Sinfonian's garden adventure!

[Sinfonian]

I live in the Seattle area, which is zone 8b, but to really understand my climate, you need to know I'm in AHS zone 2 and Sunset zone 5. So in a nutshell, my climate doesn't get below 20 degrees hardly ever, has less than 7 days above 86 degrees a year and has a climate closes to the English coast.

I've got 130SF in four raised beds like Patti's, two SWCs, two potato bins, a pear, plum and apple tree, two blueberry bushes and a blackberry bramble in the back 40.

I'm new to gardening and have a new found passion for growing food. It started out as a stress relieveing hobby and with the economy and energy crisis, timing couldn't have been better for me to get the gardening bug.

I've been chroniciling my first year adventure in gardening on my blog. And I really appreciate Patti mentioning it in her newsletters! At first I didn't think anyone would read it, but I've got quite a few regulars that get mad at me if I miss a day posting, hehe. Check it out if you're interested in seeing me make mistake after mistake, but still succeed in the end!

http://ft2garden.powweb.com/sinfonian/

Enjoy your garden!

[gardengirl72]

His blog is great, you should check it out. What is cool is that it will only be this once as you can only see that first time wonder and fear one time. After that he will have figured out a bunch of new things and never be the same.

[Ani]

I just took a peek at your blog - wow. I can't wait to really read through it. Looks like I've got something to do over the weekend :) Welcome to the boards!

[AbbeyLehman]

You all just INSIST on taking up more and more of my time!! :D

I have bookmarked your blog, Sinfonian, and intend to scour it for mistakes to try, I mean avoid!

With such an odd climate, what are you able to grow well? Is it wet a lot more? How long is your growing season? 8b sounds great, but it feels like you don't get all the benefits that go with that?

Welcome!!

[Sinfonian]

Patti: don't worry, I plan on making many more mistakes next year. And don't worry, I've never fall/winter gardened and now I'm trying that.

Abbey: Glad I can help you make, er... avoid the same mistakes I make. That's one of my goals (the other is simply to remind myself what I did this year next year, hehe.

What can I grow well, cool-weather crops year round. I'm sick of salads, hehe. Naw, I can get early variety tomatoes to grow, cukes did great for me this year, beans did well eventually! Corn not so much though I planted it way too close on some iffy advice. Who knew corn needed SO much sun, hehe. But mostly cool-weather crops for me. And 8b is very misleading. Do a search on my blog for my post on zones, it's telling, very telling. Think of the British isles for my climate... very similar.

Ani: Thanks, glad you like it! If you have a comment feel free to help me figure things out by commenting on my blog. I love getting comments. Makes me know I'm not just writing to myself.

All: Sorry this is delayed, I find with SO many forums I don't make it to all of them all the time.

Enjoy your garden!

[plantoneonme]

Glad to have you over here...seen your blog through GW. This is the first veggie garden for me in quite a few years and things were pretty good. I sure we will all make mistakes and hopefully learn from them. Kim