Again, this is another gardening experiment for this year---planting potatoes in containers.  Why so many experimental gardens you ask?  There are a few reasons.  The first being, have you ever heard the definition of insanity?  It has been said insanity is when you keep trying the same thing and expecting different results.  With that said, I am trying several new planting methods this year hoping for better and more consistent results.  Though rabbits do not like eating potatoes, I do not like digging potatoes.  After the plants have grown in these pots all summer, I should be able to just dump them out and easily harvest.  Keep in touch and follow the progress this summer as the growing season continues.

Trying out hay bale gardening for the first time this year.  You will see strawberries , planted after the conditioning of the  bales.  One reasons for trying this method is to try and prevent the wild rabbits running amuck in the yard from eating all my produce!  Hoping the bales will be tall enough to prevent rabbits from reaching the plants. 

After determining most of the plants nibbled on by the rabbits were going to survive, I decided to plant them in the hay bale garden as well.  I had previously planted seeds of various greens in the bales, which failed to sprout.  This failure left abundant room to transplant the nibbled on plants from the raised bed.  It has been less than a week since the transplant.  The new growth is unbelievable!   You will notice some larger cabbage and brussels on the back row.  There are plants purchased to replace what the little cotton tails had snacked on.

Had some neglected kale plants in a planter on my patio.  Thought I would use them to start a food forest as I had found the perfect spot on my property recently.  This spring I will be planting a few fruit trees in the area, but for now, I thought I would start with this kale.  As you can see, it has been neglected.  Don't remember the last time I watered it.  Can't believe it's still showing signs of life.  These plants were actually purchased 18 to 24 months ago.  They have been pretty hardy as they have survived the scorching Texas heat and short lived snowy conditions that pass through on occasion throughout the winter.  As of recently, they have survived me.  In planting them, I'm confident in the location I have chosen.  It has been a long while since we have had any real measurable rain.  As I removed the plants from their container and placed them in their new forest home, I was amazed at the moisture in the soil.  Another reason I decided to make this move was to see how they hold up to predators.  More concerned about the wild rabbits and other small creatures roaming this area than I am the coyotes and bobcats.  Use to love all the wild rabbits roaming my yard.  That is until they discovered my gardens and thought that handy little food pantries had sprouted up for their convenience.  I’ll keep you posted and let you know how this turns out.  Until then, cheers and God Bless!