my brother in law david answers your questions and comments re: april’s garden blog (see last month).
Hi everyone:
I read everyone’s comments. Here is more information about our garden.
There is no question that I was totally inspired by Martha Stewart and consider Martha and Alexis to be part of our extended family. Last July, my wife (Stacy) and I visited Martha at her beautiful home in Maine. I was completely blown away by her garden and the amazing tastes of all of the fruits and vegetables. I was immediately hooked and driven to start our own garden. Of course, Martha was the ultimate host – I’m fortunate to have access to Martha – she’s the real deal!
My first task: learn everything – I went straight to MarthaStewart.com, the obvious starting point, and read dozens of articles and watched tons of videos. Then I purchased 5-6 books on organic gardening, plants, garden rooms, outdoor projects – you name it. I now watch two great TV shows on gardening: "Cultivating Life" and "Victory Garden" (both on PBS) – I’m obsessed!
By January, I knew what I wanted to plant, the number of plants that I needed, the optimal pH needed to grow each plant, the dimensions of each raised bed, what wood I would use (untreated white cedar – it lasts for years and doesn’t contain chemicals), the date I needed to plant seeds and the date that I needed to transplant them in the garden. I also got approval from Jennifer and Keith to setup the garden in their backyard because they had a great flat open area (my wife and I and our 3 kids, Jennifer and Keith and their 2 kids and my father-in-law all live on the same property). No, we don’t get into fights living that close together – these particular individuals play nicely together (other than normal kid scruffles).
I learned that Martha buys many of her seeds from Johnny Seeds in Maine so I purchased seeds from them to arrive in time to plant indoors in mid-February (they have a great catalog with lots of information about gardening). I then purchased grow lights and set up an "indoor greenhouse" in my basement. We now have 330 seedlings growing in our basement.
In March, we removed the grass from Jen’s backyard and started building the frame using railroad ties – we have extraordinary help from our gardener/handman and his helpers. We then brought in amazing soil to cover the entire garden bed.
Next year, we intend to lay brick in the areas outside of the raised beds. The entire garden is 60′ by 60′ with a 17′ by 17′ open area in the center – this will ultimately become a work and dining area. It has cost several thousand dollars to put the garden together; hopefully, the money that we save from not buying fruits and vegetables at the market will start to offset the startup costs (we buy tons of expensive blueberries at the market so we will definitely save some money)!
Since we live in Zone 7 (Google "USDA Plant Hardiness Zone Map" if you aren’t aware of your zone), I planted some of our plants around April 15 (the average last frost date for our area) and will plant a lot more after May 15 (the last possible frost date for our area).
The only regret that I have with the garden is that I didn’t start years ago – Bunny (my mother-in-law) would have loved to have been part of the process of setting up the garden since she was really into flowers and landscaping – she would have hated the railroad ties framing the garden (she would have wanted expensive stonework or a white picket fence framing the garden).
Thanks for some of the hot husband comments; and no, I’m not Jarrod!
Enjoy, David
I do Square Foot Gardening, a concept started by Mel Bartholomew. Very simple for a lazy gardener like me. The results are amazing. Check out the books.
Welcome to the addiction that is gardening!!! Just in case you don’t have it yet, you should look into a book called The Garden Primer by Barbara Damrosch. I take it out to the garden with me so that if I need a quick reference it’s there. I’ve also been heavily influenced by Martha. Her gardens are amazing! I’m installing a 50′ square garden myself, and it’s worth all of the effort. Also, recommend “A Gardener’s Diary” on HGTV. Not all about veggies, but just beautiful gardens. Don’t have regrets about not starting earlier. Why not honor Bunny by planting flowers, etc in an area, and naming it after her? Most important….Enjoy the ride!
Amazing! Can’t wait to see more pictures and see the progress on the “compound” garden.
Can you please upload photos as the plants grow and mature? You can’t leave us now!!!
Wow David! So inspiring, you’ve done a great job. Keep us posted on the progress please.
You sonud super sweet and you guys seem to have a wonderful family.
Have a great day!
Wow David, you’ve really done your research! I can’t wait to see the progress through the summer. My biggest obstacle with my (smaller!) summer garden is dealing with insects and small animals. It’s frustrating when they get more out of my garden than I do. As time goes by, please keep us updated on what you’ll be doing to protect your crop.
And yeah, you’re hot. ( ;
awesome . . . bravo!!!
Having enjoyed gardening as a hobby for many years I will be interested in what you learn along the way. It really would be wonderful to see your progress in pictures. By the way, is everyone in your family a good writer? I also enjoyed your gardening research and the way you told your story. Look forward to seeing and hearing more!
