2008 Notes archived
Below is a list of my priorities. Today, I started running the network cables, new tv cables and telephone cables in the house as it was raining intently outside. This morning however, I did get the coal in, and checked on the rock-lilly infes
Priorities:
a-get beds in the ground(carrot, onion, beets, garlic)
(big hoe, rake, fertilizer)
1=get peppers sewn (and kohlaraba)
completed 3-17-08
2=get strawberry patches worked
started 3-17-08 better than half way there.
move on to other patches.
continued 3-18-08--done good... Have June berries 2/3 done now on first wave before blooming.
repair cat scratching in everbearer beds.
3=get greenhouse ready
3-17-08 cleaned and better than half way there--installed heater.
apply bleach solution as appropriate
4=get roses worked (fed, natural borders)
started (need, garden claw, 3mon fertilize, square and round shovel)
5-finish feeding iris by 3-19-08 (monitor rock lilly)
6-fix carpets on hill by 3-25-08
7- think about netting.
wait until money collected to do further pantry things beyond oil lamps, aleve, and vitamin b.
2007 Feb. 1st todolist
clean upper, two side, and lower gardens--prepare to plow. Spread 1st level of new strawberry beds, and prepare to get 2nd level. Research starting asparagus from seeds. Take up tomato stakes, and get ready. Greenhouse level 1 is ready, do some cleaning.
2006 seed order
Kohlrabi (vienna white) 3
Brussel Sprouts (dwarf improved) 1
cabbage (ferry's round dutch)2
cantaloupe (gold mine hybrid)2
carrot (red cored chantenoy) 2
cauliflower (early snowball)2
celery (tall utah 5270r improved)2
cucumber (cross country hybrid) 2
cucumber (spacemaster bush-type)1
okra (clemson spineless) 3
onion (hybrid granex yellow prr) 2
onion (red burgundy) 2
onion (walla walla)2
Sweet taters and where I am.
Got my first white sweet potatoes this past weekend, got my sister her irises (lots of them). Cleaned the upper fields, and all the way to the highway along both sides of the road--things look very sharp. The everbearing strawberries continue to show themselves--I can't wait until next year.
We need some rain, so if this doesn't happen I will have to water some this weekend--particularly the garlic, June strawberries, and asparagus--I want to miracle grow the asparagus this weekend, after a light cultivation as well. The everbearers are mulched.
General CleaningTry as I might, it seems that obstacles come from some abstract place that lives to create obstacles. I need to clean the house next door awfully bad. And simple junk needs to be hauled off.
GarageI need to get the drying oak out of there and free up that space as a work/prep site--it's just too much in the right place not to do so. Take the oak to the Akers house.
2005 Garden Season
This year was like every other year unique--some things flourished, some did ok, and some struggled.
StrawberriesWe installed two new strawberry patches, each with 50 plants. Both are looking very good and healthy. One is June bearing, the other ever bearing. The everbearers because of the extent we babied them gave a crop the first year, and we have enjoyed several cobblers already. The June bearers are very very healthy as well. The matured patch (3 years) gave us about a gallon and a half, and will be redone in the spring.
AsparagusI added about 40 Jersey Knight Crowns, following the book closely. Thank you Scott Walker of Jersey Knight Asparagus Farms for putting up with my continuous questions. The plants are healthy, very healthy, and next year we will get to do a light harvest on the new ones, and a heavier harvest on the existing Martha Washingtons. My neighbor also took about ten of the Jersey's and got them a small patch started.
GarlicWe had a bumper crop though some of it was a little smaller because of where it was planted. Nonetheless, there was plenty full-sized healthy plants to both consume and make seeds from, as well as share with several people to get them started!.... (that's the beauty of gardening)
GrapesBumper crop
Onions from SeedA keeper--Bumper Crop.
CeleryA keeper--Bumper Crop.
CarrotsA keeper--Bumper Crop.
Raspberries GoldThe plants went far in establishing themselves this first season, even teasing us with a few for taste testing.
Raspberries RedNear total failure. Concerning red raspberries, I'm sure Lucy has been holding the football at this point. Consequently, I'm pulling back for now until such time as I can baby them like they appear to need babied.
Potatoes--post rotationWas having a problem with a fungus--moved them this year--probelm solved.. Bumper crop.
GarlicSee entry above.
White Sweet PotatoesStill making, but the vines are very healthy.
CornHit and miss.
beans, peas, squash, kolarabibumper crops. The kolarabi are awesome--keeper.
Cherriesbumper crop--new harvest technique worked flawlessly.
Peacheshit and miss... one tree nada, one tree loaded.
Okrasufficent--could've done better in sunnier spot.
Cantaloupe and Watermelonok but not as good as last year. need to redo patches.
Pumpkinnearly total failure. I think gas got in the row from the weed eater. no big deal--we didn't use what we put up from last year.
PlumsThe 'granny' tree once again showed it's stuff, the new one was a little disappointing.
Garlic Season
Got my garlic planted this past weekend (Aug 21). Planted 10 different kinds, and extended my patch by about a third. I moved the garlic back very close to where it was the first year. Since that intital trial, I've extended the patch about three hundred percent.
I also over the past couple years have been able to spawn garlic patches in two different states, involving six others beyond myself--now that is 'victory' gardening (my definition). I have others growing asparagus now as well.
VarietiesI have five softnecks, four hard necks, and elephant. The Siberian is the strongest of all, and of course the elephant the mildest. While I was separating and selecting final seed-stock, I opened a clove of Siberian, and both the taste and aroma were phenomonal--almost hot.
Welcome
This my garden Blog. Here, I will be gathering information related to the nuances that I discover or experience as I garden. I may or not incorporate other gardening information such as specific plant or calendar type information.
