Garden Weather

temp: 35.6 F (2.0 C)
humidity: 64%
wind: From the East at 6.0 MPH Gusting to 8.0 MPH
pressure: 1026.0 mb
station: KILWHEAT3
February 4, 7:28 AM CST

Recent Photos

The Garden

The Chicago area is on the edge of Zone 5 and Zone 6. Make sure you know your zone before you take any advice about planting times, growing techniques and the like from this website.

For the past 10 years I’ve been part of a resurgence of gardening in suburban society, well before it was cool to be “organic” or “back to nature”. Even as a small child in the urban city of Long Beach, California, I had a garden in the back yard along the brick fence.

I spent 5 years in Northern Kentucky building a large backyard garden. Then in 2007, we picked up our stuff and moved to Wheaton. A western suburb of Chicago, IL.

The previous owners had no garden of any kind, so in 2007 I stole part of the front yard (there is no backyard) and installed 3 3×8 foot raised beds.  I also built a movable cold frame that slips over the top of one of the raised beds (sold in 2009). In 2008 I focused on expanding to other areas of the yard and seed starting. In 2009 I built and planted a grape trellis down the side of the house near the custom built two bin compost system (both removed in 2010) as well as finishing the custom built barn style shed. I also added a worm compost system in the garage (unused after 2011). In 2010 I took a beekeeping class and started a one hive bee yard. In 2011 I expanded the bee yard to three hives and moved them to a local organic farm. In 2011 we ripped up our front and back yard in preparation for redoing everything in 2012.

Year in Review

Year Five – 2011 (flickr gallery)
We ripped up our front and back yard this year so very little actual gardening was conducted.

Year Four – 2010 (flickr gallery)
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Year Three – 2009 (flickr gallery)
IMG_0295IMG_0299IMG_0301IMG_0329IMG_0341IMG_0337IMG_0337IMG_0409IMG_0410 IMG_0413IMG_0414IMG_0415Uploaded - 4\25\09Uploaded - 4\25\09-2IMG_5437IMG_5447IMG_5452IMG_0478IMG_0479 IMG_0480IMG_0482IMG_0499IMG_0546IMG_0572IMG_0574IMG_0106IMG_0586IMG_0590IMG_0592 IMG_0598_MG_6572_MG_6714_MG_6718_MG_6719_MG_6721_MG_6731_MG_6732_MG_6736_MG_6738 _MG_6746IMG_0695IMG_0710_MG_6630_MG_6636
Year Two – 2008 (flickr gallery)

IMG_0034IMG_0032IMG_0027IMG_0028IMG_0007IMG_0009IMG_0010IMG_0012IMG_0014IMG_0018IMG_0021IMG_0019IMG_0024IMG_0016IMG_0048IMG_0049IMG_0060IMG_0061IMG_0070_MG_5324_MG_5348_MG_5317IMG_0097

 

Year One – 2007 (flickr gallery)

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