One thing about gardening and that it is an ongoing process. There are always things to do to care for, upgrade, and maintain what you’re doing. When it comes to the construction side of our homestead Michael is the one who carries us through. He sees every project as not done until it is finished. He can push me through it, even when I really want to quit! I value that I make myself work harder and see it to the end. The finished product is the true reward.

Gardening it is a totally different mentality than construction. There is no finished point. Everything you do every day is a process. Plants and flowers show off at different points. Some things are in the works to be planted, other things are planted, fertilized, and growing. Each day looks different than the other. Things live and they die. Unexpected things happen with weather, bugs or for no known reason. It is truly chaos to a finisher. However, when you go outside and cut off some fresh vegetables, bring them inside, and cook them up for dinner you can’t help but get it!

To know where your food comes from and how it was cared for is more than a peace of mind. You know from start to finish what was put in the soil, on the plants and how it was washed and cleaned. Clean eating is not only eating healthy non-processed foods but also food that were grown organically and without pesticides. Using nature to work for you in the growing process is so important in ensuring that what you are growing will meet these specifications. Bees, worms, butterflies, and ladybugs are just a few of natures gifts to growing a successful garden.

Growing your own garden is a constant journey. It requires a lot of thought and planning. Here is my forte! I am a planner and I think every little detail through and through. I weigh out the pros and cons. I research and figure out what my options are and how to execute them. Usually I plan big. Then the reality is every step is very time consuming. The key is get the dirt turned and ready. You can want to have a million things but until you have the dirt ready to receive seeds or plants nothing is going to happen.

Raised Gardens are Great

Up to this point my stainless steel custom raised garden we moved here had been my favorite thing. I put cold weather veggies in it last summer right after we moved in. It fit 5 Okra, 6 cabbage, 6 cauliflower, and 6 collard plants. It’s easy to maintain and easy to access. However, it is limited. About ten years ago, when I first got it, I planted way too many things. I remember being so excited and thinking “I want squash, zucchini, cucumbers, tomatoes, beets, herbs etc etc.” Nothing had space and although several things produced I learned spacing is everything with plants.

I planted a couple new things in it this spring. I have decided to try to grow artichokes. I have always wanted to grow them. It should be interesting to see how they grow. I also put broccoli in the raised garden. Broccoli is a colder weather vegetable and since the raised garden gets less sun where it is located the hopes is the broccoli will thrive. The raised garden is easy to monitor what you are growing and helps keep weeds away. If you want to start growing your own vegetables I highly recommend trying a raised garden. It is great for smaller spaces, too! You can buy one at your local garden center or build your own.

We just built two raised gardens for our new ground garden area!

We are using these raised garden planters to plant herbs and flowers to attract bees, butterflies and ladybugs to the ground garden. The herbs will be thyme, chives, basil and dill and cilantro. Then for blooming flowers we will add lavender, cosmos, chamomile, and zinnias. We are incorporating the raised planters with a bench and table set I have had a while to have a beautiful sitting area by the vegetable garden. After working in the vegetable garden we can have a spot to sit, relax, and enjoy it all. Isn’t that what it’s really all about? I will also be able to harvest my herbs at ease and cut fresh flowers to bring in the house.

We built our own raised gardens. Give it a shot! It took us one day. They are not difficult to make. We even had Michael’s 8 year old granddaughter participating by drilling holes for the screws. She used the power drill and made all of the holes herself! She enjoyed being a part of the building process and it made her want to be a part of the garden.

Getting engaged with your projects and understanding their purpose brings people together, working towards the same end goal.

Seeing her learn how to drill holes at a young age makes my heart happy! Learning how to use a tool safely is way more valuable than fearing them. It can also be frustrating waiting for somebody to do what you need done. Sometimes you just want to do it yourself!

Update on Raised Gardens: The raised gardens were planted with Cosmos and Zinnias in the back. The front are herbs basil, dill and cilantro. We added a couple marigolds as well. All of these flowers and herbs help bring wanted bugs like butterflies and bees. And oh, how they have! They also help deter some critters from getting nearby. They have been a spotlight next to the vegetable garden!

Introducing Bearnice

Back to the ground garden! The best way to break ground for a large ground garden is with a tractor. So…drumroll please…we bought a tractor! Thats right, it happened. We compared several brands of tractors and went with a Mahindra tractor. I am sure other brands would have worked our fine but after researching and comparing we were really impressed with the Mahindra tractors.

She’s a 1626 HST and we named her Bearnice. Why? Because she’s a beast! She has been entertaining on instagram lately. She is a game changer for the entire property, but especially for the ground garden! She’s also a new member of the family.

