Curses of a different sort

So I haven't blogged in a bit b/c we had a medical crisis.  My wonderful girlfriend had a severe asthma exacerbation - basically she had an asthma attack that lasted for three days despite treatment and had to be hospitalized. It was terrifying, but she is ok now. Needless to say this put my garden on a back burner. I did get the peas in the "ground" (back straw bales) on the 18th (she was hospitalized on (Saturday) the 17th) but not in the way I would have wanted (I had to get them in since I had soaked them in water and wasn't sure what would happen if they stayed in the water too long... and then since I had no topsoil, or compost or time to get any, I had to use some potting soil I had gotten to start seeds with) and finally put the potatoes and onion in on   (Friday) the 23rd (she was released on (Wednesday) the 21st and I took off Thursday and Friday to be with her).  Our weather here has been so weird that I think the delay worked out. The weather was so warm/hot, then it cooled off and rained...so it was probably better to not plant when it was really hot and dry.

I took some pictures Of what I managed to get  done and of how far the beds have come with our early summer like weather, and would have posted them, but as luck would have it while my wonderful girlfriend was hospitalized, we had a bad storm that took out our computer monitor! I am assuming it was a mild lightening strike, but we didn't notice, it until she was released and at that time were unable to tell if it was the monitor or the comp itself, so we had her brother come look at it and hook up a new monitor.  Yeah if  bad luck grew on trees I could consider myself a master gardener!

 Well all that being said,  the potatoes and onions are in, no sign of growth yet, but I'm sure they will pop up soon. I bought top soil and humus at a ratio of 3:1 totaling 320lbs. (and I had to load and carry it all by myself!) and filled the hole in bales, then I added the seed potatoes and onion sets (both red and both $3 from Walmart) I bought some more seed starting potting soil, and started some  of the seeds I had saved, (I saved some hot banana peppers, hot cherry peppers,  bell peppers  and some I just labeled "salsa mix",  zucchini, and  some tomatoes -mainly slicing and cherry, and will start the rest today).  I normally do not do well with seed starting, mainly b/c our house is too cold and I do not have a proper seeding area b/c the cats love to eat the seedlings so I have to hide them away so I don't hold out too much hope for these seeds, but i just can't stop myself from trying... Due to this, and the fact that the bales do best with well established plants, as opposed to smaller seedlings, we are planning on buying most of the plants from a local annual plant sale that is held on Memorial Day weekend (when we plan on planting).

 and now for PICTURES!

Azalea- hasn't died, despite the walnuts!

Violas, Sedums and Grape Hyacinths

Red Raspberries

Red Potatoes and Red Onions

Widows tears

Seed Starting

Christmas Cactus, loving being outside again!

Veronica

Coral Bells

Herb spiral

Maya and the herb spiral last year right after I built it.

So today I worked on cleaning up the herb spiral I built last year.  It was an idea I found online and knew was perfect. I had been using a corner off our little concrete patio as an herb garden and this location totally lent itself to the spiral shape. An herb spiral has a bunch of benefits. 1. it creates micro-climates so you can grow herbs that have different growing needs in the same space. 2. It allows you to fit more herbs in a small location since you are "building up, not out" 3. It is attractive and unique. 4 The how to is pretty easy, I did it in one afternoon.  5 the cost is practically nothing

Chives that have overwintered

The herb spiral two weeks ago.

                                                                                                       

The concept of an herb spiral is that you build, with rocks and soil, a spiral (Conch shell) shape.  The topmost area is not shaded and rain drains down, so it is the warmest and driest area,  the middle level is not as sunny or dry, and the bottom is the most shaded and wettest area(you can even make a pond or bog at the bottom!).

You then plant your herbs accordingly, to what "climate" best suits their needs and voila! I used rocks and bricks and pieces of broken terracotta that I had around the yard (free).  This year I will have to supplement the soil given the dreaded walnuts, but you can use your own soil if it is not poison (free in most cases) you just have to jazz it up a bit with some gravel and sand and some compost. (free or nearly so in most cases). I plan on getting some more sand and adding some topsoil and and some manure to add to the spiral, (it has settled a lot since last year, so I would have had to add to it no matter what). So far it has Thyme and Sage sprouting and then the Chives that I keep in the pot at the bottom. I may try a pond or bog later but for now the chives enjoy the bottom spot.

Clean and waiting for more soil and eventually plants

What spring feels like....

Edged this bed. it is now ready for mulch. 

No work to be done on the straw bales today, but since it was positively springlike I worked in the front yard.  I read a great article on Fine Gardening Magazine's website about making garden borders so I started working on mine.

Enlarged this bed to contain our burning bush.

Put up our pretty fencing

I enlarged one of the beds around the trees and put up my fencing in the front as well. I also hung up a humming bird feeder  (not sure when you are supposed to do so, but) the pretty pop of color makes me smile!  My fingernails are all chipped and broken, my back and legs are aching...


                   Yes! This is what spring feels like!

Pretty hummingbird feeder hanging on the cigar tree.

5 bales down, 9 to go.

5 bales in place. The potatoes and onions will be planted in the center next weekend  and eventually there will be Cukes and Zukes in the back row, Peppers on the left, Lettuce on the right, and Cabbage in the front.-and 9 more bales.

