Saturday, May 31, 2014

A Week later in the Garden


The time to hoe and weed is before it looks like it's needed. I spent a morning in the garden, doing a preemptive strike -- rain is in the forecast and things can get out of hand more quickly than you could imagine.


Up above the rock wall I've sown California poppies -- a gift from my friend Josie.  They were tiny gray-green threads the first time I weeded but now they've made some size and I'm looking forward to flowers  in the month to come. f nothing don't happen, as they say.


There's lettuce and spinach and chard and kale in the box beds -- now that they're weeded, they need to be thinned and spread around.  

 In the lower tiers, corn in sprouting through the netting the protects the sprouting kernels from the crows.

And the tomatoes are taking hold and starting to grow.  

The collards and kale, broccoli and cauliflower are under cover -- protecting them from  bugs. These greens are amazingly tender -- we've been enjoying them stir fried and raw in salads.

I've been picking the asparagus almost every day --  with June almost here, it'll soon be time to leave it alone and let it grow. 


Eggplant (below) as yet untouched by the usually inevitable flea beetles -- perhaps the colder than usual winter is responsible.


So far, so good -- that's the most one dares say about a garden. The deer and bunnies, worms and bugs, crows and groundhogs and voles are lurking -- not to mention all the blights and mildews,  molds and viruses just waiting to attack.  An exercise of faith, if ever there was one.
 





10 comments:

Victoria said...

Such lush and fecund beauty. It's amazing what the right amount of rainfall can do!

Brian Miller said...

an exercise of faith indeed....and def so much can get out of hand so quickly...the rain earlier this week was good for ours...and the mild days that followed....kinda cool on the porch this morning reading...

Barbara Rogers said...

What promise you have. I am so amazed that people used to (and some do again) live off the bounty of their gardens alone.

NCmountainwoman said...

These afternoon showers have really made things grow and thrive. Too bad the weeds always seem to shoot up so fast. Your gardens are a lot of work, but the rewards are many.

Jime said...

Good luck to you and John with your garden. I'm sure you will win most of the fight with nature and grow a bountiful crop.

Inger said...

Such a pretty garden. Good luck with it all and let us know if the California poppies bloom in your climate.

Thérèse said...

Such beauty, such miracles in the doing.
Good luck with all tempted creatures...

Frances said...

Vicki, with these posts about the arrival of springtime in North Carolina, you continue to cast a spell on me.

Thank you! xo

jennyfreckles said...

After a backbreaking day spent in my tiny yard (trimming hedges and planting tubs) I can only wonder afresh at your dedication and patience with all things green. Luckily I can enjoy it all vicariously through your pics.

Stella Jones said...

Your garden is growing beautifully Vicki and with all the experience you have in your armoury, the means to deal with all the pests too, I believe. I know what you mean by 'things get out of hand quickly'. Over here we have had two weeks of rain and all is a jungle!