Just 11 days ago, I posted that I was way behind on this year's gardens.
Not anymore.
Despite all the hurdles, including the weather, and despite the major stresses on available tine in this house (moving a Symphony office is not for the fainthearted), Warren got both gardens tilled and I got them planted.
The kitchen garden, on the backside of our house and right off the patio, got planted first.
 |
| The kitchen garden |
The bare dirt has been sowed with basil and lettuce (and flowers in the back, which is the far right of this photo).
I also put cages, not for protection but for climbing, around the Trail of Tears pole beans, heritage seeds from Seed Savers Exchange. They are almost ready to start climbing up.
Seed Savers Exchange is located in Decorah, Iowa, a mere 90 miles south of Rochester. It is a non-profit dedicated to saving and making available heritage seeds. I will be back at the Emerald City in June for a very short visit; we have one day free and we are talking about taking an excursion just to see the farm and the center.
Warren tilled the Hej garden Monday evening. Before he started, we talked about what I intended to plant: much less than last year. So why not till a smaller garden this year? What a great idea! He started tilling before I came on out and that gave me the perspective (physical and emotional) to point out where it looked best to stop the garden: several feet shorter than in years past. Warren fenced it in and I started planting. Zucchini, some cabbages, the remaining broccoli. I may (may) plant some Trail of Tears beans back there, but I am not sure yet. As you can tell, there is plenty of room even with the shorter dimensions.
 |
| The Hej garden, complete with anti-rabbit fencing |
I went out this morning to water both gardens, and was thrilled to note that the fencing on the Hej garden has kept the Bunny Brigade away. Nothing was chewed down to the ground. Dare I get my hopes up?
I have spiderwort planted in the front bed and a bed along the rear of the house. A native species, spiderwort is a rapacious and aggressive colonizer. I have not thinned it out (and may not until the fall); I love the color it brings. Not to mention the bees, who are already working away. There is nothing like walking by the spiderwort bed and hearing it hum.
 |
| One of the hummers |
That alone tells me it is going to be a good summer.
3 comments:
"There is nothing like walking by the spiderwort bed and hearing it hum." That's the way it is here with the winterberry right now, and I feel the same. It's a good sound. We're managing to keep the deer out of the garden, so far, but not the rabbits. So I put row cover on all the lettuce. A little inconvenient, but worth it for the harvest. I hope you've found the trick with yours.
I just bought three new blueberry plants and I am thinking I am going to have to cage them. Deer and woodchucks.
Laurie, I know the rabbits will partake (to put it mildly) of the lettuce if/when it comes up. I am a lackadaisical lettuce grower at best, so I don't stress so much about them eating it. (And I sowed the seeds so late that it may be too hot for lettuce, although this morning is a cool 46 degrees.) They leave the basil alone.
Kim, it is truly always something, right?
Post a Comment