Spring Planting

You've heard me mention my floating garden. On shore we have mostly cliffs and forest. In addition, little critters love to devour tender shoots. I've always liked to grow vegetables, so I had to think of a new way for my float cabin.

My first try was a "garden log." I added herbs and lettuce in the log's notches. The sprouts were doing fine, but one day when we returned from town everything was gone. The culprits were Canadian Geese nesting in the Hole in the Wall. Obviously, they loved fresh vegetables too.

The next year our good friend John built a special float for me. It holds four raised beds with a handy walkway in the middle. Netting and Mr. Owl protect the developing plants from birds. When I am not gardening, the float is pulled out to our front log boom where it is protected from nibbling critters. To make watering easy, I have a solar powered pump and hose. The perfect solution. John often comes up with them.

Due to lots of rain, the nutrients in the soil are leached out. Each spring I augment it with peat and steer manure. Several times throughout the growing season I also use plant food. I do get pests, but I am very careful about insecticide.

I have a few flower bulbs planted for spring color. The daffodils are my favorite. Strawberries border two of the beds. They have made it through several winters, but this year I added new bareroot plants to increase production. The other two beds are bordered by herbs. I have them in buried pots to minimize spreading. The mint, thyme, parsley, sage, rosemary and basil all survive through winter.

My annual crops include one full bed of Norland red potatoes and the remaining beds hold red onions from sets, green bunching onions, carrots, spinach and a variety of lettuce. These have always been good producers.

You can read more about my gardening exploits and other aspects of float cabin living in Wayne's book Up the Lake available for purchase at www.PowellRiverBooks.com. Do you have any stories about gardening? Do you have any hints for gardening with unique situations? Let us hear from you. -- Margy