Garden 'Lids'

I took the time on Saturday, with a little help from my friend Jerome, to build two 'lids' - for lack of a better term - for the garden.  Just something to cover an area where Kate plants things so the squirrels don't dig it all up.  In this picture is the bottom of the west garden.  There is garlic coming up that was planted last fall and above that, covered by the 'lid', is more garlic that she planted on Saturday.  I thought I may have to screw it down, but the squirrels have not moved it at all.  They can get underneath if they really want to, but so far it seems they don't want to, which is very good.

Early April

Kate planted some seed strips earlier this week.  She told me what but I forgot.  I think there is lettuce and radishes between the raspberry stems, peas atop by their fence, and some garlic is coming up in the top left of this pic.  The compost needs turning but last weekend it was still ice in the middle.

First Spring 2014 Post

Wow, seems kinda musty around here.  I hope it's not been too much neglect to resurrect this place.  My wife has expressed an interest in posting here, and I have been encouraging it.  We'll just have to wait and see for a while, at least.  I think she would really like it, actually.

Anyways, here's a look at the gardens this evening.  Last weekend Kate did some work on the gardens and I removed some dirt from the path in between, covering it with straw to walk on and inhibit weed growth.  Since then the squirrels have had their way again, pockmarking them with holes.  Really makes you understand Bill Murray's character in Caddyshack, you know?

An Early 2014 Peek

Yesterday afternoon I was out clearing ice off the walks, so I had my boots on anyway; I strolled through the snow to take a rare look at the gardens at this time of year.  Aye, I've passed on trips to the compost bin through the last bitter cold spell.  Everything looks like I suspected it would.

The opposite back corner of the yard has seen some squirrel activity.  It seems they finally figured out that is where I throw all the walnuts when I clear the yard.  Unfortunately for them, the pile got topped off with blocks of frozen leaves when I finally got the gutters cleaned.  Also, it appears either a squirrel was snacking on a walnut while sitting on the fence or else chewing on the fence.  Judging from the whole, I'd say chewing on the fence.

Dig Dug Gardens

About a week after the last post Kate had a day off and she worked on the west garden.  She added dirt, compost and planted the garlic.  Since then, the squirrels have continued treating the gardens like their own little playground.  Daily she has had to check the garlic and strawberries, replanting when necessary and adding straw. 

The burning bush is finally showing how it got it's name.  After a good trimming this spring after the drought of last year, it is alive and well.  It started out quite overgrown and is probably better off.

Fall Is Here - Mid October Update

Last weekend Kate cleared out the tomato, cucumber and pepper plants from the west garden and potted the thyme.  We have yet to add more soil mostly due to the wet conditions.  It will dry out soon and we shall get more soil and compost added and Kate will get the garlic in for next season.

The east garden no longer has netting and the squirrels are having a ball digging around in the dirt and straw, as you can see, much to my wife's annoyance.

East Garden Update

We did a makeover of the east garden on Tuesday night.  On Wednesday after work we found that the squirrels had a heyday with the strawberry plants, as they have been known to do before, so Kate had to do a lot of replanting.  That made me not wait for the weekend and I stopped off after work today and got a bag of straw.  We use straw to protect the small plants and roots over these cool nights and ultimately winter.  In the spring we remove as much as we can and put it in the path between the gardens to inhibit weed growth.

Anyway, we got home tonight and amazingly the garden was untouched as far as we could tell.  Still, Kate put down some straw to maybe help keep the critters away by hiding the small plant sprouts.  And besides, we're probably not too far away from the first frost.

East Garden Re-Do

Last night we put some work into the east garden to get ready for next season.  It may be a little early, but that should give the plants some time to establish themselves after replanting.

 

 

Here is the final product, replanted and watered.  Also with bird netting in an attempt to keep the critters from digging in it.  It didn't work, Kate had to replant about half the strawberry crowns today after work and we lost a few.  Damn squirrels.

 

See the whole thing, start to finish, after the break!

September Onions Plus

These pics were taken during the day yesterday.  Afterward, Kate harvested all the onions and some peppers that were ready.  Two notes:  Kate says this type of onion does not grow large bulbs and the peppers that were drying were taken down about a week and a half ago, except for the red one which required more drying time.

The east garden will be getting a major overhaul very soon.  We have strawberries to plant and also move the raspberries.  The trick is that we have compost and soil to add to this side so we will have to replant the strawberries that are there now, the raspberries will be totally removed and replanted as well.

Still Growing

What is here is mostly still growing well.  There are both kinds of peppers, cucumbers, parsley and even a few tomatoes in the west garden, top of picture here taken yesterday.  In the east garden onions are still growing as well as some new lettuce and oregano.  The raspberry plants and strawberry plants are still alive, not doing a lot right now.  Our thoughts are already turning to how we will prepare the gardens this fall for the next season.


And the peppers that were brought in to dry (because that part of the plant was dying) have been out for just over 2 weeks now.