Update on the Yard-to-Garden Program after a Decade: Progress and Challenges

Update on the Yard-to-Garden Program after a Decade: Progress and Challenges

Yo, what's good? In this ten-year journey of our yard-to-garden game, we've been weighing up what's been a smash hit and what needs a rethink. Let's chop it down to an urban yard in the cold and unforgiving climate of Alberta, Canada, zone 3, baby!

Now, we're rollin' with permaculture, growin' annuals and perennials in a way that'd make Mother Nature proud, but in a wild, free-spirited style. In this post, we're checkin' out our backyard in late summer to see where we're at. In future posts, we'll deep dive into specific areas that pique your interest, so holler at us in the comments if there's somethin' catchin' your eye.

Did we over-plant more than Snoop Dogg's backyard stash?

We kicked off the yard-to-garden grind back in 2014, right after movin' into our digs. In our 2020 Yard to Garden post, we spilled the beans on what we planted and where. It's been an evolving process, as some trees and shrubs didn't make it, and we learned that different spots work better for certain plants. Overall, we're reflectin' on the state of the yard ten years down the line and figurin' out what worked and what didn't.

Remember, when you're plantin' a tree or a mature bush, it's hard to visualize how big it's gonna get. Now, a decade later, we realize that there are too many perennial plants for the space to handle. Luckily, we can spot the ones we like or that perform well, and they're worth holdin' onto.

Slim pathways make navigatin' a struggle

Goes hand in hand with the first problem, but with all them trees grown, the pathways are tight, especially in late summer. It's like tryin' to squeeze through a crowd at a rave!

Also, the pathway wood chips and shavings? They didn't make it ten years. We've redone 'em a few times.

Raised garden beds are like the VIP section for our green thumb

I dig raised garden beds, they make it easy to get a handle on where plants are and give 'em a defined border. Our beds aren't too raised, which is a plus because we're in a dry climate, and raised beds tend to dry out quicker. Keepin' 'em low helps prevent that.

We've tested out different bed borders. Wood's lasted a decade, but the connections and corners need fixin'. The same goes for other materials, as the connections are where they tend to crack. Rock borders have their challenges – they encourage seed germination. We've covered that in another post.

Some of our beds run east-west, while others run north-south. In an ideal world, we'd have 'em all the same size and run east-west to make things more organized. Makes movin' around easier and planin' a breeze.

The soil in our garden is rich AF

The soil in our garden's been buildin' up over the years. It's packed with organic matter and has a loose texture. Our original lasagna gardens started out with excessively loose soil, which might need some clay added to make it more stable. On the other hand, the beds that were mulched seemed to yield better results. It's about a gradual process, buildin' up that soil over time.

The geodesic dome greenhouse – our DIY project of epic proportions

We've written a separate blog post goin' deep on the geodesic dome greenhouse. In a nutshell, it's a radical DIY project for green thumbs. Ahead, we're lookin' at buildin' a more permanent greenhouse that doesn't require constant fixin' up.

The benefits of a mature garden

The biggest benefit of a mature garden is the harvest. It's like the produce section exploded in this compact urban spot. We devour the bounty ourselves and share it with friends. If you're just startin' out, you might think it'll take over a decade until you can savor the fruits of your labor. We're here to tell you, it doesn't. Startin' with quick annuals delivers a swift return. Perennials also catch up quick. Check out the produce growin', most of it was planted in the last ten years.

The Ten-Year Yard-to-Garden Initiative Update gives us the lowdown on what worked and what needs to change. Overall, it's been a winning experience. We pushed ourselves to see what was possible in a small urban yard under harsh growing conditions.

We've got some plans to make some changes down the line, but we ain't sure where it's takin' us. Start fresh or redesign this yard? We'd love your thoughts!

Stay tuned for more updates on our website or follow us on Instagram, Facebook, or Pinterest for the latest deets on our yard-to-garden journey.

Bonus Content

Trimmin' and Thinnin'

To keep your garden from feelin' like a cannabis plantation, you gotta regularly trim and thin your plants. This'll help 'em grow stronger and reduce competition for resources like sunlight, water, and nutrients. And don't forget to select the healthiest plants to grow!

The Dark Side of Overcrowding - Competition and Disease

Overcrowded plants compete heavily for resources, which can result in stunted growth, reduced yields, and less resilience to pests and diseases. On top of that, poor air circulation and humid conditions can attract fungal diseases and pests, wreakin' havoc on your precious garden.

Mind Your Placements

Beyond consolidatin' plants and resources, think carefully about where you plant your crops to optimize space and reduce competition. Place plants with different water, light, and nutrient requirements in different areas, and group those that complement each other (like nitrogen fixers near heavy feeders). A well-designed garden will be more productive, resilient, and sustainable.

[1] The Urban Permaculture Guidebook (Peters & Westerfield)[2] The Earth-Friendly Garden (Wilson & Liebman)[3] The Art of Urban Gardening (Robin Rose Bennett)[4] Extreme Gardening: Revolutionary Techniques for an Out-of-Control Country Garden (Perrini)

1. In our home-improvement journey, we've embraced permaculture, cultivating annuals and perennials in a style that aligns with nature, yet maintains a wild, free-spirited essence.
2. Our ten-year retrospective of the yard-to-garden project reveals budding successes and areas requiring revision, focusing on an urban yard in a cold climate like Alberta, Canada.
3. We've noticed an over-planting issue that mirrors Snoop Dogg's famed backyard stash, making space management difficult.
4. As we reflect on the decade-long evolution of our yard-to-garden initiative, we acknowledge the challenges posed by slim pathways that, in late summer, resemble navigating through a crowded rave.
5. In our backyard, raised garden beds serve as VIP sections for our green thumbs, providing well-defined borders and easing plant management in the dry climate.
6. Evaluating our garden beds over the years, we've observed that wood borders, though lasting a decade, require periodic maintenance, while rock borders pose challenges due to seed germination.
7. Our soil is rich and organic, benefiting from gradual improvement and a mulching process that enhances its stability and texture.
8. In our ambitious DIY project, we constructed a geodesic dome greenhouse, but we're considering building a permanent, low-maintenance greenhouse for improved horticultural yields.

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