Saturday, May 26, 2018

A Tour of the Container Garden


It may not seem like much compared to you wonderful homesteaders and gardeners out there, but this is what has kept me in the dirt for the last few weeks!! This is a panoramic view of my backyard and container garden, please feel free to click on it for a better look! We will be living here one more year and I think this will be my last garden until we get settled! Sad...but oh my gosh, I can't wait to get settled!!! :)


Strawberry Central: 12 strawberry plants that I bought as roots in April. So far five of the twelve look happy and are growing leaves...I hope the other seven follow suit!


Lettuce Land: I planted four rows, two Romaines, one Iceberg and one leaf lettuce. I saw a very pushy finch poking at the dirt this morning so some more chicken wire is in order!


Herb Haven: Just the beginning! I'll be adding to my herb garden as the weather gets hotter. :)


Sugar Pumpkin Patch: Fingers crossed that I'll have a nice harvest of sugar pumpkins for pies. See the old red barbecue on the left? I'm using it as a planter, trying to grow some ornamental grass called Blue Fescue. I've been trying to grow that stuff since 2013...I may give up if it doesn't work this summer!


Potato Plaza: My old winter tires with some garbage bins, Dianna's potato bag that she sent me last year (thanks Dianna!) and two old plastic bins for potatoes.


Carving Pumpkin Patch: Behind Potato Plaza is my pumpkin patch for carving pumpkins. I'm a Halloweenie so I MUST have pumpkins to carve! Last year I managed three big ones despite the crappy summer, this season I hope to have more!


Garlic Grove: Last autumn I planted garlic bulbs for the first time and look at these babies! I can't wait to harvest them!


Onionopolis: Another new crop for me, Utah Sweet Onions, they are supposed to grow up to a pound each and I've read they work in containers, so we will see. I have a container of Green Onions there as well. I want to plant more Green Onions...so maybe I'll have a Green-Onionopolis in the near future! :)


Tomato County: Mostly regular tomatoes, two containers of Cherry Tomatoes.


Potato Junction with Chive and Carrot Development: I love these names lol...now we cross the border over to Potato Junction! These are the tires I acquired at my wonderful mechanic's shop. He had piles and told me to take what I wanted. I planted two containers of carrots and one container of chives with my fingers crossed because I somehow have a chive-growing-block lately! Near the fence I've planted some wild flowers in those three pots.


Bean Town: Three containers of Yellow Beans, three containers of Green Beans...and I snuck in some Brussels Sprouts on the end of Bean Town. :)


I brought out my Meyer Lemon tree for the season and she looks darn healthy! I can't wait to get some lemons this year!


I've got some more Buttercrunch lettuce growing.


I decided to keep an indoor window garden going all summer. The top shelf is herbs-a-plenty! The middle shelf is Buttercrunch lettuce. The lower shelf is more lettuce and some chives and mint I bought at the nursery last week.


The Flower Follies: Alex found this shelf and the old oar in the basement when we moved here. I finally got this all installed as my gardening station! Joyce's beautiful hummingbird mirror chain graces the follies (thank you Joyce!), along with my wind chimes, my garden gnome Sir Dusty Buttons who watches over the garden, my cardinal and a few pots of flowers...hope to show you them in bloom soon!


As is tradition, Alex picks me wildflowers very often during the nice weather! Here are some lovely little flowers that made my day. :)

48 comments:

  1. Wow! You have been busy . . . but isn't it fun getting outside in the nice warm weather and getting our hands dirty? I love it!
    Happy Gardening.
    Connie :)

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  2. Wow, you are the undisputed Queen of Container Gardening! Just shows to go what you can do when you don't have the land to plant a traditional garden. Makes folks who whine, "I would garden, but I really don't have the room," look pretty silly . . . and lazy.

    Well, pshaw and padiddly-poo, look at everything you have growing in your little back yard. And the inside kitchen garden, of course. You should be very, very proud of your efforts, Ms. Rain. Keep us updated as things begin to grow, please.

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  3. You have a fantastic garden going, already. And in such cool growing containers.

    Chicken wire over things! Yes!

    We have bunnies, bunnies, bunnies here. -sigh- Just don't know what flowers to put in our patio pots, which they will not, just up-and-eat.

