Last Saturday (June 11th) I planted some Double-Rich tomatoes as well as some cherry tomatoes in Beta. I just planted seeds so they will be a later crop but the soils are actually pretty prime for them.
I also planted Tau with the Yellowstone wildflowers, lavender seeds, and some various others, including morning glories along the fence. Then I planted bells of Ireland on the north end of the pea bed. These are all seeds as well so we will have to be patient!
The yard is doing well, overall. The grapevines are really prospering.
Wednesday, June 15, 2011
Saturday, June 4, 2011
Spinach Harvest
Today we harvested and ate the spinach (3 plants) for dinner. It's 49 days since I planted them. They were huge, and delicious. I could probably plant another round under the peas once those get a little taller. They are blossoming now. The leeks and carrots are 4-5" tall, and the celery is about 3/4".
Friday, June 3, 2011
To Weed
Hi Mom and Dad!
I am thinking that I won't be up yet at the point you want to start gardening, so here's a quick start guide. :)
If you want to weed, please weed:
If you would still like more, I think we should put that small-grid chicken wire around the strawberries and other berries before the bunny season really hops into gear.
Thanks a lot! Not sure what time I'll be up but see you then. :)
Rose
I am thinking that I won't be up yet at the point you want to start gardening, so here's a quick start guide. :)
If you want to weed, please weed:
- around the vinca vines (northwest fenceline)
- in Alpha (the bed with the mini spruce and lavender)
- in Beta (but not the carrots, leeks, marigold, or celery - just the tall weeds)
- Delta and Epsilon may be weeded as well (= the two west of the peas)
- Iota and Lambda (the beds flanking the strawberry patch) have cover crops - Mom may be able to identity them. Lambda (the eastern one) has more weeds than Iota. The cover crop in Lambda is Spring Triticale; they have twisted tops, so if you want, you could weed whatever isn't Triticale.
- of course, the grass in the asparagus beds
If you would still like more, I think we should put that small-grid chicken wire around the strawberries and other berries before the bunny season really hops into gear.
Thanks a lot! Not sure what time I'll be up but see you then. :)
Rose
Thursday, June 2, 2011
Time to Plant Tomatoes!
The ground is wet from a heavy rain last night and the soil temperatures are warmer. Tomorrow or Saturday morning I'll be planting tomatoes! I'll be trying them from seed.
The leeks are doing fabulously, and there are a couple baby-baby celery plants coming up. What I thought was celery before was actually marigold plants springing up (five or six of them!). The carrots are also healthy. The spinach is about ready to harvest. The sweet peas and cover crops are doing well, along with the rose bush, the grape vines, and the berry bushes (although I believe those got a bit of a mowing this last time around).
The leeks are doing fabulously, and there are a couple baby-baby celery plants coming up. What I thought was celery before was actually marigold plants springing up (five or six of them!). The carrots are also healthy. The spinach is about ready to harvest. The sweet peas and cover crops are doing well, along with the rose bush, the grape vines, and the berry bushes (although I believe those got a bit of a mowing this last time around).
Sunday, May 22, 2011
Sumer Is Icumen In
Summer is a-comin’ in
Loudly sing cuckoo!
Bloweth seed and groweth mead
And springeth wood anew,
Sing cuckoo
Ewe now bleateth after lamb,
Low’th after calf the cow.
Low’th after calf the cow.
Bullock starteth, buck now verteth,
Merry sing cuckoo,
Cuckoo, cuckoo,
Oh, loud now sing we cuckoo,
Oh, cease we never now!
Merry sing cuckoo,
Cuckoo, cuckoo,
Oh, loud now sing we cuckoo,
Oh, cease we never now!
Many updates to note!
We had hail twice again last night but it wasn't as long in duration as last time. It took some leaves from the trees but no big branches, so I'm hopeful it didn't damage any plants.
Friday, May 20, 2011
Guest Post - the Future of the Yard
Here is a sketch of IDEAS ("Plans") from over 1996-2011 ~
Area by the WEST GATE:
1 - To terrace the slope.
2 - Eventually to put a swing on the low branch of the nearby tree and possibly a seat in the shade.
3 - To make a sort of leveled-up, raised bed (including a Hugelkultur experiment) where the new bushes and trees have been planted. This would incorporate the Honey Locust tree in a nice, round pattern, but we would need help with the "retaining wall" and stonework. Possibly use railroad ties?
4 - On the front side of the fence, add yew bushes for privacy. (see "Front Yard" below)
Area by the BACK FENCE:
1 - To let the grapes grow big and strong, and add a pergola or something to that southwest corner.
2 - I've always pictured a grotto back there somewhere between the corner and the bend in the rock bed.
