I couldn't help myself when I was at mega-mart-grocery-store-that-has-everything-including-a-garden-center; they were starting to put out their spring plants. I'd read that garlic planted at the base of a peach tree helps to ward of some pesky insect or other and so I figured what the heck. Besides, half the garlic I planted last fall didn't come up and we go through the stuff like water so a dozen extra bulbs couldn't hurt, right? AND they had strawberries. I cannot begin to tell you the love both DH and the kiddlet have for this little berry. It's like crack. They cannot get enough. Our berry pot had very old plants in it... meaning they produce a smaller harvest and more bitter fruit as they age. So I ripped them all out and put in all new soil and plants. The ant colony living in the pot was decidedly *not* happy. Neither was I when they started swarming up my arms. ::shivers:: But we came to an understanding... they were behind on rent so I evicted them to the compost pile. They can set up their shanty town with the ant colony currently living there.
The thing with the strawberries though was I bought too many (well, it's never too many according to the fam) but what to do with them? I tucked them around the peach tree as well. Nothing like easily accessible fruit in june and a nice ground cover the rest of the time. It's nice to see green in that bed... It'll be even nicer when the riot of flowers goes in behind the peach tree in a month or so.
Speaking of peach trees... I failed at spraying at the right time and now (already!) I have peach leaf curl. Anyone have any organic suggestions on how to go about taking care of this fungal disease? I dearly love the PNW except for the fungus issues the garden has to endure. ::sigh::
Oh and this was an interesting article,
Black Soldier Fly, White Magic about a guy who breads black soldier flies and uses them in his compost like worms... so I guess I can let the one's living there stay. =)
5 comments:
Jenn,
I recall how much bad luck you had with garlic last year. Good luck with it this year.
Last fall I got some garlic at the farmers market and our food co op then planted them in different groups. That fat garlic from the co op is huge now!
BTW the new profile photo is awesome, it does make you look older though :)
I'm almost positive that I have an organic gardening book at home that will have something in it for your peach tree. If I can think to look when I get home, i'll email it to ya.
Oh, that peach leaf curl is no fun. I missed my spray window this year too, so it's close observation time for me. Good luck with the garlic. I wonder if it's too late for me to order strawberry plants?
You can never have too much of anything!! I agree, also. Stellar photo!
Beautiful blog, beautiful garden and beautiful photos..
Have a nice evening
Costas
Post a Comment