Friday, April 9, 2010
Will Spring Ever Arrive?
Well its April and our weather is finally acting like winter. We have the winds, hail, snow and clear cold nights.
All the tomato plants are up in the greenhouse and Dan has them all transplanted into bigger, individual pots. He seems tireless in his determination to get everything tagged and in their rightful pots. He barely manages to drag himself in at the end of the day.
We are boosting the heater up for added warmth and have the fans running over the plants to make their stems and roots very strong. I love going in there when it is storming outside. It is cosy warm and smells of damp earth. Even the dogs venture in occasionally and sit by the door.
The compost tea is alive and brewing in the corner and we use this as an additional defense against disease and weakness.
The peppers are a bit slow but coming on steadily and all the other veggies have emerged. We planted the pumpkins a little early this year and they are HUGE!
I am putting two sunflowers to a pot this year as last year they were a little weak-looking.
My flower baskets are less this year than last because of the shortage of plastic baskets from the supplier. So my flats of flowers sit waiting to be intermingled into hanging masterpieces. Hopefully they will come in soon. I have had to supplement bags of potting mix from Home Depot to keep us going as the pallet of bales I ordered is on back order. I need to find more local or close suppliers so this doesn't happen again.
My aquatic plant order is also late due to the company misplacing my order but they have assured me it has been shipped. My water hyacinths are always the biggest at the show because I get them going in warm water in the greenhouse.
Went to my Farmers Market meeting last Saturday morning and got signed up for another year. The work party to get the booths set up is on the 24th. Saturday Betsy took Blue out (our good ole Chevy dump-truck) and got some loads of composted manure and garden mix for the new garden bed on the side of the shop. We cut back the pussy willow without removing it entirely to make way for it. The reflection off the shop should really warm up the tomato plants we will plant there.
Easter did cooperate for us with a warm sunny day. The Easter egg hunt was a huge success with a bonus silly string and water fight. Lots of eggs were found and the chickens even were sitting on some money-filled eggs that they didn't want to give up to the children.
Dan got an early birthday present this year. I bought a riding lawn mower for him at the Depot. The doctor doesn't want me mowing because of tendonitis in my feet, and Dan shouldn't do it as well. My lawn is narrow but long; big enough to wear him out. I told him he will get to drive it down to James and Jenna's and mow theirs as well. The lawn does seem to be greening up finally and the lilacs and other shrubs are budding out. Rhubarb is going full tilt in their pots and the viburnum in the greenhouse is blooming. So fragrant!
We decided not to go to the big home show at the convention center today as my hip was causing me pain, but we wanted to get information on solar and wind suppliers in the area. We are trying to get net-metering hooked up and possibly a wind turbine on the roof to help supplement our energy usages. With all the wind we have been having the last week, it really would have been going great guns!
My first show is just around the corner. So much still to plan and get done. My carts seem to have suffered a bit over the winter so replacing some wheels and other parts. Bought a new one also as it was on sale at Harbor Freight and Dan is building a second tier on it so it will carry more.
The kids are coming over tomorrow to help out. Greatly appreciated. Cleaning out the shop is tops on the list so the rider can have a home.
Here's to Spring! Please come soon!
All the tomato plants are up in the greenhouse and Dan has them all transplanted into bigger, individual pots. He seems tireless in his determination to get everything tagged and in their rightful pots. He barely manages to drag himself in at the end of the day.
We are boosting the heater up for added warmth and have the fans running over the plants to make their stems and roots very strong. I love going in there when it is storming outside. It is cosy warm and smells of damp earth. Even the dogs venture in occasionally and sit by the door.
The compost tea is alive and brewing in the corner and we use this as an additional defense against disease and weakness.
The peppers are a bit slow but coming on steadily and all the other veggies have emerged. We planted the pumpkins a little early this year and they are HUGE!
I am putting two sunflowers to a pot this year as last year they were a little weak-looking.
My flower baskets are less this year than last because of the shortage of plastic baskets from the supplier. So my flats of flowers sit waiting to be intermingled into hanging masterpieces. Hopefully they will come in soon. I have had to supplement bags of potting mix from Home Depot to keep us going as the pallet of bales I ordered is on back order. I need to find more local or close suppliers so this doesn't happen again.
My aquatic plant order is also late due to the company misplacing my order but they have assured me it has been shipped. My water hyacinths are always the biggest at the show because I get them going in warm water in the greenhouse.
Went to my Farmers Market meeting last Saturday morning and got signed up for another year. The work party to get the booths set up is on the 24th. Saturday Betsy took Blue out (our good ole Chevy dump-truck) and got some loads of composted manure and garden mix for the new garden bed on the side of the shop. We cut back the pussy willow without removing it entirely to make way for it. The reflection off the shop should really warm up the tomato plants we will plant there.
Easter did cooperate for us with a warm sunny day. The Easter egg hunt was a huge success with a bonus silly string and water fight. Lots of eggs were found and the chickens even were sitting on some money-filled eggs that they didn't want to give up to the children.
Dan got an early birthday present this year. I bought a riding lawn mower for him at the Depot. The doctor doesn't want me mowing because of tendonitis in my feet, and Dan shouldn't do it as well. My lawn is narrow but long; big enough to wear him out. I told him he will get to drive it down to James and Jenna's and mow theirs as well. The lawn does seem to be greening up finally and the lilacs and other shrubs are budding out. Rhubarb is going full tilt in their pots and the viburnum in the greenhouse is blooming. So fragrant!
We decided not to go to the big home show at the convention center today as my hip was causing me pain, but we wanted to get information on solar and wind suppliers in the area. We are trying to get net-metering hooked up and possibly a wind turbine on the roof to help supplement our energy usages. With all the wind we have been having the last week, it really would have been going great guns!
My first show is just around the corner. So much still to plan and get done. My carts seem to have suffered a bit over the winter so replacing some wheels and other parts. Bought a new one also as it was on sale at Harbor Freight and Dan is building a second tier on it so it will carry more.
The kids are coming over tomorrow to help out. Greatly appreciated. Cleaning out the shop is tops on the list so the rider can have a home.
Here's to Spring! Please come soon!
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