3 - Eventually to move all of the wood pile back inside the yard - this would also allow the gate to be fully opened.
Area by the EAST GATE:
1 - Bundle up the rest of the Austree sticks (and perhaps also some from the piles in the yard). They make fantastic, convenient kindling wood that way!
2 - Dad is going to find a place to put the bed liner for the truck. We also need to give away the old basketball hoop.
3 - When the patio is re-done, I want to incorporate a planter somewhere under the stairs next to it. We need to control the soil erosion there (from the drainspout) as well, which may contribute to the design of the planter. Perhaps some concrete steps also?
4 - I am partial to keeping the area just dirt as it is. We do need to give the A/C units air.
5 - Perhaps eventually a hedge of roses along the grassline? Or some tall, thin junipers that would be a privacy screen from the house next door? Latticework is also a possibility along the west edge of the deck (leaving air for the A/C).
In GENERAL:
1 - Use of natural stones in many places.
2 - To get seats, benches.
3 - A possible bird-bath
4 - Possible walk-way with pea-gravel
5 - Possibly, possibly, possibly ? moving the rock bed or rearranging
In the FRONT YARD:
1 - A sidewalk or path of stepping-stones to the front door from the curb
2 - A flowerbed (raised? Might be difficult with the brick?) under the big north window, and nearby some bushes
3 - Possibly a trellis on the west side of the porch with climbing roses (from Lettie P.?) or vines...
4 - Possibly a circular planting around the lamp posts with greenery like ornamental grass and flowers? Or just a bush next to each?
5 - Some ground cover on the east slope outside the fence, but something that won't spread into the neighbor's yard...
6 - Vines going up the telephone pole on the corner?
7 - Possibly Hostas planted under the trees in the shade.
A lot of the ideas in the front are pending any mudjacking that may be done, etc.
On the WEST SIDE OF THE HOUSE (under the maples)
1 - Vines up the side of the house?
2 - Hostas under the tree -- see above about yews
It seems there have been no lack of IDEAS this past 15 years. I don't expect to accomplish them all, but even if we do half of them, I think it will enhance the yard a lot! God bless it!
Area by the WEST GATE:
1 - To terrace the slope.
2 - Eventually to put a swing on the low branch of the nearby tree and possibly a seat in the shade.
3 - To make a sort of leveled-up, raised bed (including a Hugelkultur experiment) where the new bushes and trees have been planted. This would incorporate the Honey Locust tree in a nice, round pattern, but we would need help with the "retaining wall" and stonework. Possibly use railroad ties?
4 - On the front side of the fence, add yew bushes for privacy. (see "Front Yard" below)
Area by the BACK FENCE:
1 - To let the grapes grow big and strong, and add a pergola or something to that southwest corner.
2 - I've always pictured a grotto back there somewhere between the corner and the bend in the rock bed.
3 - Eventually to move all of the wood pile back inside the yard - this would also allow the gate to be fully opened.
Area by the EAST GATE:
1 - Bundle up the rest of the Austree sticks (and perhaps also some from the piles in the yard). They make fantastic, convenient kindling wood that way!
2 - Dad is going to find a place to put the bed liner for the truck. We also need to give away the old basketball hoop.
3 - When the patio is re-done, I want to incorporate a planter somewhere under the stairs next to it. We need to control the soil erosion there (from the drainspout) as well, which may contribute to the design of the planter. Perhaps some concrete steps also?
4 - I am partial to keeping the area just dirt as it is. We do need to give the A/C units air.
5 - Perhaps eventually a hedge of roses along the grassline? Or some tall, thin junipers that would be a privacy screen from the house next door? Latticework is also a possibility along the west edge of the deck (leaving air for the A/C).
In GENERAL:
1 - Use of natural stones in many places.
2 - To get seats, benches.
3 - A possible bird-bath
4 - Possible walk-way with pea-gravel
5 - Possibly, possibly, possibly ? moving the rock bed or rearranging
In the FRONT YARD:
1 - A sidewalk or path of stepping-stones to the front door from the curb
2 - A flowerbed (raised? Might be difficult with the brick?) under the big north window, and nearby some bushes
3 - Possibly a trellis on the west side of the porch with climbing roses (from Lettie P.?) or vines...
4 - Possibly a circular planting around the lamp posts with greenery like ornamental grass and flowers? Or just a bush next to each?
5 - Some ground cover on the east slope outside the fence, but something that won't spread into the neighbor's yard...
6 - Vines going up the telephone pole on the corner?
7 - Possibly Hostas planted under the trees in the shade.
A lot of the ideas in the front are pending any mudjacking that may be done, etc.
