How does your garden grow?

It took me a while but as promised - the new apple stick tree! (Spitzenburg) Or as I more affectionately refer to it, the fluffy apple stick.


In a few more years it'll look more like other fluffily apple stick. ;^) (Honey Crisp)


Overall the garden is doing well this year despite the cool wet weather. We had a great fiery sunset the other night.


Our pea pods have formed but alas, no peas as of yet. ::le sigh::


Chives are still blooming. I love their happy little bobby heads!


Strawberries are green too.


Our first tomato! I hope they're not all nearly greenies like last year. That was pretty disappointing.


In years past I've had a lot of trouble with everything under the sun eating my artichokes. I finally wised up a bit and moved them. So far the only the slugs have found them and I took care of it quick with Sluggo Plus. That was that. Now if I can just keep the aphids from locating them when the weather warms up I'll be good and might even get an artichoke or two this year! If they do show up, I've got a new trick up my sleeve. Ha!


With most of my attention going to the back yard my poor front yard has been entirely neglected. My sis came over to help me weed and brought her nice calm happy daughter. My kid on the other hand... well, I can say it's never dull around here! (and yes, she dressed herself)

Rain, rain, go away...

I can't believe it's been a month since I last posted. Really, there hasn't been much to talk about in the garden. Even worse then the last couple of years we've had a lot of cold and wet and cold and wet. Of course we're not as bad off as some of the midwest states with tornados and now the hurricane season is upon us. Nope, just cold and wet up here in the PNW. Still, it makes for frustratingly slow gardening. We're about a month + behind our usual timeline and we can't seem to warm up enough to get anything to grow with any sort of expediency. I think we've had maybe three days this whole year so far that have gotten up above 70*. You can imagine how excited I'll be this weekend then when we should see some 80* temps. Yes, I'm holding my breath.

OH, one thing that did happen. I replaced the dead peach tree. I picked up a Spitzenberg Apple stick tree. Scrawny little thing. I know in about five years it'll actually look like a tree but right now it looks a bit like a fluffy stick. I'll have to remember to take a picture and share with everyone soon. It's rather not exciting to look at now, ah but I see potential!


Of course nice cool weather crops are loving it, radishes abound!


The grape arbor that hubby hacked together for me is workin' just fine. The grapes even have wee little grapes on them! Yay! First time since I planted it two years ago... that'll be exciting. I hope they ripen enough so we can try them later this summer.


Our very green blueberries.


I love it when the chives bloom, they're so pretty.


The spinach may have refused to grow but at least this year the beets are happy!


...a bit of an overview with lettuce and peas and brassicas, etc. We've been eating a lot of salads lately... I say that like it's a good thing, cause it is.


Mmmm! Salad!


Sweet little ladybug hangin' out on the sage plant.


Baby broccoli. I'm looking forward to my summer stir-fry!


The Italian flat leafed parsley (shown here) and the cilantro are both also loving this wet weather. Perfect for leafy herbs.... this batch went into some dressing I made for the salad shown above. Delish.

Two days in a row!

It was another productive day in the garden. I got a late start since I went to church this morning then hung out in the back yard where I finished reading a book while drinking coffee in the warm sunshine. Yeah, tough life, I know. Around 1:30 pm I got my lazy sack together to actually start *working* on things. One of the major jobs I've been *dreading* is dealing with the asparagus bed.

You might remember it from earlier this spring? The cheap straw I laid down sprouted and was just causing a total mess. That was the first issue with this bed this year... digging all the unwanted sprouts out.


The main issue has been that I just can't really get the majority of the asparagus to grow and be happy. I've had a lot of root rot issues. So I did a bit more research and I felt like the biggest issue has been moisture. The soil is very loamy and rich but because this bed wasn't filled with compost when it was originally built I don't think that the drainage has been ideal. However because it was intended to be a perennial bed I never added more compost in, as perennials (chives and asparagus) were already planted. There comes a time however, when you've got to just face the music. I didn't want to move the perennials but the only way to rectify the situation was to deal head on with the soil. So even though all the asparagus has well sprouted by now and the chives are about to bloom, I dug them all out. I heeled them in one of my finished compost piles and tried to leave as much dirt around the roots as possible so the shock of being dug up all afternoon wouldn't be too much. This is the bed with all the plants removed. (And yes I know I need to desperately weed the gravel paths around the beds - it's on my TO DO list still)


My main goal was to increase the elevation of the soil to get better drainage. I shoveled in another cubic yard of compost. In the 12 sq. ft. of bed that has now been reserved for asparagus (down from 28 sq. ft.) I added in small pumice stones to open up the soil a bit and help with drainage.


