Toad House Ready in Garden

Colorado's weather is getting nicer now, so my thoughts are turning to the next gardening season. Now is the time to reshape beds, work in nutrients, plan for better irrigation, build more fencing, and gather seeds for planting.

Our garden is expanding as I type. It should be about double in size this year once my husband installs the new posts. The wooden poles we got from someone moving off their farm will make excellent posts to anchor fence wire. We have to do a lot to keep chickens and rabbits out, and we also try to keep rattlesnakes and kangaroo rats out of the garden by using tiny wire around the base of the fence wire. The new poles are wonderful, and will give the garden fence so much new stability. Here is a picture of the new poles, plus a few of our chickens who are looking for early spring bugs.

The new garden is being prepared with some composed turkey manure we got last fall. After some rototilling, the beds will be furtile and ready to grow our greens. 

Last year's garden was mildly successful. We were able to jar up some pickle relish, plus we froze tomatoes, beans and spinach greens. Onions and potatoes dried in the shed and were enjoyed well into the winter. I loved making Thanksgiving dinner with our own garden products.

I took a walk through the existing garden this morning and saw that the blue flax plants are making their appearance. They make such lovely blue flowers all summer long. Maybe I should move a few clumps around to spread the beauty !!

I also arranged the toad house, getting it ready for inhabitants. I had a few toads in the garden last year, but they actually preferred the wet onion bed to the toad house. Oh well.

With some good planing and lots of work, our 2009 garden will bring lots of food to the farm.