Drew Lawson wrote:
songbird writes:

yesterday sunny and windy, but warm enough to
get out and get some gardening done.

I wasn't as productive as you, but compared to last year, yesterday
was productive.

Last weekend, I stripped off the deer fence so that I could till
all the way to the edge. That included cutting all the stuff
incroaching from the neighbor's yard. (I hate wild grape vine.)

yeah, wild grape vines can take down a fence.
i finally had enough of it last year along one
area and spent a lot of time clearing it along
one half of the bank, but could not get the
rest done in time. i've also cleared most of
it out of the north hedge but it looks like i
missed a vine i'll have to go back in there.
i have to check that hedge once in a while for
poison ivy too so...

i'm hoping it won't be coming back this year
or that i can get back along those areas to remove
any new vines that try to show up.


Yesterday, the weather allowed tilling. Had to get it done in one
day, given the forecast. But this pudgy couch potato managed. Even
got the fencing reattached to the posts. (That needs a better
concept for the older year that are upcoming.) Hopefully my stamina
will improve as the gardening year progresses and the muscles adapt.

that's how it goes for me as long as i don't
injure myself or make current issues worse. at
the moment it's been rain/rain/rain so not much
is getting done outside other than once in a
while plinking at the last three grackles that
are being more persistent than the rest (which
seem to have gotten the message and gone elsewhere
to nest).


Oh! And I got my red currant plants in the ground. Still can't
get black currants in Ohio, but I'll be happy with red -- in 2-4
years, given that they are 3" tall.

we had a friend who made jelly out of them
and it was ok, but i've never grown them myself.
if i ever get the north hedge properly fixed my
plan would be to put a decent fence along there
and then put in a line of blueberries because
those are so good to have fresh.


today snowing.

Today was scattered thunderstorms (and a tornado watch). But in
the intervals between downpours I managed to get all the piles of
brush -- the grape invasions, the excess redbuds, and the attempted
pawpaw expansion -- into the truck. Back and knees permitting,
after work tomorrow I'll drop them off at the county yard waste
site, and load my first truckful of mulch for the year. The tilled
garden takes about 12 trips to mulch. Last year I went ahead and
planted before it was all mulched, the weeds got ahead, and I never
got things contained.

cardboard can do in a pinch.


Hoping to avoid that this year.

i was going to get peas planted but i think with the
weather forecast being cool and too wet i'll wait a
week longer.

The way spring is tending around here, I think I've already missed
the window for peas. I intended to till at the beginning of March,
but wasn't dedicated enough. If I had, peas would be in the ground.
Maybe next year. If so, sugar peas are on the menu.

rain and cold still in the forecast so i'll be
waiting for a bit more warmth and less rain... the
clay is a mess if it gets this much rain and i'm
better off not trying to do much.


songbird