Garden lore

I found these bits of garden lore that I found to be interesting. This type of information is fascinating to me. Just when I think that I cannot garden without the internet, a reference book, or a magazine!

*Plant beets and carrots when dandelions are blooming
*Plant potatoes when the shadbush (Amelanchier arborea) bloom. Which is a phenologism itself since shadbush is named so because it blooms in time with the Shad runs. Are there any shad running anywhere anymore?
*Plant lettuce, spinach, and peas when the lilacs show their first true leaves or when the daffodils bloom
*Plant beans when lilacs are in full bloom
*Plant cucumbers and squash when the lilacs fade
*Grasshopper eggs hatch when the lilac blooms
*Plant tomatoes, peppers, and early corn when the dogwoods are full blown or when daylilies start to bloom
*Plant corn when elm leaves are the size of a squirrel's ear or when oak leaves are the size of a mouse's.
*Plant perennials when maple leaves begin to unfurl
*Prune roses when the forsythia blooms
*Plant pansies, snapdragons, and other hardy annuals after the aspens and chokecherry trees are leafed out. This indicates no more hard frosts.
*Or, when you see new growth on green ash, grapes, and bur oaks, it's safe to plant annuals
Or, when peaches and plums are in full bloom
*Plant morning glory seeds when maples are fully leafed out
*When Morning Glories start to climb, Japanese Beetles arrive
*When Foxgloves open, Mexican bean beetles appear
*Plant aboveground crop vegetables on a waxing moon (from new to full)
*Plant underground crop vegetables and flowering bulbs on a waning moon (from full to new)
*Cut down trees on a waning moon
*When wasps build their nests in exposed areas, it will be a dry year
*When the locusts bloom in May, it will turn cold and rainy (this happens every year, I swear)
*When the sun goes to bed red, 'twill rain tomorrow tis said...same as red sky at night, sailor's delight, red sky at dawn, sailors take warn
*And of course, fond to me, since I'm surrounded by corn "Knee high by the Fourth of July"

It is rainy today with only a slight chance of showers tomorrow. The raised beds might go out to the garden tomorrow!

Raised bed gardening

Bill and I measured the garden tonight so I can plan for raised beds. I was surprised to find out that the garden actually measures 35x40 ft. My other bed that we added last year is 9x19 ft. And to think that I want more garden!!
I have been online tonight looking for information of raised bed gardening. I am a researcher by fault. Nothing can be done without it.
I'm off to plan my beds!
Good night!

Lazy Sunday

Well, I did not get any gardening accomplished today. Slept in too late, missed church, and the rest of the day went after that. We did go to Wal Mart and I got some more potting soil, small dixie cups, and 16 oz. cups. Many of my seedlings are ready to pot up into other containers which is why I got the 16 oz. cups. I am running low on small dixies, so I got 200 more of those. I saw a blog the other day that was saying how much they liked using the wood form that makes the newspaper pots. That would certainly be more environmentally friendly.
Back to work tomorrow. Hopefully I will have some time to work in the shed a little. The temps are supposed to start warming back up and be around 70 by Wednesday.
I am trying to talk my husband into making a raised bed type of garden this year instead of regular rows. He is not in favor of the idea. He wanted to know how he would till the beds. I told him that the idea would be that after a period of time, the soil would not have to be worked like that anymore and would not get compacted. Maybe I can just start with a couple beds this year. :)

Dreary cold day today

My vegetable garden just waiting for me to get
busy!

My yellow columbine has some volunteer
seedlings

The flowers of the grape hyacinth are just
starting to come up. They are a bit hard to see
yet.

The flower bed on the south side of the house
is in need of some redesign this year

If you look very closely, you can see the new
asparagus coming up as well as how badly I
need to weed!

Today is cold and dreary. The temperature is only 44 degrees and the winds are up to 20 mph. I went out to take some more pictures of what is going on in the yard. While I was out there, I saw a goldfinch that was the prettiest yellow! I was surprised to see him so colorful at this time of the year (even if it is nearly mid April, it sure does not feel like it today!).


I have been watching a robin outside my kitchen window this morning. There has been a lot of activity in the large blue spruce outside the window. The birds must be getting ready to nest. It has been preening and fluffing its feathers. Probable because of the cold! The fluffing part anyway.


After I get some things done in the house, I would like to get out to my shed and pot up some more seeds and transplant some seedlings.

What's blooming today??

My daffodils bloomed today! It is so nice to see that bit of color in the landscape. They just scream spring to me. The other picture is of another crocus variety that is starting to bloom.

While cleaning out the flower beds this past weekend, I noticed that just about everything is coming up. My knock out roses have some dead that needs trimmed back, but not as bad a last year when I nearly had to trim them back to the ground. Everything that is not green is budding. This is the time of year that I am glad that I do not live further north. Ask me in July when it is a sauna outside, and I might tell you differently. The forecast is for heavy rains today. Everything will get a good soaking.

Home for a Frog

I am hoping that a frog or toad makes a home in my new container. I purchased it for a steal at Hobby Lobby for $4.

Has anyone had any success with frog/toad houses? Is there a particular way that they should face? I currently have it on the west side of the house, but think that may get a bit too warm.

Visitors to my blog!!

I just checked the sitemeter on my blog and found that people are actually looking at my blog! I am thrilled! I hope that the interest continues. Since I have just started, there probably is not that much for people to look at yet.
Leave me a comment when you are here or let me know how you found me...