It's been a very productive week here at the Woolen Rabbit! You may remember this garden bed from last year. It's a nice big 16×18 foot plot, but I have to admit as I am getting older, it is getting harder and harder to be working on my hands and knees.
Over the winter I read the books, Lasagna Gardening and Square Foot Gardening. I decided to go with the SFG plan for a few reasons. The biggest being that I could buy the ingredients for the beds, fill them and get planting right away.
I have to tell you, Mr Woolen Rabbit is a pretty good guy. A number of years ago I had him make raised beds for me and then a few years later we dismantled them and planted grass as life was just too busy for gardening with the kids and all of their activities and all of my hobbies.
Last year the gardening itch returned and he obliged me by rotilling the garden bed and putting up the fence to keep the local Moose out. This year when I told him that I really really wanted to use raised beds again to help my aging knees….he groaned, but didn't complain. Yep…………this guy is a keepa for sure!
We purchased the wood to make (4) 3x6x12 beds and one larger 3x12x12 bed (for corn or strawberries). The weekend before last Ken cranked out the beds, we installed them in the garden….then I had to wait for our local compost man to bring me a bucket load.
I waited and waited and waited…..grrr……..finally almost a week later he delivered the compost. I will be starting a compost pile of my own this year…..just sayin'.
During the week, I filled each bed with an equal mixture of Peat Moss, Vermiculite and compost. Whew……..those big bags were heavy but I was determined to have these beds finished before the anticipated 3 days of rain began.
Don't these greens look good? I am going to LOVE these beds, I can already tell. 🙂
Next it was on to the perennial bed on the side of the house. I think that I picked THE buggiest day to weed and plant….OUCH….damn black flies!
Unfortunately Mr. Woolen Rabbit managed to catch the same stomach bug that kept me in bed for a few days, so I was on my own to lug all of the heavy bags of earth enhancer for the perennial garden and the 15 big bags of mulch for the vegetable garden paths. (yep…Mountain Mama as Ash likes to call me…LOL)
Poor guy……..this bug is NOT fun. Thankfully he is feeling a bit better tonight.
In between all of the digging, planting and scratching bug bites, I have managed to get a little quality knitting in…..yay!
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I am knitting Susan's lovely Beach Glass Shawl.
Susan's pattern is such a pretty way to sample a new yarn that I will be carrying in the store. An incredibly soft blend of silk and linen lace yarn. I am dyeing up a few colors so that I can get them listed over the weekend in the online shop.
It's a bit fragile to wind, but so worth the effort…….I have not been disappointed as it is knitting up.
Susan's pattern is very well written and easy to follow along with. I was smitten with this shawl from the very first time I saw her. Thank~you Susan for a beautiful design!
The Woolen Rabbit 
The new yarn sounds lovely – can’t wait to get my hands on a skein!
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Your raised beds look fantastic. Poor Ken! And I love the sound of that new yarn.
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Oh my goodness what a productive and wonderful Mr Bunny you have! I covet that garden! Oh and your fine warm weather!
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HI KIM – great that KEN is such a helpful guy – you are so , so, lucky to have him !!
– hope he feels better from this bug – someone like him makes marraige a good thing , eh , working together
– you will feel sore after all that garden work , but what satisfaction , not to mention the produce as a reward
– the yarn sounds yummy—–best pat
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sorry to hear hubby caught the bug, but glad he’s on the mend.
your beds look amazing!!! wow… and I see that you have your deer proofing all in places (the fence!)
black flies= one part of new england that I do not miss…. ugh.
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Wow – that was quite a tutorial on SFG beds. I really appreciate them as I’ve always been curious how they really work. That’s quite a guy you’ve got. Can hardly wait to see your garden grow.
BTW – the “moose fence” really put it into perspective. I only have to worry about deer. I guess it really is all relative.
Happy gardening!
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I purchased Beach Glass when Susan first started selling this beautiful pattern. I have been looking for just thr right yarn…can’t wait to see how your shawl comes out (& look forward to a skein)!
I now have garden & shawl envy 🙂
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Hooray for SFG. You should join the Ravelry group there. Your raised beds look great. I love how tall your fence is to keep out the Moose. Does that really work? We don’t have them here so it’s funny to see that. You’ll have to keep us posted on the Moose battle and how your garden is doing.
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You are going to have a very bountiful garden!
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Pretty lettuce and nice raised beds. I’m envious….I’m still down on my hands and knees – I try to raise my beds without using wooden sides – just mound up the dirt and that helps a little.
Beach Glass is a beautiful shawl – looking forward to seeing yours!
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Wow! You guys have been busy! GO Mr. WR!! Definitely a keeper.
Urgh. More pretty yarn from your store. And laceweight? Sigh. I’ll be stalking it.
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That’s a LOT of work. Hope Mr. Woolen Rabbit feels better soon.
The new yarn is intriguing. Must be great drape.
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Wow, beautiful garden beds! He did a wonderful job.
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Your garden looks wonderful! My hubbo is pretty good about carrying out some of my projects, too! When he and #2 son built my beds many years ago, they put a “seat” on each side of each bed…very handy! Look up the black polypropylen on a roll at Gardener’s Supply (item #34-312, Pro Weed Mat) for the paths between the beds…amazing stuff. GS’s tomato towers and pepper supports are pretty wonderful, too!
Hope Ken feels better soon!
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Wonderful garden beds!
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Way to go Kenny! Hope he’s feeling better. Can’t wait to get my SFG garden going in TX!
Peace,
Jean – surrounded by boxes and packing paper….
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Kim- My knees can’t take it either, so raised beds are the way to go. Nice to have help, isn’t it?
I really don’t know how you do it all.
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We started our square foot garden about 5 years ago and love it. When my husband began building the beds our neighbors past by and asked if we were building cemetary plots. We are retired and so are they and we all had a good laugh about it. You never have to till the garden and there are very few weeds. In between the beds we put pine needles and when the sun is out the smell is great. Also you never walk on the soil. The only drawback is they tend to dry out faster. I know you will just loved raised gardening. Good Luck.
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I adore SFG. I have been doing it on and off for almost 10 years (have moved a few times). I consistently get the best yield and lowest maintenance. Yay low maintenance!!
Raised beds are so much easier on the knees.
The shawl is lovely!
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The new yarn sounds wonderful, can’t wait to try it! And it is too funny, I was looking at raised beds today!! Found someone who builds them, although I suppose I could do it myself if I put my head to it!!
Glad you are feeling better and I hope that Ken feels better soon!
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lovely gardens – and I feel your pain.
Most importantly though, WHERE did you get that bee stone?!?!
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I wish I had that gardening gene in me. It looks like it would be so fulfilling!
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Nice beds! And is that a ‘BEE’ stepping stone?!? Bee-u-tiful!
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Ohhh, Kim, the new yarn sounds divine, and I’m panting over the Seaglass colorway I saw on Ravelry. The Beachglass shawl in this will be scrumptious! I’ll be looking for the yarn in your shop.
Glad you’re both better and that you have your great looking garden well under way.
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The beds are so beautiful! The shawl is reall prtty. Thanks for sharing the link.
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What a great team you make….behind every woman is a guy ready and able to implement her vision – LOL! I am inspired by all the creating going on at TWR!
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You’ve got rabbits! A compost pile should be easy-peasy, and VERY productive!!!!!!
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