On the WEST SIDE OF THE HOUSE (under the maples)
1 - Vines up the side of the house?
2 - Hostas under the tree -- see above about yews
It seems there have been no lack of IDEAS this past 15 years. I don't expect to accomplish them all, but even if we do half of them, I think it will enhance the yard a lot! God bless it!
Saturday, May 14, 2011
Skinner's Nursery 04/28/11
This was the day Mom and I went in to Topeka and scoped out the evergreens at Skinner's Nursery.
Houston, We Have Hedge !
"It was the work of a moment." Well, not quite, but it came together very well in the end. In the course of the morning we got every last evergreen planted - spruce and arborvitae and juniper. Joe's Landscaping came Thursday morning and dug the holes (in about 1 hour).
Monday, May 2, 2011
One Morning in May
And a fine morning it was! It was supposed to drop down into the mid-30's last night but I don't think it could've since it was near 50 this morning. It will apparently drop down into the 30's again this evening, but then the lows will be in the 40's and finally 50's by the end of the week. Here is the forecast from Wunderground:
Today is the observed Feast Day of St. Joseph the Worker. He did a lot of manual labor too, so good St. Joseph, please ask God to bless our efforts in the garden! I am sure Our Lady did some gardening as well, and she must have had quite a green thumb. Dear Blessed Mother, please ask God to give us a good and healthy crop this year, Who fed the Israelites with manna from heaven!
The soil is still pretty chilly so it's not yet time to plant the warm-weather crops. Hopefully sometime today I will be able to sow the Spring Cover Crops. The package came a few days ago. Here are the descriptions of the types I have:
Today is the observed Feast Day of St. Joseph the Worker. He did a lot of manual labor too, so good St. Joseph, please ask God to bless our efforts in the garden! I am sure Our Lady did some gardening as well, and she must have had quite a green thumb. Dear Blessed Mother, please ask God to give us a good and healthy crop this year, Who fed the Israelites with manna from heaven!
The soil is still pretty chilly so it's not yet time to plant the warm-weather crops. Hopefully sometime today I will be able to sow the Spring Cover Crops. The package came a few days ago. Here are the descriptions of the types I have:
Saturday, April 30, 2011
The Eve of May
Yesterday and today have been full-sun days, but also windy! The yard is showing it in the sudden sort of wilty-droopy-droughty look it has taken on. But then tomorrow night is forecast to be mid-30's (!) and thunderstorms middle to end of next week.
Here a few pictures. It looks like with the rain we got shortly after I planted, all the lettuce relocated to the celery corner, and I only see one celery shoot so far.
Here a few pictures. It looks like with the rain we got shortly after I planted, all the lettuce relocated to the celery corner, and I only see one celery shoot so far.
This is a little delicate celery sprout – with the two little leaves poking out on top. It is barely 1/8" tall.
Thursday, April 28, 2011
More Improvements :-)
It is exciting to work with living creatures such as plants. The ecosystem, in a sense, is a living organism itself. It's kind of analogous to the Mystical Body of Christ. Each member contributes his part to the good of the whole. The rest can limp along with a couple members missing, but they will have to work harder in some respects. So every man belongs to the Spiritual Ecosystem by the existence of his soul but not every man does his part.
Here are some pictures that will tell a million words in my stead (I'm sure I could come up with a million words, but I'll spare you this time). . .
Here are some pictures that will tell a million words in my stead (I'm sure I could come up with a million words, but I'll spare you this time). . .
Lovely Tulips!
Monday, April 25, 2011
Will It Never Be Sprung?
It's pretty rainy and overcast today and it should stay like this through Wednesday. Yesterday (Easter Sunday) was cool and sunny, becoming cloudy in the evening.
I am getting sick of just-too-cool days, where I cannot yet plant the warm-weather crops. I haven't planted anything since the 16th. I believe only the radishes have germinated, however. We were expecting a few storms just after I planted so I put plexiglass over Beta and some plastic over Zeta. I hope they didn't get too dry in that time.
Here are some pictures from 04/17 --
I am getting sick of just-too-cool days, where I cannot yet plant the warm-weather crops. I haven't planted anything since the 16th. I believe only the radishes have germinated, however. We were expecting a few storms just after I planted so I put plexiglass over Beta and some plastic over Zeta. I hope they didn't get too dry in that time.
Here are some pictures from 04/17 --
A tiger swallowtail butterfly on the lilacs:
Monday, April 18, 2011
It's All Greek to Me!