    Looked up a list, but... Who knows.

    So sweet, that your man brings you little bouquets!!!!

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  4. That's going to be a great harvest if everything is successful. I am inspired by your chicken wire cover. I'm always fighting rabbits and birds. Now I'm imagining some sort of moveable frame with chicken wire over the top. -Jenn

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  5. You have been busy! Can't wait to see the results (of your hard work) in the fall too. Aww, sweet flower gift!

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  6. I love your container garden, Rain! I hope your hard work pays off in a bountiful harvest.

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  7. wow...you are wonder woman! that's a lot of work but it all looks great! i can't wait to follow your progress. the indoor window garden is very impressive. i had trouble getting chives to grow but once they do you can't get rid of them. i hope you get lots of pumpkins. mine never do very well. i didn't even plant any this year.

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  8. Hi Connie :) I LOVE being in warm weather with dirt under my finger nails lol!

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  9. Hi Mama Pea :) Ha ha ha...undisputed...I need some kind of big wrestler's belt for that title! ;) Thank you :) I'm pretty proud and I finally feel I have some kind of nice garden going! I really hope the strawberries and onions work out, those are the two I'm more iffy about just because I've never grown them before (from root or seed)!

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  10. Hi Wisps of Words :) Thank you! Chicken wire is necessary on a few crops here because of the birds. They eat up all the seeds of the lettuce. Last year they went after my pumpkin seeds, but I started them indoors this year. The squirrels ate all of my strawberries two summers ago, so that cage is staying ON. Actually they did what I do when I have a box of chocolates, they bite into them, then leave the rest lol...reminder to myself to stop doing that! :)

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  11. Hi Jenn :) I sure hope the harvest will be a good one! Not nearly enough to feed us, but I'm hoping we'll have potatoes all winter in storage! That's what I did with the chicken wire, it's a movable frame. It was tough to make because the chicken wire is so "owie"...even with gloves on I manage to poke myself too much. But it's the cheapest solution and I'm glad now that I did that last year.

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  12. Hi Christine :) Yes, I was busy! Happily! :)

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  13. Hi Louise :) Thanks! I hope it pays off too, and if not, I'll have at least learned a few things! :)

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  14. Hi Joyce :) Oh thanks lol...I hope I get lots of pumpkins too. I have a better start this year though, last year it only really got warm in June so everything was late and as you know, the summer just sucked for gardening in general. I'm glad I'm keeping a window garden, it's thriving indoors, I just hope it lasts all winter too, high hopes? ;)

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  15. Thanks Debra :) I'm so happy to have it all done! Now I just have to maintain and mother the garden! :)

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  16. Hi Rain, I think you are growing a lot and it all looks great! Sure wish I had a good window to put an indoor garden! They didn't design this house for a gardener! What size are your pots? They all look to be about the same size. I think I am trying to grow to much in the same pot probably. You should get a lovely harvest! Nancy

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  17. Hi Nancy :) Actually all of those pots I got from the dollar store, they didn't have a size on them, but I figure they hold about 8 liters of soil...they're about a foot high. They work really well for the plants, except the carrots and potatoes that is. :) I can put three plants in each one safely, except the strawberries and onions. The strawberries have one plant per pot and the onions have two seeds per pot. We'll see! :)

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  18. Hi Rain! You have been working really hard. Everything looks terrific. Let's hope for a wonderful season, so you can have a good turnout. I've decided to do mostly container gardening for veggies and such. I think I'd prefer that. I might add strawberries and garlic and onions in the ground, and flowers, of course, but the rest will probably be in containers. I hope you did take some time to relax today! I've been taking it pretty easy. I did make a big batch of marinara sauce and quite a few portions of chickpea noodle soup, but that's not really work :)

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  19. It is amazing what can be grown that close to the north pole!
    You are doing better than I am with many of your plants, I will be doing a lot of weeding next week and maybe I will find some more plants.

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  20. What a wonderful variety you have in your garden and the organization looks great!
    Your pineapple fried rice sounds delicious. I would like to try broccoli beef in the pressure cooker; I've tried it in the slow cooker a few times but I wasn't impressed; my youngest liked it and requests it time to time.

