new growth and lots of rain

Despite 4.5" of rain overnight, we have new sprouts of lettuce and radish poking up in the north bed.
Many of the red onions were washed down the slope in a rush of water and mud where I had cleared some land. Silly me.

Currants are putting up shoots and I cleared some mulch from the bases today.

Sedum is everywhere growing fast. Other north side perennials are starting too.

Raked the front yard on Tuesday.

14 April Planting

A brief moment of sunny and wind allowed a little early planting.

Martha Washington Asparagus and 3 rows of Yellow Stuttgarter Onions in the spice garden.

2 rows of onions, Red Comred and Yellow SR in new garden space along the eastern fence. 

 More asparagus in the raised bed for protection. Do rabbits like asparagus? We will find out.

3 tomatoes moved from cold frame to the north bed:

2 Wisconsin 55s (east and center) and 1 San Marco.

Now it is time to move more plants out of the basement and into the cold frame.

Yes!

0.34 inches of rain overnight and now I have 165 gallons of water in my rain barrels!

Sowing seeds

0.06" of rain overnight. Big deal.
Both beds are prepared, so I threw some seeds in the ground.
Carrots, Radish, Lettuce, Spinach and Swiss Chard (in honor of Fabian Cancellara's 2013 Paris-Roubaix ).

2013: Let's get growing!

5 May 2013

Much is already growing. But the real story is that we need rain. 16 days without a drop. Next week's 50% chance days are not filling me with hope. I do have 4 new rain barrels on order, but they won't be here until Earth Day.

Outside we have onions, 

chives,

rhubarb,

hollyhocks,

daffodils and irises,

tarragon,

and strawberries showing their noses.

 Planted a few heirloom snapdragons thinned from the under the grow light in the basement. They came from a friend in Peoria. I grew them their 4 years ago and kept the seeds until now.
 
 

Planted poppies in eastern beds beside porch, along rock border and in rock pile by garden arch.

Here they are mixed with the snapdragons.

Yesterday, set up cheap-o greenhouse in three-season room and moved a few tomatoes, zucs, cucs and marigolds from the basement to start acclimating to the sun.

I also prepared the north bed with compost and raking. Need to add soil to the spice garden to keep out the grass along the border.

Inside, we have lots of things started under the lights.

I need a better system for taking notes 

Last Harvest

Yesterday, the last day of autumn, I harvested the last of the lettuce and spinach, plus one sad radish. The temperature then dropped 20°F and the snow started. Long growing season!

I will not mow the lawn in December

My neighbor is mowing his lawn on December 10. Predicted snowfall tonight. At noon it is damp, heavily overcast and 33 °F. The lawn does not  need it.