Spring Projects and Garden Plans
Sharon March 15th, 2012
We’re still putting together what our big projects will be, within the usual limits of money, time and chaos 
, but we’ve definitely got the perimeter fencing of the big upper field on the list (to expand our ability to rotationally graze it), more hugelkultur beds and some other ideas floating around. I want to take a quilting class as my 40th birthday present, since my previous quilting exercises have been ummm..kind of primitive (mostly involving large blocks, denim and old flannel , and I’m working on expanding into some new perennial edibles.
What’s on your spring plan list?
Sharon
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Spring projects:
transplant rhubarb (from meadow down a long trail in the woods to our actual yard instead)
order & plant new: blueberry bushes, semi- dwarf plums, and honeyberries
weed and fix up asparagus bed (old wooden raised bed is falling apart)
fix clothesline!
and of course- firewood, always firewood… cutting, splitting, stacking, moving…
We’ve almost finished up a new garden bed, and I’m still waiting on some asparagus crowns to be shipped. It will be the first time I plant anything with that kind of time investment. I also want to set up a worm bin for some extra composting space.
This spring I will be getting in my new perennial herb beds and filling in huge amounts of space in my edible landscaping. Meanwhile, I have a new shed that needs to be landscaped, and since I will be mowing around it, it’s the perfect place for some wildly invasives I want but haven’t had a spot for — mint and horseradish in particular. I also need to fix up my garage.
Moving into early summer I plan to get my potato bins built. Unfortunately I usually can’t get seed potatoes when I need them (July) and I didn’t order ahead, so I don’t know if the bins will be occupied come fall, but if not they’ll be ready for next spring.
Finally, I must come up with the money to get the house painted and at least decide on what I am going to do for erosion correction and control, which will easily cost twice what the house painting will.
Planting flint corn for the first time; hoping to make a three sisters garden, with beans and sweet meat squash.
Researching (and presumably progressing to making) safe vet-approved homemade cat food, as a step toward getting out of the industrial meat system.
Getting more seed starts started.
Enjoying life. Had (another) rude reminder that forgetting to do that is bad for you.
Various others, but I’m off long to-do lists at the moment.
Burying the black plastic drainpipe leading from the rain barrel overflow to the rain garden. Who knew that rabbits or other small critters would hide in the drainpipe when it lay on the ground, then dogs or coyotes or other larger critters would tear apart the drainpipe to get at the small critters?
Getting my DH to redo the PVC pipe leading from the rain barrel overflow to the aforementioned black plastic drainpipe. Last November, a huge limb from the pin oak next door fell across the PVC pipe, smashing it to bits. (The limb also smashed the sliding glass door of the porch that it hit as it fell, but that damage has already been repaired.)
Mulching out the grass around the perimeter of the veggie garden fencing that we expanded outward a few feet this week for better access to the ends of the veggie beds.
Planting the grapevine, gingko tree, and raspberries that are to arrive around the end of the month.
Converting the former raspberry bed into a perennial border (to give passersby something nicer to look at, since that is at the edge of the front yard).
Lots of plans, after we purchase the house that we currently have an offer on. Since its a new house for us, a lot of this year will be spent doing basic sustainability tasks like getting a garden established, building worm bins, installing clotheslines, and weatherizing the house. On my blog I have a more complete list of goals.
I’ve done my preparations for spring garden more thoroughly this year than any other so I’m awaiting pretty good results. Hopefully, the weather won’t put any mischievous obstacles in my way. Tomorrow I’m planting potatoes, sowing Brussel sprouts, artichokes and radish. I’m going to spray apple trees within the next week. My husband’s currently working on greenhouse vents and I’m taking my final steps to purchase everything I need to get the greenhouse into use.