Inventory [gardening]
May. 20th, 2021 08:32 am![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
rebeccmeisterI have finally been home for long enough during daylight hours to take a slightly closer look at the condition of the garden. On top of that it has been warm and dry, so things needed watering.
The currant bush has currants on it!
This corner is "brassicas gone wild"
There's at least one volunteer mustard plant back behind the brassicas, too, which I'm pleased to see, although it looks to me like mustards out here basically grow and then bolt straightaway, so if I want to grow and eat mustard greens in the future I probably have to be strategic about nabbing them as soon as they look big and leafy.
Lots of strawberry flowers and nascent berries. I bet I am going to miss out entirely on strawberry season this year, so I'll have to let our neighbors know they're free to pick and enjoy if they'd like.
The rhubarb has made a jungle:
But there's no sign of the artichoke, so it looks like the winter insulation used this past year was inadequate. It's going to be a year before I try again. I can be patient.
The tulips are finishing up but the lavender is greening up. This year the red tulips bloomed but the black tulips didn't. It also looked to me like something nibbled on the tips of the leaves of the black tulips. Again, I will be patient.
I only just discovered yesterday that the dahlia tubers got put out with the tomato seedlings in mid-March, which was definitely NOT after the last frost. I am sad that they are most likely dead. I guess in the future I must label any subsequent dahlias with a sign that says, "Do not put these dahlias outside until May." I will not be able to obtain more dahlias this year, which breaks my heart a little.
The NYT said one shouldn't bother overwintering petunias, but here's this one now:
A bit scraggly but I have a feeling that with some soil amendment it may bush out again and be fun.
Iris alley has popped:
After I finish giving my final exam on Saturday, I am going to go up to the hardware store in Troy to see what I can find by way of soaker hose and watering timers, plus hose repair kits, as it seems the end of one of the more durable hoses has gotten damaged such that it now leaks. I'd like to get the garden situated such that it requires next to no maintenance while we're out of town.
I will also spend some time over the weekend sifting compost and worm dirt and applying things to the garden. Soil therapy, I suppose.
For now, back to work. Ugh.
The currant bush has currants on it!
This corner is "brassicas gone wild"
There's at least one volunteer mustard plant back behind the brassicas, too, which I'm pleased to see, although it looks to me like mustards out here basically grow and then bolt straightaway, so if I want to grow and eat mustard greens in the future I probably have to be strategic about nabbing them as soon as they look big and leafy.
Lots of strawberry flowers and nascent berries. I bet I am going to miss out entirely on strawberry season this year, so I'll have to let our neighbors know they're free to pick and enjoy if they'd like.
The rhubarb has made a jungle:
But there's no sign of the artichoke, so it looks like the winter insulation used this past year was inadequate. It's going to be a year before I try again. I can be patient.
The tulips are finishing up but the lavender is greening up. This year the red tulips bloomed but the black tulips didn't. It also looked to me like something nibbled on the tips of the leaves of the black tulips. Again, I will be patient.
I only just discovered yesterday that the dahlia tubers got put out with the tomato seedlings in mid-March, which was definitely NOT after the last frost. I am sad that they are most likely dead. I guess in the future I must label any subsequent dahlias with a sign that says, "Do not put these dahlias outside until May." I will not be able to obtain more dahlias this year, which breaks my heart a little.
The NYT said one shouldn't bother overwintering petunias, but here's this one now:
A bit scraggly but I have a feeling that with some soil amendment it may bush out again and be fun.
Iris alley has popped:
After I finish giving my final exam on Saturday, I am going to go up to the hardware store in Troy to see what I can find by way of soaker hose and watering timers, plus hose repair kits, as it seems the end of one of the more durable hoses has gotten damaged such that it now leaks. I'd like to get the garden situated such that it requires next to no maintenance while we're out of town.
I will also spend some time over the weekend sifting compost and worm dirt and applying things to the garden. Soil therapy, I suppose.
For now, back to work. Ugh.
no subject
Date: 2021-05-20 02:45 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2021-05-20 03:49 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2021-05-20 05:42 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2021-05-20 05:39 pm (UTC)You wanted mustard scattered in that back bed so I did.
It's difficult not being there to help but I was also too busy with work and housework to have time for exercise or outside human contact for months there. I still haven't dug myself out of the work pit so I can catch up with friends again.
I wish I'd known about Marge. Tried to talk about that too. If she's still around in any form, mist her and send her to me. She may be happier out here all else equal anyway.
Please please please if you sort worm dirt... I already did that a little bit ago and put worm dirt on everything. Just leave them half of their dirt. I'm convinced that they need lots of their own dirt to do well and be happy and supposedly the new wormbin was a birthday gift to me in Texas so just to make me happy, please do that. And please don't set things up so that lots of worms are drowning.
no subject
Date: 2021-05-20 05:45 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2021-05-20 11:33 pm (UTC)Hurrah, currants!
If the local hardware store should prove less useful than you like, Lee Valley Tools generally has those kind of gardening things and does mail order. (Well, UPS order, generally.)
"Well, maybe next year" is a lamentably necessary gardening phrase and I am sorry that this year it applies to the dahlias.
no subject
Date: 2021-05-24 01:11 am (UTC)Thank you for the condolences for the dahlias. I just have to think long-term.