Hügelkultur Garden Border

 Hi everybody. Today I tried out an idea I've been considering for awhile now: using a hugelkultur to create a boundary between the garden and the rest of the yard. This has many useful advantages for me. Not only do I get to have a hugelkultur that functions as a low fence but my hay mulch is close by in the garden and the hay won't rot as fast since it is on top of wood. The hay mulch had originally been stacked up directly on the ground and the hay near the ground was in bad shape. This should make the hay last longer but also help the wood it is currently on decompose faster since the wood cannot dry out as quickly. I hope everyone has a safe and happy new year!

Announcing the poppy of 2021: Hungarian blue bread seed

 After careful consideration, I have selected the Hungarian blue bread seed poppy as the best overall flower the represent the large majority of the poppies that will be in Poppyville garden. Not only is it beautiful and easy to grow but you also get edible poppy seeds that are (so I've read) in the highly desirable color of blue. As you can see, my first batch was acquired from Baker Creek heirloom seeds and I already have another batch on the way. I hope to document the process of growing the poppy flowers from site selection all the way to seed collection right here on Poppyville.

The power of garlic against deer

 

As this year begins to wrap up, I want to share a small victory with you. Deer have destroyed my garden for the most of the growing season but I have two food crops that have proven to be deer resistant. Please give to a warm welcome to garlic and the distantly related elephant garlic. As you can see, both appear to be untouched unlike the winter wheat to the right of them that has been decimated. While I won't be able to feed myself on just garlic, it will be a great addition to anything I grow in the new year that survives the deer onslaught.