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A Veggie Garden Update...With Chickens!

Back on May 22, 2008 I wrote a post called The Garden Is In! where I detailed my newly planted garden. Well today is just three days shy of one month since that post and I figured I would post an update. The landscape fabric has been a great tool in controlling grass and weed growth. Very rarely do I pull any weeds. Watering is also kept to a minimum because we luckily are not in a drought. In fact there is morning dew on the plants when I go out to check them each morning while having coffee! The plants are setting fruit and veggies (take your pick as to what you prefer to call the bounty)! So without further ado...the pictures...

The Wildflower Garden is about to burst with color!

The view across the garden towards the chicken pen!

Yummy crooked neck squash beginning to develop!

Roma Tomatoes! One of 9 varieties that I planted!

Strawberries that are still green but will soon be bright red!

View from the Chicken Pen towards the house!

Then of course there are the 11 Buff Orpington chicks. I am happy to say they all survived the baby chick phase when they are most vulnerable. They are growing quite rapidly. Despite their growth, I still can't determine gender. They will not begin to lay eggs until October/November.

About the Author

If you are in the market to purchase a home or even refinance an existing loan and you want a loan officer that will walk with you every step of the way, then contact Danny or Rich of the Thornton Team at Home America Mortgage today. We can have you pre-approval in as little as 4 hours. You can visit our website or send an email to thorntonteam@homeamericamortgage.com or call us @ 865-951-0522.

Posted by Rich Dansereau on 06/19/2008 10:25 AM

Comments (33)

rich dansereau, home america mortgage, thornton team, garden, organic, wildflowers, chickens, squash, tomatoes, strawberries, vegetables

Originally posted at: Rich's Blog: A Veggie Garden Update...With Chickens!

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33 Comments on A Veggie Garden Update...With Chickens!

JUN

2008

Good job! I like the chickens the best. I can grow weed and that's about it.

Rich: You are very wise to be growing your own garden and raising chickens. You are one of the smart ones with food prices rising the way they are. Good luck!

Rich - I am jealous of the garden. We eat a lot of vegetables and it would only make sense for us to grow one, but that means I need to find more time in my day.

Nice job; the garden looks great.

You are just a going concern Rich! What a man!! Is there anything you don't do? You just need to be about 20 years older!

Awesome gardens - have you done this before? I'm a gardener from way back; my sons are growers, chefs & landscapers - got it from moi!

Vertical Lending Services - I think you mean weeds! I hope you mean weeds!?!

Jan - I love gardening! And saving money so this works!

Brande - It does not take me much time at all now! The part that took time was creating it initially! Team Markus to pull weeds! <<<smile>>>

Max - Thanks!

Deborah - I have been trying to grow plants since I was a small child but this is the first real attempt at growing veggies! I have grown many non-veggie gardens in the past. I had chickens when I lived in south Florida! Can I be 20 years younger? I'd just be graduating high school and getting ready for those fun college years!

Rich - I wish you were in California. I'd be begging you to come over & plant me a garden! It looks great and the chickens are so cute!

(Talking to myself: Please do not get chickens, Chris! You have enough poop cleaning duties as it is!)

Chris - You said poop and duties both in one sentence!

lol! Settle down Beavis! huh huh... huh huh...

: )

B***head

They sure grow fast in one moth!....Do they know if they're boys or girls?

JUN

2008

Chris -

Joan - That they do! Nope, I have not been able to tell gender yet. Lifted the tail skirt and everything <<<smile>>>

Rich, you are funny...but seriously, send some fresh veggies up when they are coming out your ears...

Okay, add me to the jealous list! LOL!!! Rich, the garden looks great and the chickens???, they couldn't be any cuter!! It's amazing how quickly they grow. I do have my tomatoes firmly planted in the earth and all of my flower pots are doing well. If the deer would just leave them alone....!

Patrice - I could do that! Lets see...you are in New York...

Debbie - They are getting big! Gardening hint to help keep deer (and many other animals) out of your garden...plant marigolds around your garden or in the base of your pots. Many animals cannot stand the smell of marigolds and will leave you other plants alone if they smell marigolds! See the hanging baskets in the first pic, they are planted with marigolds for just that purpose!

JUN

2008

Cool Rich...Can't wait to taste some good southern grown veggies...hahaha

Patrice - You know, I just thought about it...I didn't plant any green tomatoes! That is almost a crime <<<smile>>>

JUN

2008

WOW! I am impressed, Rich. I'm not sure how YOU are liking Knoxville...but your GARDEN sure does! Since moving to the mountains, I am discovering the joys of fresh eggs. Up til now I had never eaten a brown egg in my life (knowingly). I actually thought they looked gross. Now I know better--they are the best!! (Cue Green Acres theme!)

Kim - I like Knoxville though there is definitely a bit of adjustment from Atlanta to here. I loved the fresh eggs from my Rhode Island Reds I had in Florida si I can't wait until these chicks start producing.

Rich, is it too late? get them in...fried green tomatoes, yummy

How fun to watch your garden grow, I saw the before pic's in your last post! Love the chickens, thanks for sharing!

Patrice - I do love fried green tomatoes! I could probably still get some in the ground! ...maybe where the spinach is, it isn't doing very well.

JoLynn - Thanks you for reading and commenting! There will be more posts, especially when the wildflower garden comes into full bloom in a couple of weeks and when the chickens begin to lay eggs in October/November.

WOW! What a great looking garden, let me know when the crop comes in, I'll try to make a trip to Knoxville.

Have A Great Day

JUN

2008

Doris - You aren't too far! And I don't mind sharing!

JUN

2008

Looks like everything is growing fast. How long is your growing season?

Julie - Not sure actually. I imagine the cool weather crops can grow into early November!

We have to watch out for frost in Idaho until June and then start watching for frost the end of August . If we don't get hit by the frost we might get into October in a good year.

Julie - Wow! That is a really short growing season!

JUN

2008

Rich, your garden looks like it is going to be delicious. I have tried the garden fabric, but I must have very, very strong weeds. Can you give me any advice?

Barbara - I would strongly suggest tilling, I actually had the neighbor plow, the area where you want your garden. Then use a stiff metal rake to remove the majority of grass clumps that are on the top of the turned soil (those underneath will mostly die). Then use the fabric, be sure to overlap it at the seams at least several inches! cut "x" openings only large enough to plant the plant or see in. Good luck! I have already harvested cucumbers and will be getting strawberries for the 4th festivities!