Getting ready to "make" some dirt...


For those of you who are not aware, the stuff we have here in the desert is not what you would call high quality dirt. It's either hard pack clay or what everyone around here calls poof-dirt (which honestly for all I know is the same thing).

I've decided on either 4x4 or 5x5 to start with. I am thinking it will be plenty and since it's likely going to take a bit for things to get going then I'm dealing with a huuuuuuuuge area.

Regardless, things do not typically thrive here without help. I have picked out the spot for the garden. Over there is a picture of the before of what I'll be playing with. It does get a little shade mid-day (which is the nastiest part of the day) and as I mentioned the swiss chard loves it.

My mom and I wandered over to the local nursery and came back with a few big ol bags of compost humus stuff that they recommended. They've been great so far, so I'm trusting them. They also recommended a decent looking fertilizer called "Gold Dust" that I saw mentioned on a few other blogs and other places so that made me happy. The best part - it was on saaaaaaaaaaale! My favorite kind of purchase next to free of course.

Tomorrow my mom and I will begin the process of trying to make the thing above look more like something that the plants might like.

I have discovered a friend from school that has been gardening here for several years who has graciously offered her assistance should I have questions. I don't know what she realizes she has signed up for, but since she is also offering free seeds (woohoo!) I will try not to be too much of a nuisance.

As I mentioned before, the neighbors are likely going to be very aware once I come across my first nasty looking bug. I've already started to devise ways to dispose of the ones that are not deterred by mean looks... squish ... squish ...squish...

Also on the agenda tomorrow is a plan to put up a chicken wire fence around everything since we have a family of bunnies next door and various other rodents that frequent the backyard. I know they won't be completely deterred, but it should help a little.

Happy Gardening!

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