Soaking up Some Sun
This time of year, I carry my flats of seedlings in and out so they can get some real sun. Like gardeners, they do much better when able to spend lots of time outside. Eventually, I’ll have a small greenhouse, then I won’t have to do this chore.
Typically, I’m already transplanting seedlings in the garden, but this year spring is taking a long time to arrive. That’s OK with me, it gives me more time to get some of the other necessary chores out of the way. Though I must say, space under the grow lights is becoming very limited!
How do you harden off seedlings?
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Spring Cleanup
Now that the snow has melted (for the most part) and the ground is starting to thaw, the means spring cleanup is in full swing. By far, the biggest chore in the spring is raking all the gravel out of the lawn. Plowing all the snow we get, results in loads and loads of gravel being deposited in the lawn. It’s hard graft raking it out, but it needs done as early as possible in the spring so as to not smother the grass.
This winter was especially bad because we had a few thaws in the middle of winter. That means the driveway gets soft and more of it is scooped up and left in the lawn with the piles of snow.
It’s a big chore, typically it takes me 8-10 hours to get it finished. I usually work on it for an a hour a day or so until it’s finished. This week, I was able to dedicate 4-5 hours to it, so I’m really close to finishing it up. Once this chore is done, it’s time to move on to cleaning out the gardens of all the dead plant material. I will also be adding layers of compost & mulch to most of the garden.
What’s your biggest spring cleanup chore?
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Forcing Spring
I’ve always read about forcing rhubarb. I love the look of the rhubarb forcing pots they use in British gardens, I haven’t been able to find one here in the US. You need a special pot technically, but they sure are pretty. When I was out walking around the potager a few days ago, I noticed the rhubarb was starting to crown.
Since I don’t have a nice pot, I decided to use an old black container. It should work just as well. I’ll keep watching it and comparing it to the plants that aren’t covered. Will it grow faster? Be ready to harvest sooner? That’s the idea, but we shall see if it works…I’ll keep you posted.
Do you grow rhubarb? Do you love it or hate it?
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Back Outside
It never fails that I end up with a few plants that are still in pots when winter rolls around. Sometimes, I overwinter them in the garage, most often, they spend the long winter in the basement.
This time of year, I start moving them outside. Last week, the boxwood and yew plants went out. In a few weeks, the hydrangeas in pots, wisteria, and other potted trees will go out as well. It’s an easy to overwinter plants that didn’t get planted. Sometimes, I even buy fall plants on clearance and overwinter them to plant in spring.
Do you ever end up with plants in the fall that you didn’t get around to planting? How to do deal with them for the winter?
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Loads of Cedah
Now that I’ve been gardening here for 5 years, I’m finally getting the gardens to the place where I can start adding fences, raised beds, rock walls, hedges, and other permanent features. This summer, one of the goals is to start getting the main garden moving towards the final plan. That means a wide main walkway will hopefully be installed, along with lots of raised beds.
trade eggs for cedar and works well for both of us. This past weekend, I finally cashed in on some of the egg money and picked up two loads of cedar planks to make raised beds. The boards are mostly 2″ x 10″ x 8′, with some thicker ones that will be cut to form anchors in the corners.
The beds will be made 8′ x 8′ and 8′ x 4′. My plan is to have them here and there in an organized fashion throughout the main garden. Eventually, there will be lots of raised beds, but this year we only plan on adding 5 or so. Stay tuned to see the beds being built and the garden being laid out.
What big garden projects do you have planned for this summer?
