Garden Friday

 

 

 

 

Welcome to Garden Friday

on this beautiful Earth Day!

It seems that winter is on its way out,

at least here in the Piedmont.

We are warming up to temps in the 80's in the next few days.

 

Our mailbox irises are bustin' out all over. 

I love that I can see these from the front window.

Not sure if you can see this,

but I noticed the two varieties of carrots

have very different germination rates.

Danvers 126 (top row) has about three times the seedlings

than the Tendersweet variety.

 Duly noted for next season.

 

The strawberries are coming on strong!

Soon it will be time for some serious sampling!

 

 

Some of our containers were seeded with an herb and flower combination.

Can't wait to see these getting filled up with goodies!

(The wire on top discourages squirrels from digging.)

We had another frost just the other night,

and I didn't want the potatoes to have to struggle to stay warm.

I used some cloches made from 2-liter bottles

and these bins to cover the crops.

 

The next day, they were just fine.

Hopefully, this is the last of the cold weather 

until autumn.

 The potatoes in the buckets were simply covered with a lid to keep out the cold.

Even though I know they would recover from the frost,

the fear of stunting their growth was enough for me to act this time.

 

A soil sample was taken from the blueberry patch.

These were planted last year and I wanted to compare the numbers

from the initial sampling to see if I've done enough to acidify the soil.

In a matter of weeks, I'll have my answer.

Want to know how to take a soil sample?

Read this.

 

  Our woodland garden is coming along.

I keep adding shade loving plants to our backyard,

as it is wooded.

It was a thrill to see these hosta plants pop up,

for I had all but lost hope that they would return.

Along with Soloman's Seal and Toad Lily,

it's beginning to fill in slowly but surely.

 

 This particular yarrow plant is taking up too much space

in the front flower bed.

It's making it difficult to see the gorgeous poppies,

so maybe I'll just swap them out.

After it finishes blooming, I will relocate it elsewhere,

or simply divide it.

The flower beds are enjoying the newly installed irrigation!

 A trip to the IGA was made earlier in the week,

and I may have gone a bit crazy.

There were so many perennials for sale,

and at $2 a pop, it was more than I could do to resist.

I've never grown stevia before,

but look forward to learning more about this natural sweetener.

A couple of different thyme plants were picked up,

as well as coneflowers, Gerbera daisies, alyssum,

and a few other odds and ends.

About the only type of shopping I enjoy is nursery shopping.
 

 

One of our neighbors gifted us with two different azaleas.

This one is called Florida Flame.

I can't wait to see them both in full bloom!

 Would you look at the sweet lil' flowers on this chive plant?

I think I see some potato salad in my future!

 There are always more pots to fill,

and I look forward to making a few more trips to the nursery

before the spring is over.

Spring has sprung, baby!

Garden Friday

The last week has provided us with ample rain,

so there were few days conducive to picture taking.

Here's a quick update on the "tin can garden".

Romaine and kale continue to be harvested,

as well as some of the broccoli leaves for salads.

The broccoli head that I harvested was a bit disappointing in size,

but the flavor was perfectly succulent.

We have another seedling started,

so we'll see if we get similar results in that pot.

These seedlings await new pots.

At this point, with our moving date set,

I am hesitant to repot them, 

as they will most likely be finding a spot in the ground in our new garden. 

The leek and tomatoes are both screaming for more space.

 

The peas got moved to an established bed,

so that the trellis could be stuck into the ground to support the vines.

This week flowers were spied on them.

That means that sweet, tender, delicious peas are on their way.

Hot diggity!

 

The cauliflower out front has appreciated the extra room.

I like the way they look as a border plant,

and I'll most likely repeat this type of planting in the future.

 

There are a few holes in the leaves,

but when organic practices are used,

 you sometimes have to deal with less than perfect aesthetics.

I can live with that!

 

The tomatoes have been drinking up this blessed rainwater.

The Arkansas Traveler is on the left and

the San Marzano (used for making gravy) is on the right.

Looks like I need to get out there and weed a bit.

I don't want those weeds using up all of that fertilizer.

If you've read previous posts about gardening here,

you know that my personal litmus test

is growing a fabulous tomato.

