Garden Friday

 Welcome to the first Garden Friday of 2019.
Here's an update on what's been happening (or not)
in the garden.

 Basically, things are one, big, soggy mess.
We do have a few stalwart plants making it through our winter.
Our rain average of 46 inches per year
has been passed by almost 20 additional inches as of the last day of 2018.

 If it were a different time of year,
all that rain would do us a lot of good.
But with cold temperatures,
we're not getting much growth in the veggie garden.
The broccoli is barely hanging on
and the plants may be just too old to produce.
They will be resown in early spring.

The carrots look healthy,
with lots of top growth,
but have produced little in the way of food.

 One thing I have enjoyed is eating the sugar snap leaves.
Winter came upon us so quickly that the crops hadn't yet flowered,
but there are plenty of tender and sweet leaves to forage.

 The tat soil is another crop that I will replant in spring.
This precious little thing tastes good,
but there's not much of it.
I will be sure to make space for this Asian green.

 The garlic and shallots never let me down.
They don't seem to mind the 
wickedest 
of 
weather.

Next year I will be sure to plant a lot more,
as these are two foods that get used a lot.

Shallots are so fun to dig up.
They are like an underground gift.
One thing I forgot to plant this year was leek.
I'm hoping that I will be able to get some in 
around the end of February and still be able to harvest.
I've only grown them in winter,
so I have no idea if this will work.

 The cover crops have enjoyed the consistent rain.
This is our first time growing these in raised rows.
We chose to add these to the veggie garden
so that we could improve our success with spring crops.
The cover crops are aimed at adding nutrients
and fixing nitrogen in the soil
so that food crops end up healthier.

 This is a blend I got from Sow True Seed.
So far, it's been a fairly hands-off  project
after the initial sowing.
Time will tell if it is worth repeating next year.

 One thing is for sure.
Herbs are my new best friends.
Look at this parsley that was planted for the butterflies.
It has weathered the winter so far, unscathed.
I never knew that parsley could be so hardy!

 Although the lavender isn't its usual stunning self,
the fragrance is still potent.

 And rosemary?
Fah-get-about-it!
It is untouched by freeze, frost or snow.
I'm considering creating a rosemary hedge around the veggie garden.
The scent alone would be captivating!



Another surprise is this butterfly bush.
Even though it's no longer blooming,
it is still green!

Whodathunkit?

We still have lots of leaves to rake up.
Just as things start to dry up a bit,
we get hit with more dreary, damp weather. 
I'm still pondering what type of pathway to create
here on the back of the house.
I'm partial to pea gravel or river rock.
Most importantly, we need good drainage,
as this part of the property slopes.

 

We did finally manage to mount a couple of birdhouses.
These are supposed to house bluebirds,
so we'll see what happens in the spring.

Did I say spring?
Right now it seems a long way off!
It looks like we'll have plenty more dreary days
in which to daydream about garden plans.