Here is the garden bed I'’ve constructed from limestone rocks and discarded concrete blocks that I've rooted out of the vegetation in the back yard of my apartment. I'’ve filled the bed with Mango leaves I'’ve stripped from branches that had been pruned and discarded in the back yard, green vegetation I chopped with a machete, and semi-rotted palm fronds which I also rooted out of the back yard vegetation. I am hoping the materials will compost over the next few months into usable garden soil, though I am relatively certain that I will have to also import soil.
I'm guessing that after watching me root out the rocks and chop vegetation, my landlord, Senor Monsreal; the fellows who have been renovating a vacant apartment here; and my next door neighbor, Joel, a Spanish fellow who plays trombone in the Yucatan Symphony Orchestra, consider me to be un Gringo Loco. And after today, when I dragged quite a number of fallen palm fronds from the yard of the vacant house next door over to my future garden, I am guessing that my other neighbors may have come to share the sentiment.
But, hey, you know me. I am a gringo, a quality I'm not so proud of these days, and I am loco, a quality of which I immensely proud. The fellows renovating the apartment must also appreciate loconess, as I notice that today they laid some unused concrete blocks in a line on the other side of the Lemon tree so as to start another bed.
I plan to plant tomatoes, melons, and peppers. Given that the back yard is composed mostly of sandstone I'm having to use the raised bed approach. If all goes according to plan I'’ll be eating home grown produce early next Spring.
3 comments:
Thanks El Macho,
I need all of the tips I can get for growing vegetables here. The only type of tomatoes I have found in the local markets here are smaller and look like Romas. Being Un Gringo Loco I have collected and dried seeds from the watermelon, cantaloupe, peppers and tomatoes that I've bought at the market. I plan to try to start them shortly after the Winter Solstice.
If I were you I would get some good seeds, meaning seeds that you know are going to produce. Planting seeds from fruits and veges is risky as they maybe hybrids and unable to produce a crop.
Thanks for the advice Life Long Harborite, and my half life long friend. Perhaps I will try the seeds I've collected as well as store bought seeds, or maybe starts if I can find them. At this point I'm wondering, given the climate here which enables the Mango tree in the back yard to put out new growth and the flowers to bloom at this time of year, when is the proper time to plant. I haven't yet found any info on the www but I'm still looking. Oh yeah, and the climate here also enables me to acquire a tan this time of year.
I must say I'm having a great time rooting around, and cleaning up, the back yard which has been used as a dump for old tile and concrete. Sr. Monsreal, my landlord, and attorney, and a really nice fellow was by this afternoon and seems pleased with what I've done.
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