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Got my peas and strawberries in today. The strawberries were bare-root plants, not sure I liked the look of them when I took them out, looked pretty dead to me, all except 3 that were sprouting leaves. Guess we'll see. Did a little more weeding, gave all the veggies a good soaking. It's been dry for a while now, and no rain in the forecast any time soon.
Had the night off last night, so actually got to go out in the morning and work, which was a nice change. The quality of the light is different in mid-morning than it is at any other time of day. Worked out there until it was too hot to get any more done, then took off on the motorcycle to go mow grass at my grandfather's.
Hey all, I just wanted to pop on over and let everyone know that I have been very busy with the boys battling illness after illness and now I have an ear ache that is killing me and I am going to the doctor for today.
Everything in my garden is growing wonderfully. I have tons of tomatoes and strawberries that are not quite ready for picking. So far I have lots of herbs and 1 green pepper that is getting bigger everyday. My carrots, peas, radish, broccoli raab and more herbs are growing but are not ready to be harvested.
I lost all my spinach, it died on me so I am going to plant more. We ate the mesclun mix salad with dinner one night and the boys devoured it. They call salad "dinosaur food" and they couldn't wait to eat it, so I cut it down and we enjoyed it. Some of what was left over in the pot died and the rest of it is growing tall and now has flowers on it! I will also be planting more salad soon.
I really didn't think my garden would turn out to be as successful as it is. I am very proud of myself and I can't wait to get my hands on the first tomato, strawberry, radish, carrot and pea and taste the fruits of my labor! I absolutely have fallen in love with gardening. It is amazing to me when I go out everyday and see how big my tomatoes and pepper have gotten since the night before. I love seeing the strawberries popping up all over like crazy. It is like a dream come true for me. I have always wanted the ability to grow my own foods and be rewarded with success and now it has come true for me!!
I can't wait til the first tomato gets ripe enough to pick, I am hauling my butt to the store and getting some fresh mozzarella cheese and I am going to make my very first tomato, basil and mozzarella salad with fresh home grown tomatoes and basil from MY GARDEN!!! Oooohhhhhhhh, I am getting very excited!
Well gotta run now, take care all!
Jeanne
<growl> I just wrote a whole entry and then when I went to post it the auto time out had logged me out. What an annoyingly short time period.
There's no way I'm going to remember to update this thing every day, that's becoming clear.
It's been rainy, cooler, and windy this week, so I'm not getting much done out in the yard. Which is actually just what I needed, because while we were spending all our time outside, the *inside* has been going to pot! We're having a dozen people over on Sunday afternoon, and I'd've been ashamed to have company with the state of our house earlier this week. It's looking better now. :)
I did get some stuff done--I got some of my ornamental pots planted. The smaller urn already had purple pansies in it, but the dogs have knocked it over half a dozen times, so it needed to be topped off. And moved! I did the larger urn in marigolds, purple petunias, and ivy. And a hanging basket in ivy, nestled in the pussy willow. I did two window boxes off the side of the back porch, both in marigolds and a silver vining groundcover I forget the name of. I still have some annuals and ivy left, and a dozen or so ornamental pots. I just need some potting soil.
My beans and peas are sprouting, I'll put them out in the bed early next week once they're big enough to not be so tempting to the birds. The irises are blooming. The lilacs are done for the year. The rugosa roses are going strong, and they smell heavenly, even from 15 feet away.
With the wind, I couldn't help but put out the bamboo windchimes I hadn't hung yet. They're scattered around the yard, and I love the sound of them. The new one I just bought dropped a chime already, and needs to be repaired. I don't understand why they don't build them more durably; it didn't even last 24 hours.
I moved all my unplanted plants over out of the way, since they were accumulating and looking pretty cluttered. They nearly cover a 4x4 ft piece of plywood. I am now instituting a moratorium on purchasing plants until they are all in the ground. Or pots. ;) I managed to resist temptation when I walked through the Walmart nursery this afternoon. I may make an exception for perennials on clearance at Lowe's.
Started looking into permits for the greenhouse and the pergola.
This week I started some seeds of romaine inside in the house. The main reason to start seeds indoors is to give them a jump on growing outside. In spring the weather is cool and the seeds often have trouble germinating. Also, if you plant certain seeds, like a tomato in the ground directly you run the risk the plant will never get mature enough to yeild a tomato.
Seed starting kits are, in my opinion, the best way to go. I like the ones that have a little plastic cover because they create a mini greenhouse. You can also add a seed starting mat under the kit to increase the heat.
Be sure to place the kits in a sunny window. You can make your own mix to plant in or do the easy thing and buy a starting mix.
If you reuse your kit year to year sterilize the containers with hot soapy water. You can even use a bit of bleach, just be sure to rinse them out well.
Start your seeds indoors according to the directions on the back of the packet. Many seeds require 4-6 weeks of lead time before putting them outside. I have found that sees of carrots, peas and beans do not do well being started inside and then moved.
Lettuces, melon, tomatoes, peppers, and other warm weather crops are best started early.
Its a Cold Week Ahead
4/9/2007
It’s been a cold spring so far and this is going to continue through mid-April. I see the jet stream continuing to bring cold air in from Canada. Therefore, we have to hold off on some things we would otherwise be doing. The winter month caterpillars, a problem in the Massachusettes area, will be slow to hatch with this cold weather. Do not spray unless you are sure they have hatched. I have still not planted my peas or some of my other cold weather crops. With the daytime highs in the 40s it will be hard for much to germinate. If you have a cold frame or other covers for the seeds you can plant as they help mitigate the cold. Continue to clean up the lawn and perennial beds. Cut back your perennials.
You can prune summer blooming shrubs now. I cut back my rose-of-sharon hard this time of year. It will produce great blooms in August.
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