Today we got the next four straw bales.  We are up to five now. We have enough to create the  root vegetable section where we plan to plant the onions and potatoes. We just need some top soil (I bought the seed onions and potatoes yesterday as well as some pea seeds (peas?) to plant) and we are ready to  commence the first round of planting.....and now for pictures of our helpers...

Franklin looking stern

Annie on the prowl...

Franklin sniffin...

Franklin- note the straw on his nose!!

The secret's out...

So I have mentioned my secret garden but not really explained it or shown it, that is because for the most part it doesn't exist. When we first bought the house there was a large area in the back of the yard that was divided from the rest by large pine trees. We never really went back there and instead focused on the closer areas and forgot about this area.  Year two we decided to reclaim the space, we had my amazing girlfriend's family over, and they cut one of the trees down and a bush that was tree sized due to neglect, and ... realized the whole area was FULL of Poison IVY! and no measly little vines, these were thick woody hairy vines climbing up 20 ft or more in to the trees and covering the ground... YIKES! we went in to attacking mode  and managed to make a slight dent.... the next year we kept at it and got it to a semi-usable state, and got the gift of inspiration...

awesome swing!

 This awesome swing was a present from a friend of mine and as soon as it was in place I knew I wanted this area to be a retreat from the real world! We made a few plans, planted some rose of sharons (also free from a friend) and dug a small fire pit.   I put a small dining table back there, a small wooden end table (both free) and moved a Hosta or two... We bought and planted some English ivy to hide the fence and hung some bird feeders... but it is still basically an empty area. Guests don't like going back there since the poison ivy is still here and there and though easy enough to avoid if you are careful (it is only at the tree line, not back by the swing) it is still intimidating.   The neighbors have a not so pretty junk pile that is visible from the one side,  and it is a trek from the house. All of this matters not to me.  I see the potential, I see the wonderful escape this area will be one day.  I see the fence covered, (just read about reed fencing and would love to cover it with that!), the sides fenced. I see the peach tree we plan on planting, and the flowers, I see peaceful morning spent in seclusion, sipping coffee and listening to the, not yet in existence, pond fountain, the fires we will have and the naps on the swing. To me part of gardening is imagination, faith, and the belief that with time and hard work all dreams can grow.   So when I mention the secret garden, don't ask what it is,  instead imagine what it can be, because that is how my secret garden grows.

pictures of today's progress!

flower bed in front of house, on right 

front yard flower bed around tree, on right

So first here are some pictures as promised!  These first few are from the front yard, I have lots of big plans for up front this year, but with it only being March 2nd, I have only just begun. I raked all the beds clean removing old mulch and any leaves we missed last year. Now the bulbs that are positive it is much later than it is, are much more visible!  My plans for up front include building a retaining wall around the right side (closest to the driveway and where Miss Maya loves to wander).  I will probably only get one level done this year, but I eventually want it to be about three or four pavers high. We are also going to be getting some more Hostas (we have some but they are not popping up just yet), especially for around the tree that is on the right side.  We used to try to grown grass there but it kept dying so we turned it into a bed and planted Hostas and some colorful annuals and mulched it and it looked great.

Cigar tree, with hanging basket

On the left hand side both beds are a little smaller. the one around the tree will have some Hostas, and some perennial flowers, the one up against the porch already has some perennials and a rose bush but it will also get a few more Hostas and we have a cute little fence that we put around it. I read that roses are to be pruned when the forsythia blooms so I am on the look out for the bright yellow sign!  When we moved in the rose bush was taller than I am after being abandoned and neglected for so long, so I am always amazed when it blooms!

rosebush

 In the back:

We raked leaves on to the bed in fall and have been using it as a makeshift compost area all winter, as we researched what to do about the walnut trees...  We, of course,  are now aware that ALL of our compost is poison since the leaves are intermingled (walnut and non walnut). So I raked some of the leaves and put down the cardboard and then the first bale. Our fence has seen better days as well, but i read that someone used drywall wire and they said that it was very inexpensive and much taller (which we will need given the height of the bales) so we are going to look in to that once all the bales are in place.  

After: Now with Straw!

Before: old garden covered in leaves

Spring may not have officially Sprung but....

... it is finally march and I got my first new straw bale today! (only 13 more to go! lol) My wonderful girlfriend brought me home some cardboard and I will be laying it down  and placing the first bale today. My goal is to get 5 of them and a few cubic yards of topsoil by the 17th when I intend to plant potatoes and onions. Since these are root veggies they don't do very well IN the bales so I designed the layout to create a hole that is almost 3ftx3ft( and  about 14" deep) to fill with clean topsoil in which to grown them. In previous years we had a root veggie garden  but it was even closer to the dreaded walnuts and the root veggies did not do well (onions the size of quarters anyone?) Not to mention the voles and the groundhog from hell and our puppy Maya who loved to dig up the treasures...we tried carrots and WOW those only got about the size of a tooth pick and Maya LOVES carrots so it was a total flop. Not sure if I will have everything in place but... that is the goal. On the 17th we also plan to put the peas in the back bales (direct sow).

In other gardening news I got a seed catalog in the mail to day and am pouring over it! Add that to the fact that it was nice enough this morning for me to clean up the front flower beds and it really feels like spring is here! (thank you winter that wasn't!). I'm gonna pause right now for some sustenance and then I will post more, including pictures!