herb Herd!

I decided to set up our bear toward the entrance of the grape vine tunnel. On the other side of the fence (near the lavender) I placed our raspberry, blackberry and boysenberry pot. Yes, all 3 plants are in that container and they are blooming. As soon as the harvest ends, I plan to plant them in the ground right there. To the right of them is my tomato plant container. We can't decide on where to place it best.

The bear will become a blue-bear-y bush as soon as I find a blueberry plant/bush.

The reindeer will create an "herb herd". One is destined to be Rosemary. But the other 3 still are undecided and suggestions are greatly welcome. And while Jasmine isn't an herb, it has crossed my mind to use since it grows pretty fast and has a fragrant smell.

Recycling reindeer frames into Topiaries

My bean home is missing a path or a grand entrance and I noticed my husband, David and Josh were throwing out some old reindeers and a bear decorations. Then it hit me, I can use them in my vegie garden. I am removing the christmas lights from it and was wondering if anyone had any ideas which edible herbs or plants or fruit vines I can use with it. Can I use rosemarry, raspberry or a blueberry bush? I have about three reindeer and one bear that I plan to plant near my bean house . Do you think they would look better as a herd gathered around or have them form a path walking somewhere. Any ideas or sugestions would be great. thanks.

Fixing our home too...

Miguel and his friends re did our back door entrance and paved a portion of our yard. Here the picks of the remodel progress.

Meet the chicks and my little dudes!

Max and Eli are feeding the girls. We have five hens and plan to get more when we relocate their home. They love chasing them and searching for their eggs since one or two of them lay them hidden in bushes.

Between the girls and our boys, they are squishing our tomatillos and the newly sprouting peas. I had to buy a small 2' fence to outline the bean house. I also placed a doggie gate around my artichoke plant since they are eating all the leaves. Hopefully moving the chickens further back will them prevent the from chopping everything down. I wish I could train them to stomp out the weeds instead.

I hosed down the compost bin my mother-in-law gave me. She won it in a compost class we went to a few years ago. My sister-in-law one the worm bin. She also gave that to me. After many causalities the worms are now starting to settle in and are actually giving me worm casting (really good soil). Click on this for more info on compost bins. My boys step on the wagon and help me cut the leaves off branches and put them on the bin.

Since I didn't have much of a yard to work with at the begining of the year, I used a negleted kiddie pool as a radish and beet veggie patch. The veggies are starting to sprout and my hubby said they tasted good!

Seeding our love of Edibles!

Earlier this year I came across an old sunset magazine which had a "one block diet" garden. To grow almost everything you need in your backyard. I had remembered glimpsing the article and not giving it to much thought. Ed and I had planted a few things last year, but nothing really inspired us to live off our land. With the winter rains along with spring heat caused our yard to become a true jungle, weeds grew well over three feet tall. Our boys had a blast playing hide and seek!

Fast forward to the day I re-found the article! It truly inspired me to return to our yard and revive it with flowing edibles! The first sign of inspiration was when Ed pointed out that the artichoke plant had buds that were beginning to grow.

Luckily Ed's brother Mike and some of his friends came down with weed whackers and did away with our jungle. They also removed an old dog run, turned into a tool shed. I gave the frame of shed another purpose: a bean pole house. We brought in good soil and planted seeds of peas, green beans, onions, garlic and shallots. Our neighbors gave us some tomatillo plants.

We had some old fence wooden fences from a previous project. Most of it was reused to create a coop for the chickens. Two pieces were left over and we decided to use them for a grape vine trellis.

The third project in progress is growing a pumpkin patch. We had grown some our first year living here and they did very well considering I planted them in Mid June. Today I got the seeds in the ground. Next to it, I'm going to sprinkle some corn seeds and see if any grow.