It’s been quite awhile since I’ve been in the garden for any length of time. Life has been busy. We received news that we are expecting and will be having a baby at the end of May! We’re very excited. Needless to say, we’ve been visiting family as well as getting our third bedroom ready [...]
There was no shortage of things to do this past weekend and the weather was perfect. Even Sunday with the overcast sky and misty air provided a break from the direct sun as I pulled up the broccoli plants. I wasn’t too happy to find a couple handfuls of grubs happily munching away at the [...]
It was time to do some major clean-up of the yard this weekend. We’ve only mowed the lawn once since last September, so it was starting to look pretty shaggy. Unfortunately, our lawn mower is in disrepair and I had to hire a guy to come out and do the mowing for us. First, however, [...]
The high temperature yesterday was nearly 80 degrees – a big swing from the low temperature of 42 degrees we enjoyed overnight. The broccoli plants must have gotten confused and thought it was summer because they spent all their energies stretching their crowns up to the sky! Fortunately, no flowering occurred, and we harvested and each ate a large portion of broccoli with our dinner last night. Calabrese broccoli has a very mild flavor, and it was delicious steamed and plain. I’m not usually one to eat broccoli stalks, but I found myself really enjoying the softer center of the stalk. I had to stop myself from peeling off the outer skin, reminding myself that it is full of nutrients, too. I think that when I’m finished harvesting crowns and shoots, I’m definitely going to harvest what I can of the stalks, cut them up and freeze them for broccoli cheese soup later on. I’m wondering how my two newest broccoli plants will fare after transplanting them. Will they produce well or simply bolt? Well, there’s only one sure-fire way to figure that out. Plant them!
Many of the seedlings have emerged and are reaching towards that yellow ball of fire in the sky. What a miracle it is – every time – to see fresh new life emerge from a dry seed. Look at what’s coming up:
In addition to the new seedlings, there is exciting new life in the garden as well. Dry, withered chive leaves have given room to explosive new shoots. Prostrate rosemary offers up a delicate flower for Spring. Dry thyme branches burst forth with green growth. Oregano continues its crawl without missing a beat. Broccoli ready for harvest. Wildflowers preparing their colorful flowers with a fluffy mass of greens. Lettuce heads crowding together in the dappled light of an old fence. Crinkly spinach leaves unfurling. Yes, Spring is definitely in the air!
