Tuesday, March 27, 2007

March gardening

I have also been gardening this month. Just started this week, in fact. Last year, after the car accident, I was unable to garden much at all, so it feels so very good to be doing it now, with little or no pain.

Feel free to click on the pics to enlarge them, but if you do, you will see how messy I really am in real life, so I don't want to hear about it, ok? Look at the good stuff in the pics!

Because we only have a half-acre, we have to fit in our garden plots where we can. All of the produce- veggies, herbs, fruit trees, etc. are in the back yard. Here is a view of the plots I have been working in this week. That is the shed, where we keep the straw, tools, pots, etc. Running across the very front of the picture you can see my asparagus beds, newly weeded.On the right, you can see my freshly weeded blueberry bed. On the left, is my yet-to-be-weeded root bed. You probably can't tell, but there are still beets left in the ground from last year, as well as parsnips. I am wondering if they will still be edible. Hopefully if the rain lets up, I will get out there tomorrow and find out. Good thing about how much it has been raining here- weeding is so very easy! I can get all ten inches of the nastiest-looking dandelion roots!!


Here is a pic of a baby asparagus. Isn't it so sweet and cute? I am hoping I get lots this year. I just hope they don't keep coming up one at a time- I need a whole bucketful to make a meal!!



Here is another view of the blueberry bed. I now have 7 bushes. I want about 5 more, but don't know where they will go- 7 in this bed is pushing it. I have several varieties (some early, some large), including one called "Chandler", which I couldn't resist. Last year I had all my greens in this bed, too, but I am not sure where they will go this year. Also in this bed, are two grapes (that's what the white tri-pod is for, for the little grapes to climb up), and a renegade fennel bulb plant I need to find a real home for. Fennel is wonderful roasted.

You can see I placed straw around the bottom of the blueberry bushes. This mulching keeps the water in and the weeds down (if not completely out).

Also in this pic, you can see the platform the Papa Dude built at the base of the birch tree. It is a wonderful place to sit and listen to the chickadees that hang out in the birch, or watch the chickens (more on them later). Papa has made sure there are lots of fun little sitting places in our yard. I will try to post pics of them all.

Here is a pic of the bridge Papa made. It covers a low, perpetually wet spot in the yard. You can see the birch tree at the far left of the pic, and then if you look behind the bridge, you can see my baby pear tree. You can also see how the kids just throw the bikes behind the garage when they are done riding.
Here is a close-up of my pear tree. The first year we were here, the pears were wonderful- prolific ans sweet. 2nd year, I got one pear. Last summer we got some, but not tons like the first summer. I am hoping we get lots this year- because they can well. That is the next-door neighbor's garage behind the tree. The mess under and to the left of the pear tree is my herb garden. If you really look hard, you can see sage and rosemary, but mostly it is dandelions. I still have a ton of work to do!



Dy, here is a close-up of the buds on the pear tree. I wouldn't tell this to the whole world (oh, I guess I would), but sometimes I go out and talk to the blossoms, and encourage them to grow big and strong pears for me. I guess that isn't so wierd if you know me.


Well, that will be all for tonight- no posts for three weeks, then three in one day- go figure!

LB


7 comments:

Needleroozer said...

Wow, Jean!
I have never heard of burning the asparagus! Hmm, I wonder if that would encourage mine a bit more.

My very fave way to cook asparagus is to snap the ends, put them in a cast iron skillet, and slick them with a little olive oil. Then I roast them at 450 for 10 minutes, shake the pan, and roast them for 10 more minutes (more for fat, less for the skinny ones). They come out so yummy. You can serve them cold with a bit of lemon juice, or hot from the oven with a sprinkle of kosher salt. Yum!
LB

Ernest said...

Excellent garden. It looks like a very nice place to sit, and from your posts on my blog I was freaked out by just how much produce you're getting out of just half an acre. That goes well beyond just a green thumb.

Don't throw away those dandelions though. Me and the kids picked a big bowl of the tender young leaves the other day and cooked them up for lunch. Mmmm!

Needleroozer said...

Yeah. I love dandelion greens, too.
Last year I had about 40 tomato plants- this year I would like about 60. Need a lot more potatos this year, too. I don't know if it is possible to have as much produce as I want, but I am sure gonna give it a try!

Say, I see congrats are in order! So how many acres is the farm on?!
LB

Dy said...

Oh, I'll have to tell James about your dandelions! We have some drying right now for tea. Yum!

I just cannot believe all you do. And I LOVE that bridge! *squeal* (Yes, I literally squealed! It's awesome!)

What fun. Off to read the other posts, you posting fool, you!
Dy

Kathy Jo DeVore said...

I love the bridge, too. :) I'm amazed, too, at how much you produce from half an acre. But I'm known to have a black thumb of death. *sigh* Ernie brought home house plants recently and gave me strict instructions to look only, no touching, no trying to help water them. :}

We had a Venus' flytrap that lasted since last summer (we finally let it go to seed accidentally). Everyone tells Ernie how difficult those are to keep alive, but the boys named it, talked to it, and even included it in their bedtime prayers every night. :)

Oh, and the property is five acres. :) We're excited.

Needleroozer said...

Yay! Five acres! I am so very envious!! If you think I can get a lot out of my little tiny plot, I can't wait to see what the lot of you do with yours!
LB

Anonymous said...

Oh now this post is a treat! Well, they all are actually, but I really enjoyed.

Enlarging the pictures is great fun. Does a great job of bringing out opulance and detail in the garden.

Did you get blueberries last season?

As always, love the views of what y'all do with gardens. ...mmm...can taste those late summer Italian Plums in my mind right now!

Create a great day,

P :)