What A Difference A Few Extra Hours Can Make

Tuesday was an early day. I had to follow the hubby to the garage for work to be done on his truck. Then drive him to work and then get me back home again. What an ungodly hour. I never get up that early! But I took advantage of the rain holding off and jumped into some yard work. I forgot how much can be accomplished by affording ourselves those few extra hours each day.

The area inside the driveway island has a huge lilac in it. The area had edging but the lilac along with many wild blackberry and lilac runners had jumped that clean crisp black barrier and began making some havoc in the yard. It took a lot of digging but I managed to get half way around the area.

The heavy equipment was here today to fix a yard drainage issue and also some areas that were left in poor condition before the freeze set in this past winter after rehabbing the house. I checked out the status of the vege garden still under the tarps and was extremely disappointed that the tarps acted like a green house and the grass which we had previously burned was now about 8 inches high! I guess that does say something for the soil here though.

While they had the equipment here I had them dig up and turn top growth of the vege garden for me. If it stays dry (with any luck at all) I will be able to till it all on Friday and then again on Sunday. You know what that means? Planting in the new vege beds will begin next week!

I had so much fun today that I even hated to stop for dinner. If you try to call me tomorrow and get you answer, then you know that sun is out and my cell phone is off.

Late tonight. But I will post pics tomorrow.

Back Home & In The Dirt

A lapse in time blogging here. I spent a week in North Carolina at my daughter Gina’s home. I still did not get away from the gardening on this trip. I helped her build a raised garden bed for those vegetables that she misses from her child-hood garden. The soil there is so sandy. I’m surprised that anything would grow. But her roses are doing wonderfully! My first encounter with fire ants was met with my downeast yankee/Italian stubbornness. I began researching the web to find the most “green” and effective way to deal with them. Waalah!!!!!!! She had a spreader so the 50/50 combination of white sugar and instant grits worked perfectly! Watching them eat it and implode was satisfying I might add.

Arriving back north, it felt good to get back to work in my own space. Who would have thought that finding triple phosphate would be so difficult? As I walked into several hardware, lawn care and large box stores in search, finally breaking down and asking an associate, I truly got the “deer in the headlight” look. I would have been convinced that maybe one person just didn’t know what it was. But this it look appeared before my eyes six times yesterday.

I finally let my fingers do the walking and began phoning a few places. Martin’s Agway in Lancaster had it and knew exactly what it was. They even put a 5 lb bag (at a reasonable price of $5.99) aside for me upon arrival. My new asparagus will have strong, happy feet! I also inter-planted some rows of lettuce and swiss chard. These are not from seeds, but from good size seedlings that had been hardened off.

I’ve also affirmed my commitment to supporting more local businesses in my garden venture. Friday morning was spent looking for flats of the annuals that I did not plant from seed; true red impatiens and blue ageratum. I was floored at the lack of quality at the larger stores.

Sneaking through the lilac bushes, which separate my home from Erma’s, I caught her in her sunroom. It did not take much convincing to have her ride along to Houghton’s Greenhouse in Lyndonville with me. We did this last year and now it appears it will be an annual event.

The flats I found were just perfect. They are planted in the more formal beds in the front of the house and are enjoying the steady rain we are now receiving. We both always seem to leave there with an unusual hanging basket each year. This year she got a rose-colored trumpet plant and I got a basket of sweet alyssum – half in a solid red and the other half is a variegation of deep bluish/purple and white. It is proudly hanging on the back porch that receives great morning sun. It is the perfect spot for me to enjoy my tea in the morning.

Finding a Direction

My Wednesday was beautiful. The forecast was for showers. But we lucked out with sunshine ALL DAY! I spent a good part of the day cutting back some winter kill and weeding out some flower beds in preparation of Erika Kraus arriving at 4. Erika was so wonderful and informative. Which tree seedlings were trashy, what should be divided, what weeds should be taken out, and helped me identify some plants and focus on a direction to go in to begin the massive project of the garden beds restoration. We found some blood wort hiding under some lilac.

Today it is a torrential downpour and is keeping me indoors. So I’ve taken my garden tools in; cleaned and oiled them. I even washed my garden gloves with anticipation of getting back out there tomorrow.

Thanks again Erika!

Live Burn

We spent a good part of our Easter completing some raking and cleaning up the yards. The weather finally cooperated and stayed dry. Thank you Nick for signing our burn permit on Easter Sunday! No way I wanted the Fire Chief doing a burn without a permit ~ that would not go over well.

So with rakes in handle, shovels nearby, two hoses ready, and barely any wind we began. While burning the top of the new garden area, we realized that some things were still wet underneath. It made it easy to control the burn but now will require a good drying out and another burn before we cover it with some tarps for a week or two to kill any roots.