For those of you comparing tractors to purchase, here’s a few reasons we choose a Mahindra tractor:

We decided to go with a 1626 HST. For having only 5 acres this size seemed that it would do everything we needed it to accomplish. Picking out the attachments was the hardest part. I, of course, really wanted the tiller for the garden(s). I know it will be put to use and it already has!

Before tilling the garden, we had to break ground. This land had never been touched before. We really didn’t know what we were getting into. It was really pretty exciting! Here is Bearnice using the middle buster or potato plow attachment to break ground. Everyone took turns. One thing I know, we won’t have to buy rocks any time soon!

We decided for our first ground garden to go with a 25X40 size. This should give us enough space for a variety of plants. Sweet corn is a must. The other vegetables we are planting will be potatoes, bell and hot peppers, tomatoes, cucumbers, squash, lettuce, spinach, pole beans, broccoli, carrots, onions and last but not least radishes. However, once we broke ground we changed our minds and made the garden a 60×20 size. Reason being is for ample spacing. Or, we may have got carried away using Bearnice.

Rows & Mounds

We researched on how we wanted to layout the garden. We decided to make rows and mound the rows. The main reason is that the moisture will hold well in the mounds. The theory is that in between the rows the water will also be drawn from here. Our garden is also on a slight incline. We are hoping that the system we built will indeed hold water as the runoff will be more with the slope So far everything is coming up from seed, so it looks like it is working!

Time to Do Some Math

Don’t run away with the word math, now. It is simple calculations. After you know the space you have to grow it is time to organize the layout of the garden. Get your calculator out! You will want to figure out the cubic feet of your garden first. Measure the width and depth of your garden and then multiply these two numbers. You will need this number to know how much soil, fertilizer or compost to add. Ours is 60×20. That equals 1200 cubic feet. If you purchase a bag of fertilizer it will tell you how much to use/per cubic foot. This is written on the bag. Divide your total cubic feet by the bag amount. If your bag states one bag covers 200 cubic feet, divide 1200 by 200. This equals 6 bags. That is the amount of bags of fertilizer to buy and mix in your garden if you use fertilizer.

We are trying our best to stay Organic. We bought two truckloads of a mushroom compost mixture and tilled it into the existing soil. We spread it over the entire area and then tilled it again to mix it into the existing soil.

Seeds

Taking the time to look at each and every seed packet’s instructions on planting depth, spacing, and when to plant is the only way to figure out when, where, and how to plant your garden. We found all of our seeds at our local Lowes Home Improvement store. We were a little excited this year and showed up as soon as they put them all out. So far everything minus the celery and buttercrunch performed well. We are not sure why they didn’t take. We can’t complain, though. We are very happy with our results. Next year we may look into some other varieties, brands, and other options. I like to mix it up year by year. Although, the yellow squash, zucchinis and cucumbers are producing well so we may not change these up. If it aint broke!

Next, comes the confusing part. Each plant requires different planting times, spacing, and planting depth. Since we are planting several things this year I am making up a simple form to transfer this information. It will take some extra time, but I can add to it each year and take my notes as well. I also can sort the ones to plant together since there are a few different planting times. It will give me a one-page cheat sheet to use out in the field, too. I will post this when finished.

Figuring how many seeds you can plant is the next challenge. If you look at these three seed packets of corn, green beans and squash you can see under SPACING that 3-4 feet would be a good average to plant all three of these seeds. You would be surprised how tiny some of these seeds are. Here are broccoli seeds I put in the raised garden.

Three Sisters Method

We decided to try the ‘ole’ Three Sisters Method of planting. This includes planting the corn first. Then, after a couple weeks adding the pole or green beans. The beans will climb the corn stalks. This will save us money having to buy or build climbers for the beans. The beans also will provide additional Nitrogen to the soil for the corn to benefit from. Finally, you plant squash in between the corn and beans. Squash will help protect the ground from weeds. Since we had planned to grow all three of these plants it only makes sense to try this method. I will keep you posted as to our results. I can’t wait to see the beans climb the stalks!

Update: The three sisters method has worked well. Not all of the green beans took off. I think we waited a little too long to put them in. The zucchini and squash leaves may have covered the seed from getting sun and starting. We got about half that did take off. I believe the beans are helping the squash and corn with added nitrogen. The corn and squash and zucchini are very healthy and have produced so much! It is really cool watching the beans climb the corn stalk. Here is a picture of the three sisters method.

Garden Design

For the garden spacing, we made rows width-wise rather than length-wise. With several different plants being planted it will make the most sense in organizing. Plus, you may not realize, but you can’t plant everything side-by-side. Some plants hurt others when grown next to each other. They might attract unwanted pests that get on the other plants and kill them. It can take a lot of time and research but figuring what you can place next to the other will promote the best growing results. I often refer to the Farmers Almanac as it has been around for so long.

