Sunday, February 22, 2009

Spring is coming!

I just noticed yesterday that my daffodils (or maybe jonquils - I can never tell the two apart) are peeking out already! I personally think it is too early but who am I to argue with Mother Nature? I am surprised to see them coming up already when the crocuses haven't even started. Last year I had tons of foliage and very few flowers - not sure why because every other year they have looked great. Keeping my fingers crossed that this year they actually do something! If I still only get a flower or two I will have to remember to dig them up in the fall and divide them.
Today I need to investigate how to hang a 'catch all' under my bird feeders - the hulled shells are a disgusting mess - not to mention the sunflower seeds hinder other things from growing. The no mess bird seed is always an option but I can never find it in a 20+ pound bag. I think I may start filling the suet feeders with yarn, string, dog hair, etc so my little friends can start building their nests. If my Spring bulbs are coming up that means the migrating birds will soon be here too.

Wednesday, February 11, 2009

60+ in February!

This is global warming at its finest - check out this picture - 60+ degrees and it is only February 11! My thermometer sits in the shade of my porch all day so it was even warmer than what it shows!

Thankfully there is still close to knee deep snow on the ground so my early spring bulbs won't be coming up yet. Not really sure what the rest of the week holds for temperature, but this is definitely just a tease. No way is winter on it's way out of New England. As you can see from where my garden is supposed to be - we have a L-O-N-G way to go.

I have a lot of work to do in my garden space - last year I expanded up the hill and learned the hard way that I really should have built several raised beds so that the water didn't completely drown out the cukes at the bottom. So, raised beds are on the list as well as expanding another 6 feet at the other end of the existing garden. The first 6 feet is designated to asparagus and then the remaining 12 feet to all the rest.

Sunday, February 1, 2009

Way Overdue

I can't believe that my last posting was in July! My 2009 resolution is to be more diligent to this positing to record the highs and lows of my experiences!
This year my garden is starting from seed. Yup - seed. I ordered all my seeds through Territorial Seeds and Henry Fields and this year I am expanding the garden (again) and growing some new things. For the cool weather garden I am going with lettuce, carrots, radishes and sugar and snap peas. And then when the weather heats up out come the cukes, zukes, tomatoes, edamame, beans and spaghetti squash. I guess I should be truthful - the cukes, zukes and tomatoes will be purchased as plants - I can't take on everything at once!
I also have been working with my newly converted organic neighbor, Tom, on starting a community garden. There is a house across the street and next to Tom that has been abandoned for 3 years and everyone is sick of looking at the overrun yard and weeds. We are going to work together to make an established bed of about 15 x 20 and there I will attempt from seed - corn and delicata squash and I also ordered two types of potatoes - yukon gold and red - along with some red onion sets. I have enough bean seeds so those will probably move over across the street too. I am going with the Native American Three Sisters method - squash, corn and beans. Hopefully it all comes to fruition.
We have a lot to do if the snow every melts. Since the yard has been empty for so long there are TONS of at least thigh high weeds and "grass" that needs to be taken care of before we even think about dumping down loads of compost.
Storm after storm has dumped a lot of snow around here so once I can manage to get into that backyard I will snap a before picture.