Well, we've had a rather late spring so planting has been put off. I have started the beans and lettuce but really only the beans have sprouted with vigor. I was going to save costs by planting from seed, but I may just fall back on starts from the farmers market again. I've also started reorganizing the garden layout to get more usable space, add a greenhouse, and get more yield. I also have 16 single-paned old wood-framed windows to incorporate as cold frames, so this year the goal is to have more succession planting, with year-round gardening.
Hot Pile!! With the addition of the hay/chicken poo from the bird brooders I am happy to report that I have my first hot pile compost going! It was so exciting to turn it over and have steam come off of the mix. I've moved the pallet pile to under the rhody so it makes a nice 'picket fence' look, and added a second in anticipation of all the chicken poo I'll be getting from the coop. Only thing I have to worry about now is not letting it age long enough. I would like to get some worms going too, but until I can find an old sink or bathtub to use, that is on the back burner.
Raised Beds!! Well Dan built the raised bed along the walkway to the garage with scrap wood, and it's made the walkway so much cleaner. That bed has 19 asparagus crowns in it, and I just planted 16 Sequoia strawberry plants I got from my coworker. I think it's a good use of the space and visually interesting. I also put in the artichoke bed but have yet to fill in the rest of the space. I wasn't going to put artichokes the whole way, but I'm thinking I just might now, what else would grow there?
Hops!! With the worldwide hop shortage, hops for the homebrewer have become more expensive and harder to get. So those of us homebrewers that have greenthumbs have started planting our own hops! Not only are homegrown hops cheaper, but because they are harvested when they are ripe (and not the average ripeness that commercial growers use to harvest by) the hops are fresher and higher quality. So, even though it pains me to venture into the over-hopped waters of pale ales and IPAs, look for my homegrown hop ales next year! I have Mt. Hood, Williamette, Brewer's Gold, and Fuggles.