Time for the real work to begin on the garden.

In Part 1, we removed the old garden.

Part 2, we marked out where we needed the new boxes and moved out the old plants we were keeping.

Part 3 was more of a funny update, as I realized how many of the Little toys we were using in preparing for the new garden!

In Part 4, a WHOLE lotta dirt got dumped onto our driveway.

Which brings us to this update.

This is when we are REALLY glad we live near family!  Hubs went to work on the irrigation. We had sprinklers in this area for the grass (that was removed in In Part 1). Hubs did a little self teaching after speaking to a local John Deere supply warehouse on how to build a drip system, tapping into the current sprinkler lines. I’m honestly so lucky to be married to a “self-starter-gotta-figure-it-out-and-do-it-myself-guy”!

Grandpa (AKA “Farmer John” to us these days). Moved our exisiting artichoke plant to its new location.  I like this move for a number of reasons. For one, artichoke plants are HUGE, and it used to shade other plants a little too much.  In it’s new home, it has more room to grow. Also, the taller it gets, the more it hides the stuff on the wall!  Win-win!

Addie got busy with her digging.  This was a whole family affair (I particularly liked my jobs: Take photos & feed people.  DONE!)

Along with the irrigattion, Hubs was also tasked with moving the existing trees to their new locations.

Hi Honey!  Need any help with that??

These are citrus trees that we already owned. None of them had done very well in their old locations, but after seeing the lemons popping through the trellis in these photos, I was convinced we could do something to cover the ugly cinder block wall.  So these have all been moved against the wall and we are training them to grow along it. (AKA Espalier)

Hayden helped with the digging too.

And then the girls danced inside the new raised boxes.  Entertainment, I tell ya, pure entertainment around here 24 x 7!

Then it was time to place the new boxes.  We chose to make these a little taller than last year’s in hopes that caring for everything would be a little less back braking. I’ll let you know how that goes. (‘Cuz carrying around 3 little toddlers does NOTHING at all to my back already, nope, doesn’t bother it a bit…)

The girls tested the boxes out and thought they would work just fine.

Piper: “I’m Queen of the Woooooorld!”

Addie: “I can help! I can help!”

Though there were no plants in the boxes yet, watering the new soil helps to compact it and also makes sure that new plants and seeds will feel welcome in their new home. (Or so I’m told, remember, we’re only 2 years new to this…).

Then that big pile of dirt started finding it’s way back to the new garden. Thank goodness!!

Addie went around to all the boxes and double checked Dada’s work, tightening things up as she went along.

Hayden too. Hubs is so lucky we have these little helpers to keep him in check!

Piper?  Well she supervised!  She was part of my work detail. Entertain and keep everyone happy. We had a really tough job!

If you know my dad, then you KNOW his Farmer John outfit was in perfect form for the day. When my dad gets involved with a project, he researches things completely and then immerses himself in full detail!

Love ya Dad (AKA Grandpa, AKA Farmer John!)

Hayden followed up with Hubs and Grandpa and made sure the dirt was all transported from the driveway.

And soon it was time for a well earned Margarita!!  (I mean seriously folks I’m not sure about the work the rest of my family did, but taking pictures is EXHAUSTING!).

The next weekend we planted.  It was a HOT, HOT, HOT weekend, but the satisfaction of seeing the garden was awesome!

OHHHH, and then there was the fence. I saw it in a magazine. Strategically placed said magazine photo under Hubs nose. The next weekend we (read = HE) built a fence. Lord love that guy!!

Stay tuned!