11 Garden Projects for 2011

Each year I’ve posted about the projects I hope to accomplish in the New Year. They aren’t resolutions, just goals or ideas. I may not even get half of the projects accomplished but I find that if I get some ideas before the garden season starts in earnest I can be pretty motivated to get it worked on before the fall freeze comes along!

Here are 11 Garden Projects for 2011!*

*(These are in no particular order)

1) Build the vegetable garden fence!

This has been on my list for two years without much progress. Alright, without any progress! The deer have invaded my vegetable garden multiple times which means there needs to be a way to prevent future incursions tied in with whatever fence build.

2) Finish the new garden beds.

I have three areas in our front yard that need mulching and filling in with plants. One area is around our Yoshino Cherry tree and is filled in with a bunch of plants already including irises, coneflower, dwarf crape myrtles,  daisies, and a few other plants. Another area is halfway mulched but I stopped when I discovered a nest of ground wasps. I need to figure out how to get rid of them! The third area is a garden on a slope that will be filled with Russian sage, catmint, salvia and several other favorites that are easy to propagate!

3) Make more stepping stones for our side walkway area.

I made a few last year and I need enough to connect the area around the arbor to the backyard.

4) Repair a couple raised beds.

My beds are made with untreated lumber and after 3 years in the weather a couple of them are falling apart. My plan is to move four 2’x4′ raised beds and place them together in the location of the 4’x8′ raised bed that is falling apart.

5) Build a central circle raised bed in the vegetable garden.

The four beds I’m planning on moving for the previous project will leave a gaping hole in the center of the garden. I have about 17 concrete retaining wall blocks laying around that should make a great central circle.

6) Gradually adjust the vegetable garden into a parterre vegetable garden.

Parterre layouts are very cool and are both decorative and functional. In the process I’ll eliminate any grass pathways in the garden and replace them with mulch – no mowing in the vegetable garden!

7) Build another arbor.

I’ve collected all the materials for a nice arbor to be build near the garden shed. It will be wide enough for the riding mower to easily run under and will get covered with a Sweet Autumn Clematis that will be relocated from my deck – those things need places to roam!

8) Fix the deck.

I’m not sure what I can do here yet but one rail on our deck has warped to the point where the whole rail needs replaced. Hopefully I can enhance the deck in some way during the repair process.

9) Build the garden bridge!

I’m really want to get my reclaimed deck lumber used for this project and soon. A nice oriental style garden bridge is just what my garden needs – well not really “needs” but the garden does want it…

10) Finish the patio walkway to the driveway.

I built the patio two years ago expecting to add the walkway last year but that got away from me. This year for sure!

11) Finish the garden shed.

I’d like to paint the inside a nice reflective light color to increase the light. I’d also like to enclose the roof rafters in some way to improve the heat retention.

Those 11 tasks are a starting point! I know of a couple other things that I could put on the list that will come up in the future but I’ll share those when the time comes. What projects are you getting into this year?