Vegetable Adventures: Prologue

Planning
As you may have guessed from the title, I have decided to chronicle the adventures of this vegetable garden. The planning is well underway although I don't intend to start until next year. I want to do it right and have this be a successful garden. I did know the soil in Kansas is clay, not the best for gardening, and our yard has little sun. So with those two things against me, I plan to do everything else I can to make these veggies grow!
Step number one - location. This is area one of only two that get much sun in our yard. Coincidentally, Ryan and I thought we would landscape this small area along our east fence, so put a smaller garden fence up last year to keep the dog out. And transplanted some Irises there, that will be transplanted again this fall.

Earlier this afternoon I went to that county office mentioned below. I'm still not sure exactly what it is called, but it is possibly the KSU Shawnee County extension for horticulture... or something. "Master Gardener" volunteers work there and I was able to ask some questions in addition to getting my free compost bin. They assured me that the soil is definitely the most important thing to consider and I'm doing better than 90% of people with garden aspirations by planning this part. One lady asked if I was considering a fall garden (lettuce and spinach, yum!). I mentioned the Irises that need to be moved and she thought I could possibly make it work. I'll think about that.

Not Quite Farm Headquarters
The free compost bin is a bit different than I expected. Here you can see it next to the one we had already set up. Yes, we did have one, but I don't think I put the correct materials in it to start, so I was going to start over. But with this new 'bin', I may just wrap it around what we already have (black to attract the heat and allows less air to flow thorough.)

I just liked the angles and composition of this photo. Curious Camden.

Well, this is the prologue and you may not hear much more about the garden until August but next year should be fun - and delicious!