Sow, back to the seeds. Our rows will be 20 foot long because that is the garden width. Now, take 20 foot and divide by 3 feet seed spacing requirements and that gives you 6.667 as to how many seeds will fit in that row. Doesn’t sound like much does it? Now you see why we went with a larger garden! We will be doing three rows of the corn, green beans, and squash. This should give us approximately 20 sets. I don’t believe it has to be perfect but if you have never grown a squash plant before, watch out, they get huge! Each plant will produce more than you think so we will have plenty of corn, squash and beans this year.

Planting

My theory is get it in the ground! Nothing will grow unless you get it in the ground. Figuring out when to plant can be torture. You need to wait to plant for the last frost. However, some plants can handle the color temperatures such as broccoli or lettuce. We did not get our lettuce down this year in February, as you can. We are glad since we had some extremely cold temperatures in March. After that passed, we began planting. We are still finishing up the warmer weather vegetable planting such as tomatoes, cucumbers and watermelon. The corn, lettuces, beets, carrots, celery squash and potatoes were planted first.

One thing I cannot rave enough about is this cart we found at Harbor Freight! It has a rotating seat with a storage shelf underneath it. It is on wheels and I use it to plant. It rolls between the rows perfectly. Bending and squatting or worse being on your knees can take a toll on your body. This is a must have!

It was easy to assemble and is very sturdy. I put my seed packets and tools underneath me and do not have to get up and down a million times. Life saver, for sure. Love it! We picked ours up at Harbor Freight, and I believe other stores carry it as well.

We will plant a second harvest of carrots and beets perhaps so that we have multiple harvests this year. After everything comes up you will be able to see where you have the extra space for adding. This way there will be a second chance to harvest and can should we decide to sell the first harvest or vice versus. Options are always good! I will be updating our progress as we go.

Sustainable Water Source

The most important thing for the garden is having a good water source. We have one well we use for the house on the property. We do not want to dry up our only water source, therefore, we are looking at alternative ways to source water. Sustainability is important to us. We are looking to add a barrel to catch roof water off of the barn and then we may run a line under ground to the garden. At that point we can add a faucet. Maybe an old-time style pump for fun! Either way, the rain water will be free and the cost to install this system will pay itself off in no time. We also will have a dedicated water source for the plants. We are designing the water catcher now!

The main thing we need to set up our rain water system is a way to hold the water. We are looking at using this 275 Gallon Intermediate Bulk Container from Tractor Supply. We have seen several people locally selling these. The concern there is if chemicals had been in it. We cannot take the risk of any poison getting into our vegetables. We will be purchasing a new container when we are ready. Hopefully that won’t be too long as we are using a lot of water from our only well source!

Garden Fencing

If you live out in the country there are many critters! In our back field there were underground tunnels where the gophers had taken up their home. I have yet to see one of these because they come out at night. We are pretty sure that the tractor digging the garden and burning brush in this area has scared them away. I sure hope so! A fence will keep things above ground out, but below ground thieves will be harder to catch.

Squirrels, rabbits, mice, moles, deer and all of these critters are already checking out our space. We spotted deer prints yesterday. So garden fencing is crucial to protect our crops! We have a tractor and this is going to help us remove large things down the road. Stakes and wire fencing work great for protection. We opted on building something more solid and removable. There were old fence posts spread out across the property from previous fencing. We pulled all these up. We purchased a T-Post Pounder from Tractor Supply in order to install the posts.

Next year, we may invest in the tractor attachment! It takes some muscles. However, Michael got them all in. His muscles still ache!

We used Welded Wire Fence with 2 in. x 4 in. Mesh, 48 in. x 100 ft we also purchased from Tractor Supply. It is sturdy enough to keep deer, rabbits, moles and other critters out. It was simple to install. We used wire to twist and tie each post to the fencing. We even got Grandma helping. She may have thought she was just planting that day!

Since we had extra material and we needed a trellis, we used the extra welded wire and posts and made a trellis for the green beans and snow peas. We thought 4 feet would be high enough, now we know that next year we need to go higher. The beans can reach 8 feet or more and ours had to be guided downward into the wire. It did the job, but we will make it higher next time.

Gardening is a Lifestyle

The bounty of growing your own garden is the true reward! If you make it fun it is not a chore, but a lifestyle. The best reward is when you are sitting around your beautiful plants and flowers and somebody comments on one. That one day it was blooming or producing and got everyone’s attention. Your hard work made it happen. Your garden gives you many things to look forward to. It gives back to you what you put into it.

