Lower garden progress

I have been very concerned about our lower garden because last year it really didn't yield anything at all. We planted corn three times and never had any corn -- well, maybe a few puny ears. This year might not be wonderful, but it is certainly better -- so far -- than last year.

We planted four rows of corn and it is beginning to come up and is really looking healthy. It does have some spotty areas where it didn't come up, but I think we can fill in those areas. It looks so good compared to last year.

On the bottom portion, it looks even better. The corn, peas and okra are coming up. We wanted to try some things down here we have had success with in the upper garden, to see if we were the problem. We were beginning to just think we couldn't grow corn. The corn is now looking really good and we need to feed it well -- probably mulch it when it gets big enough.

After it is a little bigger, we will add some nitrogen to see if we can get it to get some height and put on some full ears. If it keeps on like this, we will need to put a fence up soon. I don't think the deer will stay out for long without it. They like corn, too.

I do have one observation. You must work with a garden spot to make it successful. The first year is probably not going to be as successful as the following year. Our upper garden was good last year but this year it is even better. Our lower garden didn't produce at all and now the soil seems to be richer and ready to sustain our corn. If we continue to amend the soil, I think it will eventually become rich enough to grow any vegetable. Right now, I doubt it would grow just anything. Time will tell, but I think this is part of the reason we are having more success this year.