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  21. This is just the best post!! I love how you named all your areas! Beantown! Ahahahahah!

    Slowly crawling out from boxes and newspaper to catch up with two weeks worth of blogs!

    I am planting potatoes tonight (decided to just get those in) and last Friday I was gifted two red and one yellow raspberry bushes so those are going in the ground tonight. We are due rain the next two days so this will be good timing!

    Love your garden Rain, just love it!

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  22. I love seeing all your various plants in various containers. You are so resourceful. I'm growing flowers this year as I've had such bad experience in recent years trying to grow veggies in containers and I just got burned out on the whole thing. You make me want to at least try growing some herbs in pots, though. You're always inspiring, friend.

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  23. Hi Martha :) Oh no, cooking isn't really work :) I agree! Thanks! I love the container garden, it'll be a bit sad to leave it behind, but the beauty of these containers is that I can take them anywhere. I love them because they are virtually weed-free! I hope your garden thrives too! :)

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  24. Hi Gill :) I know, the things we northern folk can do when the snow melts huh? ;) Enjoy your weeding :)

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  25. Hi Stefanie :) I make the broccoli beed dish in the wok. It's so quick to do once you have all of your veggies and meat prepared. And thanks! I spent so much time moving containers and tires back and forth trying to figure out where they'd get the most sun! :) Sore arms! :)

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  26. Hi Dianna :) Ha ha...I knew you'd love those names, I think my favourite is Bean Town hee hee! :) Thanks! I LOVE my garden too! :) Good luck with your taters! I hope the deer don't eat all of your raspberries!

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  27. Hi Becki :) Thank you! :) I'm hoping to have more luck with my herbs. I have some kind of chive, mint and oregano block lately! The basil, parsley and cilantro are growing wild though, I love that! :) I hope you try a little herb garden, it's so much nicer to pick your own herbs for dinner than to buy them! :)

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  28. It is pure magic how much you produce in limited space! I can hardly imagine what you will grow when you're settled and have a regular garden!!! I just hung out my Joyce mirror chain, too, and it is so lovely to watch! You are a marvel! xo

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  29. Loving the garden...You have so much going on! You have got to have a better green thumb than I do when it comes to veggies. I am not even sure at this point if my 3 green tomatoes will even turn! haha...

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  30. You'll keep up the good work!e eating well in a while and then through the winter.

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  31. Wow, I don't even know what to say??? You go girl!! This is so brilliant!!!! Big Hugs!

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  32. I wish I had the patience to be a gardener.

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  33. Are you growing Easter eggs? ;-)

    I love your wire idea in the second photo. I am assuming it keeps the critters out? Now why didn't I think of that? The deer around here go crazy for gardens!

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  34. Thank you Susan :) I'm loving this container garden! Those mirror chains are so magical, I just love them! :)

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  35. Hi Pam :) Thank you! Oh no, I hope your tomatoes are okay...sometimes we have a green thumb when we least expect it lol! ;)

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  36. Thanks Jono :) This is the biggest garden I've tried so far and I have high hopes!

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  37. Thanks Magic Love Crow :)!! So far so good!

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  38. Hi Guillaume :) Patience is definitely something you need, that and lots of work and LOTS of luck and cooperation from Mother Nature!!

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  39. Thanks Sis :) Aren't we lucky? :)

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  40. Ha ha ha Sandi, that's funny! Before Easter, I painted some eggs and they found their way into my lemon tree, I just left them there hee hee....thanks for noticing! :) Yes! the chicken wire. I use it to keep the squirrels off the strawberry plants, and when I seed, I have birds who sneak by and try to take my seeds out of the ground! So last year was chicken wire heaven around here. :)

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  41. Looks like your garden is coming along great!! You'll be getting lots of goodness from that. Have a great week.

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  42. Looks great Rain! Our lemon tree did not make it through the freeze but both of our limes have come back.

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  43. Thanks Kristina :) Now I just need more sunshine!

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  44. Thanks TB :) Oh no! Sorry about the lemon tree!

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❤ Thanks for your comment, I love hearing from everyone! ❤ Why not join me and my fellow artists every Thursday for TADD? That's Thursday Art and Dinner Date! It's a lot of fun!
Love,
Rain