After a lot of shoveling (on the bright side - green gym!) I replanted the chives in the same spot there were previously in and then brought all the asparagus together in one area just north of that.


Now that this bed isn't all asparagus any longer I was able to use the other end of the bed for new plants. Not sure how well they go together but I planted 12 sq. ft. of corn north of the asparagus. Since I've pretty much run out of time to stagger my plantings, I went with planting three different varieties that all harvest at different times 90 days, 82 days and 80 days. Hopefully that way we won't be eating nothing but corn one week come summer... not that that's necessarily a bad thing! At the very north end of the bed I added in some color with giant sunflowers and a few sprouting nasturtiums that I rescued out of the compost I need to turn. See? That compost is good for more then just soil! I have a few more spots to fill in here and I'm thinking I need some dill but I need to read up - something is tickling the back of my brain that dill likes to be planted off by itself. I'll have to research it before I commit to anything.


I also dragged my poor hubby into the garden fray (it's so not his thing, he'd MUCH rather be working on rebuilding vintage motorcycles) but I did convince him to build me a little arbor for the grape vine. He promised me last year that if I planted a grape he'd make a support for it. Well, I planted it and last year came and went and the poor little vine just flopped over with nothing to grow up or on. So yesterday I made THE most pathetic attempt at building one myself (I hammered a 5" board into the top of fence and flopped the vine over it - ha!) My ploy worked because hubby took one look at that and rolled his eyes and ripped it out. Since we're kinda broke we just made do with the lumber we had stashed in the garage... still for a "freebie" it came out pretty good!


Another view



THINGS I GOT DONE:
Transplant marigold starts
Plant sunflowers - direct sown
Transfer nasturtiums
Corn - Sew Seeds Direct
Chamomile - Transplant
Dig up asparagus and chives (heel in while working in bed)
Fill end bed w/ a yard of compost and mix in pumice for better aeration and drainage for asparagus
Replant asparaus and chives


TO DO STILL:
Basil - Transplant
add bark mulch to blue berry bed
Summer Squash - direct sew
weed blueberry bed
Blueberries - Feed
Fertilize: 0.8 oz of N per plant using 21-0-0
turn and water compost
buy peppers and basil
weed gravel paths
feed lawn: sift older compost with food and worm castings
edge lawn
Melons - Sew Seeds Direct
Dill - Harden Off / Transplant

A long over due day of gardening

It was a beautiful day to spend outside. Intermittently cloudy and a high of maybe 70? I had no other plans besides just gardening today and it was lovely. I didn't feel terrible (finally getting over being sick), it was lovely weather, I got to hang out with my daughter, get some sunshine and work out a little in the green gym.

TO DO:
Basil - Transplant
Chamomile - Transplant (one down, one to go)
edge lawn
weed gravel paths
Summer Squash - direct sew
feed lawn: sift older compost with food and worm castings (Did the back lawn, need to do the front still)
Dill - Harden Off / Transplant
turn and water compost
Dig up asparagus and chives
weed blueberry bed
add bark mulch to blue berry bed
Fill end bed w/ more compost and sand
Corn - Sew Seeds Direct
Replant asparaus and chives
Blueberries - Fertilize: 0.8 oz of N per plant using 21-0-0
buy peppers and basil starts
Melons - Sew Seeds Direct


TO DID:
Apple Tree - feed
Fertilize first two years (2010/2011) top of ground w/ calcium nitrate. Then not again till leaves are pale or growth abates to 4"-6" a year. Work lime (calcium carbonate) in yearly till soil PH is 6.4 to 6.7. In 2nd/3rd years tie down branches at an angle of no more then 45* to help induce early fruiting (does not apply to columnar apples).
Onions - Fertilize Lightly
plant more radishes (new to me variety, French breakfast radishes - sounds interesting!)
Tomatoes - Transplant & use cloche (Fertilize + small amounts of lime & ground egg shell)
dig out old dirt in pots and refresh with potting soil and compost
transplant marigold starts (still have a few left to get in the ground but I need to clear out a bed to do it)
Leeks - Transplant
take out peach tree
Cilantro - Transplant
Parsley - Fertilize
plant potatoes
Flowers - Sew all seeds direct outdoors
Peas - Fertilize
Collard Greens - Sew Seeds Direct
Flowers - till bed
Spinach - fertilize

Potato pots with little starts in them. As they grow up I'll add more compost/potting soil to cover till the pots are full.


Those red cones? They're water wells and help keep plants warm until the weather cooperates. Right now they're sheltering tomatoes and artichokes. I've still got one more tomato to plant but it's a baby still and can wait another week or two before going outside. Otherwise the garlic and onions are doing well. I got cilantro transplanted out today in this bed too. The parsley is coming along and even though it's *really* late, I put the leeks out. Maybe they'll be okay. This bed still needs peppers and basil but it's still too cold at night for them so we're on hold there.