Well, I'm on my way, folks!

See the bitty yellow flowers?

If I accomplish this feat under these less than ideal conditions,

I will be duly impressed!

It just goes to show that God's abundance is never ending.

After all, I just planted the seeds, 

He did the rest!

How's your veggie garden faring these days?

"The glory of gardening:

hands in the dirt,

 head in the sun, 

heart with nature.

To nurture a garden 

is to feed not just the body,

but the soul."

~Alfred Austin

Garden Friday

This week on Garden Friday we're visiting an herb garden.
But not just ANY herb garden.
The Mundy House is a historical home in nearby Denver (NC).
We took a tour on Monday (you can find that story here),
and were secretly thrilled to be shown the beautiful herb garden growing there.

This gorgeous garden was the work of twin brothers,
seeking to earn their Eagle Scout status.
 Read their inspirational story here.

The Garden is maintained by the East Lincolnton Community Garden Club,
a bevy of volunteers who keep the beds flourishing and well-cared for.

An array of herbs seemed to be thriving here,
including basil, rosemary, thyme, and other fragrant treasures.

The original owners of this historical home  
had always tended a vegetable garden,
although it was located in a different area of the property.

It seems that they would appreciate their legacy continuing
with the care and attention to detail this garden offers.

No doubt the local pollinators are frequent visitors.

We noticed a few veggies planted in the center raised bed.
It was interesting to see the tomato cages used in this way,
with the open ends up and bamboo supports.
Our guide told us that last year's crop was so prolific
that the extra support was needed.
Love it when folks think outside the box!

What a wonderful testament this garden is to the generations of long ago.
Seeing it being nurtured by gardeners of today
speaks to the timelessness of self-sufficiency and gratitude for what we've been given.
I'm hoping that the garden club needs a few more volunteers,
as this type of project is right up my alley.
What a blessing to be among such generous souls.

Do you have any historical gardens in your neck of the woods?

Garden Friday

A couple of weeks ago,
I got a boatload of seeds in the mail
from my friends Faye & Lynn.
Slowly, I've been planting my "tin can garden"
and using plastic buckets acquired from the grocery store to sow the seeds.

Everything is coming along nicely, and we've even had a bit of rain.
Nice when Mother Nature cooperates.
I noticed broccoli coming up yesterday.  Yippee!
This week, a bucket o' carrots was sown.

I used shredded leaves in the bottom for aearation

(and to keep the pot lighter).

This time, I used the secret ingredient in the mix.

Turkey pellets have given Faye & Lynn's crops a remarkable boost.

Thankfully, they shared some of it with me.

I was able to fit a dozen seeds in this 3 1/2 gallon bucket,
placing them in a circle around the perimeter of the pot.
With only 1/2 inch needed between plantings,
they should have plenty of room to grow.

More leek was sown as well because,
really, can you ever have too much leek?
Another can of thyme and parsley was planted,
as the containers planted a few weeks ago are slow in growing.
Maybe I'm getting a bit impatient?

The alfalfa sprouts managed to green up.
They will be used on sandwiches.
It was a fun process,
so I started a batch of broccoli microgreens yesterday.

I added a loose soil mix to a plastic container
(no holes in the bin).

These should not last long, as C and I both love broccoli!

The soil mix was pressed down to make it denser and avoid air pockets.

The seeds were generously spread in the tray.

A wet paper towel (instead of another layer of soil)

was placed on top and pressed down once again

so that the seeds make contact with the moisture.

 

Add a bit of water, close the lid and keep it in a dark  place for a few days.

Check on germination by pulling back the paper towel.

Once germination has taken  place, put it near a sunny window

and let them grow until you are ready to harvest.

I put the cover on overnight to keep the moisture in

and watered only every other day or so.

This weekend we have the possibility for snow!

I thought the frigid weather was on its way out,

but Mother Nature had other plans.

The seedlings in tin cans are brought in every night,

but the crops planted in buckets can stay outside,

as long as their covers are in place.

This container gardening has so many advantages,

I can see that now.

It's not how I expected to be growing food,

but it sure keeps things interesting.

Changing the clocks back this weekend,

means we'll have more time in the evenings to garden.

Enjoy your weekend!