Hello JIM,
Like your pictures, especially the fertilizer one. That stuff is like gold now, I paid $8.50 a bag for it at town , then decided I would buy a ton to save a little money. Although you are only about 5 miles from me 'as a crow flies" you have gotten a lot more rain. We missed about 3 of the rains you got so I had to by about $200.00 worth of 3/4 " hose pipe, take my backhoe and dig a line and put 1" pvc to a yard hydrant and I've been draggin hoses. I have 4 rain birds that cover 5800 sq. foot each and by moving them twice I can water my entire acre and a half garden. I have watered it about 3 different times and to be honest with you it is the sorryest looking garden I've had in several years. Watering is expensive seed and fertilize are expensive but I after I put up all we need for the winter and give to my friends and neighbors, ( Personally in my 41 years, I've never saw a homeless person in this town ) I let my son gather and sell and keep the money. He also has to help work the garden but I do all the spending without complaint. Such a small price to keep him outside and off the video games , T.V. and computer. Also I figure it may mold him into someone who takes pride and enjoyment in it when he is a grown man, I guess much like my Dad did for me. To make a long story short, What used to be hard work for me as a young boy is now relaxation and enjoyment. Heres a few pics of my acre and a half garden project. Heres a pic of approx. 600 ft. of Pontiac red potatoes, 300 ft. of straightneck squash that we picked our first pickin day before yesterday. bout a half bushel. and some tomatoes and peppers. Also merit sweet corn that was planted about a week after easter.