The Summer-like Spring Continues

The great weather continues with only a brief interlude of a frost one night. No real damage on the homestead as no fragile plants have been put out yet, only seeds planted so far. Since it has been warm so early some Maine farmers were at risk for  their various fruit blossoms: strawberries, blueberries and fruit trees.  But all is fine here. The strawberry crop looks to be a bountiful one this year....many white blossoms and now berries forming.

As you can see below, the azaleas finally are blooming.  My plants are along side the garage and are in the shade a lot so seem to bloom later than most around this area but they are worth the wait. The next photo is of the wisteria in the archway by the raised bed garden. Its bloom this year is a mix of white and purple and there are many, many blooms.

The nighttime temperatures are nearly 50 degrees now or above and the days are near 70 or above in the ten day forecast so it was definitely time to put out the greenhouse and add all the plants that have been started inside the house. Hopefully the tomato plants and other things will now experience a big growth spurt as the weather is so good there really can be put in the ground soon, possible even before the usual Memorial Day planting weekend.

 

The last two pictures show the creative log rack that my neighbor Pipe Smoking Paul invented many years ago. He lent it to me to use to cut the many pole of wood I had gathered than needed to be cut into stove-sized pieces. These pictures are before and after shots  In a matter of minutes the chain saw turned it into cut logs. I actually did three rack loads of pieces.  I now had my winter of 2010-2011 wood supply all gathered and should easily have over three cords ready for seasoning all summer and fall. I do have quite a pile of these newly cut logs and some others logs that do need splitting into smaller pieces though.

Some new plantings this week include snow peas, sunflowers, and acorn squash. I have cleaned and prepared some additional planting beds so am ready to plant more beans and other things. The potatoes have now emerged in their rows and the onions are flourishing nicely.  The asparagus is simple wonderful this year. Four meals so far and counting. I expect to make the first rhubarb pies just before the family arrives from Brooklyn for a week long visit over Memorial Day.

May Flowers and Vegetable Gardening Flourish

April was a perfect weather month in Maine but May seems that it might even top that phenomenon. The first week is ending and only two modest rain events so far but a lot of sun and warm temperatures. Hence I am planting more early crops than any year so far.  I have planted sweet corn; various beans for drying in the fall, namely pinto, cannellini and red kidney; kale; arugula; turnips; carrots; radishes; lettuce; Italian dandelion green; Swiss chard; scallions; green beans; beets; and broccoli raab. The onion sets planted recently are all growing very visibly and the potatoes are starting to emerge. I have now served asparagus for dinner three times!  The strawberries are growing well and the four beds of them are full of white blooms and the beginnings of small berries. The peas are emerging nicely as well and the rhubarb is close to the first harvest and that means some rhubarb pie.

I have used all the wood chips recently acquired and completed a few Field Garden paths with them after putting down some black plastic. I could use another couple truck loads of chips, easily. I have now resorted to covering the paths with leaf mulch now so that some of the essential paths are covered between the permanent beds of strawberries, asparagus, garlic,, rhubarb. etc.  It is important to create these weed barriers and buffers for the sake of the garden beds and to lighted my weeding load somewhat.  The Raised Bed Garden has wood frames and more years of existence so weeding is quite minimal. I believe the pictures below gives you some sense of the effort I speak of.  Note the garlic in the middle-right of the first picture, now a foot tall and looking like a bumper crop.  I bet the cow manure added to the soil will trigger larger garlic bulbs when harvested this July..

The next picture shows the first stack of wood right behind the fence and convenient to the deck and hence, the door near the wood stove. I will have the three pallets arranged there all covered with stacked firewood when I complete the cutting  to size and splitting of the wood awaiting that finishing in my wood staging area. You can also see thick leaf mulch spread before the pallets and fence.  This weed infested area in the past will become a nice place for some flowers and bushes when the mulch successfully kills off the weeds.

Lastly, I thought I would share some photos of the glorious colors of the spring flowers now blooming all over the place. The Raised Bed Garden is bordered with a wonderful display of tulips that seem to be more beautiful as each year goes by.  Behind the tulips the first five beds are almost completely planted.  Some closeups of lilacs, grape hyacinths, and creeping flocks seem to be the best way to share their bright colors. To me the prettiest spring "bloom" is the tasty green asparagus...so worth the wait and short season each spring. You can almost see it grow more each day. Hopefully, I will be able to harvest some regularly for the whole month of May.