So I have decided to name the garden beds, because it is altogether too challenging to keep them straight in any other way. The Greek alphabet so far is working terrifically! Here is the nomenclature:
Of course, this is only about the northern third of the yard. The southern section will have the Phoenician – Aleph, Beth, Gimel, Daleth, etc. Aleph, Beth, and Gimel, are the grape vines. Daleth is the back fruit tree. The Sweet Gum is He and the southern Maple is Zayin. The rest will apply as things come up.
Aside from that, I did plant a few things on Saturday – viz., lettuce (little Caesar and Val d'Orge), carrots (Nantes), leeks (bandit), celery (celebration), shell peas, radishes (Cherry Belle), spinach (Viroflay), and onions (Valencia).
The sky is pretty overcast today and there is a "60%" chance of rain tomorrow. The low temperature is predicted to be 38 tomorrow as well! I hope the seeds do alright. I think they will. The soil on Saturday (after mid-30's Friday night into Saturday) was a minimum of 43F in Rossville, and that was 4" deep, more like 46F at 2" deep. The seeds are not even 1" deep so I think it'll be fine, as long as it's not a heavy rain that washes them away.
AT LAST I HAVE THE UPDATED GARDEN PLANS FOR YOU! They are pretty different from when I started out, and will probably change again before the final analysis (that is, as I plant them!).
Of course, this is only about the northern third of the yard. The southern section will have the Phoenician – Aleph, Beth, Gimel, Daleth, etc. Aleph, Beth, and Gimel, are the grape vines. Daleth is the back fruit tree. The Sweet Gum is He and the southern Maple is Zayin. The rest will apply as things come up.
Aside from that, I did plant a few things on Saturday – viz., lettuce (little Caesar and Val d'Orge), carrots (Nantes), leeks (bandit), celery (celebration), shell peas, radishes (Cherry Belle), spinach (Viroflay), and onions (Valencia).
The sky is pretty overcast today and there is a "60%" chance of rain tomorrow. The low temperature is predicted to be 38 tomorrow as well! I hope the seeds do alright. I think they will. The soil on Saturday (after mid-30's Friday night into Saturday) was a minimum of 43F in Rossville, and that was 4" deep, more like 46F at 2" deep. The seeds are not even 1" deep so I think it'll be fine, as long as it's not a heavy rain that washes them away.
AT LAST I HAVE THE UPDATED GARDEN PLANS FOR YOU! They are pretty different from when I started out, and will probably change again before the final analysis (that is, as I plant them!).
Saturday, April 16, 2011
Last Frost Had and Done?
Friday, April 15, 2011
Rainy Days
The miniature spruce has bright green baby growth all over it:
The robins gathered in Mr. Deckat's tree as the rain gently fell this morning:
The lovely rock garden:
Wet is wonderful for the hugelkultur!
The hail-damaged tulips are blooming nonetheless:
Wednesday, April 13, 2011
The Work of the Morning
I went out in search of stray rocks this morning! Down Durink Avenue, towards Oregon Trail Park, they are in abundance. I got as many as I could fit easily in the back of the Gold Van. Here they are in the back yard, waiting to be arranged.
It is very overcast, not only because of the fields being burned (we all have stuffy noses and sore throats) but also due to the imminent storm.
It is very overcast, not only because of the fields being burned (we all have stuffy noses and sore throats) but also due to the imminent storm.
Tuesday, April 12, 2011
The Secret Garden
There's a lot that goes on behind the scenes in the complex world of nature.
The henbit is full steam ahead:
Along with the sudden burst of dandelion land.
Slumbering on the latticework!
Asparagus Season
We had a few asparagi at lunch today – the Martha Washington's (south side, 3-year-olds) – but I think maybe I harvested them too late. All were over a foot and growing new sprouts. Haven't harvested any Jersey Giants (north side, the 2-year-olds), but I may tonight. There is a storm that is supposedly developing north of here (Minnesota area) and is forecasted to head our way the rest of this week and over the weekend. There may yet be a frost left for Mr. Winter to pull as the last trick in his bag. Here is the forecast:
Friday night is supposed to be lower 30's, and that is my one fear. Planting outdoors has been postponed to Monday just as a safeguard. In view of the coming rain however (we're sure to get at least a little) I put some bagged compost (Cotton Burr Compost) and Top Soil on 5 of the garden beds today. The rain will help incorporate it into the soil that's already there. Here are pictures:
Friday night is supposed to be lower 30's, and that is my one fear. Planting outdoors has been postponed to Monday just as a safeguard. In view of the coming rain however (we're sure to get at least a little) I put some bagged compost (Cotton Burr Compost) and Top Soil on 5 of the garden beds today. The rain will help incorporate it into the soil that's already there. Here are pictures:
Monday, April 11, 2011
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