I have Erika Kraus from Two Sisters Garden and Landscaping coming on Wednesday to review all of the planting borders with me. She is a young woman with a wealth of information. She has a similar garden mind set as me when it come to design, integration, flow, and naturalization. Many pictures from Littleton Garden Club members of how all of these borders looked in their prime will prove to be helpful in discerning what should stay, what should be clean out and what needs to be added.

I’m hoping it will stay dry until Wednesday at 5 so we can do the other burn before Thursday’s bad weather forecast. Also still awaiting the arrival of my new grow lights.

Please tell me May is coming

April 23^rd and it is spitting snow again. Who would have thought that yesterday was Earth Day and I spent part of it running around the north-country with my friend Sherri. She put the top down on her antique VW Rabbit and we soaked up the vitamin D (and also got 40 mpg).

When I got home I brought more wood in for the wood stove. Yes at the end of April! The wind has kicked in today and has made this dampness reach out and grab my inner bones. The little fire should take the chill off.

At this point in time the majority of the snow has melted. The exceptions are those usual nooks and crannies that never get out of the shade. We are sure doing the “sunshine dance” for next week. I need the soil to warm up quite a bit before I can really work in it.

Do you think putting some black tarps down will speed up the process?

The seedlings I began are doing their thing. I look each day with anticipation knowing that once they poke their heads, that some heftier work is around the corner. The single bulb grow lights that I have are just not cutting it. I did splurge on some grow lamps with stands (two 4 footers), which should arrive on Monday. The enclosed south-facing porch is still too cold on its own at night for these poor babies.

And we're off and running....

The snow has melted and the first of some of our perennial garden items in our own yard are popping up. This rhubarb is from the garden of my surrogate grandparents. I grew up next door to Elizabeth and Henry and think of them each time one of their plants pokes its head up. I also have their garden bench that my younger brother and I used to sit on when little. I may move it to my garden area…just because.

The first of the seeds have been started. Warm, sunny space for all of them is a real issue. So I purchased some grow-lite bulbs and put them in some adjustable lamps I already had on hand. I will keep them in the living room for a week or two, then place them in the enclosed porch of Kilburn Place. It is south facing with lots of windows.

I’ve started all of the following from seeds gathered last year:

* black seeded simpson lettuce

* flame lettuce

* broccoli

* Italian flat leaf parsley

* pumpkin (jack-o)

* acorn squash

* butternut squash

* straight neck yellow squash

* zucchini

New seeds purchased this year are:

* sweet Italian basil – for summer use and for drying

* roma tomatoes (Burpee)

* long-keeper tomatoes (Burpee’s Organic)

* baxter’s bush cherry tomatoes (Burpee’s)

* italian frying peppers (Hart’s) - very tough seeds to find!

* oregano (Burpee)

* cauliflower (snowball – American Seed Co)

* dill (Burpee)

* black beauty eggplant (Burpee)

* swiss chard (Ferry Morse)

* white Lisbon bunching onions (American Seed)

* pumpkin (jasper – Ferry Morse)

I’m really excited about the jasper pumpkin. I think something about a white pumpkin will make the front porch or our tables look very autumn-like, come that time. I also ordered some seedless tomato seeds from Burpee. They are supposed to be a very juicy and meaty tomato. We shall see.

We have decided to burn off the overgrowth where the garden is going. This is a good week for it since it is damp out and we don’t have to worry about a huge brush fire spreading. (Nothing worse than the Fire Chief having an out of control brush fire.) The tilling shall begin soon afterwards.

So now that those seeds are started, I have to plan a raised bed for asparagus and another one for some root crops. Also planning what type of fencing. Anyone with some good ideas on either of those? Tips are appreciated.

Welcome To My Dirt

Welcome to my little corner of this earth. Seven years ago I had a huge garden when living in another state. I haven't had the time or space for one, until now. A property purchase last year has enabled me to dream of planning, planting, weeding and harvesting my next generation garden.

The area I've chosen has not been even mowed for 6 years. But it gets sun from sun up to sun down. This will prove extremely handy since I live above 44 degrees latitude. It is April 12th and we still have some snow on the ground. Yes, a very short season. So I will be looking for avenues to extend the season.

I will also be dealing with lots of critter control. Although we live in town, this area has lots of deer, woodchucks, skunks, some moles and an occasional bear or moose. I think a good fence will be in order and want to remain as organic as I feasibly can.

So sit back and enjoy the journey of building this garden from the hay up with me. Feel free to chime in to offer tips and comments anytime. I look forward to my new garden in the north country. Welcome to my dirt!