Another weekend is almost over. I was able to get through a couple of projects this weekend. I’ll be sharing them with you later this week. At this moment I’m happy because there appears to be no rain in the forecast this week.

I have not been able to get anything done in my vegetable garden since June. It poured down rain the last Saturday in June as we were leaving out of town. More heavy rain occurred while we were gone. When I arrived back home the garden was underwater in spots. The puddles went away but more rain last week kept it too wet to work in. It is finally drying out.

Tomorrow I will take my garden back from those pesky weeds. The mulch helps so much. If it weren’t for the mulch I would have a mess! I also have other odd jobs out there as well. My cantaloupes need some fencing to keep them somewhat contained. The gourds will have to be checked to be sure they’re staying in their cages. The cucumbers will be needing that as well.

The only problem I have with the weeds is they’re getting tall. I don’t want to just dump them in the compost pile. I’ll take the time to shred them before I add them. This will speed their decomposition.

I’m sure I’ll find more to do as I get into it. But the more I find, the longer I can spend doing what I enjoy.

I’ll see you in the backyard!

I’m now harvesting lettuce out of the garden. It feels nice to begin reaping the rewards of the work.

Tomorrow I’ll put the last seeds in the ground. I left a short row empty for a later planting of green beans. The first sowing is thriving so it’s time for another planting.

I wonder how long it will take me to decide to try and add just one more thing?

I’ve done a couple of new thing this year. I’ve planted some extra zucchini in the pots of compost in the center of my tomato plant groupings. I’ll see if I can get something out of them as well as using them as a way to add nutrients to the tomatoes.

The other thing was plant a hill of cantaloupe inside an open barrel of unfinished compost. The cantaloupe are of a small variety and I think they will stay on the vine as it climbs out of the barrel. We’ll see. I can always support them if need be.

I’ll see you in the backyard!

Once you have decided a raised bed is right for you it’s time to get started.

The first thing is to decide where the bed will be located. A raised bed can be placed anywhere, even over a solid surface such as concrete. Any spot with enough sun for whatever it is you decide to plant will work fine.

Just remember, if you put a raised bed over a solid surface, a layer of gravel will be needed to promote drainage. Try to avoid placement too close to a large tree. The tree’s roots will try to grow up into the rich soil of your bed.

When the location has been decided, it’s time to decide on size. It is best not to make a bed over four feet wide. A wider bed makes it difficult to reach the middle.

A bed can be built of many different materials including natural stone and precast wall stones. The most popular choice seems to be wood or the newer “plastic lumber” that is now available. Do not use pressure treated lumber. Use a wood with natural longevity such as cedar, redwood or cypress.

When building a raised bed out of lumber, here are the basics: Purchase the lumber and cut it to size. Predrill the holes and fasten the bed together with screws. Support braces are used to secure the multiple stacks of the bed together to reach the desired height. Pipes driven into the ground and secured to the bed with pipe hangers keep the bed stationary. Pipes can be mounted just to the lumber of a bed positioned on a solid surface. These pipes should be positioned across from one another.

These pipes act as a support for an overhead framework for row covers, shade cloth or frost protection. Insert a smaller diameter rod into the pipe and the other end into the opposing pie to form arches. These arches will support your various materials.

After the bed is built it can be filled with a soil and compost mix. You will first want to add rock for drainage if on a solid site. Hardware cloth can be installed on the bottom as well to prevent rodents from tunneling into the bed. A thick layer of newspaper or landscape fabric can be added if desired to prevent weeds from coming through. After the soil mix is added it can be watered in. Allow it to settle for a day or two and you’re ready to plant.

Raised beds can be planted with most anything you would plant in a vegetable garden. Some vining plants can even be added and trained up a trellis system. Heavy mulching will help retain moisture and prevent weeds.

I’m planning on building a raised bed to grow additional raspberries. The options are nearly limitless.

I’ll see you in the backyard!

What types of things can be added to a compost pile? Many things from the house as well as the yard and garden.

I keep a five quart ice cream pail under the kitchen sink. This is where I keep all the kitchen scraps until it is emptied into the compost pile.

Most kitchen scraps can be composted. Examples include spoiled fruits and vegetables, fruit and vegetable scraps, stale bread, peanut shells and coffee grounds to name a few. You’ll be amazed at how many things can be composted.

Meat scraps are not recommended for composting, or anything with high salt or sugar contents.

Shredded paper makes a wonderful addition to the compost pile. With a heavy duty paper shredder you can even shred light cardboard. From cereal boxes to cake mix boxes- and everything in between.

Adding a layer of shredded paper on top of kitchen scraps helps to keep any odors down.

