Cultivar

It's only February, but I'm already laying the groundwork, literally, for the thornless blackberry harvest that I expect in just under six months.  Following some basic how-to instructions, I recently relocated them from either side of the sidewalk leading up to the front door to a long row between the back fence and the alleyway.*  After what has been a very dry winter, the rains have finally arrived and will hopefully encourage my little blackberry shoots to put down strong and happy roots.  I'm hoping for more than a handful of berries this year.

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Chart o' Graph

My mapping experience is coming along.  Taking and recording measurements stretches my spacial-reasoning muscles.  It's a solitary activity that, unsurprisingly, I quite enjoy.  The process of checking, double checking, and checking back again for the sake of precision and accuracy is satisfying.

Encompass

01 february 2014 . saturday . (day one thousand four hundred eighty-nine)

The garden plan for this coming year involves putting a temporary cage around the fruit trees.  The idea is that each tree will sit inside a 4' diameter circle composed of 4' high chicken wire or mesh.  I haven't yet decided what will live in the circles with the trees.  ...maybe flowers or herbs or bulbs or borage.  In the end, it doesn't really matter so long as the trees are protected from hungry deer.  Over this last weekend, J. and I took advantage of the sunny weather to work in the yard.  I was able to encircle three of the front-yard fruit trees with leaf mulch, cardboard, and more leaves.

Conversion, or, A Little More of the Same

After a bit more measuring, I have the front and side yard mapped out.  I kind of wish that I had surveying skills so that I knew how to make the proper accommodations for the raise in elevation.  Our lot is actually more rectangular, without the jut-out to the right, but for my garden plotting purposes, this "floor plan" will do.

...the Ground Up

Last year's garden grew leaps and bounds over the year before.  I intend for this year to be even better than last (weather permitting of course).  A detailed plan should help us get the most bang for our time and effort.  Hopefully more purposely protected beds will keep deer from being an issue.  Also, I'd like to streamline the watering (yes... pun intended) with either sprinklers or drip lines.

Little by little, I will be making sketches of our corner lot and converting them to usable to-scale drawings.  Yesterday, I plotted the area between the house and the sidewalk along the southern corner of the house.

Mid-Term, or, Progress Report

Of all the garlic and shallots that were planted, only one variety has shown any signs of growth.  Still... it's amazing that with little to no care, it's growing.

Allium

Unless meticulously and constantly tended, a garden quickly takes on a questionable appearance.  Thankfully with the departure of our foster dog and the giant behavioral leaps of our own plus the two day break in the rainclouds, J. and I were able to devote a bit of time over the weekend to weeding and planting.  Four 4x4 foot beds have been prepped and planted with garlic and shallots.

Although the deer shouldn't be a problem but the excessive amount of stray cats very likely will find a use for the fresh ground, I reused the cages that I made for the shelling bush beans this summer.