Le Potager

Garden work begins in earnest now.

Over the weekend, Bryson helped me set up my cold frames... and I am so excited! I have been wanting to try four season gardening for quite some time now, and at last we have the hardware to begin the learning process. (For gardening, I have realized, can never be fully learned from books-- only by doing.)

I have always been enamored of the French kitchen gardens-- with their combination of both beauty and practicality, and have wanted one for my very own for quite some time. Over the last couple of years I have been learning everything I can about seasonal planting, extended harvesting, and heirloom plants. This is the year I hope to put thought into action.

The raised beds of my petit potager were constucted with planks of untreated pine, which I choose to preserve with a mixture of organic linseed oil and charcoal. The application can be a little messy, but I prefer it to chemicals that could leech into the soil, and consequentially the vegetables. Besides, messy can be fun, right? We chose to constuct it in a horseshoe shape, with its dimensions being 16 feet along the back, and 12 feet along the sides. All along the back we have constructed trellis supports for climbing plants such as tomatoes, cucumbers, and squash. We used to use nylon netting on the metal frames, but have abandoned it this year in favor of simple jute twine.

The little pieces that frame the garden's entrance are devoted to growing day-neutral strawberries, which keep us in the little red jewels all summer long. A four foot by four foot section in the front right corner is dedicated solely to herbs: tarragon, lavender, chives, thyme, mint, sage, parsley, cilantro, rosemary, oregano, and dill. The remainer of the garden changes with the seasons, with plants chosen for their adaptability, taste, and beauty. In a few weeks time the tender plants will be transplanted out-- the heirloom tomatoes, peppers, and eggplant.

Today I begin the process of going through all the seeds tucked away in cold storage and taking inventory. Figuring out what is still viable, and what needs to be ordered. Working on the master plan for how best to stagger plantings this year. But, most of all, just enjoying. C'est la joie de vivre!