Independence Days Update: Days of Warmth and Tomato Plants
Sharon May 17th, 2010
We had a wonderful weekend with lots of friends and socializing and absolutely no garden work, which was awesome in its way, but now, things go flat out. Eric’s grading has to be done this afternoon, and then the Garden Serf (as he calls himself, I did not call him that) gets to slaving with his scythe (the lawn is past the capacity of the push mower) and his shovel. I really, really need to get the garden beds ready to plant, because it is going to be sunny and 70s all week.
I should not succumb to the temptation to plant out everything in sight. It is, after all, only mid-March, and realistically, we could still have frost (last week we hit 24, remember, and my last frost date last year was freain’ June 1!!!). Or hail (twice in late May since I’ve been here). Or a plague of elephants (not yet, although I’m sure it will happen, since everything else does).
But it is going to be sunny and in the 70s for a whole week!!!!! How am I to restrain myself? How, may I ask you?
Last week was pretty good – I got the side garden beds weeded and mostly planted, except for the ones I didn’t (the perennial beds on the side of the house, the enclosed forest garden and the old herb bed which will now be something else, but I haven’t decided what yet. Two of our main garden beds are built (all 4×20, so we only have to make…a buttload more). The peas look good, the asparagus is doing well, I’ve got a clever plan for more asparagus.
Two apples and two hazelnuts arrived by mail and heeled in, and the strawberries are actually mulched and replanted. The house actually got cleaned, which is good. But oy, am I behind. It would be really helpful if I could get some of the damned tomatoes, of which I have too many into the ground. But I know that I will be punished if I succumb.
My big aesthetic accomplishment was turning the stone wall in the side yard into a rock garden. Mediterranean herbs never have really liked my climate, but I’m hoping this, the ultimate in drainage and reflective warmth will do better. It does look awfully pretty, too – I’ll try and put pictures up this week.
I’ve started to preserve rhubarb, mostly because we’re totally out of jam. That’s about it for preserving though. Oh, and I made ground ivy tincture, because I can.
We’ve decided that the goats are not pregnant (or rather, they are pregnant, but they aren’t kidding until August) and have relaxed our kidding watch. On the other hand, we arrived for a weekend visit at our friends with the Nigerian Dwarf goats three minutes after the birth of triplet kids, and I’m hoping to buy their little buck, so maybe I’ll get a baby to play with anyway. And August, of course, will be overflowing with goats and kids.
I’m having a slow day today – I’ve got brain rot or something, and I can’t focus on anything but the weather. So forgive the weak ID report – there probably is stuff, but I’ve forgotten it all, so dazzled am I by the sight of the sunshine.
Planted: Late peas, beans, chard, raspberries, blackberries, strawberries, carrots, kale, asparagus, beets, alyssum, hollyhocks, roses, lemon balm, yarrow, alpine strawberries, lettuce, bok choy, onions.
Harvested: Sorrel, chard, lettuce, garlic mustard, nettles, chickweed, kale, good king henry, raspberry leaves, rhubarb, asparagus, eggs, milk.
Preserved: Made rhubarb jam.
Waste Not: Nothing new
Want Not: Nothing new.
Eat the Food: Nothing new.
Build community food systems: Huh?
Sharon