In the beginning of this year, I wasn’t sure how my gardens were going to turn out since I was due to have my baby girl in early June.
However, having my garden areas at home has allowed my husband to help me in maintaining them and has made it significantly easier for me to weed when I can.
I still have my community garden plots a few blocks away which I have dedicated to low maintenance perennial herbs as well as a second strawberry patch.
Now that I’m five weeks postpartum, I’m feeling much better and enjoying the time I’m able to spend in my gardens. It’s great being able to step outside and enjoy what’s growing.
So far, my areas are disease free and I haven’t had a problem with garden pests. Besides the dry weather we’ve had, I would say it’s been an amazing season.
Front Yard
My husband and I tilled up more of our front yard this year.
I’m not sure if I ever shared our story?
A few years ago, my next door neighbor had his huge soft maple tree removed from his front yard. It opened up the sky and allowed the sun to shine on my front yard for most of the day. I knew I had to take advantage of this situation. So, year by year, we’ve expanded our garden in the front yard.
What I enjoy the most about my garden in front is seeing people on their walks stop to admire what’s growing.
I’ve even seen cars stop for a few minutes to look.
It’s a great feeling to see people take interest in how food is grown.
Hopefully, allowing them to see the beauty in growing food and also – in some way, to help further the urban homesteading movement.
This year I decided to stake my tomatoes using the Florida weave technique that I learned over at Seattle Seedling. I’m really enjoying the simplicity of this technique.
However, I am behind in weaving. These plants are growing fast.
Backyard
Last year, my hubby tilled up the sunniest location in our backyard to expand our gardens.
This spot is doing excellent as its been highly amended with homemade compost.
I can’t wait to see the zinnias and 4 o’clocks come to bloom along the side of my homemade pallet fence. Not only will they serve as companion plants attracting beneficial insects, but they’ll also bring such beauty to this space.
I let my chickens into the area as well and they’ve eaten away at my green cabbage and kale.
However, they’ve been eating bad garden bugs as well – so, I let them have their share 😉
It’ll soon be time to pull out my cabbage and broccoli plants. Unfortunately, with the extreme heat they hardly produced.
However, seeing one head of cauliflower turn from a brilliant white to purple made taking care of the whole lot completely worth it.
It was an heirloom variety that I started from seed. I can’t wait to use it.
It’s always captivating to see how our food starts with a flower.
It starts in beauty and ends in nourishment.
Yes, definite evidence of creation.
How are your gardens growing? How has your season been treating you? Feel free to like Spain in Iowa on facebook and share any pictures or links of your garden.
So cool! Looks great, but you didn’t say anything about that little greenhouse back there… is that what it is?? So, you just let your chickens roam in there? I can’t let ours in because they start scratching up all the new shoots and dig up my lettuce and strawberries!! Guess yours are a little more considerate 😉 LOL!!
Hi Mare! Yeah, it’s a small greenhouse. I keep my seedlings in there in early Spring to give them a nice jumpstart. I don’t let my chickens in the garden all the time as they like to scratch up my straw as well. I hate that, lol!
That is so cool to have a garden in your front yard! Maybe people are looking at it and thinking, hmmm, a much better idea than grass! And I envy you your beautiful Iowa soil. I really have to work hard to get my heavy clay southern Illinois soil to produce well.
We have been very dry, but watered the tomatoes and cukes to nurse them along. We finally got 1.5 inches of rain and wow did the garden perk up! we usually are frost free until Nov so I am planning on putting out a nice fall garden.
It’s been dry here as well Trish. I envy your 1.5 inches of rain. I’m praying that we get a substantial amount soon.
Gorgeous!
Thanks for the link love, friend! Your garden is looking lush and lovely! 🙂
Your garden looks great! Consider yourself lucky that you have not been invaded by Japanese Beetles. In Eastern Iowa they are really bad this year-many types of trees have been eaten alive & they love our green beans & basil 🙁 Considering the extreme heat & dryness though, it has been a pretty productive year so far! I love the idea of your front-yard garden, there is an older couple near us who have a small plot in the front of their yard-I love to walk by there & see what they have going on!