When I was turning over the soil I found these guys.  I searched extensively for the head, but it was never found.  We’ll see what kind of role they’ll play in this season’s harvest.

It was a pretty nice day today so I went out and turned over the soil; and it is looking quite nice. When we moved in last year the garden patch in the yard was covered with AstroTurf and strangled with viney weeds. The soil was pale and sandy, strewn with glass and rocks, and heavily compressed. I think a season with real plants growing and an infusion or organic material has made a real difference. I’ve uploaded two images: one from early in last year’s season (the one with the beets) and a photo from today.

I commissioned this fellow to defend my garden from the neighborhood cats.

I was planning to till and aerate the soil in my garden patch this weekend, but it looks like Mother Nature decided to intervene. I guess I’ll just have to spend the weekend cooking and drinking.

I think the garden may need a snowman to defend it from all the stray cats in the neighborhood. We’ll see what I can do about that.

This year I am trying to enrich the soil in the garden patch by allowing last year’s garden remnants degrade into the soil. I essentially ripped out all of the plants and left them to rot in the patch. I also raked in all the dead leaves from a nearby tree that fell into my yard.

I’m also going to turn up the soil to bury the material a bit and introduce some air to the soil.

I have no idea if it is going to work, but I figured it was worth a shot.

Photo: SideLong

Last year I had the herbs in the same patch of ground as my vegetables, but I felt like they were shaded out by tall plants and strangled by the squashes. This year they are going to a large container. Here is what I’ll be growing:

• Basil (Genovese)
• Thai Basil
• Chives

Here is a rundown of the vegetables that will go into the garden patch. I’m starting everything from seeds that I have obtained from Seed Savers Exchange.

• Snap/dry beans (Painted Pony)
• Broccoli (Romanesco)
• Brussel sprouts (Long Island Improved)
• Cucumber (Japanese Climbing)
• Eggplant (Rosa Bianca)

Just a quick introduction to my little slice of the blogosphere. This will be the second year maintaining a little patch of poor soil in the sliver of Brooklyn between Red Hook and Carroll Gardens. I’m going all veggie (aside from the 3 low trees and shrubs that my landlord planted) in the garden patch with herbs moving to a container.

Last year I just threw some stuff in the ground and had success, but it was certainly overcrowded. I never should have grown anything in the squash category, because they occupied too much and led to an outbreak of powdery mildew. Altogether, it was a success, but this year will come with more careful planning. Here is the plan: