After a wonderful two weeks, this weekend took a turn for the cooler. It was short-lived, but I am sure there was overnight freezing in the valleys. I am not sure how/if that will impact this year’s crops.
As you can see above, we still have trees and bushes budding. This spring has been a looooong time coming!
The horrible nuisance of a thorned blackberry bush is gone. We went to the nursery last week to buy another thornless bush, but they weren’t out yet. Considering the cool weather this past weekend, I am glad. Buying and planting the new bush is definitely on this weekend’s “to-do” list.
We (that is the royal “we” – the landscapers actually did it) also removed that dead shrub. Now we have to take a picture of the remaining two to show when we go to purchase and hope one of the local nurseys can match the plant as we don’t have any idea what it is! I also need a birdbath for that space (we had a cement one for years, but it crumbled in place two years ago!).
In the front yard I thought for sure that little bush was a gonner! It was a pile of sticks two weeks ago. Good thing it finally decided to bloom, or it would have been yanked this past week.
I wonder how long before this flowers? I think it is some sort of lily.
The lilac bushes are actually the neighbor’s. I notice their scent whenever I take the trash out. Better than the trash itself, that is for certain!
So, how does your garden grow? Are you planting one this year? Sticking with a CSA? A flower or herb garden perhaps? What’s happening in your green-world?
Marie says
We had frost warnings for the past 2 nights so I haven’t planted the 8 tomato plants yet. But a couple weeks ago I planted onion sets and they’re up and running. 34 out of 35 is great! There’s an extra one in the house as an experiment and 6 others not in the 34 mentioned that are in a pot on the front steps (husband’s idea). The lemon balm survived the winter outside and are on the front porch to protect us from mosquitoes (I hope). I still have the “stick” with leaves. I have yet turned up the garden–waiting for the wheat to turn which is soon.
admin says
What is lemon balm used for, Marie? Does it just grow and repel the mosquitoes? Or do you rub it on your body? Or clip it? Inquiring minds want to know!
Ann
Marie says
I found it by accident. Trampled all over it when pruning back the honeysuckle in the fall. I wondered why it smelled so good while I was cutting. I put it in a pot and stuck it in the garden and read up on it on the internet. It smells better than citronella. This is the first time I’ve ever had any, but I read that you can rub it on you. And some people seep the leaves for tea. I’ll be experimenting with it. I do like science and love experiments. The one where you can grow potatoes in a bucket with straw doesn’t work if you over water and everything gets mushy.
admin says
Wow. I will definitely look into that, Marie. Thanks!
Ann
KimH says
Marie, Lemon balm is hardy all over the place.. The last thing I would worry about is having it freeze.. I planted one plant 10 or 15 years ago & it seeds itself all over the place.. I have to worry more about it making a pest out of itself… good thing its edible & drinkable or I’d not be happy.
Ann, its a cooling, relaxing tea, good for anxiety or nerves.. or just a nice relaxing tea for a busy afternoon or evening. My grandmother always called it Melissa Tea (melissa officinalis) & her mother always gave this to them when they were kids when they had fever.
Marie says
Thanks Kim! I will definitely try it as a tea even though I get acid indigestion from hot teas. Maybe this one will be different. I was afraid of it freezing (bit it didn’t) so I saved a sprig in a pop bottle of water in the house.
KimH says
I just noticed some of it today coming out of the side of my house where there is nothing but asphalt driveway and house meet. The mother plant is on the other side of the house.. it seeds freely in Ohio anyways. 😉 It did in Texas too, but not as much as it does here..
You can dry it if you want, but I tend to just use it fresh.. I dont like the dry weedy flavor of dried lemon balm. I just go strip a plant for tea.. as I said.. its a pest here & I cant keep it out of my gardens or driveway either obviously. I’ll leave it though.. I like it. 😉
Marie says
Maybe you’ll know what kind of weed looks exactly like the lemon balm but the leaves stink when you rub it. Now that stuff is all over my yard and garden and gravel driveway. It flowers purple.
KimH says
Could be Creeping Charlie or Henbit from what you’re describing. If it gets as big as lemon balm, then I have no clue without looking at a picture… Both of these stay fairly small.. about 1 foot max.. My big lemon balm gets to be about 2.5-3 ft high.. The ones in the back would probably like to, but I keep em trimmed and they’re in the shade so are more spindly.
