SPRING 2012

Well things sure got off to an early start this year for so many of us. I am not sure how many days we have had this spring with temps in the 80s, near 80, or at least in the 70s. I have one heck of a tan already from working out in the yard. Actually, I have been able to work outside at least one or two days all winter getting jobs done that have not been done for several years. One garden bed I managed to resurrect is way in the back corner near the woods. It was pretty well demolished by neglect – a priorities thing- and then it was weed-whacked to the ground, all but the dogwood and the yellow iris. The other little green things are lilies that have never had a chance to bloom and a tiny calla lily I planted out here years ago and was sure I had lost it. I also found a volunteer columbine coming up. There were phlox here… I found them trying to come thru the leaves and winter accumulation of debris and last year’s collection of weeds and dead grass. I decided to not be lazy and let someone else get in here with their weed whacker this year. I was determined to rescue it first. It took 4 bags of mulch and really could have used more. I can’t wait to see what blooms besides the yellow iris (which tends to be magnificent.) Speaking of magnificent - the azaleas are just that. Most of them are huge now, a few of them over my head. I know I am going to have to trim some of them back, but cutting back a bush is painful to me. Again, I have people stop by when I am out in the garden and tell me how much they enjoy riding by my place. “It brightens my ride to work.” That makes me feel good because it is a lot of work keeping the weeds from taking over everything. Amazingly I still have a few camellias in bloom. I keep forgetting the Bleeding Hearts are in bloom as are the Snap Dragons that winter over here. AND, there are buds on the roses. Imagine! And then there are the lilacs. They have survived to bloom another year. Oh, how I love their fragrance! In the veggie department, the garden is 90% planted. I am waiting to plant the Italian flat beans and I will put in a few late tomatoes, not in the garden, but in strange little spots among the shrubs where they have proven they will flourish late in the season. Meanwhile, my peas are up to the second string and climbing. I have little white strawberries and lots of flowers. The first 2 blueberry bushes have tiny green berries. The cucumbers are next to their fence, (Thanks Pat!), the peppers are sharing the middle of the asparagus bed, raspberries are looking great, zucchini is in the ground along with skinny eggplant – perfect for grilling. The yellow squash is looking good, but no sign of the carrots yet. I am trying them in a bag like the potatoes. The potatoes went in their bags yesterday. The onions are a foot tall, and the lettuce has just popped its first tiny sets of leaves thru the ground. Several of the tomatoes are up about a foot. I have extended my herb garden this year with separate window boxes for each herb. I even bought a bunch of dill for the Black Swallowtail caterpillar. They just LOVE dill, and we seldom use it. Apparently the potato bags were a hit once people found them at Wal-Mart. They have been sold out for weeks. I have one left. I am going to try a sweet potato in that one. Meanwhile, my friend Philip in Canada has just sent me pictures of the current snow at his place. My Uncle and brother (Ohio and northern PA) are under a winter storm warning… and we are working on our 2nd inch of desperately needed rain. Cutting the grass(weeds) lately has mostly been an exercise in relocating dust. Last time I thought I probably should have worn a mask. Watering takes over an hour. I understand some places were about to invoke watering restrictions. Maybe with it being such a rainy day I can get caught up on my blog reading. I know, I should try a little house cleaning… right, I hear you. All that dust from outside has settled on everything inside! Sigh. I hope the spring has been good to you. I am so sorry for all those folks who have lost so much with all those storms.Looks like I am growing a Punkin in this potato bag!