Expanding the Seasons and My Knowledge in the Garden

Gardening has always been a part of my life in varying degrees. From my earliest days of toddling behind each of my grandmothers in their own uniquely created gardens, to my own beginning urban gardening attempts as a young adult I have delighted in growing plants for food and beauty. I have had at least a bit of garden through the years while raising and homeschooling my children. Currently, I am in the process of reclaiming a suburban yard from what we left as the open space for the outside yard activities - badminton, wiffleball, volleyball in the summer and backyard hockey in the winter. 

Growing more each year, I have been learning to expand the harvest. How to produce more. Learning to grow what I can, where I am and how to produce more in a suburban yard. Our yard is a reasonable size. It is larger than most in our neighborhood in the near west suburbs of Chicago. There is ample space for growing many things. Even having the space there are benefits to growing some plants best in a limited space. The raspberries for example, do well along the alley and next to the side of our garage. If it weren't for these restrictions the canes would be sprouting up without barriers and demand ongoing attention to keep them from taking over the entire yard or maybe even neighborhood. In this restricted space the alley traffic is enough to keep them from spreading into the alley and the garage takes care of the other side. Brilliant placement, if I do say so myself! 

The best part is the abundant harvest every summer.

 Another surprise bonus to their location is the contribution of the many spruce trees growing on our property. The fallen needles apparently add to the soil content that raspberries (and roses) really like. When my husband sweeps those needles off the driveway, I follow him around to insure they are deposited into the raspberry bramble and not into the yard waste bin. No doubt my golf course perfect lawn neighbors believe I'm nuts!

Raspberry Bramble

With minor maintenance our raspberry bramble continues 

to flourish and provide a daily dose of delightful color to breakfast for about six weeks every summer.

More delightful benefits last summer with plans to do it again.

Success with cabbage in the raised beds! These cabbages (below) were another surprise success last year. I'll be planting at least twice as many this spring. It was quite satisfying to harvest and make my own home brew sauerkraut out of them.

Look at these beauties!

Gotta go get dirty. See ya all in the garden!

Coming up again in the fall! Watch for words re the rose hip harvest when the leaves turn.

Rose Hip Tea Packed with Vitamin 'C'. Good for what ails you.