Sunday, December 17, 2006

Bits of green along with the brown

With spring-like temperatures today, I was drawn out to the garden. The sky was overcast and dreary, but plant life showed itself here and there along my journey of inspection.










Strawberry plants are staking out their territory in the garden bed. I found a last bit of broccoli that tasted delicious after a nice rinse in cold water.



The chives were down, but not yet dead and some sturdy sprigs of pineapple mint nested in a bed of leaves. The roses are not in winter shock mode yet, and have green growing tips. Spring bulbs were trying to make a stand, but I dumped a thick layer of rotting straw on top of them.

2 comments:

microdot said...

This is the time for massive amounts of horse manure! Luckily for me I have a great source so now a huge pile of 4 tractor loads in front of the barn. Lawrence Hill says the optimal date is the 21st of December. All the trees, honeysuckle, bushes, wisteria etc. are getting a few shovefulls.
Then over the flower beds and onto the vegetable garden.
I also liberally use fireplace ashes around the raspberries and trees all winter long.
I don't know if you are familiar with the english gardening author Lawrence Hill, but his books are scripture to me!

Village Green said...

Four tractorloads of horse manure would be enough to fertilize my little urban garden for years. Sounds like you have a beautiful place, with garden and barn. Where I live used to be a summer cottage area of Akron. Across the lake at the north end was Summit Lake Park with rides and band pavillion. So the land parcels along the lake are itty bitty. No need for tractors. I have a wheelbarrow and one old shovel. I will check out your garden author. My favorite garden book is the Ruth Stout No Work Garden Book.