The Grow Space is Completed

Hey guys, how are you today? Thanks for stopping back by to visit with us again.

First off, Deb had another blood test this past Wed. Ya wanna guess the results?? PERFECT, once again! I sure have me a wonderful gal, huh? That little woman has stayed positive throughout this whole ordeal and I’ll say it once again, she is so inspiring to be around, and in the toughness department, I’m running a far distant second place! God is smiling on her! We’re ecstatic over this latest news! April 1st will be our one year anniversary of finding out Deb has this mess.

Secondly, let me apologize to you guys as it’s been a few days since a post…sorry. We’ve been concentrating on finishing this up, the grow space, and by the time the guys leave Deb and I have to work the greenhouse some. Watering mainly, but trying to do a little seedling transplants too.

Been getting in around 6:30 or 7:00, and I’ve been going to bed by 8:30 or 9. Deb calls me…a “titty-baby!” Dern her time! LOL!

Today and tomorrow we’ll be transplanting exclusively. Hopefully we’ll have most everything from our first grow either in the beds or into 4” pots to continue to grow off.

Well, we did complete the grow space around the greenhouse yesterday. Deb gave her thumbs up which to all the rest of us was a sign…we made out okay. The term, “If Mama’s happy, everybody’s happy,” is very true.

We ended up with a 27’x68’ on the eastside, a 16’x68’ on the westside, and an 8’x18’ on the southside. This gives us considerably more gardening space, and it’s all right next to the greenhouse. We hope in the next couple weeks to have the water system in, and the power run to boot. That puts the finish on everything as far as any type of construction.

We put our compost in mostly at about 12 inches in depth, but there are areas it goes down to around 18 and even 24 in spots. I got carried away on the cut out depth, but in the same breath, we had plenty and I didn’t spend much time at all in really getting it precise, obviously. LOL!

We were pushed for time and we just wanted to “git er done!” Now that’s exactly what it is, done…AND Deb’s happy!

I stated earlier we’ll be potting seedlings this weekend, and there’s even some we’ll be putting into our beds. I believe us to be 2-3 weeks off from planting tomato and pepper plants in earnest. Our “volunteer tomatoes” from our compost pile that we set in the greenhouse are doing just great. Got a tomato or two beginning to ripen…yes sir!

We’re really enjoying this and can’t wait to get everything in its place and growin off! This was done once more simply to keep us in plenty of juicing materials year round. The cost of buying them from the marketplace is really beginning to be a burden. Man, food prices keep going up, don’t they?

This will let us continue to do what we’ve been doing, but at a fraction of the cost, and I mean that quite literally! 25-30 tomato seeds for $2.50?? How can you possibly go wrong with no more cost factor than that?

Say you end up with a buck apiece in them…which you won’t nearly spend, but even at that, how many tomatoes will just one plant supply you with? Think about it. This isn’t even touching on the health and nutrition benefits, or the taste benefits of picking them right outside your door and eatin them muthas.

You also have to consider the benefits as well from just being outside working in your garden from a health standpoint, and the pleasure derived from watchin them first break the soil as seedlings. Then on to planting them in the garden, then watching the growth and production of the fresh vegetables they’ll be giving you in return for your love and caring for them. It is a rewarding experience.

We have a few pictures for you guys today of the progress we’ve made. You wanna take a peek? C’mon then, we’ll check it out!

The first is of the grow space on the westside of the G.H. It is the 27’x68’.

The next is of the eastside. It is 16’x68.

This is a shot from across the yard, and shows the area in front of the greenhouse too. Those are strawberries in the containers in front of the G.H.

Here’s our volunteer tomatoes, followed by a shot of some Japanese cucumbers under their cages. Then you can see some peas growing too. These peas we’ll use strictly for our juicing.

Here’s a couple shots of our tomatoes we’d already potted into 4” pots. The first is a rack of Beefsteak, and Mini-Orange which you can’t see.

The second shot is another rack and a half across the greenhouse. It has Green Pineapple, Homestead, Fox Cherry, and Isis Candy.

Each rack is 24 inches wide and 10 feet in length. They’re mounted above our planting benches. Each rack when full can hold 110 4” pots.

We’ll finish up with a shot of our Japanese cucumbers, these are fixing to be planted in our new grow area outside the G.H., and last is of a shot of our watermelons, and two cantelope. The watermelon are Georgia Rattlesnake, Jubilee, and Sugar Baby.

Well guys, that about does it for today! We sure appreciate you stopping back in, and you all have a great weekend, okay? God Bless you and Deb says to keep a smile on your face, and one in your heart!

Dub and Deb