It's just about the time to plant perennial vegetables where I live. Winter is the time to plant strawberries, rhubarb, raspberry and other caning berries, as well as artichokes and asparagus.
I planted asparagus a few years so last year was the first year I could really harvest some. Unfortunately, I changed the layout of my raised beds after planting them and they're now in a "bad" spot where they shade too much and are kind of in the way. I'm going to try to replant some of it back in an out of the corner and see if it takes.
I've tried planting rhubarb several times and cannot get it to take. I don't know what I'm doing wrong but I'm going to do a bit of research and give it one more go.
I used to grow artichokes but got tired of picking snails off them. Yuck. But I'm going to give them another go this year as well.
Tuesday, November 22, 2005
Saturday, November 19, 2005
November in the Garden
November where I live is an iffy month. You cannot predict the weather from one weekend to the next. Today, for example, is absolutely gorgeous and would be a great day for yardwork. However, I don't have much to do because I haven't yet decided what to do in one area that may or may not become more raised beds.
There used to be a trampoline there and a swingset. Those are both gone but the playground bark that covered that area is still present to help keep the weeds down. We temporarily (?) put up a badminton net there and I'm hesitant to do much else as long as the kids are enjoying that. My thoughts, rough as they are, are that it would be a great area to grow those wild sprawling things that spread and take over my raised beds. I'm thinking about planting pumpkins and squash over there. Perhaps some vertical climbers as well, such as cucumbers. It gets enough sun, although I have no easy access to water there. So I can add some more drip lines or buy a longer hose. ;)
But for today, I just enjoyed the fine weather without actually exerting myself too much. The leaves on the persimmon tree are drop-dead gorgeous right now. Things are trimmed up as much as they need to be. My roses are still going strong and gorgeous, although I suspect they will be coming to an end soon. The broccoli and cauliflower and brussel sprouts that I transplanted into the raised beds are going strong, with one head of broccoli just about ready for dinner. At the same time, I still have parsley and basil in the garden, plus the last of the tomatoes. It's an interesting time of year as everything seems to pause for a bit and slow down.
There used to be a trampoline there and a swingset. Those are both gone but the playground bark that covered that area is still present to help keep the weeds down. We temporarily (?) put up a badminton net there and I'm hesitant to do much else as long as the kids are enjoying that. My thoughts, rough as they are, are that it would be a great area to grow those wild sprawling things that spread and take over my raised beds. I'm thinking about planting pumpkins and squash over there. Perhaps some vertical climbers as well, such as cucumbers. It gets enough sun, although I have no easy access to water there. So I can add some more drip lines or buy a longer hose. ;)
But for today, I just enjoyed the fine weather without actually exerting myself too much. The leaves on the persimmon tree are drop-dead gorgeous right now. Things are trimmed up as much as they need to be. My roses are still going strong and gorgeous, although I suspect they will be coming to an end soon. The broccoli and cauliflower and brussel sprouts that I transplanted into the raised beds are going strong, with one head of broccoli just about ready for dinner. At the same time, I still have parsley and basil in the garden, plus the last of the tomatoes. It's an interesting time of year as everything seems to pause for a bit and slow down.
Friday, November 04, 2005
Garlic has sprouted
My garlic has sprouted already. I still have more to plant actually, having ordered just a wee bit more than I needed. I've used nearly one entire raised bed for the California White garlic. I then moved out front, cleared aside some bark, and planted the Spanish Roja in the midst of a strip full of penstemmon. The penstemmon gets cut back for the winter anyway, so this should work out. But I still have a few more heads. It rained today, hopefully softening the ground a bit in my back flower borders. If it's not pouring down tomorrow, I'll get out and plant the garlic.
I am totally spoiled by my raised beds though. The dirt is so soft and easy to plant in. I add compost every time I plant and rarely if ever walk on the soil. The back flower beds were well rototilled and amended a few years ago when I redid them, but at this point the soil is a bit compacted from neglect. I'll probably use my short pitchfork to make holes for the garlic. I've found that's a great fast way to get a hole dug for seeds and such! I don't plant in every hole from the pitchfork but it leaves things neatly spaced.
Oh, and my persimmons are ripe already! This seems earlier than normal, as I'm used to thinking of them as a Christmas sort of thing. These are not the supersoft variety, which my great Aunt used to just freeze and then eat with a spoon like ice cream. These are crispy and can be sliced and eaten like an apple.
So right now in the garden I've got apple, persimmons, tomatoes, basil and other herbs, and some very baby spinach--but not yet enough to really pick and eat.
Coming soon: I saw the tiniest little heads of broccoli starting to show! And I've got lemons and oranges ripening but not yet ready.
I saw my local nursery is giving away leftover rice straw bales that they used for their harvest festival. I'm going to call tomorrow and see if they still have some available. If so, I'll drive out and get some for mulching the various beds. As of yesterday they had 36 bales left but I couldn't get out there then or today, as I was too busy with work plus a child home sick with the flu or something.
I am totally spoiled by my raised beds though. The dirt is so soft and easy to plant in. I add compost every time I plant and rarely if ever walk on the soil. The back flower beds were well rototilled and amended a few years ago when I redid them, but at this point the soil is a bit compacted from neglect. I'll probably use my short pitchfork to make holes for the garlic. I've found that's a great fast way to get a hole dug for seeds and such! I don't plant in every hole from the pitchfork but it leaves things neatly spaced.
Oh, and my persimmons are ripe already! This seems earlier than normal, as I'm used to thinking of them as a Christmas sort of thing. These are not the supersoft variety, which my great Aunt used to just freeze and then eat with a spoon like ice cream. These are crispy and can be sliced and eaten like an apple.
So right now in the garden I've got apple, persimmons, tomatoes, basil and other herbs, and some very baby spinach--but not yet enough to really pick and eat.
Coming soon: I saw the tiniest little heads of broccoli starting to show! And I've got lemons and oranges ripening but not yet ready.
I saw my local nursery is giving away leftover rice straw bales that they used for their harvest festival. I'm going to call tomorrow and see if they still have some available. If so, I'll drive out and get some for mulching the various beds. As of yesterday they had 36 bales left but I couldn't get out there then or today, as I was too busy with work plus a child home sick with the flu or something.
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