Spring has finally made it’s way to Indiana – and decided to stay once and for all, it seems! I spent every waking hour this past (gorgeous) weekend outside, cleaning up our front porch, backyard, and around the garage, pulling weeds, potting plants, and taking note of the many outdoor projects that are just waiting to be started, especially when it comes to our garden.
Last year, I hardly put any thought into our little garden at all – and while our last minute, crazy jumble of randomly selected produce actually fared quite well, I think doing my research this time around will yield even better results.
We used an old sandbox that our landlords had left behind as a garden bed, and it made for a great one, albeit, a little difficult to tend to once the plants really took off. This year, I plan to expand and do away with the sandbox, replacing it with four narrower raised beds and a tiny bed on stilts as well.
I still need to investigate whether it’s safe to group certain plants together as I’m hoping to (last year we had a lot of hybrid things going on – cucumberish-watermelons, cross-pollinated tomatoes…), but here’s what I’m currently thinking:
- In the first bed, various kinds of tomato and peppers.
- In the second, green beans, cucumber, eggplant, lettuce, and melon.
- In the third, a mix of herbs and edible flowers (so excited for this!!!)
- In the fourth, a selection of root vegetables – including potatoes, carrots, onions, and garlic.
- In the small, stilted bed, I plan to attempt transplanting our strawberries from last year and also trying some blackberries and/or raspberries in that one.
If you’re an experienced gardener, perhaps you could offer some advice? Does this plan look okay? Did it make you cringe? Anything I should plan to move, add, or take away? I’d love your suggestions, if you’ve got them!
I’ve been spending some time on this site for tips when it comes to raised bed gardening, and love the “themed” garden bed ideas at this one – um, a cocktail garden? An everything-you-need for a great salad or salsa or pizza garden? Sign me up!
We’ll be spending plenty of time updating our landscaping and working on our home’s curb appeal, too – I’ve literally been dreaming about things like expanded flowerbeds and shutters and maybe even a small deck. It’s been great making progress inside of the house all winter, but I’m ready to trade in the paint fumes and ladders for fresh air and garden gloves – for a little while, at least!
What are some of the outdoor projects you’re excited to start on now that spring has sprung?
xo, Aly