Spring has sprung . . . and I am anxious to get going on my garden!
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My raised bed "kinda square foot" garden! The pots of mint and the rose will not
be staying up there once I get the garden planted . . . they will find new homes! |
Have you heard that nervous tapping? That was no woodpecker, my friend . . . that was my fingers impatiently tapping on the table . . .
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| Fava bean sprouts |
I have started a few trays of seeds, but they are getting a bit old and are not germinating like they should. But, those that are coming up are looking good! I took these pics a couple of weeks ago - you should see them now! I'd show you, but it is pouring down rain out there right now and I'm not about to leave my nice snug spot right now! ;) The rain was coming down almost sideways just a little while ago and it is COLD out there!
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| My lilacs are starting to bloom! :) |
The tomatoes and lettuce are either not going to come up or are just taking their sweet time to make their grand entrance! Same with the leeks . . . I will try to plant a few more, just in case! I want to have staggered plantings of the leeks anyway to be have a longer harvest. But, I'm going to have tomatoes coming out of my ears if all my plants take off! I ended up at the Fullerton Arboretum tomato sale last weekend and went a little overboard! It was pouring rain last weekend as well, and a couple of the tomato plants I picked up were looking pretty ragged. They all came out of it except one. I am pretty sure it is a goner, but I haven't totally given up on it. This rain is going to probably do it in, though . . . we'll see! I have protected it as much as I can!
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Garden visitor . . . I found him after watering and his poor little
wings had gotten saturated. I put him in the sun to dry out! |
But, the fava beans, cocozelle squash and sweet peas are going good and one lone Charentais melon is peeping out. The favas are about 5 inches high already. I would love to get them in the garden, but those darn pesky roly-polys would eat them right up.
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My poor asparagus is under attack by the dreaded roly-polys! The stalk
coming up in the center of the pic is now just a hollowed out stump. :( |
Well, more accurately, they would eat a ring around the base of the plant and kill it as they are doing to my asparagus. I don't think the rhubarb is going to come back and the asparagus is struggling, so I don't hold out much hope for it either . . . but, maybe it will surprise me! I will be picking up some diatomaceous earth this week in the hopes of deterring those darn pests! They are absolutely driving me crazy! ! ! I know some of my family and friends would tell you that is a very short drive anyway! ;)
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| Another welcome visitor patrolling the parsley! |
I need to get a few more trays of seeds ready, and since I will be on a normal person's schedule next week, maybe I can get that done one night after work! :)
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I nearly killed my poor little orange tree . . . but as you can see . . .
she's recovering! She likes the new soil MUCH better! ! ! :) |
I'm thinking I will forgo pumpkins this year, but am anxious to get the sweet potatoes and sweet dumpling squash my sister sent me planted. They were absolutely the BEST sweet potatoes and squash I have ever tasted, so I am very much hoping I will have success with them! I have had the sweet potatoes in glasses of water and they have rooted and vined out. I should have gotten them in the ground (my raised bed garden) already I think, but they are all still sitting in my kitchen window. Perhaps I can get them in the ground this coming week as well! :)
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The cocozelle squash is coming along and if you look really, really
closely, you can see a Charentais melon just starting to peek out! |
This "last average frost date" is a little confusing for me, since we don't get frosts! ! ! So, I am never quite sure I am planting these things at the right time! I should start a gardening journal to keep track of what works and what doesn't around here!
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Remember the baby picture of the fava beans from above? This is just 2 weeks
later than the first pic! Notice the sweet peas coming up behind them! |
Ok, the rain stopped for a bit, so just for you, I grabbed my camera and coat and dashed out to get a couple updated pics of those favas and squash. Aren't they cute! ! ! If you look really closely, you can see a little Charentais melon peeping shyly out at you two photos above! Shhhhhh . . . don't scare her! Oh, my! One thing about these close ups . . . you can see all the pesky things you hadn't noticed while snapping the pic! Do you see them? ** Quelle horreur! ** Aphids on my favas! ! ! Not to worry, I just ran back out there and took care of them! Where are those lovely little lady bugs when you need them? ? ? Phew, and not a moment too soon . . . it is pouring again!
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One of my tiny blueberry bushes is coming on strong!
I'll be really happy once they get really established! |
Maybe I'll be able to make some blueberry muffins one of these days from my own little blueberry bushes! But, in the meantime . . . it's cold and rainy out there. It's time to bake!
So, I think it is the perfect time to bake up that Wild Huckleberry Muffin Mix I picked up on my last trip to Bryce Canyon. Cold rainy days are perfect for baking! ! ! Come on, tuck your feet up and I'll get you a fresh one as soon as they're ready! Coffee or tea to go with that? Or, perhaps a hot cocoa? ;) See you soon!
