this compost

Victoria just sent me this.

community garden work day

Tomorrow is the Belmont Victory Garden Work Day. We will assign about 10 plots available from gardeners who are leaving - to the top of a waiting list of about 80.

And we have a list of projects to accomplish. The weather looks good. With luck, we'll accomplish lots.

lawn

I am going to try some new things with our lawn this year. The yard is a mix of dry hot sunny areas and deep shade. The soil gets compacted very fast. I'm thinking of aerating and sodding the backyard, which is mostly deep shade and the grass gradually peters out there a few years after sodding. I resod every 3-4 years and seed spring and fall the 2nd and 3rd years.

For the front yard, which is sunny and the grass does pretty well, I'd like to try over seeding with Dutch White clover. I read the clover will supply 1/3 of the nitrogen needs of the grass. And the bees will like the flowers. Dutch White is a low growing 1-6 inch clover. I am looking forward to trying this.

Interesting - if you google "lawn clover" the first entry is how to grow clover in the lawn, the second is how to get rid of it ....

transplanting sweet potato slips

I cut up my sprouted sweet potatoes today and potted them up in a tray of soil.

seed potatoes arrived

I got a big box in the mail today - seed potatoes from Moose Tubers! Its a busy week in the garden.

tomatoes set out with wall-o-water

Today in the 80* heat, I set out four of my super early tomato seedlings. They have grown into such nice little plants. I planted one Cherokee Purple, one Box Car Willie and two Ultra Early Beaver Lodge plants.

I set-up Wall-O-Water plant protectors for the first time. Not so bad to set up. But I had a few problems.

First, I don't normally space tomato plants out as much as is needed to fit the wall-o-water's. I realized this after planting the whole row of plants and I had to dig them and space more.

Second, I don't know why I can,t remember that you have to turn the hose valve the to the left to turn it off. I repeatedly turn it to the right and soak myself, which was nice in the heat- but muddy. Suppose I can't blame the wall-o-waters for this!

Third, it took me at least 15 minutes to fill up each, so setting up four took a while. And leaning over them was hard on the back. Time for some Advil.

scilla - 2 weeks early

My scilla is in full bloom now. I looked up when it bloomed in previous years: April 24, 2007, April 22, 2009. Its 2 weeks early this year! I think everything here is at least 2 weeks early this year.

full cold frame

My cold frame is more like a hot house this week - the temperature has been going up over 90*F when I forget to open the panels. The plants seem quite happy. I've moved all my seedlings into it. Its easier to have then outside so I can water with a hose.

an outdoor Easter dinner

We've never had Easter dinner outside before. This warm weather is wonderful!

happy birthday Skippy!

Skippy is 5 today!! He got a double "chewy" and an Amazon box to play with. Such a good puppy.

seedlings in the sun

All my seedlings are outside on the porch again this week. They are staying out night and day with this balmy weather. We are flipping back and forth from pouring to perfect weather.

I am hoping to plant my early tomato seedlings outside in the garden soon using my new Wall-O-Waters. Its a busy weekend, but I hope to oi this soon. They are getting quite big. I planted lots more tomatoes last week and they have just come up.

sprouts in milk bottles

My winter sowing bottles suffered from the heavy rains. They ended up half full of water after the big storm and I forgot to check on them until a week later. I poked holes and drained them finally (I have to remember to do this before setting them out next year!). So far two bottles have lots of little sprouts. Since I have my new cold frame, I might as well open them up and put them in the frame.

asparagus shoots

Pretty little asparagus shoots are poking up!

But so far only one of the 12 crowns is growing. I'll keep watching.

My asparagus bed is about 5 ft by 3 ft with 12 crowns planted last spring. Last summer the fronds grew to about 5 feet tall, nice and bushy. The bed is at the far north side of the garden plot, between the compost bin and a lilac bush, so they don't shade anything.

pea sprouts

They're up!

bright yellow for April

Welcome April! Forsythia and daffodils are in full bloom now. Occasional splashes of bright yellow. And thank goodness for the clear blue sky and no rain in forecast for the coming week. Many puddles and high rivers in the area that need to dry up. March blew away all the records for Boston rain.