I think I've given up trying to grow spinach. What's up? Only ONE year have I ever gotten it to sprout and grow and for the life of me I can't remember what I did get it to "go". So that back right corner? It should be spinach but now it's a marigold and another square foot of radish. Radish variety is new to me, French Breakfast Radish. I am intrigued! Maybe in the last square foot I'll try the spinach again. Tips? Tricks? Anyone... Also planted the last little bit in the front left - collared greens. It's a little late but should be fine with the extra cool weather we've been having.


This is the so sad peach tree. It should be green and leafed out by now but it's a mess. I cut it down a moment or two after taking this picture.


I felt bad about doing it and then my daughter says to me, "Mama, it's like stabbing a baby tree!" Yeah, thanks kid. That makes this SO much easier! X^P Ah well. Having a peach tree was not meant to be. I'll stick to what does well in the PNW, apples. I'll replace this soon with a Spitzenburg. So here is the tree-free garden bed. Hopefully before spring has come and gone I'll get the apple in and try to get its roots established before the heat of summer. Otherwise I'll have to wait till fall.

Death Day - Good Bye Sweet Peach

I haven't done a Death Day in a while and boy, this one is a doozy. I'm very, very sorry to report that the peach tree is pretty well in done for. Normally I'm a vigorous researcher when it comes to what kinds of plants go in the garden especially long term things like trees. However, several years ago I was at Home Depot of all places and saw this sweet little peach tree with the name "sugar princess" and just couldn't resist. Guess I should have! It already had evidence of peach leaf curl but I ignored that with the promise of sweet peaches in my near future.

I planted it two years ago. Last year it struggled though the peach leaf curl. I helped by covering it from rain, picking off the infected bits and doing what I could. I really needed to pick up all the leaves in the fall when they dropped but we were on vacation for over two weeks when it happened. I tried to rake up what I could when we got back but there wasn't much left. I sprayed the tree this spring but was either too late or I didn't apply enough spray and when it leafed out every single leaf was infected. All of them. I also noticed evidence of borer activity. I could try to hang on one more year but honestly I don't think there would be any improvement. I'm sad but the reality is, I think this one is done. Since there will now be a lot of peach leaf curl infecting the soil below I won't be able to replace it with another peach. I'm planning on replacing with an apple tree which is more more appropriate to our climate anyway.

Weedy Wednesday

It's not all just watering and planting and enjoying the sunshine. Oh no! This here is a five gallon bucket of dandelion whine. Ha!


Somedays it's about pulling a LOT of weeds

Spring Bed

After my last post you'd think it was all doom and gloom around here - not so! See? Healthy happy plants! (And a few replacements for those starts that went south). We have had another cold wet spring so I've been slow to put too many things out yet, lest they freeze to death. However, the brassica's are in, along with the lettuce, peas, radish, spinach, etc.



Happy little cauliflower



Lettuce is doing very well



Keeping the "tenders" (cilantro, tomatoes, basil, etc) in the cold frame until our nights warm up a bit. Even though we're after our average last frost date (4/15) we've had two nights of hard freezes so I'm playing cautious this year and might even wait till May to put anything temperamental out.

Can't win 'em all

Normally plants do pretty well around here... especially when I pay attention to them. However, for the past month (yes 30 days) I've had a house full of company and my attention has been rather divided. Sadly, my seedlings were on the very bottom of the priority list. Poor, poor tomatoes! Not only did I not cull, but I never up potted and barely watered, never mind fed. It's shameful really.



Sad to say that many of my other starts look in much the same condition. Peppers, basil, cilantro, etc. So today I went to the nursery where they're nice to baby plants and bought some new one's to take home with me. I promise to be much kinder to them! (It will be much easier to do now that things are back to normal around here)

Not to say that I've killed everything - hardly! All the plants outside that were already in the ground look lovely and healthy and happy.... I will have to make a post here soon about the veg garden in general. In the meantime how about some pretty pictures of all the spring flowers? That should cheer you up after seeing my half dead baby plants.


Parrot Tulip


Chocolate Mint just starting to come up


Cowslip


Chives


More tulips, not sure the variety


Azalea


Jack Frost in front of Yellow Tulips


Pink tulip and spirea


Parrot Tulip about to bloom

Mother Nature's got plans for me

The problem with seasons are that they sort of just march on steadily whether you're ready for them or not. I just checked my gardening "Honey-do" list and whoa! am I behind.

