Spring is Sprunging

Here at LBR there are some true signs that Spring has arrived...

Yesterday found me calf deep in freshly tilled soil with dirt in my hair and a smile on my face. I was so happy to be back in the garden weeding, tilling, and overall preparing for the feast that is sure to grace our garden in months to come.

Last year was our first year with a garden...EVER. Besides my mom planting a fabulous flower garden each year of my childhood I never quite took to all the fuss. Yes, it looked pretty, but out in the heat sweating and having dirt under my nails...not exactly my thing as a child. I mean, I was a tom boy but not at all the domestic type!! I am so happy to say that things have since changed - now there is nothing I love more then getting dirty, feeling the ache of sore muscles from a project well done, and yes, even scraping the dirt, caulk, paint, and all other sorts of stuff out from under my nails... I suppose when you buy a house that is vintage (the bad vintage) and the yard just so happens to have a 18x24 plot sectioned off for a vegetable garden it is only natural to fall into sync with the DIY gal within. I am happy to say over the past year I have blossomed into a true domesticated DIY creature.

All that being said - growing an organic vegetable garden is a big undertaking. You have to think of layouts, watering systems, ph balances, trimming, weeding, pruning...just thinking about it is a full time job. That is why I decided to throw all caution to the wind and just go for it! I never once tested PH balances, I watered though not as frequently as I should have, I had no idea about a layout and times of the season...things were put in willy nilly, and forget trimming and pruning - the first time I tried to do that E freaked and said I was ruining the tomatoes!! Oh - and it doesn't hurt that our neighbors are organic soil geniuses (I promise to post on them later). Now I am not saying this will work for you...but here is the proof that it worked for us:

We had more zucchini then you could shake a stick at...seriously - I tried!!

Last year we grew: Cucumbers (way too many), zucchini, 10 tomato plants, corn, onions, eggplant, carrots, radishes, lettuce, pumpkin, Brussels sprouts, broccoli, strawberries, blackberries, blueberries, and peppers.

Of course, we did learn a few lessons along the way:

• NEVER ATTEMPT TO PLANT CORN AGAIN...Though the stalks came up and we even ate a bunch the squirrels soon ravaged the ears and then the masses of bugs swarmed in...it was a disaster...

• Cucumbers grow - FAST - and they WILL eventually take over your entire garden if you let them...the DIY trellis was soon built...

• Pumpkins? Why did we plant pumpkins? I don't even like pumpkin pie...

• Brussels Sprouts - First off - I never knew how a Brussels sprout grew until last year which was fascinating to me. The other thing that was fascinating was going to sleep and waking to find the leaves looking like Swiss cheese the next morning. That is when Google and self rising flour came to the rescue...the outcome is not good for the worms...I'm just sayin'.

• During the hot summer months you MUST get in and out of that garden ASAP to prevent malaria...it was a mosquito nightmare...

• We need more basil...seriously - way more basil, please!!

With the amazing garden we planted last year one can't help but wonder...was it beginners luck?? This year will be the true test!! I planted my seedlings about 1.5 weeks back. I came up with a great way to mark them as once they are nestled in their little peat moss pellets it is hard to distinguish one from another:

Just poke those signs right into the side of the pellet...

Here we are about 2 weeks later:

These little babies are GROWING...I can not wait to get them in the garden!!! Right now the whole tray lives in the house near a window until the sun is out and the weather is warm - I move them outside for the day and then back inside at night. In Chicago the weather is extremely temperamental this time of year and it is better to be safe then sorry!! With the seeds on their way I moved on to the big part of the garden...getting the soil back in shape...

Yikes - why didn't I do a better job at the end of last season?? Yesterday I rototilled one section and hand weeded and hand tilled another (the extension cord would only stretch so far...) - by the end of 3 hours I was thirsty, sweaty, and exhausted. Today I will be at it again in hopes of making a real dent in the process...if I don't make it back for Foodie Friday you'll know where to find me...

Peace out...

Interested in how it all turns out?? Stay tuned to LBR on Foodie Fridays where I will make sure to keep ya'll updated on the growings on...get it? Growings instead of goings...I know - maybe I had a bit too much sun yesterday!! :)

Oh - and further proof spring has sprung?? I was featured by Judy at DIY by Design at her swing into Spring party for my $1 Pendant Light post!! Yeah for me!! Please be sure to pop over and check out her blog and the other ladies featured...

Bianca organic vegetable garden, growing vegetables from seeds, rototilling soil, hand tilling, Antaeus Organics