Deck Garden and Updates

Hello! 

I had every intention of blogging every Tuesday in the summer. But you see...it is Friday, oh and a month late to boot. I may have overestimated how much time I would have this summer. Planning a wedding takes more time and energy than I gave it credit for. Forgive me dear reader, I am a tad bit stressed. I am sure you can relate and of course your forgive me, so lets move on, shall we? Good.

Deck Garden

My very modest deck garden is doing fantastic! If you compare the last blog post of Week Six, you will see the before and after progress that a month and a half can make. Patience my young padawan, patience. Steamboat takes its sweet time in growing plants. 

Take a look!

Squash Blossom 

Tomatoes

Peppers

Sugar Snap Peas

If you are new to gardening at high elevation, I highly suggest starting with sugar snap peas. They are low maintenance and taste oh so good!

Personal Note

Food

Many of you know that I love to cook. My mom will be the first to point out that I don't get that skill from her. I am kind of obsessed with this blog. I made this salad last night with these cashews. Oh my sweet goodness! As my sister would say, I am an evangelist for this blog.  It is making my mouth water just thinking about it. Seriously, try it. 

Ok...moving on. 

Friends

Last night we spent the evening with some good friends to help celebrate their one year wedding anniversary. My parents always say "Celebrate the Celebrations" I have taken this to heart. It is important to stop and enjoy ALL accomplishments and successes. We drank wine, ate special cheese and reminisced over a year of marriage. Kyle and I soaked up any marriage advice they had to say, to store it away for a rainy day. We stopped for a night and ignored the "busy" around us. It was lovely. 

Okay dear friends, My new goal is to blog every month, at least until after the wedding. 

Week Five- Starting from Scratch: the Absolute Beginner's Guide to Gardening

Week Five: Planting Frost Resistant greens

Timeline: As soon as the ground can be worked and then additional plantings every few weeks until winter.  I started this step in late April.

This week we are going to talk about plants that thrive up here in high elevation. 

Lettuce

Broccoli

Kale

Carrots

Cabbage

Chives

Peas

Radish

Swiss Chard

Spinach 

These plants are awesome because they can survive snow and frost. My friend Bek planted kale in her window box last winter and had it grow very slowly all winter. Very. Slow... but it still stood up to 40 degrees below zero temperatures! 

In both my deck garden and my plot garden, I will be planting (have already planted) lettuce, kale, spinach, swish chard and peas. Chives are already coming up in my garden from a previous gardener. 

I have chosen not to do cabbage, carrots, radishes or broccoli. Kyle and I found that we are not huge fans of radishes. Carrots, cabbage and broccoli take too long for our needs this summer. Also, when you can buy a bag of carrots for a dollar at the store, it is hard to justify the cost and time. 

Step One: 

Make Even Rows. 

Tie a piece or twine or rope to a steak and stretch it across your garden. Make a line in the dirt under the rope. Make sure to read your seed packet for planting depth.

Step Two: Get Seeds 

Step Three: 

Plant Seeds in pre-made line and cover with soil. Press down.

Step Four: 

Water and watch them grow.

Step Five: 

Repeat steps one though four every two weeks for continual harvest all summer.

This photo was taken last July. Just some inspiration to get in the dirt and play:) 

Let me know if you have any questions! Up next week: Deck Garden Set Up!