Gardening

Categories Gardening

Spring?

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It hit 80 here yesterday, its not unusual to have a warm day or two in March, usually right before we get a foot of snow, but 80 is just insane.

We spent several hours outside pruning trees, setting up planters (for my vegetables and herbs), and doing other odds and ends.  I forgot sunscreen…..

The crocus are blooming, the daffodils aren’t to far behind them in several spots, and the berry plants and fruit trees look like they’re thinking about it.

The 10 day weather forecast says we’re going to have highs in the 70’s (lows in the 50’s) through Thursday and then its going to start trending down again.  10 days out the highs are low 50’s and the lows are mid to upper 30’s.  I’m hoping, for the sake of my plants, that it doesn’t drop all the way back down to ‘normal’, which would put us with lows in the 20’s.

Categories Gardening, Nothing Much

Gardening

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Over at the Burnett Homeplace Helene talks about the great seed catalog conspiracy. As in, why is it impossible to get all the seeds you want from one company for one shipping charge?

I gotta say I’d noticed this one myself, and I’m not even putting together a full garden! Husband and I have decided that for this year we’ll pickup a few of the half barrel planters and use those for some herbs, and annuals like his hot peppers. We’ll also try to get the raised beds for the actual garden at least started before next winter, so we can use them next year. I THINK I’ve got my seed and plant choices narrowed down to two companies……I think!

Categories Food, Gardening

Home grown food

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….or something close anyway.  Over at Daddy Bear’s Den he was talking about what they did with the produce they got from a neighbor and a farmers market nearby, and it reminded me of what I’ve been slowly working my way towards.

The garden this year is only producing jalapeno peppers as they, rhubarb, and the berry plants were the only things planted.  The berrys won’t produce till next year at the earliest, but once they do we’ll have a very nice selection to pick from assuming the critters don’t eat them all.  We’re thinking we’ll probly pickle the jalapenos as the 3 plants are producing lots and lots.  On a side note, I saw a comment somewhere online about digging up hot pepper plants just before 1st frost and potting them inside for the winter, then replanting them in the spring.  Anyone done this, or know any specifics I’d need to know about doing so?  Or if, once potted I could just leave them potted and set them into the garden area or onto the porch?

What we do have lots of are home grown pears and apples.  There are two pear trees and four apple trees (two each of two different types).  We didn’t bother with pesticides or anything this year (and probly won’t ever), and all the fruit trees are in desperate need of pruning, and so the apples are looking decidedly iffy.  Not sure how many good ones we’re going to get out of them.  But the pears….we’re already eating pears, and sharing them around.  I’m thinking I’m going to try my hand at canning them so we’ll have some for the winter.

Next year I’d like to get more in the way of vegetables growing.  Not sure how much, or what kinds yet, mostly as the beds aren’t put together yet.  I’d been planning on putting in a set of raised beds this summer to work with next summer.  Traditional beds, lumber rectangles about 1′ high, but then I saw this over at Smartdogs, and it got me thinking.  I LIKE that idea.  I know Helene does something similer with old fridges and freezers, but I’m pretty sure my neighbors wouldn’t appreciate that, but the galvanized tubs I could do.  Plus those could go closer to the house cause they won’t interfere with the septic system.  The only big downside is those tubs are expensive, and well, money’s an issue, anyone know of a cheap source?