It’s April second and there’s snow on the ground. Temperatures are below normal. I’m usually well into garden clean up by the end of March and I would have some pansies in the ground. Snow is in the forecast for next weekend as well. It’s snowed in April in the past, if I recall correctly, as late as April 10th. But I do not like it…not one little bit.
Some of you shared with me previously that you were starting new/revamping old gardens or renting a community plot for the season. Now that you have a season or two under your belt, I would love to hear how those worked out. What was successful and what do you need to rethink?
What chores should need to be done in the garden as the weather starts to turn?
I didn’t do any winter gardening this year. I was lacking motivation, aka lazy. I am ready for spring. Everything is such a mess.
Okay, totally my fault, not denying it. Didn’t protect plants. Didn’t put anything away. Left tools out…to rust. Looks like a trip to Home Depot is in order.
Also have to stock up on garden gloves. I go through several pair a season. I love the ones that are fully coated with rubber. I find the others useless. What’s the point of a cloth glove? Doesn’t protect your hands from anything. The wetness and soil soak right through. And why do they only partially coat gloves? That’s not helpful either, not if you really dig in the garden.
I thought I could get some work done during Easter break, but it’s raining. The weather will be poor probably most of the week.
My peas and spinach have their noses pressed to the slider in the kitchen. They are ready to go out claim their spots in the garden.
I was debating whether to leave a plot fallow or if I should have been doing that all along. Some say it’s not necessary with the use of crop rotation and soil amendments. Does anyone do that? What are your thoughts?
The strawberry patch doesn’t look so good. I lost about half the plants due to frost heaving. The plants are just sitting on top of the soil, crowns all dried up. I tried to replant the ones that looked as if they might recover. We’ll see if they do.
Here’s another problem. A whole section of berries plants were dug up because there are little baby bunnies growing in there. Normally, I despise the rabbits in my garden because they eat all my veggies! But hey, I’m not a monster. I will let these little guys grow and THEN I will kick them out. I had bunnies several times before, but they never actually made it to adulthood because some animal came and ate them. Well, parts of them. Gross. Circle of life. Yuck.
Update. I checked on the bunnies, 2 left the burrow and two are, well, dead. 😥
It’s pretty cold out in the mornings, but we’re expecting rain or snow most of the week, so I have to get out when I can. Today I accomplished a little. I pulled the weeds in the flower beds, amended soil with organic fertilizer, put down more mulch. I also planted some pansies, makes me feel hopeful that winter might give up.
Other chores that need to be done…
🌱Prune the roses.
🌱Cut back the perennials. Above, the peonies are already poking their heads up. Have to cut back all the dead stems and make some room. They tend to bloom the end of May.
Below the lilies are back in business too. They have been coming back for about 15 years or more. They need to be divided every few years to keep them growing well. I just need to clean around them and fertilize a bit.
Oh look, some volunteers between the rocks. I love volunteers when they’re not weeds. I have to replant them in a better spot.
🌱Pull out the dead annuals.
🌱Dig in manure and other soil amendments into the vegetable beds.
🌱Prune and fertilize the blueberries and raspberries. They like acidic soil. The honeyberries are blooming already. I only got one last year… and a bird ate it. High hopes this year!
Should have protected the fig tree. There’s that word again…lazy. Looks pretty dead.
🌱Clean up the asparagus bed.
🌱Need some new edging. The new lawn guys broke them all by constantly driving on them. They lasted 20 years, just saying.
🌱Have to repair my fortress. Winter was not kind to it.
🌱I have broccoli, peas, spinach and chard to plant.
🌱Pot up the herbs. In the garden the chives are already getting big. savory and rosemary are in recovery. I purchased some replacement thyme, parsley, peppermint and chocolate mint.
🌱Seeds need to be planted indoors for later planting. I planted Brandywine tomatoes, pear tomatoes, more broccoli, radishes, assorted lettuce, more spinach, zucchini, butternut, cantalope. Anything else will be transplants. No potatoes or eggplant this year.
How did your garden survive the winter?
Tell me about your garden plans for this season…I love to be inspired by the experiences of others.
“The sluggard does not plow after the autumn, So he begs during the harvest and has nothing.” Proverbs 20:4
Peppers and Planks 