re: 2024 Spring Garden Thread

I'm excited for this year after coming up with a way to tweak what I have done in years past.

Due to being in public accounting, it is pretty damn hard to find time to get out there and do what needs to be done in the garden and I've always bit off more than I could chew. This year I'm downsizing quite a bit and have put in some more permanent plants that produce. This way my work is cut down but I still get the pleasure of harvesting.

I'm also going to move my hives from their current location. Right now they are shaded most of the time unless it is summer and the sun is right overhead. They also currently face north and I'd like to changed that.

But before I move the hives, I need to rebuild my chicken coop. It held up like a champ through Laura and Delta but after those 2 storms, a couple of floods, and learning what I want in a coop, it is time to replace it.

This is my design of how I want it all layed out:


The current coop is in the same spot (NE corner) as the new one will go but is a tad bigger (4x8) and on the ground. I want to go with this raised, 5x5 plan from homegardendesignplan.com.


The old one flooded at least twice in the 4 years I had it there. This should get it out of any reach of water. I'll also put a little gutter system on the roof to catch rain water into a 50G barrel to keep water out there. If we hit another drought, I can always drag the hose over and fill it up. After that gets built, I should be able to move the hives in the run, put up some chicken wire around the plants, and call it a day.

For the garden, I already have the blueberry and fig tree in the ground. I started jalapeno, habenero, romas, and purple cherokee last weekend. When those are ready to go in the ground, I'll probably have to get out there with a headlamp after work one night but at least it won't be too many. I'll squeeze in some lemon queen sunflowers behind the blueberry because the wife and kids really like them. If I have room I'll sprinkle in some okra here and there just because I love tossing them in olive oil, salt, and pepper and grilling them.

For beans I'll stick with yard longs and I'm not sure on cucumber varieties yet so I'm open to suggestions. I'll buy a sheet of cattle panel and make an arch going from each side of the bed.

I'll also take suggestions on strawberry varieties as well.

I plan on replacing my 2 apple trees with satsumas but they may wait another year. The apples haven't done great at all.

All in all I can't wait for the next 2 1/2 months to go by so I can get to work.