IT WORKED!!!! For Now
It is Spring here on our small Homestead and things are starting to pop out of the ground and so many changes by day are occuring.
One exciting thing is several "experiments" we decided to try, actually worked!!!!!!
The first one we had a strong feeling it would work. Transplanting Strawberries. Strawberries are quite hardy and can withstand quite a bit. However, with the amount of abuse they took all winter long from not only the weather but also our two very active and nosy dogs running up and down the fence right there, we didn’t think they would make it.
In the Spring we saw nothing growing and were so scared we had lost all of the Strawberries that we took the chance to go out and buy 8 plants just in case. Well, a few weeks ago, we noticed the strawberries growing prolifically. They were growing faster and looked healthier than the ones we bought this year. There are so many strawberries on our plants and we are excited for the first ripe strawberries off our own plants.
The kids have been counting down till they can pick them.
The second experiment is one we were very skeptical would work. We live in West Michigan and we have rather long winters and quite short growing seasons. And something we had heard from other people in our region and North of us is that planting potatoes in the Fall helps get an extra harvest out of your growing season.
So last Fall we planted about 25 white potatoes in the ground. We buried them lower than normal so they would be a little farther away from the surface and then we layered a thick layer of mulch, about 6-8 inches to be exact, on top. This way they would be better insulated from the frost.
Like I said, we were skeptical this was going to work but we still had our fingers crossed. And Surprise Surprise, this one worked too!!! We were extremely excited. We were so scared it didn't work though, that we had already ordered some more potatoes "just in case".
Well with gardening, we definitely don't want to waste anything. Especially with something that will only last the one season. So we found homes for those potatoes in random places as well.
This year our goal is to utilize as much of the garden for growing as much food as possible. We are attempting some companion planting, but we are more going to experiment and see what works this year. One thing I have learned is all the research you can do, won't help unless you actually try it. And this year, I am trying my hand at just feeling what works. The goal is to fill in the garden as best we can and see what happens.
Garden journals are going to be my friend this year. I guess it is time to get creating one!!
