Weekend Progress

Inside the house:

Curiosity got the best of us and we began ripping down the trim and panelling in the living room. We're delighted to find that there are actual plaster walls underneath and not just cinder block or frame (though given the home's age that wouldn't make a lot of sense.) We are a little dismayed at what bad shape they're in. Do stud finders not work on plaster walls? Because someone dug a dozen holes in this section alone trying to find them.

I also found a vintage dining room table and five chairs for an excellent price. They fit the room perfectly and the couple who runs the furniture store delivers for 25$! Yes, we could have hauled it into the truck ourselves, and up the trillion stairs, but it was great to have someone else lift heavy stuff for once.

Isn't the detailing on the chairs so fun?

Outside progress:

I revised my initial planting plan a bit since we only had one bed in the ground and filled with soil. We keep a binder with all the home stuff like beer recipes we like, cheese successes, garden plans, and all the receipts for the house projects.

The peonies are looking excellent! I wonder what colors they'll be. Had I known the house came with peonies, I'd probably have bought it sooner.

There is ONE BERRY on a few of the strawberry plants, which is pretty thrilling.

AND: the first raised bed is in the ground, level-ish, and planted with the cold hearty veggies like spinach, peas, and root vegetables. We had a nice sprinkle last night; now all we need is good sun for the next few days and magic should happen.

Progress not pictured: we framed up the other raised bed, I bought paint for the living room and kitchen, Alex fixed the back screen door, and I dug a few trenches for Asparagus. I thought about planting them, but the soil temperature should really be a bit higher than it is right now. We're still digging out from under the pile of dirty laundry we took with us from the old house (our washer and dryer at the apartment were broken and expensive.) Somehow, though, the laundry machine pictures didn't turn out as gripping as I thought they'd be...

Raised Bed Construction Commences!

I've been itching to get the raised beds in since it's great weather for growing spinach, peas, and onions. Raised beds are great for a couple of reasons. First, the soil doesn't get trampled so it isn't compacted as quickly. Second, it allows you to plant even when you're not too sure about the quality of the soil on your property. We're close enough to an old steel mill in Hazelwood that I'd rather be safe than sorry. Finally, you can produce much more in a smaller space than you could with traditional row gardening.

My wonderful father lent us his little pickup truck for the next month so we can haul lumber, dirt, and anything else that doesn't fit on my back or in Alex's tiny car.

The materials:

1) UNTREATED lumber (that pressure treated stuff is toxic and you have to line the beds, which is extra work and extra plastic) ; for each 4x8 bed we used 3 - 2x8s and a bunch of 2x4s cut into 18inch pieces

2) Long screws; we used 3 1/2 inchers

The day after we got the lumber Alex worked. Day two I worked. Day three was a thunder storm with hail that pummeled my new herb garden. Day four Alex finally began the project while I was at work. We were so close! But alas, the screwdriver bit on our drill was just too stripped to attach the final leg and the screws are really too big to do by hand. Alex heads out of town today so this project will have to wait a while. I'm not strong enough to lift the whole thing myself and position it in the side yard (which gets the best sunlight.)

Still, the incomplete bed is looking pretty snazzy, amiright?

The legs will be buried underground and then we'll fill the bed with compost and good organic soil. We'll be experimenting with the Square Foot Gardening technique this year (which you can learn more about here.)

In other gardening news, the strawberries are bearing the tiniest little fruits. Cauliflower and Collard Greens are looking great. Some little critter is nibbling the leaves of the brussel sprouts.