GARDEN LOVE

Was turning in my cover crop and couldn't help but notice this bee makin love to the Hyacinth!

What's New in the Garden?

Winter has come and gone!  The broccoli is on it's way out though I have yet to harvest several heads that look something like this:

 

The plants did quite well considering we had weeks of freezing temperatures.  The plant above froze solid, thawed and got all mushy.  Miraculously, it still managed to produce.  You can't tell from the picture, but the heads are full size!  And it tastes sooo good!  

I decided to leave the damaged leaves on the plant.  During the summer I generally do some strategic trimming to focus growth, but over winter wanted to leave the plants with as much green as possible to breathe in sunlight.  I think it also helped keep buggies from the heads. (That, or they just prefer the leaves, I'm not sure.)

You'll notice a cover crop around the broccoli.  I started it about 2 months ago.  I've got several beds in cover crops right now.  In a week or so I'll be turning some of them under to prep for spring veggies.

This week I'll start my beets, carrots, peas and onions outside!

Yippee to spring unfurling!

Long Live the Garden!

 

 the garden with fresh bark!  

I got my wood chip delivery spread over the yard.  Pretty sure I will make more gardens this year, but it feels exciting to have the very back of the yard grass free.  I really didn't like all the mowing and now I can see the space much better - can't wait to get my berry orchard in!

And yay to no weeds growing in the paths.  The straw was exciting last year, but it broke down pretty efficiently.  These wood chips should last me a good 3 years - plenty of time to totally change things around.  

Along the far right side of the picture (above) I made the yard much more level.  It was a hassle to walk over there because of the slope.  Now you almost don't notice any change in pitch.  The most dramatic change happened in the area pictured below.  I brought it up by about a foot!