Winter work

Usually this time of year is a great time for gardening in Central Texas, as we have mild temperatures and can grow many of the cool season crops that are usually out of reach during the warmer seasons. This year however is a bit different, at least for me.

We are still in a drought, with burn bans in place state wide. The sadly neglected soil in the garden is almost powdery where it is not dried hard as a rock. However I aim to change this. Today I put the first batch of leaves covering one of the garden beds about 4 inches deep. Also I have begun watering the soil, though nothing beyond a single turnip, which sprouted from a store bought turnip, is growing there. I hope to get enough moisture back into the soil to make it workable, without completely destroying the soil structure. At the same time I am planning on a run to the local compost dealer for a pick up load of compost, or perhaps two for the beds. To this end, and to save my aching back, as well as to avoid the constant problem of the uninflated wheelbarrow tire, I will be looking at getting a garden cart of some sort. This way I hope to move at least as much as I do with the wheelbarrow, but without the strain on my back.

So for now, much is still in the planning stage, but a few glimmers of hope are on the horizon.

Revisiting the lost but not forgotten garden

This has been an unusual year, which anyone who has been following this blog already knows, but the difficulties have not ended quite yet. I have just returned from another 5-6 weeks of traveling for work, with the only thing remaining alive in the garden being some lemon verbena and a few sprigs of oregano (actually glad to see the oregano dying off as this variety has been invasive and does not offer much in the way of flavor).

So with over 200 square feet of empty garden beds, I am essentially starting over going into the winter, albeit the mild winter of central Texas, months. Having been reading more about intensive planting methods, I am taking this opportunity to do the major ammeding and preparation that is seldom possible in a climate where we can garden almost all 12 months of the year.

First on the agenda is to bring in large amounts of compost. This is the plan for the early part of next week.

From there I will begin a more formal planting plan than I have used previously, so that I might be able to get an automated watering system in place this next year before I am left to travel again for 5-6 weeks at a time.