Saturday, April 16, 2011

Rhubarb looks good!

These were taken a few days ago.

Rhubarb leaves are pretty crinkly when they first open.

Here are some of the crowns I transplanted with part of the original clump behind. The transplants are doing very well.


Lots of other stuff is starting to bloom, including forsythia.


Daffodils


More daffodils


Yes, even more!


These are squills I think. Some yards are just blue with them around here so I found a few where I could dig them up and trans[planted them in our yard and garden where they are spreading like weeds.

Monday, April 11, 2011

Starting this year's garden - rhubarb, lettuce and spinach.

A couple days ago I noticed that the rhubarb had started coming up. It was time to lift and separate. The clump was about three feet long and half as wide and had probably been there ten or fifteen years. I dug around the clump and lifted under 'outliers' until they loosened and I could lift them out without disturbing the main clump. I replanted some of the outliers more or less in a row with the original and potted up a couple more in buckets to give away. Probably two thirds of the clump remained in place so we should still get some stalks. The roots on the transplanted crowns were pretty big as well so we shall see what they do this first year after transplant.

I also got the whiskey barrel planter covered and planted. We're expecting highs in the 60s this week so I'll have to open the poly dome to keep it from cooking. But the warm temps should stimulate germination of:
  • Harmony Hybrid spinach
  • Bloomsdale Long Standing Spinach
  • New Red fire Lettuce
  • Jung's Sweet Repeat Mix Lettuce (probably red fire and simpson. :D )
  • Black Seeded Simpson Lettuce.
Inside I put some tomato seed on damp paper towel including:
  • SS1 (*)
  • SS2 (*)
  • Early Girl Hybrid
(*) These are seed I saved from tomatoes bought at the store and I don't know if they will breed true. I also don't know what IP I am violating by saving seed so they shall remain nameless.

I plan to start some pepper seed as well. I picked up Super Sweet 100 hybrid, a cherry tomato, and Mortgage Lifter - an heirloom beefsteak variety. I also got a long pepper mix (Corno di Toro and Sweet Banana)

I also threw some more seed down alongside the drive where the neighbor pulled out the Chinese Elms (Yay!) I found a mix with Bluegrass, Fescues and some Perennial Rye. Something in there should prosper along the drive I hope. I should get some out in the recently tilled spot in back as well. We've got a couple more days in the mid 60s so I hope to take advantage of them.