I was looking through some old photos (which made me realize I need to take more pictures!) and I came across some shots of our garden in Vallejo from a couple years ago. This is my most favorite veggie garden of the past (not counting my mom's garden in Newtown, CT that was so big and productive I will always be envious and remember it. We grew so many things in that garden from corn to watermelon. I was 9 years old and I grew peanuts; I thought that was so cool!).
I grew a lot in the Vallejo garden. I had some space and I built two big raised beds (if you have the room this is one of the best ways to grow veggies) faced with recycled fencing. I then surrounded those with gravel paths and on the perimeter had more, at grade, planting beds. We grew artichokes, beans, tomatoes, peas, strawberries, squash, herbs and other kitchen garden veggies but my favorite part was that I grew 3 different types of grapes (Flame, Thompson seedless and Black Corinth ‘Champagne grapes’ - so yummy). I had replaced the existing side-yard fence with a new grey stained fence that had a trellis feature on top so that I could grow grapes. There is something so rewarding about growing grapes. Maybe it’s because they are so delicious, maybe it’s how they grow. Whatever it is I found great pleasure from growing them and the family and friends loved eating them. There were so many I even made some into raisins.
Grapes are fairly easy to grow. They need good pruning, a sunny spot and a trellis (so many options there) but given that there are many varieties that will work in many different climates. On top of the fruit they provide great shade, dappled sunlight that is inspiring on a summer day and brilliant color in the fall. Really in a class by itself the grape, grown for centuries, can be a great addition to your contemporary landscape.
The next post will have some photos of the grapes. I did take pictures of those!
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