Just a couple of weeks ago, we started our 2022 garden. I grew up with a garden in my backyard, but I didn’t help much. Except when the raspberries first started bearing fruit for the year, I’d pick them daily. I also planted flowers around the yard and where my bird feeders were.
Once I moved down to NC, I knew I wanted raspberries. I use them for everything, especially for my smoothies! But, I wasn’t in the place or right time to do any gardening. I was just settling in a new home, new state, and a different life.
This year (2022) came around, and I decided that I was ready to start my goal of my dream garden. I started researching and learning about all the different kinds of raspberries. I never knew how many different kinds there were. Different sizes of plants, berry, thorn or thornless, so many varieties!
I ended up going with a Heritage Red Raspberry! Since I’m growing them in pots, they are one variety that is able to do well. The backyard soil is mostly clay right now and filled with weeds. But one day, I’ll probably plant it in the ground and let it shoot its roots out.
One of the two plants is full of leaves! My second plant is still a stick, but I don’t think it’s “supposed” to start growing leaves till May/June. So hopefully, it’ll start next month or so! If it doesn’t, I won’t be surprised because I am far from a green thumb.
I was thinking about getting some peach trees this year too but decided I’ll go extra slow on my garden – one new plant at a time. But next year, if my berries survive, I think I’ll get peach trees!
A couple of weeks ago, my sister and brother-in-law (whom I am a live-in nanny for) got some other gardening supplies! We got some wooden boards and a couple of cement blocks at Home Depot. Put all those together, and you can make a raised bed! So that’s exactly what we did, fill it with soil, manure and mulch. We aren’t sure what we’re doing, so it’s a whole process. I’m sure we’ll make mistakes on the way, but we’re also going to learn from those!
Today, I planted some carrots and summer squash and transplanted my garlic and onion to the raised bed. Last week, we got two tomato plants, one jalapeno pepper, cilantro, basil, and rosemary! In about a month, I will plant bush beans, which will sum up the food part of our garden.
As said earlier, I always planted flowers! So, I planted my sunflowers and some marigolds. But I don’t have much hope for my sunflowers since there are so many resilient weeds that will choke them out, and the soil isn’t great. But maybe they’ll endure and pop up!
That is our 2022 garden, and I’ll update this post near the end of the season!
~Becky 🙂
I loved this article! So inspired! Keep up the great work. Tending to a garden is such a blessing. I actually like that you put the raspberries in buckets. I could do that and move them from the chickens when they are out. They love to eat them before we get to them. . .
Thank you! That’s an idea! I’m hoping the birds won’t get mine when they’re ripe!
Its so rewarding taking care of a garden. I started a garden for the first time during the pandemic and I LOVE it.
I absolutely agree, so rewarding!
I would like to have the skill to plant something and see it grow. Thanks for your post.
Start somewhere small, like an herb or even a flower! 🙂
Good luck with your garden. Looks like you are off to a great start. It is so much fun growing your own food and tastes so much better than what you can buy at the stores. Thank you for sharing!
Thank you! Yes, garden food is so much tastier! 🙂