Weeds, small pruning scraps and garden waste can be added to the pile. Sod scraps, straw and pine needles can be added as well. You will find many items to add from your yard and garden.

I add some grass clippings and leaves, but use those mostly for garden mulch.

An occasional addition of fertile soil adds beneficial “stuff” to the pile.

As your container fills up, turn the material occasionally. I found that a second container is a great help. The compost mixes well while being shoveled from one container to another. You may even find yourself wanting to add a third container. This is helpful to start a new batch while the other is being mixed between two containers.

I’ll see you in the backyard!

How do I start composting?

I have been asked that question a number of times. It is very easy to do. But before I describe how to go about it, lets talk about how it works.

Decomposition of organic matter is a natural process. We can speed it up by composting. This is done by adding a variety of items to the pile while maintaining some control over heat and moisture.

Heat is created in the composting process. When heat is lost in a compost pile it needs to be turned and mixed. Try to keep the materials as moist as a wrung out sponge.

I began my first compost pile in a garbage can. That is still the method I use today.

Start by finding a suitable location for your container. Add a layer of soil or sand in the bottom to keep the container from blowing over in the wind. Keeping the lid secured keeps the rain out as well as any wild visitors.

In part two I will provide a list of some items for composting. Some tips will be included to help you be successful.

I’ll see you in the backyard!

I just realized that we’re nearing the end of International Composting Awareness Week.  It ran from Sunday, May 4 through Saturday, May 10.

In honor of this event I will soon be passing along some composting tips.

These tips will include a simple way to compost in smaller yard settings.

Stay tuned.

I’ll see you in the backyard!

Today I was finally able to complete my work in the raspberry patch.

It mostly consisted of transplanting those I had rooted in late last summer.

A trailing raspberry can be rooted by burying a branch in the soil. It will produce roots and can then be separated from the mother plant.

Those plants were cut loose and dug up. They were then replanted in a mix of soil and compost,

I then added a fresh layer of compost to the established plants. They then received a layer of mulch. In this instance, it was grass clippings.

An added note: Upright growing berries produce additional plants from their roots. these can be transplanted by carefully digging them free of the mother plant.

I’ll see you in the backyard!

When I first began planting my current garden area, the soil was less than desirable, so I added lots of compost. Mulching with grass clippings helped keep the moisture in and the weeds under control.

At the end of the season, I would use the tiller to work it all into the soil. My sons and I raked all of the fallen leaves into the garden area and spread them evenly. The next spring, I tilled them under and was ready to plant.

I am at the point now where I won’t till it this year. The soil has become more fertile. Dig anywhere and you will find an abundance of earthworms. You’ll find, if you haven’t already, they are a gardener’s best friend.

I plan on planting pumpkins, gourds, Indian corn, and sunflowers this year. I’ll mulch it with last year’s leaves and this year’s lawn clippings.

Most of my vegetables will be planted in containers and raised beds. I just want to try something different, even though it may limit my planting choices.

I’ll see you in the backyard!

If you plan on using tomato cages, put them on right after you plant. This year, I am also using cages on the pepper plants. Last year’s crop had the plants bent over and some were even breaking. Here is another quick tip for planting:

• Plant a grouping of 3 or 4 plants.
• Berm the soil around the plants so it appears they are in a saucer. This keeps the water where you want it.
• Place a pot of compost in the middle of the grouping. Make sure there are at least 4 holes (one in each corner) in the bottom of the container.
• When watering the plants, water the pot of compost instead. The water drains out of the bottom, bringing nutrients with it.

I’ll see you in the backyard!

Welcome to The Backyard Gardener. I hope you will enjoy this as much as I enjoy writing it.

My goal is to help everyone get the most out of their gardening experiences. It doesn’t matter whether you are growing vegetables or plants, wondering what perennials would work best in that shady spot, or have other questions about anything else; I’m here to help.

Here is a sampling of things I’ll be including:

• At the Garden Gate (page) – To answer your questions and offer helpful tips
• In the Shed (category) – Covers hand an powered tools; includes tips for care and maintenance, and purchasing suggestions
• Birds and Bees (category) – Here you can read all about beneficial insects, birds, and related items

There are many things I hope to cover throughout the year; but much will depend on your questions and requests.

Spring is upon us, so I’ll begin with typical springtime projects. When summer arrives, I’ll cover ways to get more abundant harvests from our gardens. As fall approaches, it will be time to harvest the last of our plantings, and hope to extend the growing season as long as possible. That will also be the time for lawn and yard cleanup, and preparing our tools for winter storage.

I hope to finish the year off with topics such as: choosing and caring for a live Christmas tree; decorating; and gift ideas for the gardener.

I’ll see you in the backyard!