Garlic!

I planted my garlic in two different spots, due to having bought too much! Most of it is in a nice raised bed back in the official "vegetable garden." But some of it, mainly this Spanish Red I tried, is out front in the midst of a flower bed filled with penstemmon. Yesterday I noticed the front stuff was starting to droop a bit and wondered if it could really be ready so soon. Being the impatient type, I carefully worked the soil loose around the driest stalk. Even before I lifted the bulb up to my nose, I could smell the garlic. Wow! I had forgotten how much better homemade garlic was! The scent was strong and delicious. And yes, the bulb was fully formed. Small, but fully formed. I didn't expect great results out there since I didn't loosen the soil much and it gets neglected a bit out there.

I have to think of something fantastic to cook with garlic now.

Neglectful correspondent

I've been a neglectful blogger. First there was so much rain that I couldn't even get out in the garden. Then suddenly it turned into summer, overnight it seemed, and I was rushed to get my tomatoes in the ground. Then it rained again. Now it's like spring, finally, with nice temperatures but not overly hot. It's a late spring though... Oh well.

I got my 6 yards of mulch spread and I'd like to credit it for the gorgeous tomato plants. They're growing tall and have plenty of blossoms already. Just tying them up and smelling that tomato leaf smell makes my mouth water. I'm ready for some good bacon and tomato sandwiches.

I also planted some cucumbers, peas, and beans a while back. The peas and bush beans are about 6" tall. I hope they have a chance to bear some pods before the heat comes on. Oh, I planted some turnip seeds as well, in a bit of a leftover corner near the garlic. The garlic will be coming out in June, at which point I'll have another huge bed to plant. Not sure what to put there...

I had some mulch left over so built a new raised bed in an unused corner of the yard. We used to have a trampoline there. I raked away the bark, put a huge pile of my home grown compost there and leveled it off, then topped that off with 6" or so of this lovely dark compost mulch. I decided it was a good spot for those messy "take over the garden" things, like squash. So have a hill of yellow crookneck squash and one of pumpkins.

Hmm...what else? Oh the bits of seeds I put near the hose where I water the dog (fill his water bowl I mean) which is outside of the kitchen, I put a line of parsley and a line of chard. It probably doesn't get as much sun as they'd like though so we'll see if anything happens. They've sprouted, but being on the north side of the house I have my doubts. But I have penstemmon growing there, which should need more sun as well, and it does just fine.

Gardening for me is a continual experiment. I'm always tucking things in here and there, like the chard and parsley, and see what does well where. Except for the tomatoes. I don't want to gamble with them!

Mother's Day Gifts for the Garden

Mother's Day is coming soon. Check out Wayside Gardens for some Great Gifts and Garden Art. And if you can't decide, a gift certificate is always fun!

I'm debating several ideas myself. I just gave my dad a miniature rose to plant for his birthday earlier this year. Both my parents like to garden and I realized I'd given my mom all the fun plants! But now I'm kinda stuck for Mother's Day--and her birthday in mid-summer. Roses are a favorite of both of them but I don't want to repeat myself so quickly!

I'm thinking a cute little garden statue, or some nice new gloves, or a good pruning tool or shears. Aha, maybe something to cut all those roses and a new vase to put them in! I think I just decided.

What are your favorite gardening related gifts?