Now that I've gone back to work and the garden's slowed down a bit, postings may be a few days apart, I'm afraid. I just can't keep up. It's just the first week of school, but so far this year I have 163 students. Hopefully they'll hire more teachers after Labor Day, but I'm not so sure. The amount of kids in the classroom really isn't a problem. I've got one class of 36 where I have two at a front table and one at my desk, but they're all so good natured about it. It's the grading that's going to be the end of me. So far this week we've done two daily assignments (12 and 15 questions respectively) a 15 question quiz and then a 50 question test of which only the quiz and half of the test were matching/multiple choice. Everything else is essay or short answer. Multiply it all out by 163 kids and that's some major grading time that's not worked into your work day schedule.
I went out and shot this pitiful film of some of the garden today. I'm really looking for advice on how to run a trellis next year on the side box for the POLE beans. I know the film says 'bush' beans, but I was concentrating so hard on not saying 'bush,' that I did it anyway.
I won't be able to get around to the back end and I'm worried I'll cut off my access to the back row of squares. Wondering if any of y'all had any other ideas.
Enjoy the film.
The morning comes early. Sweet gardening dreams.
You may really want to hit play and just walk away. Just walk away while this beast buffers. I didn't mean for it to get so huge.
Can you move those beds out about a foot or so from the wall? That would give you access to the rear and still allow you to run the strings up to the railings above. Or, just put the trellises on the front edge of the beds and add a few stepping stones across the back so you won't be walking on the soil you've worked so hard to build. JMHO.
ReplyDeleteEverything looks great. Good luck with the large classes.
Sandy
I can't believe how much those zipper peas look like edamame/soy plants! I would definitely try some greens in the winter by that bed by your A/C units! Peppers might also love that hotspot in the summer. I have found that simply hanging single strands of twine down and not even tying them off to anything the beans will climb, I am doing that on my pergola over the deck this year. Have you thought of growing the beans down? Like putting them in planters and letting them trail over the edge of your wall? Love the video! Your garden is huge and beautiful, and I never knew what okra looked like before! Thanks for taking us on the tour!
ReplyDeleteThank you for being a teacher. My neice is a sub and works mostly with autistic children. She doesnt have her education and I keep telling her to get her rump back in school and get it. She loves her work. I would think you would have to love it to be able to do it (at least that is how I feel about being a nurse).
ReplyDeleteWhen we were in school, sometimes the teacher let us exchange papers and grade them. I LOVED doing that. I always thought it would be fun to have an attendance and grade book. Such are the thoughts of a child.
Sandy, that would be a fantastic idea, however, the beds are placed along an edge of the wall that was already covered by pinestraw and not bermuda. I can't move it away and have it sit only on the pinestraw, and the box is on the side of the house and within spitting distance of the neighbor's driveway. Due to HOA laws, I can't have a garden in a side yard, but since this is against the wall, it's a bit more unobtrusive.
ReplyDeleteClear as mudd? I think I just talked myself in circles.
Hey, Erin. GLad you liked it. The gardens alltogether only equal 204 sqft. It's not as large as it seems. I tried growing beans downwards this year and it was a total flop. Maybe I'll try again next year.
ReplyDeleteHA! MissyM, I always wanted to be a teacher so I could write on the chalkboard (we have white boards now), cut in the lunch line, walk down the hall without a hall pass, and not have to get on the floor during a tornado drill.
ReplyDeleteNursing is just like teaching. You have to need to do what you do or you can't. Both professions have a pretty high drop out rate after the first 2-3 years.
Well, I hope you're not waiting for me to have a brilliant idea on the trellis - because I just can't figure out a good way to make it work without eliminating some of your growing space. Sorry! Everything is doing very well, and those cucumbers will surprise you, I bet.
ReplyDeleteNice walk through. Always nice to see things from a video perspective. I'm not sure what you are looking for in terms of the trellises. If it was me I would make a frame against the back wall, affix trellis netting to it and let the vines grow. Then I would plant something lower growing in the front part of the bed. You could also add a few stepping stone or scrap pieces of wood so you have access to harvest from the trellis.
ReplyDeleteEG, you've shattered my hopes and dreams.
ReplyDelete;)
Ha!
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