Start Seeds Indoors:
Loose Leaf Lettuce
Summer Squash
Black-eyed Susans
Sunflowers
Melons

Sew Outdoors:
Carrots (after tilling to create fineness and adding compost to the soil)

Harden Off:
Onions

Fertilize:
Blueberries
Parsley
Peach
Spinach

Up-Pot:
Peppers
Artichokes
Tomatoes

Prune:
Peach Tree

Lawns:
Add compost and worm castings

Now. When in the world am I going to get this all done?! lol

Let Me Catch You Up

I can't believe it's been nearly a month and a half since I last posted. So much for New Year's resolutions! At least I'm good about taking pictures. I always mean to get over here and make a post, it just doesn't always happen. Anyway!

SNOW
I know the rest of the country has been buried under a ton of snow all winter but we somehow managed to escape relatively unharmed. Toward the end of Feb. we got a few inches if that.


It all melted a few days later...


SPRING PLANTING
At this point I've been able to get a few things out and planted in the garden. Last fall when I pulled all my onions I had a few that didn't quite bulb properly. I kept them in a nice cool dry place all winter and instead of planting the seedlings I started I just used my bulb sets. I also managed to plunk in some spinach and radish seeds too. I checked in the garden today and a few of them have actually sprouted - yay!


You probably don't remember but three years ago I was out planting my pea seeds in a nice downpour (if you wait for it to stop raining here your garden won't get planted till July 5th.) This year however there was a break in our usual rainy dreariness. I took advantage of it to get my peas planted. I couldn't believe what a difference it was! It was sunny and pleasant that day. Ah, to always have such nice spring weather to plant in... if only.

I did have a flat of seedlings I started inside and hardened off. About a week or so ago I managed to get outside and get them planted. So far they've stood up to frost and a few small hail storms.



TROUBLE
I might have mentioned earlier that I've been having a bit of trouble in the asparagus bed. I threw some cheap straw on it last fall thinking that it would protect the crowns from snow. Well, yeah, it was cheap for a reason - it was full of seeds that sprouted. Erps. In any other bed it would've made brilliant green manure but with perennial asparagus crowns just below the surface it wasn't like I could till it under.


Instead I had to rake it all up and try to get out as much of the grass as possible. I came up pretty easily and I even found a few cut worms which I promptly kicked out of my garden. But overall I don't think I did this bed any favors. While the straw did keep the wee bit of snow off the crowns it also acted like a sponge and held a TON of water. I only noticed three crowns shooting after clearing away all the straw. That's not to say that with the straw gone the soil won't warm up a bit more and a few other crowns might come up but I did find a crown or two that were completely rotten from being soaked all winter. The soil is too dense here for asparagus I think. If I want this bed to succeed I need to get the mix right. I'd have to add some sand to loosen it up. On the bright side I did chuck all that old straw and grass into my reworked compost pile and it was steaming hot when I went to check on it this afternoon.


However, the asparagus is mostly for my husband and two days ago the doctor told him he shouldn't be eating that or mushrooms. So now what? I'm thinking I just pull all the crowns and see which ones are salvageable and pull the chives at the end of the bed too, add in a bunch more compost to get the ground level up for better drainage, add some sand into the mix and replant them in much smaller quantities. If they die next year it's a sign from above I shouldn't be trying to grow asparagus!

CRITTERS & COMPOST
I might have mentioned I got a bird feeder? It was so full of birds on the first day of spring it really made me so happy! I love the little yellow finch on the right. There are a lot of different kinds of birds that come to visit and I've been slowly trying to figure out what they all are.


Also, one should always turn the compost frequently! One of the days I spent planting out the in garden I also took some time to deal with my long neglected compost pile. This really could be a whole post unto itself but since this one is a bit long winded already I'll spare you the details. At any rate I jabbed my pitch fork into the pile, fliped a big hunk of compost into the next bin and lo and behold a whole family of mice go swarming out of it! lol... Of course my five year old daughter was delighted and wanted to know if we could catch and keep them. They were admittedly cute but yeah, NO. One of them was determined to get back "home" a while later when I was cleaning up and I managed to get a picture of just it's little nose sticking out of a crack behind the bin. (Look right where the two boards of the fence meet and you can make out his/her little nose)


OVERALL
This was the garden a few days ago... still not much to look at.


JUST PEACHY
The peach tree is in bloom but I'm bummed that I might have waited a bit too long to spay it as it leafed out with more peach leaf curl. Ug. Oh and I also found what might be evidence of borer activity. I really hope I won't have to ditch this poor little tree. It's so not healthy. Note to self: do NOT impulse shop in the plant dept. of Home Depot again... especially when picking out trees! Meh.


...and that is all! I'm going to try to get back to a weekly posting here so hopefully the next entry won't be quite so long. Thanks for stickin' with me though this one. Happy Spring Everyone!