Uhmmmm….I think David needs his own 1 hours show after you guys…I’m just saying….
david,
you have inspired me as well. i’m going to read up and learn as much as i can about organic gardening.
please post pictures, update us and your garden merits an article/segment on martha’s show.
and yes you are hot. equally as hot as keithy. what lucky sisters!
Jennifer, your Brother-in-law sounds very nice in his “letter”, I started to choke up when he mentioned your mother Bunny. I could totally picture her calling in and complaining that David used the wrong things to landscape the garden. And I bet Bunny would have enjoyed being in the garden with her family. Bunny is still missed. Good luck with the Garden!
I’m so jealous! I can’t wait to have a place with a yard so I can have a veggie garden.
Please share some photos of your process so I can live vicariously through the blog.
Good Luck!
my husband and I were not positive that everything being called organic was the real thing so we planted a vegetable garden 3 yrs ago it cost around $4000 and worth every penny everytime we sit down 2 dinner it’s nice 2 know exactly what we are putting in our bodies. we also share with good friends and donate every couple months 2 our local food bank…enjoy!!!
David, good luck with the garden project. Although it sounds more like a “farm”. One piece of advise…watch the ph on your blueberries. They like very acidic soil and will do nothing if they don’t like the soil. Mine are going on their 4th year and the bushes are still tiny. My soil needs amending, another spring project! Also think about putting in some raspberries- delicious for all sorts of things, from cereal to jam. And they are very easy to grow.
Hi I wanted to give a piece of info I learned a couple years back. I had framed my garden with railroad ties as well, but then I learned that they are treated with creosote which is considered a carcinogen. They can leach into the soil and into the vegetables so I took mine out.
Just an FYI.
I am impressed with your fluent use of language and your excellent punctuation. You’ve obviously paid attention and learned your lessons well. I have always loved the beautiful name, David.
Jennifer my husband thinks u r a adorable mess wants 2 know if there will be pictures of all the veggie dishes u will make from your garden?
Will be looking forward to updates all season as your garden grows – what a terrific family project. I’m another one who is concerned for you about the railroad ties though… but since I know you’ve done a ton of research, perhaps you’ve found a type that isn’t toxic.
David, you are a wonderful and beautiful man. Amy
Is it possible you could send me the plans for your garden. I know you paid for it. But believe me we don’t know anyone here in ct who could do what you did. We have the land 47 acres and we have a gardener who pulls weeds what he thinks is a weed. I don’t think he could handle the way you set it up with all the wood and stuff. Our handy man is making me the garden on MS out of wood that is epa from africa. I still haven’t got it yet. But your garden is the ultimate and I want one for next year. this year is too late. thank you Amy
David – you need to start your own blog so we can all keep track of your progress through your trials and tribulations and pictures!!
Starting something is one, finishing it is another. We’ll see ‘As Time Goes By’…….plant it again Sam I mean David.
I hope you’ll share photos as the garden grows and also lots of pictures of your harvest and cooking with the food.
Plant some white /red/yellow cherry tomatoes….
they are the most wonderful plant ever!!
I could live on tomatoes i think…
I love the idea of having a space in the middle for eating and such, a beautiful teak table and chairs for dining and some ironwork benches with throw pillows made for out doors would be beatiful sorta Balineese looking with an arbour entry way. good luck can’t wait to see it as it progresses.
I think it’s hysterical that he signed his posting “Enjoy, David”
LMAO Jennifer was just talking about that a week or 2 ago (maybe more)
brian and I (my hubby) live in pinnacle peak az we planted an amazing veggie and some fruit garden 5yrs ago, it was a little pricey I thought but after all these years of compliments at dinner parties and BBQ’s (grilled veggies are so good) money well spent…two and half years ago we planted one at our vacation home in canada disater, I really want to blame the gardner but my brother in law said it was bad soil, so so seeds and terrible wood. We are starting over and thanks to David we are getting our seeds from johnny apple seed and stealing some of his other ideas. So thank you and good luck!
Arizona has perfect weather for garden projects. I’ve have cousins in long island and I am can’t imagine a sucessful vegetabe garden there unless it’s in a greenhouse. Jennifer I hope you keep us informed
jennifer I am very curious about a garden in Long Island in ariz we have perfect garden weather. I tried for years for a garden when we lived in upstate New York the result wasted money and wasted time, really hope your family has better luck. Love the show you are so real and alexis has the take no shit attitude that’s rubbing off on me in a great way.
There is an excellent interactive usda plant hardiness zone map at https://www.plantmaps.com/usda_hardiness_zone_map.php. It’ll give you a better view of the usda zones that the static maps found on other sites.