Gardening 2012

This is one of those "what doesn't kill you makes you stronger" kind of projects! It all started because we had two rats in the chicken run. So we decided we'd better build a smaller run with a tighter mesh. Then we thought, we should move it to a different spot. Gee, that spot needs some fill dirt. Hmm, we could use some gravel here...and there. And while we're at it we've been meaning to clear out under the deck and install our decking. So we're getting 12 yards of dirt/gravel and decking - all because of two rats!

Started replacing our shabby "lawn" with a cover crop of clover and all sorts off stuff. It'll look better and feed the chickens to boot!

My Fireman calls this Happy Home Owner Syndrome.

One project leads to another...and another...and another...

Grape hyacinths, snow drops (late), early tulips, narcissus are about 4 inches tall.

The trees are shedding their leaf cases.

A little rain and couple of nice days--BOINK!

Forsythia, early tulips and cherry tree are blooming. Apple trees developing blossoms--did a little pruning. Rhubarb, strawberries and hostas peeking out.

Cleaned out the mulch cover and winter dreck.

Set some onions and garlic with tobacco cloth covers.

Starter trays looking good. Pinched off excess or replanted them in other medium.

Well, I managed to raked the winter leaves onto my garden. I'll leave them there to compost, then when I'm ready I'll run them over with the mulching mower and turn them in to the soil. It seemed to work pretty well last year. Still haven't decided if I'm going to do heirloom tomatoes or just buy some already started plants again.

Start some seeds, see how they do, and pick up a few starter plants, too. The worst that can happen is failure.

Last season was a discouraging year for tomatoes and peppers--%#+*?@&* Hurricane Irene!

I decided to amend my soil with more compost last fall, and move the tomatoes to a cooler, better ventilated bed.

My started seeds are around 3 inches tall, so I've thinned out the scrawny seedlings and have potted everything. It looks like I'll have more than enough and plenty to donate for the Spring Sale at church.

The trees are leafing out beautifully. Pussy willow catkins are covered in yellow flowers. All the narcissus and tulips are opening. Rhododendrons are blooming.

The closest I've come to in the gardening department is a soil improving cover crop. I love this stuff! Be gone, boring lawn.

Turned over so much dirt lately when I close my eyes I see worms.

Belle, your garden sounds lovely

After winter, even a mild winter like we had, it's so gratifying to watch perennials and flowering shrubs fill out.

The neighbors lilacs are in full bloom. Glorious.

I took my first cutting of green (German) rhubarb this morning.

Planted tomatoes, peppers, cucumbers, summer squashes, eggplants, kohlrabi, radicchio, Brussels sprouts, cauliflower, fennel and tomatillos. Thinned leeks, spring onions, radishes, garlic, Swiss chard, kale, endive, herbs, and collards.

Reseeded spinach and lettuces.

Harvesting spring onions, rhubarb, rhubarb, herbs, baby greens and spinach...and rhubarb.

Reseeding the greens and herbs. Drying herbs, and the morel mushrooms gathered over the weekend. Cut and froze the rhubarb. Dropped off two baskets of rhubarb to the food bank.

The church and community garden volunteers have been very busy harvesting salad greens, spring onions, peas and rhubarb for the food bank.

The spring is proving to be very bountiful.

In the "Better late than never" category, I got one part of my garden prepped yesterday and got some radishes (probably too late) and green beans planted. I plan on picking up three or four tomato plants and that'll be it for this year.

That's the spirit, Bill!

OK, you Gardener Extraordianeres!

I know it might be early . . . but . . .

I'm gathering information for Autumn patio gardening.

What are good veggies to grow during the Autumn season - and which ones would be a good fit for patio gardening?

I have radish sprouts! No beans yet. Got two beefsteak and two cherry tomato plants from Home Depot and put them in last weekend. Also got a bag of wildflower seeds that I tossed into the other section of the garden that I'm not using this year.

Sharon-Marie, here's a site I found from a quick search. Have fun!

Bill's growing stuff!

Your local county or state agriculture office should have lots of information online.

This lady has an informative site.

Visit local garden centers for some ideas and asstistance. Local Mom-n-Pop businesses have their hands in the dirt every day.

I completely forgot I asked y'all a question in here!


Bill and Belle - thanks for your links; I'll check them out.

The broccolini went to seed while I was gone. Gramma cleaned it out and planted a few decorative kales I had started. The first strawberries are tiny but ripening. The peonies and roses are glorious. Something is poking around into the potted flowers, so I set the livetrap to see who's been rooting around.

Weeding and transplanting. Picked strawberrries, basil, parsley, mint, dill, scallions, the first leeks and lettuces.

My peonies were huge this year, but they opened and were gone in a couple of days instead of the usual week.

I have flowers on 3 out of the four tomato plants, got some radishes looking good, but had to replant beans just like last year. I think I got a bum pack of seeds.

My peonies were huge this year, but they opened and were gone in a couple of days instead of the usual week.

I've noticed that too, Bill.

The lilacs, apple and cherry blossoms didn't last long. My Siberian Iris came up full and lush, bloomed in two days, then folded up and dropped away the next. The same thing is going on with the foxglove and delphiniums. Nothing looks unhealthy, and they're older, established plants. Odd.

I've been meaning to send in a soil test, but can't seem to get to everything on the Summer To Do List.

The vegetable garden is doing well. The hard work of amending the soil last fall paid off, and I rotated everything in the raised beds.

Weeding. Picking strawberries, baby leeks, herbs herbs for drying. Transplanted new basil plants. Cleaned out the last of the spring onions and rhubarb.

Hard to believe, but even my rhubarb didn't do well this spring! I got just barely enough for one pie.

Usually I do some tomato plants, but haven't bothered this year for some reason - I was even quite late getting my hanging baskets/flowers this year. What's up with that?

Many parts of the country are seeing very unusual weather this spring and summer, and that can cause trouble with perennial fruits. I got a second cutting from my rhubarb and it threw seed heads the next day.

Picking strawberries and first raspberries, kohlrabi, leeks, bok choy for the food bank.