2022 Goals for SBG

Firstly, I must needs ask, where are our flying cars? And robot maids? I’m sure that by 2022 we were promised such things. I don’t need nor want a gardener though; as I work in the garden, it does its work on me.

Goal #1: Upgrade my Basemap

I failed to get this done last year and wished I had it for nearly every project. Wishing somehow didn’t get it done. So I guess I will just have to chain myself to my desk and withhold all coffee and chocolate until it is complete. Gasp!

My current basemap is small and includes features that have since changed.  I want a larger scale map that shows only our house and hard-scapes. After scanning it in, I’ll print that and add some semi-permanent features, beds, trellises, trees, etc. and scan that in.  With the resulting image, I will be able to print and doodle or math out any future project. 

Goal #2: Plan for front yard makeover. It will be dedicated to native plants and stormwater management for Back Yard Habitat Program. 

Our front yard is a little slice of weedy green pizza that is south facing. Our HOA prohibits front yard vegetable gardens so I plan to donate all of this land to native plants. (Edible natives will get priority.)

Our property qualified for Backyard Habitat—just barely. I had every soft requirement nailed, removal of turf, storm-water management, bird friendly features, community outreach, no pesticides or herbicides, etc. Everything except the two key features: percentage of area dedicated to Willamette Valley natives and canopy layers. I had the bare minimum. So I eeked out a Silver Level Certification with promises to do more.

This will also help me manage weeds on our property. I find deep deep tap rooted dandelions impossible to manage mechanically in turf. I tried it all. My personal ethics prevent me from using herbicides. Personally, I don’t mind weeds, but my neighbors prefer to keep their grass weed free and weed seeds from my yard make it necessary for them to use additional chemical controls on their lawn. I need to be responsible for how my decisions affect others.

Goal: #3 Repair & Rework the Berry Row Trellis

Along our west fence-line is our berry row and supporting trellis. The trellis is about 6′ tall and has four wires running through the boards that extend about 35′. I weave the berry canes up through the wires.

It doesn’t work very well. Some canes snap as I try to bend them in others are damaged by the wires. When a wire breaks, the whole thing goes slack. The wire are routed through holes we drilled in the wood, which promote corrosion of the wire and rot in the post.

Trellis 2.0 will address these problems. (And likely create a few new ones.)

Either end of the trellis will be replaced by cedar 4 ” x 4″. I will also keep the concrete footings a few inches above soil level to prevent soil from contacting and rotting the boards out. I may screw in a ground eyelet anchor to support and run a wire to take load off the trellis board.

I plan to screw in eyelets onto either side of the trellis boards and run a coated wire through them. This will create a narrow alley that will contain and support the canes—no weaving necessary.

The sections will be modular. If a wire breaks it won’t affect another section.

Goal: #4 Move Asparagus crowns again…

Last February my daughter Danielle and I moved our asparagus crowns from a zone 1 (area that gets daily visits) raised bed to a zone 2 bed. (Weekly or less visits.) While I enjoyed the freed up space in the raised bed, the asparagus failed to thrive in their new home. It could be shock from the savagery of the move, or perhaps conditions were not agreeable. Too much shade? Not enough water? Too much competition from the arborvitae root system? Or maybe they just need some more time to get going.

Luckily, we missed a couple crowns in the raised bed. I’m going to move those to a large open section of the berry row. Once the trellis is modified, (Goal 3) it should contain the wild fronds. I can also interplant some strawberries (clipped runners) as a companion to prolong the harvest in that area. Strawberries make good companions to asparagus because their roots inhabit different rhizospheres. Strawberries have shallow roots and asparagus have exceptionally deep roots. Strawberries also provide a form of living mulch.

Other possible companions: Herbs like basil, parsley, fennel, and dill are helpful for discouraging asparagus beetle.

One day I shall have oodles of asparagus! One DAY! It will be mine. All mine!

Oh, pardon me.

Goal #5: Repair old Asparagus Box (SBG – 4)

This box is around 10 years old and has split at the corners. 

Goal #6: Rejuvenate the Old Bed (SBG-3)

This will be year two of my bed rehabilitation plan. (It’s old and has a suspected overburden of pest species in the soil. Nutrient profile came back fine.)

• I planted fava beans in October (check) 2021. They are well established now (January 2022) and should flower in the spring and set seed and go again.
• No water again this summer.
• No compost or other amendments.

Although I didn’t plant anything in this bed, it was full of self-seeded borage, calendula, mallow, strawberries, chives, most of which survived the our hot-dry summer. I hope the pest overburden was not so resilient.

Goal #7 Arborvitae Row Containers

Nothing will grow within 10 ‘ of the base of the arborvitae row due to their fibrous water sponging roots. However, the arborvitae provides sound insulation, privacy, nesting habitat and our yard would not be the same without them. So I want to experiment with large animal trough sized containers that could grow hardy, dwarfing citrus trees in a guild of beautiful and useful flowers. Will need to integrate into drip irrigation system.

Goal #8

Write a concise blog post as I complete each goal to keep you informed and inspired while also keeping me accountable to my commitments. It’s a process people.

Project Schedule

January:

• Goal #1: Get that new basemap done.
• Goal #2: Part 1. Submit new front yard design to HOA for approval.

February: 

• Goal #2: Part 2. Earth works for new design.

March: 

• Goal #2: Plant new native plants in front yard as I can find and buy them.
• Goal #4: Move remaining asparagus crowns to berry row.
• Goal #3: Repair trellis.
• Goal #5: Repair SBG 4 box.

April: 

• Goal #8: Ensure blog is current with goals.
• Goal #7: Large containers for citrus trees and guilds.

I can do this! 

I left April through August pretty wide open since I know I’m going to be busy seeding, sowing, weeding, et. al. so better to schedule these goals for the dormant season.  

What about you? What are your goals and plans for your garden 2022?  Leave a comment and share some inspiration!

Resources:

Portland Plant List Natives Organized by Sun Exposure