Garden Friday

 

 

 

It's Garden Friday

and we are hoping to thaw out from this week's low temperatures!

 With the Winter Solstice still looming,

we've had our share of chilly mornings around here.

Let's see how the garden fared.

 

 

Well, the clover that we use as a ground cover got frosted,

but as soon as the sun was out,

it bounced right back.

 

The beet greens got a bit icy,

but with the roots nestled cozily under ground,

the frost will simply make them sweeter.

 

That's what happened to the kale 

after its close encounter with the frigid conditions.

After sampling some yesterday while picking greens for my salad,

I couldn't believe how much sweeter it was!

 

Under the row covers, I checked to see how the carrots, leek,

lettuce and snap peas were managing.

Turns out, they were just fine and amazingly,

they continue to grow despite what the thermometer reads.

 

The Walla-Walla onions, which are uncovered,

are coming along nicely.

They don't seem to mind the icy temps at all.

We also have red cabbage and parsley growing in this bed.

 

The garlic just keeps on chuggin' along.

The drip irrigation has been disconnected over this last stretch of weather,

but we will monitor the temps and reconnect it when our lows

are back in the mid-to-high thirties.

There should be plenty of garlic for the coming year.

It will be harvested in May of 2021.

 

When working out in the yard this week,

I spied this gorgeous holly shrub,

just loaded with berries.

If that doesn't scream "the holidays",

what does?

I may have to snatch a few to decorate our mantel.

 

Unbelievably, the yarrow has actually had blossoms on it this week.

It doesn't seem fazed in the least by the chill factor.

 

We still have our sweet lil' (free) bush daisy,

 

as well as our salvia blooming.

These are some hearty flowering plants.

 

 

 Yesterday, I began pruning back a lot of dead material

in a couple of the beds.

This work will continue until things are tidied up.

There is still leaf mulching and wood chipping to do as well.

Autumn is a great time to get caught up 

on some foundational chores for the garden.

 

 

And speaking of tidying up,

this was one of three Gator loads of brush and debris

that was hauled off into the woods on one of my jobs.

There is enough left to keep me busy for a few weeks,

and I look forward to the task.

Wintertime can be sad for gardeners,

but it's also the time we need, to plan for future gardens,

stock up on seeds, and give our bodies a bit of rest.

 

As our temperatures have plummeted in recent days,

the chooks' water has been frozen solid when their coop is opened in the mornings.

A gallon-sized jar of warm water easily takes care of that.

Gandalf

 

They've also been getting some warm rice in the morning,

and extra food, which helps them maintain their body heat.

 I will be making a big batch of oatmeal for them,

so that it will be ready for their breakfast each day.

They give us so much,

it's the least we can do. 

 

Garden Friday

 

 

It's Garden Friday and we are holdin' on to our hats!

 

 

The remnants of Hurricane Zeta came through yesterday

with a vengeance.

Fortunately, we were spared any real damage

and ended up with an inch and a quarter of beautiful rain.

 

A few plants got blown down with the fierce winds, 

but we're hoping they will recover in time.

We are grateful that most of the storm missed our area,

 and humbled by knowing that others were not so fortunate.

 

Before the storm hit,

we were able to check on our fall crops.

The broccoli is getting some serious size to it.

Cabbage, chard, spinach and tat soi

are all doing well and should supply us with ample greens.

So far, we haven't noticed any pest issues.

 

All of the raised beds were given a dose

of turkey poop this week.

The beets are growing well,

but with next week's temperatures plummeting,

I'm not sure if we'll get an actual harvest.

We'll see how well the row covers help these lil' guys.

The parsley was visited by the sweet gum seed pods.

I'm glad the row covers had not yet been placed,

because the wind was mighty strong

and could have damaged them irreparably.

The parsley we have planted is for use in cooking,

but also for the butterflies to enjoy in the warmer months.

I have had parsley overwinter in the past,

so we'll see what happens with these seedlings.

With most of the larger projects completed,

I'm working on a few smaller tasks,

like creating a wooden pathway to the garden using pallet wood.

A trip to the landfill in Crouse is in order,

so that I can pick up a load of free mulch

with which to use for the walkways in the garden.

It'll make it look so much tidier.

I discovered how much the chooks enjoy the taste of pea shoots.

Had I known, I would've planted a lot more.

They won't be getting too many more,

as I haven't yet harvested the first pea.

If I do an early spring planting,

I'll plan on sowing some just for them.

 

 

Here's hoping for calmer weather this weekend!
 

Garden Friday

 

 

 

Welcome to Garden Friday!

The weather continues to WOW us

and make our chores so much easier to tackle.

The constant blossoms from our zinnias are being enjoyed indoors

and shared with neighbors as well.

 

One of the main tasks completed this week

was burying all of the hose underneath the soil

after completing the drip irrigation installation.

Thankfully, within an hour I had all of it dug and covered.

We will most likely sow more white Dutch clover over these areas,

so that the chooks stop digging it all back up!

It will also provide forage for pollinators and rabbits.

