Seems I do nothing each spring but grouse about how cool it's been and how far behind we are for the start of the gardening season. But this year I feel totally justified because the weather has been really cool (38° this morning), and we are definitely behind this spring season.
For instance, here's a clump of our daffodils that are just now finally, almost, just about, ready to blossom. I know, I know. Everyone else's daffodils have been long gone for over a month. Or two.
However, good ol' reliable asparagus has been doing its thing, and we've already had many servings from our patch. It's going strong. I shan't complain about that.
Also the chives, which are always the very first green to show, have been ready for preserving (my frozen stash for the winter) for a few days now. So far, I've only worked up one of the four clumps but must do more soon as I noticed blossoms starting to form this morning when I took these pictures. The horseradish in the center of the bed is coming on like gangbusters, too.
Our apples trees. Oh, my. Although we have our small wire enclosed orchard (foiled you, you pesky birds!) pruned, weeded and heavily mulched, compared to the below picture, you can see how far behind their growth is this season.
This shot is from this same day in a past year. Oiy.
Garlic is looking good. I grew w-a-a-a-y too much of it last year so cut down considerably for this year's crop.
Rows of spinach and a mixed variety of lettuces in a raised bed is finally poking through. I'll have to thin the plants soon. The carnations planted down the center of the bed are shivering.
This is the old (very old) strawberry patch ready for its last year. No matter who (Papa Pea) tries to convince me to leave it in for "just one more year," it's coming out this fall. There is too much intensive work to keep two patches in good shape.
The new strawberries daughter and I planted last year consist of five double rows of plants instead of the three single rows I experimented with for the last several years. Garden space is used more efficiently as the double row planting contains the same number of plants as the single row configuration.
Well, that's it for this first of the season garden report. I planted a raised bed of slicing cucumbers and another of edible podded peas yesterday. The cukes are under a cold frame (their own little greenhouse) as they will be for nearly the whole growing season. They certainly would have caught chilblains and died last night with that ridiculous low temp we had if they hadn't been protected!
9 comments:
Well, at least you HAVE a garden! And strawberries....
Those strawberries look lovely and healthy (the second bed)and I'm a tiny bit envious, but not completely after having ripped out all of mine after they tried to take over the world. We have had frost two nights in a row. I've not planted a single thing, but I will start this weekend. Yay for good old asparagus! -Jenn
Michelle - Yes! And I am very thankful for the ability to grow all we CAN here for fresh eating and preservation for our winter months. Have you noticed the price of groceries lately? (Silly question, eh?)
Jenn - A frost two nights in a row? Uh-oh. I shall start counting my blessings. Only down to 40° here this A.M. I've found the MUST DO secret with strawberries is to constantly snip off all runners the mother plant sends out. It's been my experience that's the only way to keep a bed under control and not have dreams of being buried in a strawberry mass! I'll think of you in your garden when I'm in mine this weekend!
We have a brisk 42 degrees this morning here. We are very behind, but with the cold nights, I am not stressing over it. Besides, my husband is working very long hours and it could be another week before I get his help with anything. We planted spring garlic, as we believe voles were eating the fall planted garlic. Every year, there seems to be a challenge of some sort. Your garden looks very good.
Its hard to believe that it WILL finally happen. My garden in May always looks so barren to me. By August I will wonder what all the fuss was about. 39 degrees here this morning. I had everything covered for the second night in a row and there is frost on the roof this morning. But after all, it is only Memorial Day weekend.
Looks wonderful! Your strawberry patch is the envy of the universe! I've been covering perennials (peonies, delphs) because....frost, frost, frost...and on it goes. Don't want to lose those peony buds! Haven't planted much either, (only onions, beets, and some greens which are growing oh...so....slowly) but am also enjoying the fruits of my past labours, asparagus-wise.
Kristina - We've never had a vole problem but have heard of many folks who do. How frustrating! At least the cool weather keeps me from panicking, too, as there's not sense in planting those veggies that need warmth to germinate. And . . . it's still May!
SmartAlex - Yep, as I said above, it is still only May! I don't like the way my garden looks at first either. 'Course, I'm always SURE none of the seeds I've planted will ever germinate. (No confidence even after all these years!) As for frost on the roofs . . . gives me shivers. Please, no more frosts already!
Rosalea - Same with me . . . onions, beets, and some greens in the ground besides the perennials that don't like all this COLD start to the season. Our asparagus is doing so well, though, that I've already given away a super-big bunch to friends. I'm rich in asparagus!
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