Oh March.......
Snowy, windy mornings......
Of course I planted things outside already. Of course it was a week of 60-70F weather. Even then I considered cold weather returning, wild weather swings are the norm. I expected a bit of snow. I expected it to last 12-36 hours. That would be normal, it's not normal anymore. Did I expect 15F degree weather and high wind? Nope.
So I decided to run with it and did an experiment.
These two beds are covered in single layer frost cloth and mulched heavily with shredded leaves, a few months old and planted in raised beds with cement block.
Kale, chinese cabbage, romaine lettuce and butter crunch lettuce.
This bed is planted on the ground, no raised bed, single layer of frost cloth and not mulch.
I would say the most exposed of all beds. Cabbage starts are under the cloth.
Savoy, purple and jersey wakefield varieties
These two beds are planted in the ground, no mulch and double frost cloth.
Cabbage, two varieties; little tiara and savoy.
Kohlrabi variety Kossack and white turnips, variety; hakurei (hands down favorite of any turnip so far)
I have not dared to peek under the covers, fearing total loss with temps low enough to freeze the ground. The winds have been downright brutal, gusting to 45 mph. This current weather pattern holds until next week when we creep into the 40's but at least above freezing. A bit of sun would do wonders! Stay tuned for the results.....
Quite a bit has been transplanted. In the past I have always transplanted iris in August/Sept. It never happened. I now believe the people setting dates set in stone were men. Women just know stuff is going to change and if there is time; DO IT!
Lemon balm has been yanked out and unceremoniously plopped behind the compost pile. I didn't even bother with the gardeners prayer; "Grow Dammit" because it just doesn't matter. No one ever said; " Oh I think I need more lemon balm!" No one!
I need to move the cold frame to make way for the cattle panel hoop house. Ran out on a Saturday morning, cleaned it out, moved the panels and tried to pick up the end. Groan, pull again. Grunting, cursing, off to get a pry bar......nothing. Completely forgot I sunk the 4x4's about 2 feet in the ground. Even with the wet ground it was not budging. I need to take each board off and move it. Argh.... another day! Some days I just run out of gas.
I sat on the edge of the cold frame with a hot cup of coffee and watched the chickens....
The girls did a great job on the compost pile and cleaning out the back garden! Bravo ladies! These three gals are going on 4 years and I get about 10-12 eggs a week. More than I need. They do have their drawbacks however. While I was moving blueberry bushes I let them free range around the back garden. I would dig and prep a large hole and by the time I got the blueberry bush out of the ground and wrangled the root ball and all to the prepared hole, the chickens had filled in the hole looking for bugs and treats. Grrrr... re-dig and plant. 6 blueberry bushes later I had time to plant the brassicas in the raised beds. As long as there is fresh dirt there are chickens on a mission. Excuse me ma'am, we do have a dress code in the garden.......
Looking over my shoulder, the ladies were raking fragile, shallow rooted blueberry roots with their talons of doom. C'mon ladies! There are 3 chickens, two stick together like glue and one is on her own. I jumped to chase them off the preciously planted blueberries. They scattered in three different directions. I went for the gang of two and herded them back to the chicken corral with a pointy rake. Locked up I ran back to get the third, finding her chowing down on tender brassica starts. Chickens 1 - Gardener 0. Grabbed her and tossed in the corral with the other two offenders. Between weather and chickens those kale plants don't stand a chance, I will be direct sowing in a couple weeks. The chickens are currently on lock down until I get a chicken tractor made. The red shoulder hawks have taken up residence in the maple tree next to the garden so free range is probably not a great idea this Spring. They do continue to storm the gates with the eternal hope of escaping and wreaking havoc on fresh shoots in the asparagus and peony beds. At night I have visions of them whittling little pitch forks and smoking cigarettes planning their jail break.
It is the season for knee pads and weeding knives....
I don't think I could work without a hori. I can't walk out the back door without pruners clipped to my pocket, knee pads strapped on and the hori shoved in my back pocket. I could take a kidney out if I forget and sit down too quick! or the chickens could use it as a shiv to make their break when I gather eggs.... I have urban thug chickens, not country chickens.
Even with knee pads dirt happens.....
At the end of the day there is time for sunsets, beach fires and a really good dog who isn't trying to shiv the gardener for greener pastures ........
His new arthritis meds have helped so much...... :)
Hoping as much as possible there will survive a chill snap....I haven't even sown any seeds yet! I don't think we are due anything as cold as where you are.
ReplyDeleteThat's a lovely picture of Kirby..your workshop and garden assistant!