Well, we made the move. Hence the overly long absence from postings. We just bought our first little slice of real estate, outside the city. I admit, it is not exactly what we wanted, but for us, and for now, it will do. It's quite a nice place after all. Instead of acres of land to farm, we have just the one. Not bad I suppose, especially considering the schedule that keeps things like blogging, gardening, and taking photos of gardening for blogs, just what they are; hobbies. So, let's get to it.
This image faces South, South-East, which means that the back yard will be relatively shady. Not ideal for gardening, but the shade should be mostly during the late afternoon, and if next summer is anything like this last one, my plants will thank the trees for the relief. The backyard is bordered by two fence rows which border two fields respectively. The trees along the fence are very typical for this part of the world. They are predominantly Eastern Red Cedar and Hackberry. They account for 80% of the treeline. The rest are a combination of the following: Black Cherry and Sassafras. Not a bad combo for wildlife I suppose. On the east side of the lot there are two trees that, as a gardener, I must take notice of: Black Walnut. Black Walnut is a valued tree for the lumber and the nuts. However, the tree produces a natural herbicide. That's right, a natural one called: Juglone. This is nothing new, most seasoned gardeners know not to plant tomatoes under Black Walnuts.
Fortunately, since these trees border one entire side of my garden, covering nearly 500 square feet of space both above (leaves) and below (roots) the soil, and since I love harvesting and enjoying the walnuts, there are plenty of plants resistant to juglone. Nevertheless, I must plan accordingly.
The other major feature of the garden spot is the limestone. This is still Middle Tennessee, and anyone who lives around here knows that if there is one thing we have ample amounts it's limestone. Unfortunately the rock is nearly useless. It has a high clay content, so it makes poor construction material for buildings. To be honest it is really only good for one thing: gravel. It also reduces the water holding capacity of the soil dramatically and impedes digging, planting, etc etc. I can't readily remove them since they typically come in sizes ranging from Volkswagens to counties...
Still, the lot is quiet, and we are on the very edge of farmland so wildlife is often present. Hmm, maybe I will be visited by them as well. At least I saw a hawk yesterday, hopefully he'll keep the rodents at bay.
