Wednesday, May 18, 2011

Around the Garden this Week

The garden seems perpetually covered in rain drops this week. In some ways, I don't mind so much as I think the garden tends to be at its prettiest right after a rain storm. Here's a quick update on how things are looking this week. In no particular order:

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On Sunday, I made a pea trellis out of wooden stakes and some leftover wire fencing. I like being able to recycle materials in the garden. Both my shell and snow peas germinated really well this year. In front of them, I sowed bush beans (Contender and Dragon's Tongue) and edamame (Envy) last week. With the cold and wet weather we've had lately, I don't have much hope that they will germinate well.

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I also used some dead branches to prop up this planting of shell peas. I used this method last year and it worked out well for me. Plus, I think it looks pretty.

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My broccoli and savoy cabbage are starting to really grow now. It always amazes me how certain plants will look for weeks as if they're not growing at all and then suddenly take off.

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My overwintered scallions are sending up flower stalks. I'll be interested to see how they look.

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My overwintered sage is also flowering at the moment. The beautiful purple flower buds also have an intense sage scent. Maybe I'll make a flavored oil or vinegar out of them.

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The beets are growing rather slowly. I'm just glad the garden rodents and bugs are leaving them alone. I'm trying to do successive sowings to maintain a steady supply of beets this year.

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Finally, I had planted some Seascape strawberry crowns a few weeks ago. Seascape is a day-neutral variety that should produce fruit all summer and into the fall. The plants are starting to flower already. However, I'll have to pull all of them off for at least the next six weeks so that the plants can put all of their energy into growing healthy roots and leaves.

19 comments:

  1. Your garden is looking great after the rain. It has been cool & wet most of the spring here. I have hardly planted anything yet. Tomorrow is suppose to be nice so I am getting a bunch of things in.

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  2. Your garden beds and walkways are always so tidy and well organized. The plants are obviously thriving despite the cool and damp conditions. Good work on the recycled materials for your pea trellis.

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  3. Your garden looks so green and lush! Let's hope sunshine is right around the corner. My garden could use some sun too! =0)

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  4. Oh your garden just looks fabulous... I love your pea fence, and I'd love to pinch the idea - it's fabulous!

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  5. The sage is lovely, I wonder if my overwintered sage will bloom as well? Here's hoping for sunshine soon in New England.

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  6. The garden looks great Thomas. Your sage flowers are a beautiful color. My sage bush flowers are a light lavender color. What variety of sage is it?

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  7. Everyone has so much rain! Your pea bed and fence look just like mine, I did bush beans in front, too! Hope yours germinate well.

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  8. Every thing looks really nice. I put in some Seascape too. I think I'll be pulling off flowers until the beginning of July. then Maybe I'll get some strawberries.

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  9. I've been wondering this for a while: What is the difference between scallions, green onions, and regular onions? Are they technically the same things (but at different developmental stages, or harvested for different plant parts)?

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  10. Thomas, I never tire of seeing your garden. Always something beautiful going on. My vote would be for the flavored oil. Sounds delightful.

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  11. Your garden looks quite beautiful. I love the straw mulched paths and well organized beds. All the plants look so healthy! It seems like it was a just a few short weeks ago that your were waiting for the snow to melt.

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  12. You really have the prettiest garden I think I've ever seen. I hope one day, when I have a yard and a real garden, that mine will look half as good.

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  13. Looks wonderful! I'm hoping that one day I can have mine looking that nice!

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  14. I was going to get on and say how beautiful and zen-like your gardens look, but everyone else beat me to it.

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  15. Your garden is looking great Thomas! We've has so much rain here this spring it's been ne'er impossible to plant!

    I must admit, I admire how tidy your gardens are!

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  16. All looking great! It hurts picking of those strawberry flowers doesn't it. Have you "normal" strawberries too?

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  17. Thanks for your kind comments everyone!

    Robin - unfortunately, I have know idea what variety of sage it is. I don't think the packet specified.

    GCMG - I've wondered the same thing. I think scallions and green onions are the same. I'm pretty sure they are different from onions in that they don't bulb up.

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  18. Absolutely stunning, Thomas....Your garden always looks so good.

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  19. looking good. looks like it grows in very nice environment. it's well, so well

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