garden photos

The beds look empty, but actually all are full to the brim. Seedlings are in some, seeds are sprouting in others and some are reserved for planting in a couple weeks. I plant everything as close as possible, so there will be lots of green here soon.

In June, the peas will ripen. The peas are all planted now. Half are one inch tall, half are still germinating. I have snap peas and green shell peas this year. In June too, lettuce will be ready for harvest. My lettuce seeds were started indoors in March and are about 2 inches tall now. Also in June, bok choy will be ready for the grill. I planted a big patch of basil for late summer harvest, but in June I can pick early leaves to add to early summer salads.

In July, my tomatoes will be ripening. That will bring celebrations! There's nothing as good as a garden fresh heirloom tomato. Even better is running out and picking one as I make dinner. I have eight tomato plants growing in the side yard. All my favorites: Brandywine, Sungold cherry, Giant Belgium, etc.

Also in July, the cucumbers and beans will ripen. Neither of these are planted yet, but spaces are reserved. I have four varieties of cucumbers growing inside. And seeds for several varieties of beans including Chinese pole beans, Provider bush beans, and soy beans for edamame. And in July, the broccoli will be ready. This is the only vegetable my teenage son will eat. He loves piles of broccoli fresh off the grill. Ahh, July!

Looking at a new garden brings such joy!

surprise vegetable

My little surprise seedlings are doing well - growing into cute little plants. Maybe a Chinese green or a special broccoli? Dan said to plant them 5 inches apart, so I planted them about 3 inches apart. Since he said to treat then like broccoli, I planted them next to my broccoli seedlings and covered them both to protect from cabbage worms.

Brassicaceae

By the way, we grilled some young bok choy this weekend and it was delicious. My husband sliced it in half, brushed with olive oil and then roasted it over the fire. A wonderful flavor.

surprise seeds from Dan
Cabbage worms

happy mothers day

I ended up picking butterflies as a theme this year for Mother's Day. I hope my mom likes this. I planted seeds for Butterfly flower (Asclepia tuberosa) (also Butterfly weed) back in March and they're nice little plants now. I potted a few up in a small clay pot and made a nice color copy of the seed packet. Then I walked through the local mall and found lots of butterfly themed things to go along: a metal butterfly that hangs on the pot, two embroidered butterfly napkins, a small butterfly tray, and a fancy butterfly pin is in the butterfly bag.

Happy Mom's Day to all you MOM's!

I came across wild Butterfly flower last summer and was so impressed with the beautiful vibrant orange color. I was very pleased to find seeds this winter. Asclepia is native to the eastern United States. Its flowers attract Monarchs and other butterflies. It is also a host plant, providing a place eggs and food for caterpillars.

Here's a couple photos of Butterfly weed that I took last summer.

butterflies (Lepidoptera)

plot photos

cabbage white butterfly

Pretty little cabbage white butterflies (Pieris rapae) are doing their dance in pairs all over the place. These are the most common butterfly in the US and BAD news for broccoli and cabbages. Tomorrow I will try to remember to bring hoops and row cover to the garden. I cover my brassicas at least until the plants are big. Same at my home garden, though I haven't seem any cabbages whites there yet. They'll find the broccoli soon. Kale too.

My parents' broccoli did fine last last year without any covers. And I notice others at the community gardens don't cover their cabbage. Maybe it just mine they get into. Or maybe the other gardeners spray. In any case, I'll be covering up soon.

Added later:
Here are some more photos of this pretty little butterfly.



cabbage white butterflies (Pieris rapae)
Brassicaceae
butterflies (Lepidoptera)

planting asparagus - again

I dug up and replanted my asparagus. I wanted to make sure its done right. I am very glad of the comments from my previous post suggesting that I didn't really plant it right.

Here's a fantastic asparagus planting video that Soilman made this year. It has lots of information and great video, so I won't go into it. Just check out the video. I didn't use compost for the center mound as he does, since I had already mixed lots into the soil bed, but this sounds like a great method.

asparagus (Asparagus officinalis)

update on planting and nesting

So much going on!

Today I replanted my asparagus. Transplanted 3 packs of lettuce and escarole, 4 packs of onions, some thyme and hollyhocks and 8 tomato seedlings. Wednesday I planted carrot and fava bean seeds, and transplanted out celeriac, spinach, beet, cabbage and broccoli seedlings.

