popular What have you done today in the Garden?

Sjoerd, they often give enough for a few pies and a batch or two of jam, for both the blackberries and the raspberries. Plus fresh eating. I couldn't ask for more.

Here's a small dish from July a few years ago. Plus some figs and Shiro plums.

 

You are right— who could ask for more. It is just right. What a nice harvest foto; so tidy and delicious-looking. That Shiro plum— I do not know that one. Perhaps we have another name here. What are it’s properties? I just keep looking at that foto.

 

Shiro is an Japanese plum hybrid from the late 1800s. Very sweet and juicy. If you bite into one, the juice will run down your face. Makes a lovely jam. The tree is fairly compact.

 

Ta Daniel. I like the sound of it’s properties. BTW— what colour does the jam have?

 

Today we were in the mid 50's and a bit windy so did some clean up. My daughter helped me plant Lincoln Peas and Sugar Snap Peas. Put out another bird feeder and replaced the clothes line that broke over winter.

 

Very pretty. Light yellow, like the plum but mire brilliant.

Some people don't like them because they so juicy. I like them very much.

 

Today I cleaned up some of the 25 gallon fabric containers, filled them part way with the questionable growing medium, and planted sprouted potato left-overs from the garage. These were the small potatoes that are too much trouble to clean up and peel. The sprouts are one to two inches long. It's OK if they don't grow, but I think they probably will. There are a few remaining ones. Not many. They'll get pressure cooked and fed to the chickens.

 

Waste not, want not…right.
Those chooks will enjoy those. I agree with you that those spuds will probably flourish in that bag. What was it about that soil that was questionable?

Thanks for the additional info on the plum. They do sound interesting to me. After removing all of our plum trees last year we are sort of thinking about a new apple or plum addition.

 

Sjoerd, last year I used this growing mix for potatoes, tomatoes, onions, shallots, peppers, and flowers. Only the potatoes grew. I suspect herbicide contamination. I won't reuse the part that had potatoes, and I already disposed of some. But if it grew potatoes last year, I think the rest is OK for potatoes this year.

For the containers from last year, I plan to obtain a new and different mix from a different source.

 

Snow has finally receded, we've begun the yard clean up. We've had a lot of downed branches from the winter storm that took out so many mailboxes in town. So far, we've had 2 all day burns. I think i permanently smell like wood smoke.

In other news, I'm advertising for new members for our community garden. We have 6 vacancies this year... That's a lot for us. A lot of gardeners downsizing & moving away.

 

Finished pruning all of the roses and planted 2 pots of hyacinths.

 

I've scarified the lawn a lot more this afternoon with my Black & Decker scarifier, on the low setting. (it only has three). Between what I took off a couple of days ago and today, I've nearly filled the green bin.
It's a necessary job each year, but the lawn will look a bit rough for a couple of weeks. but will recover




It's going to rain all day tomorrow and be wet for the rest of the week.

 

Today I divided the colony of Egyptian Walking Onions. I replanted them into two half-barrel planters, after mixing some organic fertilizer into the soil. This colony of onions has been with me for 23 years. Where they shine the most, is in making early scallions, before any others are even close to ready. They can make small to moderate size bulb onions too, if they are divided, fertilized, and not allowed to make offsets. Still, other onions are better for bulb / storage onions.

I also replanted a few clusters of garlic. They are growing, but I don't want them in that location now. I have plenty more, but I don't like to discard nice plants. Now that location will be part of the open pathway in the micro orchard, as originally planned.

I spread more wood chips in pathways and on the bearded iris bed.

I grafted two scion of Jonathan, the classic midwestern pie apple, onto shoots of a Redlove Era espalier. Redlove Era has not performed well. I want to replace some of the tiers with varieties that have proven themselves here. Don't do what I did, using a straight edge razor blade. It cuts the scion and stock wood OK, but cut my thumb even better. I am accident - prone. I decided not to go to urgent care, just washed thoroughly bandaged firmly, with neosporin on the cut edge. When I returned to the tree, I saw that the cut was actually pretty good, so attached the Jonathan scion and wrapped, gingerly and with some "ouches". I think the graft should take. The say a grafter's blood sacrifice is beneficial for tree growth.

A couple of weeks ago, I had planted one of the half barrel planters with snow pea plants. Gradually, all of the plants vanished. Oh well. I had scattered slug bait. It's either jays, mice, voles, or the feral cat I caught in the garden bed. Next time I'll try more screening wire.

 

Potted on 20 lupin plants into 3 in pots.

 

Daniel— I am very sorry to hear that the snow peas have disappeared. That is irritating.
It sounds like the rest is going well.

Loggie— that is a lot of Lupins. How large are those pots? Are they different colours.