Wednesday, June 18, 2008

Vegetable Gardening with a Twist

From previous posts, you may already know about my floating vegetable garden. It's given me great veggies each summer for the last four years.

This year I am trying potatoes in a barrel. Better Homes and Gardens had an online video that intrigued me. I planted Norland red seed potatoes at the bottom of a barrel. Each time they sprouted, I covered the leaves with more dirt until the barrel was full. I was a little skeptical, but the hearty plants kept pushing themselves farther up through the soil. I won't know for awhile how the potatoes turn out, but if the plants are any indication they should be great.

My asparagus was great from May through June. Lettuce, spinach, radishes and onions give us great summer salads. I'm trying beets for the first time and they seem to be doing well along with my carrot crop.

To get more space for my veggies, I'm using pots this year. My zucchini is already starting to produce, and the tomatoes and peppers are getting a good start. Gardening is something that makes me feel good. It gets me outdoors, gives me some exercise, and helps cut down on the amount of food we have to haul up the lake to our cabin.

I hope you enjoyed my V is for Vegetables pictures. If you are new to my blog, I invite you to stay awhile and read more about my unique vegetable garden by clicking here. Would you like to know more about our cabin life and the Powell River area? Visit www.PowellRiverBooks.com and explore the books about our region. -- Margy

20 comments:

  1. Wow, I'd love to live as you do. The landscape is wonderful. Far from civilization as they call it. That's my dream life.

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  2. Great choice for the V post:)
    Love the little bunny;)

    Petnia's ABC

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  3. My 1st visit to your blog was a real treat. What a facinating lifestyle and definitely not a run of the mill veggie garden! I really like the little hand water pump in the kitchen. I look forward to exploring the rest of the blog soon.

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  4. Again, practical and beautiful! How lovely.

    Husband used to grow courgettes. They were very sneaky. I'd look at them one day and think, 'A bit small,' and the next day they'd be big marrows!

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  5. How fascinating!
    We are preparing to grow some more vegetables later this year.

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  6. Very different Vegetable garden.
    Thank you for Visiting my blog.

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  7. Hi Margy,

    What a great floating garden...   I read more about it in the links you gave -- all very interesting!

    Love your solar-powered water pump.

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  8. very cool veggie garden!! is there a reason it is floating? maybe because the land is too rocky around your place? wonderful! Makes me want to create a fresh salad!

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  9. I love this garden! Thanks for inviting me to your blog. I shall visit more often. In answer to your question, a Vizsla is a hunting dog, originally bred in Hungary. They are very loving and extremely smart. I was very lucky to get the dog I got. She's a sweetheart.

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  10. Anonymous7:05 AM

    I showed your Potato barrel to my husband Charlie and the rest of your garden he was so jealous. He tries to grow a few things but our space doesn't have alot of sun because of all the trees.

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  11. Great v word! Thanks for your comments on mine.

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  12. I've never heard of growing vegies like this! I'm VERY impressed. Great post. :D Thanks for popping by.

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  13. Anonymous3:14 PM

    Now you really do have an interesting environment.
    Gary

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  14. This is fabulous! I can't wait to see pictures of the harvest!

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  15. WOW! A floating garden! This is amazing.... as for veggies, I can just about manage some herbs, though for the life of me I can't get dill to grow in my garden. Maybe it needs better soil- mine is alkaline.

    Thanks for the visit and your kind comments!

    :^)

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  16. Anonymous1:19 PM

    This looks like HARD WORK! I need to go back and read about how you put these together and got the soil to it's new location! But it sure looks good!

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  17. It must be wonderful to live on the river! Your garden is a great success.

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  18. Oh My Gosh! You blow me away! I love your garden!!! (voice rises in pitch as word garden is spoken!
    what' are' we having for dinner?

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  19. Thank you everyone for visiting my "V is for Vegetables" post.

    In answer to Swile67's question, the garden floats because we live in a floating cabin. We don't own any land, and even if we did, the land near us is primarily a granite cliff. Another advantage of the floating aspect of the garden is that it can be pulled away from shore so that critters can't get to my produce. Thanks for asking. -- Margy

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  20. This is the first time I have visited your blog - I love your garden - it is so unique!! You have a remarkable lifestyle - do you mind if I link to you?

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We welcome your comments and questions. - Wayne and Margy