Embracing the little things in life makes life worthwhile!

This was my first try at growing cauliflower. After we moved in last summer I had to plant something for the fall. I had skipped a whole season growing any vegetables and I could not wait until the next spring! Here is the cauliflower out of the raised garden.

Know Your Zone

Whether you just want beautiful blooms in the spring and summer, vegetables to harvest, or herbs to use planning ahead will save you a lot of unnecessary work down the road. Know your zone! Your zone will determine what you are able to grow based on your climate and conditions. We are on the edge of zone 7a and 7b. We are very fortunate to be located in the Yadkin Valley Wine Region as the conditions are great for grapes to grow well. Blueberry bushes and other fruit trees thrive in this area too. Here is a link to check your zone.

Test Your Soil

If you are serious about getting good results, then test your soil. There are local ways to do this. You also can mix your soil to make it become the most productive. I used to not bother too much as I only grew a couple plants. Now, we are investing money into the garden. We want to turn a profit on it, so it is more important to not loose all we invested. I want the best results possible and my time is important to me.

We added lime to the garden to lower our acidity level. Untouched soil tends to be high in its acidity, and adding Lime will lower this. If your acidity lever is too high, it will not be a favorable growing condition. We found ours from Lowes Home Improvement. We went with Organic Lime to keep the organic throughout our soil and growing conditions.

Most soil is high in acidity by nature and will not give your plants a healthy growing environment. After adding lime we came up with a slightly acidic level. The lime will continue to lower the acidity level over the next couple weeks after we applied it. Here is the soil test we purchased at our local Lowes Home Improvement store.

Luckily, after adding Lime to our soil we tested at an acceptable level for acidity. The Lime will continue to improve the soil and we should be in a favorable condition for growing in a couple weeks after application. The instructions are easy for this particular test. We bought a soil testing kit from our local Lowes Home Improvement. Here is what the acidity test looks like after you mix a sample of your soil with the packet and let it sit.

If you want to go a step farther, there are other ways to send in your soil to your local agricultural centers. You can check with your particular county and find out.

Flowers – Sun and Shade

This is my first year living here so the flower side of things has only begun. Last Spring during our construction we took a couple days off to get some perennial plants down. We really didn’t have time for this but I pushed it! We waited for a pretty sunny day and got outside and dug out the ground for shade plants behind the back porch. We also did a line on the side of the house in direct sunlight. What a job it is to break ground in soil that has not been touched! I swore that it would give us something to enjoy while we finished the build.

I ordered perennial plants so that this year I would have larger healthier plants to enjoy now that we are living here. I decided on Hollandbulbfarms.com to pick out all of these. I went with a perennial shade assortment of astilbes, bleeding hearts, hostas, and added a couple ferns. Everything came up last year, but I got them in a little late. This year they are already poking through! I can’t wait to see how big they get.

For the side sun garden, I choose a variety of sun plants I also ordered from Hollandbulbfarms.com. We hurried through this garden and a few things stayed in pots due to time. I also moved some bulb plants from other areas and transported them here. Since I went with perennials I am keeping my fingers crossed that come this Spring I will have some healthy new rooted plants. I was not here to monitor the water as I would have liked to be so they barely got by. Nevertheless, I cannot wait for these to come up because my new favorite flower is the in the mix, the Windflower, and I feel this year it will all be so much better since I am here!

Picking out your Perennial flowers should be fun! After all, it is all about what you like and what you will be enjoying every year. It can be overwhelming to choose, which is why I appreciated having a shade garden variety option. I will be adding to the area if there is extra space. You have to give it a couple years to allow the plants to set up home and reach their full potential. Then you will reap the full results.

Time can fly by, so why not have something to look forward to at your own homestead? If you are growing flowers, herbs or vegetables the rewards will show themselves!

Check back often as we are 100% Garden Focused! Seedlings are popping up now. It won’t be long before we can harvest. I am collecting canning products now and looking out for good recipes! Shoot me a message if you have any. I could use all the help I can get. Happy Gardening!

If you are wanting to start you own garden, I hope this has been helpful! Getting in touch with nature has its own benefits. Understanding the cycle of life and how plants and animals work together can help you understand how you can participate in the process. Working with nature, rather than against it is the only way to improve our earth. Understanding the process it takes to grow food may help you appreciate the things you eat and all the hard work that goes behind getting it to the table. Plus, nothing tastes better than a vegetable harvested right out of your own garden!

Since I launched this site we have been so busy in the garden. I will be updating here after all our veggies are done harvesting. You can follow on instagram to see where we are today with our ground garden! It has been the best journey and such a learning process. Thank you for stopping by, Forever Country Home