Good Morning from NW MO

[just2rosey]

Hello Everyone,
I just signed up, I love having a place to share gardening tips, so I just had to join. Two years ago we sold our place on the east coast and moved 1200 miles to be closer to family. I have been married for 25 years to a wonderful man, and we have two beautiful daughters. Last fall we bought a house on 5 acres with no improvements. The place used to be used for row crops, but it hasn't been farmed in about 15 years. The previous owners didn't know much about gardening, the foundation beds were two feet wide with everything planted right against the foundation, including tree/shrubs and the soil is tired from years of row crops. I have a lot of work ahead of me to turn this place into the little homestead of my dreams.

I garden organically, and am using edible landscaping as my theme. In the future I want to add fruit trees along the drive. I love roses, so those are my beautiful, fragrant indulgence. I have already put in several that are supposed to be fragrant and disease resistant, I can't wait until they start blooming. I have started my veggie garden, I hope to can most of our veggies for the next year. I also have an abundance of wild blackberries I plan to put in the freezer.

 

[Nyboy]

Welcome from NY. A lot of things from tea to jelly can be made from rose hips.

 

[seedcorn]

Welcome. Sounds like fun. Hope u took pix of how it was when u bought it and record changes

 

[just2rosey]

I have been taking pics, Garden Master. It will be fun to look back in a few years. I will post pics as soon as I learn how from my phone. Lol.

 

[Ridgerunner]

Welcome, it sounds like a plan. Since you will obviously be making compost, you might want to think about a manure maker. Chickens, rabbits, or something else.

Fruit trees along the drive. That conjures up some visions. You probably don't want mulberries because of how badly they stain, but plums, peaches, apples, cherries and pears are gorgeous in bloom, let alone the nice fruit. You might consider a nut tree or two also. Nuts take a long time to start producing but can be really nice once they do.

You have a blank slate there. It's going to be work but it can be fun. Glad you are hear.

 

[just2rosey]

Ridgerunner, I totally need manure makers! I already have chickens, because the place did have a coop. But larger livestock is on hold until we have fences and a barn of some sort. I want apples, cherries, and nectarines for sure. I don't care for mulberrues, so those aren't in my plan. The hardest part now is deciding where to put everything I want to pack into my little place (I want a lot). Lok

 

[thistlebloom]

Welcome just2rosey!
A blank slate is such an adventure, I second Seedcorns suggestion of taking pictures as you go. It can be amazing and encouraging in a few years when you look back at the progress you've made. And we like to see the changes with you!

 

[just2rosey]

Here is a shot of the front bed when I was starting to rebuild them. You can see where the brick edging was before I widened the beds. The big shrubs have been removed to.

 

[just2rosey]

My veggie garden, I brought in two loads of composted cow manure for it, and cleaned out the chicken coop. The front flower beds also got a load of composted cow manure.

 

[just2rosey]

Here's a birdseye view of the place. Not much to see yet. The back property line is just inside the tree line.