I ran out of letters this week, so I had to get a little creative. Next month's theme is Color. I can't wait!
Almost an X.
A little before and after of Phase I.
I played with a new app.
...and this is one I took today, I just HAD to throw it in here because I am so excited that I conquered the Towhee this year.
...and blogging tips!Well here we are! I am so excited to be writing this post and to see who joins me in this process. Feel free to join / observe / comment / question anytime.
Here is what made it into the ground this weekend:
Nothing is ready to eat...but the following are sprouting from seed now!
I have placed my metal trellises over my wine barrels. Spinach, peas and radishes were planted there two weeks ago. Over the trellises, I have placed every bamboo stake in my possession in various positions. Someone told me that raccoons don't like getting tangled up, so I am hoping this is doing the job and it is keeping the birds away from the seeds. The sticks have been found spread here and there several times, so I am just hoping they are doing their job. Fingers crossed.
This weekend we were able to finally get in and really work the garden. The sun was shining, the air was cool against our cheeks and we had our favorite tools in hand. For me, that would be my trowel (which I bent...grrr) and for the Good Apple, it was his chain saw (he was doing some BIG work).
As I was digging my hands into the loose and loamy soil and as the GA was clearing space for more garden space, I found an unrelenting gnarl tightening in my gut about what to do about our deer and raccoon situation. We invest in our garden because it is important to us. Last year, we lost strawberries, raspberries, cherry tomatoes, squash flowers and peas to their bellies and it was heartbreaking to come out and see another stem topped off. We are trying these little smelly contraptions around our tulips since they already started eating those and they are just green shoots at this point. I placed chicken wire around one bed, where the garlic and onions live, to keep the raccoons out and we placed bird netting over the other where I had just planted seeds. I am pretty sure we are going to drape bird netting over all of our beds, I am just really worried that this will happen again despite our best intentions. I am open to any suggestions. We don't have the funds to fence the area and well, I just don't think I will be turning into a hunter anytime soon. Any other ideas?
I have to admit that it felt wonderful to push the straw aside and see rich, dark brown soil with earthworms wiggling their way through below. Onions were such a huge success for us last year, it just felt good to get them started again. I dug my parallel trenches: one deep for fertilizer and the other shallow for the onion bulbs. The bundle provides enough starts to create a single row in each of our larger beds when they are planted 4" apart. If you want to grow some for green onions, only 2" is needed. In that case, you harvest every other for green onions, which leaves 4" spacing for the onions that will be left behind to mature. When planting onions, you do not want to fertilize them directly, but by digging a parallel trench at about 4" deep. You want your fertilizer to have a middle number that is at least double the other two. For example, 10-20-10 would be adequate. This represents N-P-K or Nitrogen - Phosphorus - Potassium. Last year I added Fish Bone Meal (3-18-0) to the trench and had great success. This is also why I put up the chicken wire. You see, that fish bone meal smells pretty good to raccoons. We have learned that the same is true with Blood Meal.
That was this week in a nutshell. Did I mention that these came in a special package while I was planting the onions?
German Butterballs, French Fingerlings and Yukon Golds. The potato boxes were cleaned out and the potato bed is waiting. The box was moved to our pantry so the seed potatoes could grow some eyes. This concept freaked the Lil Man out, but I quickly explained. Phew! Disaster averted. (Had I thought about it for a moment, I would have delivered a more clever response that would have kept him out of the pantry.) We did well with potatoes last year as well and when it came time to unearth the little jewels, he thought it was better than hunting for Easter Eggs.
The sunshine has left and we are due for a week of rain. At least that means, I won't have to water this week! Highs will be in the low 50s and the predicted low for the week is 41 which will keep us out of the frost zone.
Now here is the part I have REALLY been waiting for...my fellow green thumbs, HOW DID YOUR GARDEN GROW this week?
This is a family favorite from the Good Apple's side. His mom vacuum-packed packets of beans and garni bags for Christmas two years ago and we just worked our way through the collection. This is one of those recipes that used to allow you to throw in everything but the kitchen sink. While that is still the case, the main flavor source is the meat, without a doubt. To save some money, buy bulk beans and then create vacuum packs for later or to share with a friend or two.
I cut up 4 carrots, a head of broccoli, 1 red onion, 10 cloves of garlic and 4 zucchini. I put them in a large bowl, poured 2 tablespoons of Olive Oil over them and a little salt and pepper and mixed them around. Then I placed them on a parchment lined cookie sheet in the oven at 425 for 10 minutes and broil for 5. Meanwhile, I made some of our favorite penne pasta and warmed up a jar of Muir Glenn Roasted Garlic Spaghetti Sauce. To assemble, place pasta, then veggies, then sauce and top with some freshly grated Parm. Sooooo tasty.
Ingredients:
7) Add toppings. In this case, Sweet Baby Ray's BBQ Sauce, thinly sliced red onion and 2 previously cooked chicken breasts cut into bite-size pieces. Sprinkly 1 cup of mozzarella over the top. Place on hot pizza stone for 10-15 minutes. Watch it carefully.
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The easiest way to use the spinner is to gather your greens and then give them a couple of good rinses through the strainer. Then I like to prep them. Tear or cut them into bite-size pieces and give them a couple more rinses. (I cannot emphasize the importance of sorting and rinsing enough. Yes, I had a tiny slug make it's way into my salad bowl after a rapid rinse and that is all I am saying. That is ALL. Organic gardening at it's best.) Insert the strainer into the spinner, place the top on and then push, push, push the plunger down and let'er spin. You would be amazed how much water this thing removes! Good ol' centrifugal force put to use in the kitchen. Then there is a handy little brake you use to stop the spin-o-rama.
:: Lettuce |
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Next Tuesday is the start of our weekly gardening gathering, but as you learned last week, I am not a very patient person. So, how's it going in your garden? We have had a lot of wind and rain and some snow. The peas are still in hiding, however, the radishes have popped through as of yesterday. Thank goodness. We had a moment of sunshine so I ran and made a somewhat impulsive purchase of 21 violas and pansies. The Lil Man chose the plants and where to plant them. This was a first and I had a moment of uncertainty when he started, but the beauty is that the entryway flower pots are his creation and a treat to see when we come home.
This weekend will be full of garden work and some more planting, so stay tuned and...what is growing in your garden?
What can I say? She loves lemons. While eating lunch with friends, we were discussing "L" possibilities when this was suggested. I dove for my iPhone waiting for the sour face and this was as close as it got, she loved it!
This was one of those shots you literally "walk into". I was coming up with dozens of options on a dreary, windy day and this just made me giggle as we walked upstairs. I love that Filmore was getting a police escort.
I went outside, camera in hand, just hoping to find some pea shoots. Nada. However, I did find that my Dogwood was feeling Springy. I took about 20 shots and none of them really did it for me. I love the color and the lighting on this one, but the background is just too busy. Bah.
Q, R, S, T, U, V, W are next. Any ideas?
