Spring In The Garden 2022

 

above: Bees working the blueberry  blooms

Happy May Day from here in my garden! April 15th is the average last frost date and right on schedule the flowers are emerging and the bees are humming. Such a busy time of the year for us and although it has been a cool and wet spring temperatures are back up in the 70's regularly now. Such a busy time of the year for us between mowing,  weeding and planting. Lots of dandelions popping up in the beds to dig out and spring weeds grow quickly here on the plateau. 

I was thrilled to see the columbine that I started in milk jugs last year from seeds blooming with abandon in my beds. At my old farm the hummingbirds loved these so I am hoping that they will spread and help to draw and feed the hummingbirds. 

The hosta are filling out nicely all over the property scattered under the trees in the shady areas and I dug some up and separated them as they were getting pretty thick. The snowball bushes are past the top of the fence now and loaded with blooms this year. Daylilies are up but no blooms yet and same with the peonies. 

The bees are loving the garlic chives and regular chive blooms. 

And the Iris blooms are gorgeous as usual. I just wished they lasted longer as the spring rains can be rough on them. 

Yesterday I discovered one of my hens setting on a nest so looks like I will have spring chicks and all of my birdhouses are full of activity also. 

Hope spring is visiting for you all and the beauty of it is being enjoyed. 

Blessings from The Holler

The Canned Quilter

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I can also be found at 

https://thebackfence.freeforums.net/

Experiments & Roses

 We woke up to thunder, lightning and much needed rain this morning. Hoping it will cool things back down a bit. Who knows? We can only hope. 

The knockout roses are loaded again for the third round of blooms. Deadheading and duck water paid off. 

With lots of zucchini and squash I have been experimenting. Here are a couple successes I would recommend.

https://leslieblythemiller.wordpress.com/2013/05/14/cheesy-beef-zucchini-casserole/

This is an excellent zucchini recipe! You make a crust almost of shredded zucchini and cheeses and bake. Then add aground beef topping and cheese. Changes I made was to use pizza sauce instead of just tomato sauce. I added mushrooms, garlic, oregano and basil. Then on top of the burger I added pepperoni before topping with Italian cheese. OMG my husband loved it. It was like a zucchini crusted pizza.  This is definitely a keeper for us. I might even freeze some shredded zucchini to make this in the winter. 

https://chocolatewithgrace.com/cream-cheese-frosted-zucchini-cake/

I love snack cakes. This is a simple cream cheese frosted zucchini snack cake. An 8X8 pan and 30 minutes in the oven and a small and simple dessert. The only thing I changed was to add about a cup of chopped pecans. Simple and moist and delicious. This is a keeper too and a great option when the zucchini has filled up the kitchen counters. 

If you guys try them let me know what you think!

Blessings from The Holler

The Canned Quilter

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You can also find me at 

https://thebackfence.freeforums.net/

Deadheading & Summer Cleanup

The Daylilies were beautiful this year along beside the blue blooms of the large hosta. With the summer heat and a 2 inch rain last night to beat everything down not so much now. Limbs are on the ground from the storm also. I think my project for the week will be deadheading all the spent blooms from the hosta and daylilies and building a new compost pile with them. I have some additions from the chicken pen cleanout last week that I will add to it also. All that chicken poo should make for a good hot compost pile.

I planted Stella D Oro daylilies along the front of the big asparagus bed. I had some daylilies that needed thinning and thought that would make a pretty bed once the asparagus leafs out every year. I noticed last week that I have asparagus coming up in other beds that needs to be dug where the birds have planted it also. 

The hedge row is coming along nicely on the west fence. The plums are pretty well gone now and after I rake the mulch under the trees and get up any residual fruit pits or fruit and clean up the plums will be officially finished for the year. 

Sounds like a full week along with canning another batch of beets that looks to be ready. 

Floating in zucchini and squash but enjoying having it fresh. 

Just another busy summer week in the garden. 

Blessings from The Holler

The Canned Quilter

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I can also be found at 

https://thebackfence.freeforums.net/

 

Grape Vines

 

My winter grape prunings became the new wreath on my front door. Nothing goes to waste here. 

Blessings from The Holler

The Canned Quilter

***********************************

I can also be found at 

https://thebackfence.freeforums.net/

Summer Garden

 

Just a few days until July and the heat has found us. Temperatures are still in the 80's but it feels in the 90's with the humidity. We get up early to do chores in an effort to beat it as much as possible. The daylilies are blooming around the yard and are beautiful this year. 

The hosta is putting on a show as well. 

Grapes are hanging on the vine in the warm sunshine. 

