Panda Academy: Where Teacher is Spelled M-O-M-M-Y

• Jun. 5, 2008 - More Pics of the Asphalt Victory Garden

To save time, I'm just putting up the pics, big as they are. Sorry if it's too much. I've got tons to do tonight and wanted to share our garden progress plus show you all the "leaves and debris" we're in trouble with the health dept. for so you can see for yourself. Thanks for reading. ~Heidi A long shot of 3 garden beds. Front to back we have: Salsa Bed - planted with garlic, white onions, tomatoes, 3 surviving purple asparagus, and cilantro Bean and Pea Bed - planted with purple, red, and blue beans and peas, cucumbers, dill (not doing so well,) and I think some cabbage (if it's not a companion plant, then no) Melon Turned Tomato Bed - 8 rows of melon seeds and plants and only 1 plant is living. It got replanted with 6 tomatoes and some white cabbage In this year's Asphalt Garden Sign Bed we have an eggplant, a tomato plant, and some strawberries. This is in front of the flowering cherry tree and an area we'll be bricking around and mulching to make it an "official bed" so we won't get in trouble for it. (You can see my eyes rolling, right?) Beside the Asphalt Garden Sign, we have a small bed. One day, it will hold a climbing rose. For now, it's a spot for green squash and strawberries. The squash was only supposed to be there for a short while but it'll stay for now. Our Pile-O-Dirt Potatoes! So proud of these guys. An old potato, cut up, and tossed into a pile of dirt has become our best growing potato bed this year. Go Mother Nature! This will soon be surrounded by a new garden box since the unknowing only see "dirt, leaves, and weeds" rather than a mound of food for the winter. Our main Potato Bed - planted with red potatoes, blue potatoes, red cabbage, white cabbage, and 2 fairy tale eggplants. Behind it is one of the Blueberry Beds which also contain strawberries. Our Wheel Barrel Bed planted with...I have no clue but they were pretty! We also stuck in some Brussels Sprouts because we didn't have space elsewhere for the whole flat. Oh, on the ground, which you can't really see since it's behind the wheel barrel, are 2 rhubarb plants and some daffodils. This Strawberry Bed, now sports 2 tomato plants, red and white onions, garlic, and red leaf lettuce. Tucked away in the corner between it and the gazebo is an onion and some strawberries. I love using up little spaces for food plants! Strawberry Bed on the side of the gazebo. This one too, we're worrying about because of the leaves. Strawberries decayed leaves, btw. Clematis and Climbing Rose bed. I must post a more recent picture of this. The miniature rose bush is in full bloom and so pretty! Go Nor'East Miniature Roses! I save the Gazebo Bed for last. Here we have tomatoes, basil, red and white onions, and some parsley in the back. The lower tear holds romaine lettuce and the edible flowers (assuming they come up) of Johnny Jump-Ups and Bachelor Buttons. Note the lettuce plants tucked into the large cinder block holes between tiers. I thought it was such a cool idea. Next we have more tomatoes and tucked in herbs and onions in the back. Sage, rosemary, and basil are in the lower tier. On the floor are flats of ground covers that were "seeded" in the front yard. There are now more flats of ground covers waiting to be planted and lettuces to give to my hsing friend, Kel P./3littlemonkeys. This is the newly reconstructed right half of the gazebo. The back was built the same as the left - 2 cinder blocks high and one cinder block wide. This allowed tomatoes and peppers to be planted at their proper depths and to be supported by poles and fencing. The lower tier just happened to work out the way it did. Cinder blocks are big and heavy, so you do the best you can. This design allows for easy access to the back row. In the back, we have more tomatoes, onions, and herbs. Below them and to the middle of the picture, we have lots of herbs (oregano, bee balm, thyme, and whatever else caught our fancy.) The two lower beds towards the bottom of the picture contain lettuce, spinach, Brussels Sprouts, and chives. This the last section of the right side of the gazebo. It's K's section. In the back tier are his 9 pepper plants...maybe he's up to 12 now. He has a row of Bright Light's Swiss Chard in the back section of the lower tier. Behind them, another row of peppers. In front is the lettuce and spinach bed with the chives and Brussels Sprouts in the left lower bed. One last thing, promise. I counted the other day. We have a grand total of 32 tomato plants. Yes, 32 plants for 3 people, one of whom won't touch 'em, and another who is mildly allergic. If just half survive to produce, we'll have more than last year. The plan is to can up as much as possible, not just tomatoes, pickles, and salsa but ratatioulle and stew as well. Thanks for reading. ~Heidi

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