Cukes and melons are sprouting well inside on a windowsill. I'll wait a couple more weeks before planting these outside. Peas continue to pop up in the garden and the potatoes are up and growing fast. I think I'll wait a bit longer to plant bean seeds. Maybe next weekend. Though I did put in a couple hyacinth bean seeds already.

One of my espaliered pear trees has leafed out nicely, though the other isn't showing any signs of life yet.

And the weeds are growing like crazy already. My garden has so many sunchoke and raspberry shoots that have escaped my neighbors garden. They need to be dug out with a small shovel. I weeded 'til my palm blistered.

My little chickadee is staying in the yellow bird house now. She must have eggs in there. The male brings her food now and then and sings to her.

I heard we have one nesting pair of bluebirds in the meadow who have laid a nest full of eggs, though they are being seriously harassed by the sparrows and swallows. Last year the meadow had two pairs, so hopefully more will come.

plant corn when oak leaves are as big as squirrels' ears

I brought home this stem of white oak leaves today to remind myself to plant my corn seeds soon. Its time ... "Plant corn when oak leaves are as big as squirrel's ears" is an old phenology truism. These oak leaves are almost as big as rabbit's ears now. I better get to it!

phenology: planting by natural cues
Popcorn (Zea mays averta)

garden aerial

The flowers from my big Norway Maple have fallen all over everything. A carpet of green on a rainy day.

aerial views of my home vegetable garden

planting asparagus

Note added later: Please read the comments. I planted this wrong and will be digging it up to replant soon.

I finally got my asparagus roots planted! They arrived in the mail a while ago (2 weeks ago I think). I moistened them a bit while waiting to plant them. They seem fine still - little sprouts have started on most of them.

I planted them a bit close - 12 inches apart in my 5 ft x 2.5 ft bed. I gave away half of the crowns and planted 10 crowns in this bed. I dug trenches 8 inches deep, laid out the roots, then added back 2 inches of soil and patted it down.

Since I also kept the planting instructions moist for the past couple weeks, I photographed it before it disintegrates.

Now I just need to be patient for two years.



asparagus (Asparagus officinalis)

garden birds

It was so noisy at the community gardens yesterday evening! Every kind of bird was singing at the top of his lungs. The gold finches almost flew into me in their play. I did my best to focus on my planting chores, but hard with such commotion. Not clear photos, but here are my best: tree swallow, gold finch, ring necked pheasant and a chickadee.



garden birds (Hortus Aves)

tulips

What would spring be without a bunch of tulip photos! This is my front yard this week.

today's garden work

A perfect spring transplanting day. Cloudy and 60's.

I transplanted to my home garden: 8 tomato seedlings, 3 rows of lettuce, 1 row parsley and 1 big planter of herbs (parsley, thyme and orange cosmos). My peas planted couple weeks ago are up and I filled in the empty spaces with more seeds (Sugar Sprint, Cascadian, Wando and Tall Telephone). Also planted Purple Podded Capucijner soup peas. I transplanted my lavender sprouts (only four) to an outdoor pot. I moved my alpine strawberries to a sunnier location, dividing one original plant (about 5 years old) into five plants. I moved 3 peonies to sun also. And I sowed a pot full of dill seeds.

Lots more seedlings are waiting for transplanting over the next week or so. I love the big fat leaves of the winter squashes. And the blue leaves of the broccolis.

apple blossoms

My little Fuji apple tree next to my vegetable garden is in full bloom. Lots of pure white blossoms this year! I'm imagining lots of apples.

Maybe I should start collecting knee-hi's. Last year I used stockings to cover the apples to keep bugs and squirrels away. It worked great and I picked five delicious crispy red apples. It was easier than spraying the tree, at least with only five apples.

Its not that I'm counting my apples - just hoping.

Apples (Malus domestica)

Dad's garden

I've been spending some time with my parents. Today I planted:

Potatoes, Red Gold, 5 ft row
Potatoes, Fingerling, 5 ft row
Potatoes, Russet, 5 ft row
Dill, 5 ft row
garlic transplants, 8 ft row

Dad's peas are up 2 inches now. Lots of them. Lettuce and beets from direct seedings too. My dad likes rows really straight. I planted 2 rows for him and did my best. The kids from next door ran over and helped lay out the spuds. They gave them names and said they will watch for sprouts. I only make it up there once a week or so.

my dad's garden