Category Archives: Garden

Thoughts on Bloomers

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It was Thursday evening, and I was sitting at my computer.  I’d been there for about an hour and desperately needed to get up and stretch.  The relay that controls the water pump clicked again.  Sylvia would be watering the garden.

The camera lay beside the computer keyboard.  I picked it up and stepped out of the basement into the walk-out area.  The evening sun was to my right.  I looked, liked what I saw and took a photo.

Sylvia was in the garden.  We talked for a bit examined the plants–especially the new asparagus bed.  It is coming along nicely in most cases, but some of the roots (what we planted) have not sent up shoots yet.  It’s nice to see the marigolds and salvia adding their brilliant color.  Red peppers are in blossom as are the golden zucchini.  Now if the garden will keep its promises. 😉

This Weekend

The other day, Sylvia showed me the card that we are sending to her father.  It’s a nice Father’s Day card with a nice sentiment printed inside.  She asked me if there was anything I’d like to add.  I thought for a few moments and then said,

Some folks like roses,
And others like pinks.
Flowers are fragrant,
My poetry stinks.

Sylvia opined that she’d pass on adding those lines to the [otherwise] lovely card.  I agree.  Wise choice. 😀

How Does Your Garden Grow

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Mary, Mary quite contrary
How does your garden grow?
With silver bells and cockle shells
And one bat-eared begonia.

It was evening as Sylvia and I sat side by side in our recliners resting after working in the garden (Sylvia) and mowing (me).  She said to me, “I had to haul rocks back to the garden today.”

“Why?” was my reply.

“To keep things from blowing away in the wind,” she answered.

Sylvia had put down the newspapers that we had at hand and all of the landscaper’s cloth.  She does that to control weeds in the area between the rows and even around the plants.  It’s an effective mulch and saves a lot of labor.  The newspaper we already have, so it is economical.  The landscaper’s cloth can be used for several years.  It allows water to pass through and into the ground while preventing weeds from growing.  The cost is greater, but so is the benefit.  The garden does look good now.

Not much newspaper you may observe.  We recycle and that’s what we had.  Perhaps if we were to plan ahead . . . ?

Tiny little asparagus shoots are up and the rhubarb is showing signs of life as well.  It’s going to be a great year.

The Rhubarb Comes Home at Last

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Last summer, I mentioned on this blog that I was looking for rhubarb.  I had placed some raspberries beside our small rhubarb patch and the berries were spreading their roots.  Only the raspberries survived the encounter.

Rosanne sent an e-mail this way offering rhubarb plants.  (Rosanne and I were high school class mates.)  The invitation was gladly accepted. 😀  Then the tractor broke before I could till the ground for the transplants.  It was winter by the time I had the tractor back in service. 🙁  Yesterday, the plant transfer was finally accomplished.

After an hour-long trip, Sylvia and I enjoyed a nice visit with Rosanne and Dale.  On our way to lunch at a local golf course, we had a tour of their church, which was built in 1915.  It is beautiful!  After lunch, where we saw another classmate, we visited Gee Farms.  The Gee family runs Michigan’s largest retail nursery.  Rosanne works in their office one day a week.  Unfortunately, the camera was back in our car and so we have no pictures.

After returning to Rosanne and Dale’s home and with tools in hand we made our way to the rhubarb beds.  The work began.

Sylvia prepares to take the first plant

Soon, an entire row of plants has been removed

That's a lot of rhubarb in my car's trunk

After returning home, the plants were set in our garden

It will take water and natural fertilizer to make these flourish

With the plants in place our new garden is [mostly] full.  A new asparagus bed on the top and the rhubarb on the lower provide a border of perennials on the two longer sides.  Thanks Rosanne and Dale we’ll think of you often as we look at our garden.  We also enjoyed our time together yesterday.

Happy Birthday Bryant

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This is one of my favorite pictures of our older son, Bryant. Two years later, we were living in Costa Rica and Suzy Q had a new home.  While we were sad for having to leave the dog behind, there was the excitement of living in another country and learning another language and culture.  Bryant handled all of that well, as he has handled all of life’s challenges well and has come out a winner.  A winner in so many ways.

Today, he celebrates his 50th birthday.  Happy Birthday son, and many happy returns.  Your mom and dad are very proud of you and all that you are.

Lunch

Yesterday, Sylvia and I met Bryant and Briana (his daughter) for lunch.  At the first bite, trouble reared its ugly head.  The temporary crown that I had been fitted with on Wednesday was loose, out and broken. 🙁  Later at the dentist office, I had that replaced with a temporary silver crown.  I’ve done that before and the silver works much better than the plastic.

Outside Work

After the dental visit, Sylvia and I loaded our trailer with well composted animal droppings.  Neighbor, Meghan, had also set out 5 gallons of llama manure.  The fresh “stuff” can be placed directly in the garden–it will not burn your plants.  We left the natural fertilizer in a corner of the garden–we’ll spread it around later.

Sylvia planted 20 asparagus plants in a trench in the garden, which I had prepared earlier.  She then planted 10 crown vetch plants on a steep slope that we hope the vetch will cover so I don’t have to mow.  She has another 10 to plant today.

While Sylvia planted, I mowed.  Time and tired (yes, pun intended) overtook us and we have more to do today.  We had supper after 8 PM last night.  Planting, mowing, fencing and more planting are on the docket for today.  Guess who sleeps well at night?

Garden Time

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Yesterday, I tilled the old garden and Sylvia planted grass seed over the entire area.  We will let it go back to lawn.  Actually, it wasn’t lawn before.  It had been a place that was used to bury trash.  It was overgrown and a complete mess.  Sylvia and I worked long and hard to clear and flatten the ground.  It looked so good when we were finished that we planted a garden there.

The old garden as seen from the front deck.

That’s the old garden in the upper right of the photo.  The far half of it is covered with straw–actually grass clippings–to protect the newly planted grass seed.  The mid-morning sun has not reached into that low area.  It is very shady there and it is quite damp.  It was time to abandon that ground.  Compare that to the new garden by turning a bit to the left.

The new garden is larger and enjoys more sunlight.

The new location is closer to the house, and that means closer to the water tap.  It required three long lengths of hose to water the old garden.  A single short length will suffice now.  We’ll now be able to look out a window from the kitchen or dining area to see how the garden is growing.

We have asparagus on order and have plans for rhubarb.  I made the mistake of putting raspberries beside the old rhubarb.  The raspberries spread and the rhubarb lost ground you might say. 🙁  These, and other perennials we’ll plant beside the long edges.  Annuals will be planted down the middle.  Lots of vegetables and flowers.  I’ll tell you more about it as we progress.

I need to post this and go mow about 5 acres of lawn.  Should get my Vitamin D today. 🙂  Hope your day is nice and sunny too.

Welcome to October ~ Or NOT!

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This is the view from our house this morning. The “possibility of frost” has indeed visited and it was a heavy frost for the first one of the season. Only a few jalapeño peppers remained in the garden. I donned a heavy jacket and cap when I went out to the barn to feed the cat.

A Friend in Need

If you are not aware of the situation, visit Jill’s Believe It Or Not. Jill’s sister, Justine, explains what is happening to Jill these days. I join with Justine in requesting your prayers on Jill’s behalf and for her family too. Thanks and God bless.