AHHHH

The Magnolia tree is in full bloom.

Roots = 1 Karen = 0

Things are popping up all over the backyard. The tulips are getting ready to bloom...

Here are examples of the infamous roots that did me in last Friday

This is the culprit right here! I know it doesn't look like much but it took me out of commission. I was attempting to clear out the roots so that I can plant a new tree and this bugger just did not want to come out. I used my handy dandy hand axe to whack it a few times and as I was trying to pull it out I pulled my ass muscle instead! OUCH! The root is still in the ground and I've been walking funny for the last couple days. I think it's time to bring out the big guns.

The Difference a Day Makes

The temperature in the backyard was a sunny 75 on Friday, and that's in the shade.

I have lots of worms in the backyard and they wreak havoc in the lawn, if we get a lot of rain the backyard smells like worms, not very pleasant. However I've decided to take a different approach to my worm issues.

I'm putting them to work! Free labor. You see worms are nature's rototillers, so as I'm digging in the garden I put them aside and when I get a pile I move them to the compost bin. Now they work for me! If anyone is looking for worms, whether you want them for fishing or your own backyard you just come on over, I have enough for everyone.

I've finished digging the Memorial Flower garden. The birch trees will go about where the shovel is sticking out. You can see the rhubarb is coming in nicely as well as the peonies. I have a couple other plants coming in but I can't identify them at this stage, I'll need them to get a little bigger first. I've incorporated the sugar maple into the garden. This tree was given to me by a neighbor of my parents, it has spent several months in a bucket of water before I got it so I was not sure how well it would do but this is the second year since I planted it and it's looking good.

Lash the ever watchful guard dog, keeping watch over the backyard. Always on alert for any type of food source that may find it's way into the yard.

April 22, 2009

April 24, 2009, it's amazing how quickly things change in the backyard! If you ever have questions about life, death, re-birth you just need to spend a little time in the garden all the answers you seek are there.

Wednesday Night Survey

The Magnolia tree is starting to blossom.


It's full of buds just waiting to burst open!


Rhubarb is coming up. I think there is still some in the freezer from last year.

The shrub without a name (it has a name I just forgot what it is) is budding; soon to be full of pretty pink flowers.

The Lilac tree has buds, as soon as the flowers come out the entire backyard will smell like lilacs. In addition to the Lilac tree in the backyard the entire West side of the yard is bordered with Lilacs.

Tonight's visitor to the backyard. She just dropped in, hung out on the roof for a while then flew off.

Weekend Update

The bell peppers have finally decided to make an appearance.

Over the past weekend I spent a lot of time in the backyard. The vegetable garden is ready, I'll be planting the bean and pea seeds this Friday. I've decided I also want to try to grow Asparagus and Carrots. I've not had luck with carrots in the past but I'm adding sand to the garden in a couple sections and think that should help. Nothing ventured nothing gained, right?

I have dug most of the memorial garden. I still need to tweak it a bit but it's ready for the birch trees. Julie and Cassidy stopped by the backyard on Saturday. Sometime this week Julie is going to help me get the trees, she has a trailer so it should be pretty simple. Between the two of us we should be able to carry them and I have a 10' gate in the back so we can just back the trailer into the yard.

I did some browsing at Linder's Garden Center on Saturday morning and found a number of plants I want for the memorial garden. It's a long list but the highlights are: Lilies, Coral Bells, Peonies (I already have my grandmothers plants, they're nearly 100 years old), Daisies, Bee Balm, Black Eye Susan, Verrigated Jacob's Ladder, Stone Crop, Echinacea (coneflower) and of course a cherry tomato plant for my little dog Ayla. Boy did she love cherry tomatoes, I dint eat them myself but I always put in one or two plants every year just for Ayla, she was so funny. She would snatch a tomato out of the garden and play with it until it broke open then she would eat it and go back for more. The memorial garden will be in the shape of a tear drop, thanks to Tara's observation, I think it's very fitting as I shed a lot of tears when my dogs passed.

If I can get the trees in this week then next weekend I will plant all the perennials. I also need to move the bush that is hanging out with the cactus before it wakes up. The cactus is going to take over that entire area.

I went to Macy's Flower Show Friday morning and picked up several ideas for the backyard. I'm hoping to incorporate a few this Summer. I'm feeling pretty good about getting my chores done, I am way ahead of last year. I think the warm weather we had this past week helped. We had rain pretty much all day today but I had to work and we needed it so it was a good thing. It's a wee bit chilly in the backyard tonight, down into the 40's, brrr.

Sugar Maples

Sugar Maple

Under Construction

OK, I believe I am ready to start some seeds in the vegetable garden. I've expanded the two 4' X 4' beds making two 4' X 8' beds, added walkways, put up the trellis for the peas and put up a temporary fence to keep the four footed creatures from running amok in the garden.

I discovered yesterday that my Ford Focus can hold 15 bags of wood chips with room left to see out the windows. I hauled 240 pounds of manure in it the other day too. Now if I could just figure out how to get a 20' tree in there I'd be a happy camper.

Anyway, back to the vegetable garden, I built the trellis for the peas today using two fence posts, two 8' pine boards, wingnuts, washers and bolts and netting. Oh yeah and a ladder, staple gun, and a hammer.

