Garden Layouts Dictate Observable Interest with Achievable Yielding

“All gardening is landscape painting.” – William Kent

I have been gardening in the same space for 9 years now. Therefore, garden layout planning is very important. I utilize crop rotation to the best I can. Traditionally, it would be a 4-year crop rotation. Meaning not having the same kind of plants in each spot year after year. But I use a 3-year rotation as I haven’t had much luck with root vegetables and having a black walnut tree in the yard. I also amend the soil according to the recommendations given from the soil sample analyst in the fall.

Each year I have a general idea as to where I want to put each kind of plants. After I get the garden tilled up (thanks to my husband and son for the deep tilling), I remeasure the perimeter. Then I recount how many plants I have to transplant into the garden. Since I start the tomatoes, peppers, and flowers from seed, the number of plants can change from how many seeds I planted months earlier. Then I get my graph paper, colored pencils, and ruler together to draw out a garden layout. The rows and pathways change each year. Thus, aiding in favorable soil conditions in regard to preventing specific plant pest, fungi, and issues.

Drawn garden layouts are not permanent. It may be several weeks between making the ‘plan’ and actually putting the plants in the ground. When I pick out the varieties of plants to put into the garden, I also make a list of them with pertinent information. For example, how many days to harvest, how far apart to space them, and what color changes may occur. For this reason, I can make rows in the garden before transplanting. This year, after measuring out and making rows (yes, actually with a yard stick), I switched the location of the small and medium tomatoes. The walkability between rows just felt better.

Not all plans going right. The tomatoes needed spacing out a few weeks ago but the weather wasn’t suitable yet to put them in the ground. So, I transplanted half of them into another tray. No big deal, they grew great actually with new soil and space. Fast forward to this week when I put them in the ground. Having the same tomato variety in two trays got me mixed up. I lost count how many some varieties had. I tried to put the same variety in a row together. Of course, I was mixing up Japanese Black, Prince Borghese, and Black Prince (who wouldn’t with similar names). The first two are small tomato varieties and the last is medium. So, all tomatoes are labeled in the garden. Who know, it may help to have them interspersed. Only God’s timing will tell.

Adding flowers throughout the garden is essential too. I set aside several areas to just have flowers. Having them adds interest to the garden as well as attracting beneficial bees, insects, and butterflies. Flowers feed your soul as you tend to garden.

A Glimpse at a Graceful and Valuable Garden Treasure, the Bumblebee

“In all things of nature there is something of the marvelous.” – Aristotle

The humble bumblebee delights in an adventurous garden. It will dance its way from one flower to another. It doesn’t matter if it’s a flower on a vegetable plant or just an ordinary flower. Each flower is majestic in its own blooms, so no two flowers are just ordinary. Bumblebees rely on flowers for their nutritional needs. Just as farmers rely on bumblebees to pollinate their crops.

Many vegetable plants do better with nature’s assistance in pollination by the bumblebee spreading pollen more efficiently to the specific parts of the flower. The vegetables I grow that need or benefit from this assistance are tomatoes, cucumbers, squash, and peppers. Whereas beans, lettuce, and peas are self-pollinating.

I tend to grow just as many flowers in my vegetable garden than I do actual vegetable plants! I try to make sure I have flowers blooming from spring into fall. Bumblebees also like fruit tree blooms, which is a bonus in my yard with cherry blossoms and crabapple trees. Last year I had marigolds, zinnias, nasturtiums, basil, chives, and cosmos growing in sections of my garden and interspersed with the vegetables. This year I am planting those and adding calendulas, dahlias, and a wildflower bee friendly mix. I can’t wait to see the garden in blooms of extraordinary colors.

Did you know bumblebees are gentle and none threatening? They just like to do their own thing of gathering nectar and pollen. Watch them fly from bloom to bloom without bothering them. If you get the chance to see them sleeping in a flower, consider yourself fortunate. I did last year (see the big pink flower picture)! Most of the time they do this when the temperature drops quickly. It is warmer next to the pollen, who knew? Some scientists who study them and then write about it for the rest of us to research. Bumblebees can fly in cooler weather but may sleep in a flower overnight or during the day, if their home is too far.

In life, we should follow the ‘teddy bear bee’ example. Be kind to everyone around us. Be helpful to those we can. Rest in comfort when we need. Rely on God for our needs. Look for the beauty God has given us here on earth.