 

 

The garlic is in, folks!

Pretty much my favorite crop to grow,

it has become a yearly tradition that I cherish.

Forty cloves from last year's crop were planted.

Now we wait and watch Mother Nature do her magic.

 

The strawberry pot was moved from the old garden site

and placed near the new location.

I haven't decided if they will be planted in a dedicated bed,

or left in the big wash tub for springtime.

They have certainly multiplied over the past season

and we look forward to enjoying many luscious berries.

 

A few new frames were created out of cattle panels

to cover the three smaller raised beds and one larger one.

This will come in handy should the crops need to be covered

with row covers if a freeze is expected.

(A post on this project will be featured next week.)

Most of what we have planted can handle frosts,

but I would love to be able to pick broccoli, chard, 

kale, lettuce and spinach all winter long.

 

Some time was taken to shred some leaves

to use to cover all the planted crops in the raised beds.

Our handy-dandy portable leaf shredder does a great job

and within an hour, there was enough organic material

to cover almost all of the beds.

 

A few samples of seeds were collected from wild flowers

around the property.

These are frost asters and we also found some 

yellow asters that our neighbor has growing.

These will be added to our meadow-like drain field.

More for the pollinators to enjoy

with very little investment from us.

And so much more interesting than grass!

Queenie

 

Most of our big garden projects have been completed.

I'm grateful that I was able to fill all of the raised beds

with crops that will grow into the winter.

Spring will have its own busyness,

so having this time to finish certain tasks has been satisfying.

Onward and upward!

There is always something to keep us busy and

we are counting our blessings every step of the way!

 

Garden Friday

 

 

 

Welcome to Garden Friday!

The weather has been absolutely spectacular lately

and my time outside has been well spent.

 

Our raised beds have all been hooked up 

to drip irrigation,

so the watering just got a lot easier.

We have been blessed with ample rain this week,

but as the drier season begins,

we should not have to concern ourselves with watering.

The tat soi is really gaining ground and I've learned

that this is the best time to grow it here in the Piedmont.

It was started last spring,

but didn't go anywhere,

so I guess it favors the cooler temperatures.

This should give us delicious greens for at least a few months.

I'll be curious to see how it does in the wintertime.

 

The kale and broccoli look like they are problem-free

and enjoying the sunshine.

Another welcome addition to my daily salads

that I can look forward to all winter long.

 

The netting that was added to the raised beds

has done a great job of deterring squirrels from digging

and kept out the chooks as well.

My girls have plenty of room to scratch elsewhere.

 

It looks like something might be eating the lettuce.

I'm not sure if it's rabbits or bugs,

but we'll be adding a fine mesh row cover soon to thwart the problem.

 

The peas share the same space with those lettuces,

so I haven't figured out how to put the row cover on

without interfering with the peas' sprawl.

I may just have to pull up the lettuce and plant it elsewhere

and put in more leeks or broccoli in its place.

 

It's really thrilling to grow something new

and these walla-walla onions are a first-time crop for me.

I can hardly wait to see all those bulbous onions bursting 

underneath the soil.

My goal is to never have to purchase onions at the grocery store again.

 

We have several patches of nasturtiums planted

in various places.

I usually sow them where the veggies grow

to attract beneficial insects as well as deter pests.

This variegated variety is so unusual

and I was sure to save seeds for planting again next year.

 

These beauties keep flowering into the fall

and give us something colorful to enjoy

when dreary days set in.

If you've never tasted a nasturtium leaf or blossom,

give it a try.

It's a peppery sensation you may want to add to your cuisine.

cactus zinnia

 

Another flowering plant I'll be saving seeds from

is this hyacinth bean vine.

I collected seed pods last year from a friend's plant

and they've done quite well this year.

If I ever get the garden fenced off,

this would be a lovely addition to the spring or summer garden.

(If you want some, just email me 

and I'll be happy to send you some seeds.)

The black-eyed Susan vine has been sprawling 

across the drain field,

where our garden used to be.

 

 

It, along with the white Dutch clover seen here,

have been filling in the space nicely.

They can both be mowed over if necessary,

but during the cooler months when mowing slows down,

they can be left to their own devices

and give the pollinators a delightful haven.

 

I'm hoping to pick up a few more flats of pansies,

as I can't seem to get enough of these this time of year.

This old minnow bucket serves as a wonderful planter.

 

Netting was also used near our front walkway,

where the chooks were doing a fine job of creating a daily mess.

After planting some pansies in the front porch garden bed,

I placed the netting over them to deter the chooks

from digging them up.

Worked like a charm!

 

Unfortunately, several Monarch chrysallises did not result

in butterflies.  It seems we had an unusually high number of them

that just didn't make it.

This sweet butterfly was found in the grass,

struggling to fly.

I placed it up in one of the beds

and when I went back to check on it,

it was gone.

Fingers crossed.

 We are so grateful for the beauty and wonder all around us.

When things in the world look so bleak,

it's time to count our blessings and take stock of all we have.

Hope you are feeling blessed today.