The deer fence is finally up, our biggest project and necessity before the garden can really get going. It turned out to be both easier and more complicated than I expected. Because our garden is built on a moderate incline, we had to bunch the fencing at some of the posts to prevent the change in elevation from causing unwanted slackness. However, the whole process was faster than anticipated, with the entire fence up and ready to go in about two-and-a-half hours. And we were immediately reminded of what all the work was for as several deer watched us finishing up at dusk. Worrying that the deer would run right through the fencing in the dark, we strung Christmas lights along the fence, making a cheery addition to the garden!
With the deer fence already in place, planting can start at last! Over the weekend, I seeded the first rounds of salad mix, arugula, and beans just in time for a perfect week of rainy spring weather to help get them going. Today, I got some cucumbers in the ground. Now that we’re into May, we are in the window when it begins to be safe to plant frost-sensitive plants, including beans, cucumbers, and other summer favorites. As a result, the pepper, eggplant, and tomato seedlings, which have been patiently growing under lights in our laundry room since March, were brought outside for the first time yesterday. They’ll get to spend more and more time outside over the next week as they are hardened off in preparation for planting!
This year will certainly be a bit of trial-and-error, as it always is the first season growing in a new location. We’ll soon find out what grows well in our soil and what pests, diseases, and weeds we will have the most trouble with. But at this point, we’re just excited for the journey to begin!
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