First I pounded the fence posts into the ground, about 6' apart then attached the 8' boards to the fence posts using the bolts, washers and wingnuts. You will need to drill holes into the boards to match the holes in the fence posts. I've been using this trellis for several years so I forgot about the holes as they were already drilled in my boards. Using bolts and wingnuts makes it easy to assemble and dis-assemble when you're finished, you can store it and use it again next year.

I then attached the netting to the boards using the staple gun*. I used pine boards for two reasons, they are easier to put staples into and I had some left over from another project, but any type of wood will work and you can easily make it to fit your garden.

You can't see the netting but it's there.

According to the Farmer's Almanac the best time to plant flowers and vegetables that bear crops above ground is during the light of the Moon; that is, from the day the Moon is new to the day it is full. Flowering bulbs and vegetables that bear crops below ground should be planted during the dark of the Moon; that is, from the day after it is full to the day before it is new again.

I've not used the Farmer's Almanac in the past but thought I would try it this year, a little something new. Therefore I will be planting the peas (early) April 24th and (late) July 24th, Beans will go in (early) May 7th and (late) June 26th. By early and late I mean, I will have to harvests one early and one later in the season.

Peppers, Tomatoes and Zucchini will all get planted May 24th. Beings I always get anxious I will probably put in a couple peas and bean seeds in the ground this weekend just to compare them with the Farmer's Almanac plantings. See if there is anything to this planting by the moon thing.

I had a friend offer to supply me with pesto if I grew basil so I will be putting that into the garden as well along with a few other herbs.

* check to make sure you have staples before getting started :) or you'll be making a run to the hardware store in the middle of your project.

Minimum Requirements

As every gardener knows there are a minimum of two things you absolutely have to have in order to be a successful gardener.
1. a sturdy pair of boots
and
2. hydration

For me the sturdy pair of boots comes in the shape of a pair of 1992 Doc Martens. They may not look like much, all dusty, dirty and beat up but trust me under all that dirt and dust lies a pair of spit shined beauties any fly boy would envy.

Hydration (for me) comes in the form of a smooth tasting Canadian pilsener named Labatt Blue; imported daily from Canada. At about $10 a 12 pack it's just the right price so you don't cry if you happen tip one over while working in the garden. Pour a little in a dish for the grubs, a little in the dog bowl to keep him calm and a little down your throat to keep from getting parched. It's full bodied enough to quench your thirst but not so heavy as to weigh you down. The perfect hydration anytime.

Saturday Afternoon

Back away from the cactus it seems innocent enough but even when it looks dead it will come back and bite you. Leave sleeping cactus lie. This is what the cactus looks like right now but come the heat of the Summer and you will be surprised! I was told they only flower once every 5 years and this one flowered last summer so I will find out this Summer if that is true or not. I'm hoping it's not, the flowers were beautiful. If you look closely you can see the needles poking in my glove and yes they did penetrate and I'm still trying to get one out of the meaty part of my index finger! OUCH!

The peppers are finally starting to grow.

Blisters

A sure sign of Spring; I've already gotten several blisters and they are well on their way to becoming calluses. I worked in the backyard for about 4 hours yesterday and about 3 hours this evening, tore out the old vegetable beds, cleared out old plants from the flower gardens and raked leaves.

I have several tulip plants MIA, missing in action. Not sure if the squirrels found them over the winter or if they are just not coming up this year. As I was working in the vegetable garden area I had delusions of grandeur thinking I have nearly 750 square feet I could turn in to garden space. Well that sounds wonderful but the truth is that is a LOT of work. I did however spend some time on the Internet checking out garden design options just in case I stirred up enough energy to do it. I'm still kicking the idea around.

The zucchini and tomato plants are doing good, still have not seen much action with the pepper plants. I expect a little movement within the next day or two.

View overlooking future vegetable garden. The old beds have been taken apart.


Plenty of space for several new beds


Memorial garden in the foreground; vegetable garden area behind.


Lilac tree on left and Magnolia tree. The grass is starting to turn green.

Good Morning Winter

Only in Minnesota do we get the beauty of Winter on any given day. On March 30 the backyard was the picture of Spring and look at what I woke up to this morning!

Lash is checking the yard for overnight visitors


Vegetable gardens


Magnolia Tree

The temperature in the backyard rose to nearly 50 degrees and the snow was melted by 1430 except in some of the shaded areas. Gotta love Minnesota.

Sprouts!

The tomatoes and zucchini seeds I planted last weekend have started to grow! Now if we can get Mother Nature to participate I can get the zucchini into the ground next month. The tomatoes will have to wait until June. Once the plants get big enough I'll transplant them into larger pots so they can spend some warm days on the deck getting acclimated to the weather before putting them into the ground.

I have the plans for my new beds completed and I'm hoping to get them built next weekend. Let's hope the weather is warm and sunny. I may need to get a helping hand to get them assembled but I'm sure I can recruit a family member or a friend or two; I can offer a trade; labor for produce.

Once the new beds are built I can get the peas, beans and edamame seeds into the ground.

Bonnie's Best Tomatoes


Zucchini


Zucchini


Zucchini


San Marzano Tomato

I haven't seen any action from the pepper seeds but they take 10 - 20 days to sprout so I'm guessing they should start popping up any day now. The tomatoes and zucchini came up around April 3rd.