Baby Steps!

[frustratedearthmother]

Isn't it though!? All those years when you didn't think they were listening or even caring about what's important to you - it all finally comes full circle.

Dang it...I'm about to get all misty eyed...

 

[Denim Deb]

FEM, I do a combination of traditional, square foot and companion planting. I'm able to plant more in a small area than if I did it just traditional by doing it this way. Anything that grows as a vine gets planted against cattle panels as do tomatoes. I'm still trying to work out the correct spacing for corn and bush beans.

 

[Beekissed]

Wonderful story!!!! I can relate...I've been waiting for just such a moment from my own sons. Finally had a similar experience but not on such a grand scale...my son lives in town on a postage stamp. I had suggested that they turn the entire front yard into a Back to Eden garden so they wouldn't have to worry about mowing that little space. At first he acted like I was crazy, then said they "might" think about it. One day he called me up and said they'd need my help because they had decided to do the "garden thing".

Since then we have placed a load of old wood chips on his yard to let them compost further all winter and are currently forming a low fence around it to contain the greenery, have planned trellising for tomatoes, beans, cukes and peas, and he even said he'd like to espalier a dwarf apple tree alongside his house, right next to a grapevine.

Then he started talking about a green house in the back yard.....

FEM, that soil is to die for!!!! He oughta be able to plant dimes and grow dollars in that kind of soil! Especially if it's been fallow for awhile...should do really well. I'm betting his stuff will grow from seed just fine. What a huge blessing, both for the quality of the land and for his asking for your help and following in your footsteps in wanting to be a good steward to his land. Congratulations! You have not taught in vain.

 

[frustratedearthmother]

It does make you feel validated as a parent, friend and a mentor for sure! He said something last night that made me think he 'gets it'. He asked what kind of things he could plant that would give him food 'forever'. If that's not a spark of SS - I don't know what is!

And, yes - that soil is beautiful and it has sat fallow for several years. The only problem that I really foresee for him is that there is a 'critter' (or 12)that has a den under his garden. As we were working up the rows I stepped a couple of places where the soil collapsed into an underground tunnel of sorts. Me thinks perhaps there is a nice rabbit warren right under that perfect garden soil. He did confirm that they see bunnies in the yard all the time.

Anybody have suggestions for asking the bunnies to give up that space? Wish I still had the Westies - they'd love to go to ground and root out those bunnies.

 

[sumi]

I hope you and I are both right, as I feel the same! I was looking at all the wonderful gardening stuff in the stores yesterday. From small hot boxes to get seeds started in to mini-greenhouses and little fruit trees with fruit already on… Wonderful stuff!

For the rabbits, that is something I should look into myself, Ireland has so many of them, it's crazy. Tiny little things! Gosh, they're cute. There are some good tips and suggestions for getting rid of them in the garden here: http://www.wildlifeanimalcontrol.com/rabbits.html

 

[Beekissed]

Barn cats...two of them. They will make short work of the rabbits and any offspring they may have. Feed them lightly so they are hungry enough to really hunt...rabbit is a cat's favorite food. It's a natural way of doing it and they will earn their way around the farm like crazy.

 

[frustratedearthmother]

He 'inherited' a cat with the house - but it was a pampered house cat at the time. It's not a house cat anymore so maybe it'll start working for a living! Now, he just needs to get another cat. Teamwork!

 

[baymule]

Where ya'll live, he could plant citrus trees, Meyer lemon maybe? And fig, peach, blueberries, pear, grapes, ...........

 

[frustratedearthmother]

Yep. I've got Meyer lemons here - one of the few fruit trees that survives at my house...along with figs. He doesn't like figs so doesn't make sense for him to plant them. He wants oranges, lemons and limes for sure....a plum (for me) and maybe a peach or two...oh and pomegranates. I planted two last year and they're leafing out right now...hope to get a pomegranate or two this year. I'm trying to convince him to plant a couple pecan trees too. We shall see! There might be pecan trees there with my name on them, lol! I'll push grapes too... He's actually got a great place for grapes. There is a beautiful clothesline set-up which he keeps talking about taking down, but it would be the PERFECT place for a couple grape vines. I hadn't even thought about grapes - thanks for the idea Bay!

 

[baymule]

I ordered some concord seedless. My grand daughter won't eat grapes, but loves Welches grape juice. She was impressed when I told her I could grow Welches grape juice!