Before 2011
our Back Yard Garden
took up most of the back yard with above ground planter boxes as well as beds along the fence line. In 2011 the planter boxes were removed with gardening relegated to the fence line beds. No gardens in 2012 and 2013....it was all we could do to keep the grass watered on a once a week and then once every other week mandatory schedule.
When digging in the dirt is in your 'Genes', you will do whatever it takes to 'Backyard Farm'. In 2014 we recycled bath and dish water along with our scheduled allowance and captured rain water. We had a nice crop of squash, okra, and tomatoes from our mostly 'Container' garden. Last year...2015...we decided to Farm at HEB (grocery store)...so no Veggie Garden or Flower Garden.
Texas Mother Nature has been a bit more generous with RAIN in 2016, and even though we are still on a mandatory watering schedule, we decided to 'Container Garden' this year. Three tomato plants and three mounds of squash in the fence line planter box and my favorite 'Red Geraniums'.
We are blessed!
I remember visiting a few years ago, and seeing all these trash cans and water barrels scattered throughout my inlaws back yard, They'd collected every drop they could, in whatever fashion they could, so that their plants wouldn't die. Up north, people (not us) wash their driveways. We just kringe when we see that water wasted.
ReplyDeleteI will never understand or get used to being considered in a drought while torrential rain pours around me, as has happened in the past here. We arrived to Texas in the fall of 2004 in the midst of a tropical storm. Rain everywhere and a big flood in this town that Thanksgiving, yet, they were still saying "drought". Obviously, "drought" means something different here in Texas than it did back home in South Carolina.
ReplyDeleteThere is so much water wasted in the Houston area that it is ridiculous. We've often driven by places with fountains going when, sure they are pretty, but the water has better uses it could be put to. There are sprinklers going while it is raining. How silly is that? The thing that gets to me the most, I think, is letting the grass farmers irrigate their land while thousands of acres of corn burns up in the field because of lack of water. We can eat corn. How many people eat grass?
Last year, thanks to the flood, all of my tomato plants drowned. I tried it a second time, same thing. This year, I'm trying again. Thankfully, they survived the flood at the end of April this year and are still growing, so maybe we'll actually get tomatoes this year!
Best wishes with your plants! May we both be enjoying home-grown tomatoes in our salads and sandwiches by July 4, if not sooner. :)
nice to have a splash of color. Texas has been challenging. We don't garden, but we do have salvias, Mexican petunia, and heather - trying for the water-wise plan that gives some color. The purples do great
ReplyDeleteI lost nearly all of my garden from the 4 year drought we are recovering from here in Northern California. Had to make sure we had enough water for the basics like cooking and washing.
ReplyDeleteLove the containers and the stands and the arrangement. 2 thumbs up! Wishing you a bumper crop this year.
ReplyDeleteWe are in a drought here in California too. I am not a gardener though so our yard does not suffer from no water. On the contrary, the weeds seem to grow ever higher even without water! Your container garden is beautiful.
ReplyDeleteA co worker's daughter lives in the drought area of California - her stories are heart breaking. I'm happy you've been able to resume some of your gardening. Alana ramblinwitham.blogspot.com
ReplyDeleteWow you're still on a watering schedule of some kind. I'd love to share some of the water we've gotten Tomball with you. It would be great if Mother Nature could spread it out just a little. It will probable stop raining in June and not get a drop for days on end. You have a beautiful yard with the splashes of color.
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