Rain or shine, these days you’ll find me either at work, at my farmers markets or in my garden. I’ve been spending a lot of time working to get everything in the ground. Every available inch is packed with plants, seedlings or readied for warmer days. I can’t possibly fit anymore; I just need to be patient and let the garden grow. I only wish Mother Nature would cooperate a bit more. Last week, three nights of killing frost nailed one of my grapevines 😦 I’m keeping my fingers crossed I can save it., and every last one of my nasturtiums was lost, so today they were replanted. They were so stunning in the garden last season, it would be a shame to omit them.
If not the cold, the winds were to be reckoned with here this past week on a daily basis. Thursday the entire top of my cold frame blew off! Glass flew everywhere! 😦 I wasn’t a happy camper that day for sure, so instead of replacing it with more glass, I went with plexy this time. It doesn’t insulate as well as the glass, but I guess I have to be practical when it comes to the wind tunnel effects we can have gusting from out of nowhere. But the plants are thriving. The hoop house is packed with more plants enjoying the warmth and this year I decided to add yet another herb garden to the plot. The comfrey beds are going to be just stunning this year–just loaded with blossoms just ready to burst open.
Some new items I’ve adding to the gardens this season are artichokes and cardoon. Both new for me, and I’m excited to see how well they will grow.
My potatoes have finally poked up through the earth and salt marsh hay and looking splendid. The peas are weaving their way up the arbor and I’ve been harvesting salad greens, ruby chard and spinach or ten days now.
Beets,carrots and turnips have all been thinned out and look very hardy. It will be a good season for them all. I’m anxious to get my beans and scarlet runners in the ground, but will hold off another week I think, with this odd weather we have been experiencing. And within another ten days the turtles will start returning to the gardens to lay their eggs.
The birds have been busy building their nests in their new homes and the bluebirds did return again this year. Every morning they greet me as I arrive in the garden. Some mornings I could just watch them for hours busy at their task, but alas, I have much to do on my own task list to dawdle too long. All in all, it’s coming together. How are your gardens growing?
I’m not sure of the proper etiquette to wish a gardener good luck?
So break a leg?
Good green thumb?
How about enjoy nurturing the growth of new life.
Lonnie & Dorothy
That is a great garden, Jady! We just got ours in last weekend and are keeping our fingers crossed that it doesn’t freeze. I’ll be anxious to see how your artichokes do!
Sounds like a plan Lonnie, thank you guys!
Thx Karen, did I hear on the news you guys have been getting some snow flurries still out there?/ I’m equally anxious to see how these chokes do.. they are pretty peculiar looking right now LOL