Marie says
I don’t know how big lemon balm gets (but I will find out, won’t I?) but it looks like I have both in my yard. One stands tall. The other creeps and the leaves remind me of a geranium. Thanks for the info!
admin says
I am definitely going to have to look into this one. Thanks Kim and Marie!
Ann
Debb F says
My garden….well since I am not getting much time due to my convalescing animals, my garden is full of weeds but my FLOWERS are kicking some butt this year! Everything is coming up nicely. I will see if I can get you a picture my sage is in full bloom and so gorgeous. My azalea I thought I killed by cutting it back so far, finally bloomed and everything is looking good so far. I too have had frost the last few nights so I got a big boy tomato ( free with a coupon at Shop Rite) and havent planted it yet but hope too this weekend. I even found 5 strawberries that made it through the crazy bipolar winter. The weeds are insane again this year due to lack of the hard frost. My peppers and parsley are both coming along too. I think I want to try to grow some cilantro since that is all I need to make salsa YUM!
admin says
Debb do you use preen?
Ann
Barbee says
Ah, Spring. My favorite time of year.
Garden growing great! eating or already ate/froze snow peas, sugar snap peas, shell peas, swiss chard, cauliflower, beets, radishes, turnips, asparagus lettuce….<— all pretty much done.
Now I'm looking forward to beans, potatoes, tomatoes, garlic, onions, eggplant, peppers, corn, cowpeas, berries, apricots…<—all expectations 'guarded'.
Though I was thrilled w/ the early performance of the garden, spring always makes promises that Summer can't keep. I hope for continuing cool weather because the tomatoes are looking terrific! Thanks for asking. I just LOVE talking about it. It's my hobby. 🙂
Anyhooo…about that berry bush you removed. If it was me, I'd wait until NEXT year to fill that spot w/ another berry. Thing is-raspberries don't 'give up the ghost' as easily as we may wish. Unless you are 110% certain that you got each and every root, twig, runner, etc….you may want to wait.
If you get remnants of that 1st berry growing up through a new berry-it'll be nigh on impossible to remove it/them later. (without injury to the new plant.). Good luck!
Have a Great day!
admin says
I will keep that in mind, Barbee. We didn’t do it, the landscapers did and they removed the other sprout too, but as you say, you never know.
Ann
KimH says
Things are moving along swimmingly here.. I’ve been harvesting my asparagus & rhubarb for the last week or two.. Nows the time Ann, if you havent already gotten your rhubarb!
I have 3 figs on my fig tree (IN OHIO!! WhoOHOO!) and the tree is finally leafing out nicely.. I would imagine there will be more later in the season.. I sure hope so.
Strawberries are doing so so.. Not great, not bad.. Im not a strawberry grower.. its the one thing I struggle with in the garden.
I took a bunch of cuttings from one of my rose bushes… they seem to be doing good.. Im trying out 3 different methods to see which is faster.. They all work..
Im starting my hardening off process on my tomato, peppers, broccoli, & brussels sprouts. There may be some cabbages in there too.. cant remember. They sent an email out yesterday saying the community garden will be opening today! Yay! I go get our permits this afternoon.
I’ll still have to wait a couple days before I get planting.. Our buddy has to get my tiller from his storage unit and take it to the garden, have Don spread some bone meal & other soil amendments and till them in.. then I let them rest a few more days, then plant. By next week, I’ll have my starts in the garden & I’ll be working on finishing up the rest.
I’ve got lettuce, cilantro, & chamomile in planters that are doing well..
I also started a lot of seeds using what was called “Winter Sowing” method and most of them are looking good.. but not all of them. I need to get out there & assess the situation a little better..
I bought some late asparagus and never did get it planted, just heeled it in till I could get to it.. I have to do that this week too. Its really a bit late but the guy told me that he’d give me my money back if they dont come up.. Works for me. 😉
I’ve got one of my mint beds cleaned out.. the wild strawberry cousin was trying to run over it.. Every day is a battle with wild morning glory.. sigh.. its really bindweed.. but same same.
I’ve been seeing a few self sown tomatoes coming up… so its time.. Spring is officially here. 😉
KimH says
I forgot to mention too… your daylily there is probably Stella de Oro Daylily. Its been the #1 selling day lily for a good long while now thanks to its habit of not creeping all over the place.. It retains a nice compact clump.