I wish I'd had the camera out a bit later, when a finch came by to check out the poppies, and sat on one of the buds for a while. When it stops raining, I should scrub out the birdbath and get it into the garden.
]]>What we've eaten so far -- about 10 peas, many salads with the lettuce. Zuchinni is on the menu sometime this week. We'll probably try the green beans, too.
Some observations for next year: Plant less lettuce! And plant in rotation so we get multiple crops per square of smaller, more tender leaves. Don't be afraid to THIN that lettuce. Pumpkins need more than just 2x2 for a single plant. Unless I can find a way to make them more vertical, I'm thinking two plants in a hill in the center of an entire 4x4 bed. Outside corners can have something that's harvested by the time the vine takes over -- maybe the lettuce? Or something tall like sunflowers.
]]>
I wish I'd had the camera out a bit later, when a finch came by to check out the poppies, and sat on one of the buds for a while. When it stops raining, I should scrub out the birdbath and get it into the garden.
]]>
The first iris burst into bloom in the rain yesterday. I love the closeup -- it just says "feed me".
The iris by the mailbox have budded out nicely, but haven't bloomed yet.
The poppies are also budding, and will probably bloom in another week or two. They're usually in bloom around Father's day weekend.
Grape leaves on our untrimmed grape vines. This particular vine is growing on an old clothesline that I'd like to replace with a more permanant arbor. This would have the added advantage of being at a better height than the clothesline, so it wouldn't be necessary to duck under the grapevines every time we came into the yard from that corner.
Ferns and hostas in the bed by the corner of the garage. I like the fancy hosta with the ivy-style leaves even better this year. Only two of the ferns made it, as I expected. The furthest hosta is a little chewed (see why) but still seems healthy.
Daisies or black-eyed susans (I forget which) in the bed under the front bedroom. I'm hopeful that the vent from the new downstairs bathroom won't affect plants near the back of the bed badly. The more likely problem in this bed is plants getting stepped on by people working on the house. The person who came to clean the air conditioner, for example, couldn't locate the path around the other side of the bush (off the left side of the picture), and walked right through the bed. Perhaps I need some stepping stones?
None of the impatiens I interplanted in this bed seems to have come up yet. Perhaps it's been too cold, or I got a poor seed mix from Home Depot. If they don't sprout, I should think about growing inside from seed or buying plants next year.
A bleeding-heart plant. These always remind me of my grandmother, who had several of them in the garden by her back door, and a story about the parts of the flower. I can't remember the story, and will have to ask my father and my aunt if they do. I do think she had a different variety of bleeding heart with slightly larger flowers.
]]>
Lettuce (needs thinning soon)
Peas (and a sunflower)
Zuchinni. I'm amused at how it hung on to the outside of the seed.
Carrots.
Beans.
Got these from the Powers' Farm Market, since there wasn't much tomato selection at Gentle's Market last year. Also, Grossmans only had plum tomatoes when I checked the other day. Purchased a six-pack of Big Boy tomatoes (though I only planted two). They were a bit on the leggy side, but I'm hoping they'll do OK.
Also two kinds of peppers: California Wonder and Cubanelle.
For flowers, I purchased purple Alyssum and Cosmos in two shades of pink, which I planted (with help from Ben) along the front walk.
He wanted to plant the tomato plants right away.
And this is how they look:
Note the poor, sad tulip leaves which is about all that's left from the many tulips I attempted to plant in this bed several years ago.
I need a compost reference! Currently I'm just doing the "heap it up and turn it over from time to time" method. We have enough rainfall here that I don't think I have to worry about it drying out.
]]>
The mailbox garden. Remains of daffodils (miniature variety), grape hyacinth, iris foliage and tulips.
I'm in search of the best way to control it, as well as its official name.
]]>Also weeded the poppy bed and underneath the hedges and the daylily bed in the back of the yard -- mostly removing grass and what we've been calling clingweed, though I don't know the official name. That stuff is insidious and annoying, and I'm not going to compost it in fear of spreading the seeds all over.
Turned the compost pile, and found lots of exciting worms. Ben tried carrying one, but dropped it on the way to the garden, and was interested to see me carry one over to the garden, but didn't want to pick up any more after dropping the first. He did go get his shovel and help turn the pile, though.
Some more shoots have sprouted; the picture in the previous entry is probably a sunflower and not a pea (oops). The Early Dividend Hybrid Broccoli has started sprouting; each sprout has two teeny-tiny leaves. Parsley also may be coming up; I need to check the spacing to be sure.
]]>
An enthusiastic two-year-old is a possible cause of overwatering.
]]>