Posted by wilde on April 27th, 2009 — Posted in Vegetable
The unseasonably warm weather, about 20 degrees above normal, has probably pushed the development of some plants a little faster than more typical blustery cool weather of spring. The last four days have been very hot in the afternoons, like 90 degrees or more, and the nights only down to 60 degrees. The cherry tree leaves developed quickly and the petals of the white cherry blossoms have mostly fallen away. The weather has been very warm, and windy, too.
Dogwood trees started blooming today. Pictures to come.
Rue anenome showing more individual plants than previous years down along the right side of the lane across from the raspberries by the pond. Violets out in large numbers at the pond and all along the lane. Most trees at least starting to bud out, the woods are getting greener now.
Moss peony has four blooms that have not yet opened. I’ve watered it in the evenings as after the first real hot day it was quite wilted by the afternoon sun. A rhododendron that gets morning sun is in full bloom, while a large one in the filtered shade of the trees has no blooms to show.
The purple tulips are open now for a couple days, but the white tulips (they’re planted together) are just now reaching their flowers buds higher, but not yet opening them.
A couple blooming wild weeds that I found in a neighbor’s lawn include the blue and white common speedwell and the purple gill-over-the-ground, which were both flowering profusely.
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Posted by wilde on April 23rd, 2009 — Posted in Vegetable
Looking around the mountain we see the red and sugar maples are sprouting leaves, the four-year-old lilac finally has one bloom, and Northern Downy violets are opening along the lane and at the edge of the open woods. Sassafras trees are almost ready to bloom, their blossoms getting bigger by the day.
Cherry trees blooming fully as of today – the sun has helped to bring them out. (Photos taken 22 April 2009.)
Cherry trees in full bloom.
Wild cherry blossoms getting ready to open.
Not the black cherry though, it’s flowers are just in bud formation and probably won’t open for another week or so.
Black cherry flower buds.
A few wild weeds that are blooming now include the purple gill-over-the-ground, the yellow mustard, and the white chickweed, strawberry, garlic mustard, and Pennsylvania bittercress. The greenery of pink lady’s slipper is now emerging from the cold ground, showing an inch or so of their hairy, succulent leaves.
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Posted by wilde on April 23rd, 2009 — Posted in Food, Vegetable
Did you have a Happy Earth Day? We sure did, even if my knees kept me awake last night! We celebrated Earth Day by doing something nice for the piece of Earth that will sustain us this summer with fresh vegetables.
It had rained the previous couple nights and that made for easy digging and removal of weeds that were let go too long last year. The twisty tool with four pointed tips makes quick work of pulling up dandelions and other weeds. Got most of the garden weeded and cleaned up for planting.
We had a couple tons of topsoil delivered and had it dumped in a corner of the garden. We didn’t skimp on the quality of soil and opted for the Premium #1 grade mix of topsoil, compost and mushroom soil. Nicely screened of stones, too. Couldn’t be happier with the selection.
The natural clay and stone we call “dirt” will be tilled up in parts of the garden that either have nothing growing or tightly packed soil. It’s taken 3-4 years to get the garden soil in the shape it’s in now, but it sure could use more organics.
Some places the garlic and lettuce are already growing and we’ll just let those be as they are.
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