Visited YMCA’s Community Gardens

In 2011 I noticed the YMCA had community gardens and had to investigate further. I wish they had them when we had no yard or garden space. Visit the link above to read that blog post.

Today I decided to head back there again and see what was happening so far this year. I picked just the right day as people were busy getting the community garden area tilled up for people who will be planting soon.

It looked like I arrived just as things were getting under way. I did my best to keep out of their way as time is money. Our vegetable garden was only tilled up on Monday and is almost ready to pant.

I’m pretty sure I saw Jamie MacLellan pitching right in and getting her hands dirty. She and guy each had a wheelbarrow and shovel. They were working hard. Hope they get it all moved before it gets really hot today.

I only stop for a few seconds, just long enough to tell them work a little harder. I thought I should run at that point as they had shovels full of dirt.

The Cutest Garden Started

I saw this cute little garden that had a square foot gardening setup. That’s the first one I have seen other than in my own home garden. Just as I was going to squat down to snap a picture I heard a lady ask if I wanted to take her picture.

She was only kidding and didn’t let me take her picture but she did let me talk with her for a bit. This is her little garden in image below. The day she was ready to prepare her garden the guy that runs the tiller wasn’t there. Did that stop her, not for a second. She just dug it up and prepared herself.

She even brought her own watering container. I believe they are called water butts.

Not sure how long we talked but I learned she got the material and corner brackets for her square foot garden raised bed at Kent. She put it together and if you look close you can see she has it marked with string breaking it into square foot sections.

She also had this 3D bamboo trellis she is using so the beans and peas can climb it. That’s something I’d like to have and I might just have enough of those little bamboo stakes left over from last year.

Once we were done chatting I looked through the rest of the gardens. That’s when I saw Jamie working so hard and then I headed back home, in a different direction of course so I could see what other people are doing to get ready for planting time.

Judy The Gardener’s Husband Jean Tilling Our Vegetable Garden

I’ve been so looking forward to planting and growing our vegetable garden again this year. The thing is my son Steve helped me increase the size to about double and then he moved out west for work.

I tried a couple of times to start digging it up and preparing it for our vegetable plants which I’m growing from seed this year. It just hasn’t had time to dry out enough for me to do.

I managed to get a couple of square feet turned but just when it was about dry enough it would rain again and that just makes my shovel way too heavy to lift for long.

Then on Sunday Jenny’s friend ‘Judy the Gardener’ drove her home from church. Jenny and Judy walked around the yard and Jenny showed her all the things we had on the go and plans we had for our backyard.

Well she saw that our vegetable garden hadn’t been dug up yet and returned the following day with a garden tiller in the back of there car. Judy’s husband Jean pulled it out and in less than an hour had the entire vegetable garden tilled up. Completely blew me away how efficient that little tiller was. Oh yeah, Jean was pretty at using too.

I would have taken no less than a week to do it a little at a time. I’ll certainly have to remember them at Christmas.

I was so impressed with Jean and his little garden rototiller that I have plans on picking one up this fall when prices have dropped some after the summer ends.

You can see from the image below just how our vegetable garden looked just two days ago and below how it looked just an hour after Judy and Jean arrived.

Our Vegetable Garden Before Tilling

If you look very closely at the bottom left corner of the image above you might be able to see the tiny section I worked. It’s a couple of feet square and took every ounce of energy as it was wet and extremely heavy.

Our Vegetable Garden After The Tilling Was Finished

I have to say that Judy and Jean made my day, big time as there is so much more I can do now that they tilled our veggie garden for us. We so appreciate it.

Home Gardening Tips For Beginners

One of the great things about home gardening is that you don’t need a lot of space to do some gardening. Don’t have a backyard to plant flowers, trees and vegetables? You’re not alone, there are millions up millions who don’t and still grow a garden.

For a number of years my home was either an apartment or a rental with not front or back yard however I always had at least one window that got direct sunlight.

Direct sunlight is what you need to have a healthy garden, even indoors, well unless your willing to purchase grow lights to do the job.

When I first moved to Moncton over 30 years ago I lived with my great aunt and grandfather. My bedroom there had only one window but my aunt had a plant in every window. At one time there was even a beautiful flower garden in their front, side and backyard gardens which was maintained by my great grandmother.

Today Jenny and I have our own home with a flower garden in the front yard, backyard too and we have a vegetable garden. Our own little dream come true.

So this is our personal home gardening tips for beginners blog where we share the things we learn and apply.