Garlic is dug and hanging in the woodshed. 

Another year in the garden and another July. The garden is loving the heat with green beans fattening on the bush and the bees working the fat yellow squash blooms. The black currants are ripening and the elderberry are absolutely covered in big white flat clusters of white blooms. 

The yellow plums are ripening on the trees and both the robins and I sneak through regularly for a little sample of those sweet treats. I notice more small green figs on the trees everyday. The tomatoes are blooming but I have not noticed any fruit set yet. Blackberries are blooming along the back fence and the rudbeckia daisies I planted back there are beautiful. Things start growing fast now with the heat and long days of summer. Days are filled with watering, weeding, gathering and preserving it all. Such a buy time of the year but exciting none the less. 

I hope everyone has a blessed week and do not forget to stay safe in this heat. Plenty of water and sunscreen. As for me lots of afternoon siestas and iced tea. 

Blessings from The Holler

The Canned Quilter

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I can also be found at

https://thebackfence.freeforums.net/

My Knockout Roses Are Loving Life

 

With the rainfall we have been getting my Knockout roses are looking wonderful. Of course the dreaded Japanese beetles haven't made an appearance yet!

Blessings from The Holler

The Canned Quilter

********************************************

I can also be found at

https://thebackfence.freeforums.net/

Early June Blossoms

 

How about some blooms this morning. All things become planters in another life! It is a rainy Monday morning here in the holler so let's look at some garden porn. 

As the knockout spring blossoms of the fruit trees and spring bulbs fade the bushes and perennials of summer spring forth. The daffodil, iris and peony fade and their blossoms become additions to the latest compost heap only to be replaced by other more heat tolerant plants.  The Rose of Sharon, daylilies and hosta blooms will open soon. 

Remember I bought two of these last fall for my husband. They are "Ballerina" roses and his favorite. I put one on each side of an arch. Spring and they are already blooming and growing like mad. We love that they look like little apple blossoms and eventually the whole bush is covered with them. A great old heirloom rose. We had these at the first house we owned together almost 30 years ago. He has never forgotten them. 

Stella D'Orro day lily. There was one little struggling clump when I bought the place and now I have them everywhere. Sometimes I think I need an intervention. 

My newest acquisition last fall was this oak leaf hydrangea. I am always looking for flowers that thrive under all these trees in shady and semi-shady conditions. So far this is growing great since  I bought it in the garden center in a quart container. First blooms of the season. I think it likes it's location under the oaks.

Another shade loving plant that was here when I bought the place. This is the hedge along my front porch. My only complaint is that they don't smell very good. A beautiful lush hedge though!

A present from Baby O. My knockout roses are blooming to beat the band.

Blessings from The Holler

The Canned Quilter

*********************************************

I can also be found at 

https://thebackfence.freeforums.net/

Garden Porn

Those green beans will be going in the jars next week. No rest for the wicked. My usual jade variety. 

Plain old time petunias. Modest and prolific reseeding freely throughout the gardens. 

My first blackberries

Cucumbers on the fences

In the last 10 years on this blog you have seen this old girl haul every thing known to man from vegetables to grandkids. She has retired to her final resting place to lounge in the sun and house flowers and herbs until she eventually just rots away. She was a dependable old girl. Kind of like her owner. 

O Wise One is in the process of installing rain barrels on all existing outbuildings and down spouts. This on is waiting for gutter but he wants to repaint the shed first. He wants to paint this shed and the new chicken and duck houses at the same time.

How is that for a fence. The big dogs kept chasing one another through there playing so he put up a fence. It is high to run plants on. He put an arch at the gate and we want Ballerina pink roses on the arch. Have to find some first! That is HIS favorite rose. That's when you know you have a good man ladies. When they have a favorite rose.  Told ya'll it was a match made in heaven. 

And a new sidewalk too 

Well that is what we have been working on! Always busy.

Blessings from The Holler

The Canned Quilter

Around The Holler

My Gosh the Hosta are beautiful this year! These were a gift from an elderly neighbor that used to live next door. She broke a hip and went into a home.  I think of her every time I  see the hosta. They are hge because O Wise One has been emptying the ducks swimming water over them when he dumps it. It is full of duck poo. The flowers like it. 

The blue color of the blossoms are just beautiful.

We are still picking gooseberries every other day. I freeze them in vacuum bags. I want to do a post on gooseberry pie as soon as I get some time. O Wise One's Mom had a wonderful one. 

I broke off part of a tomato plant the other day by accident and have parts of it in water rooting. If you look closely yo can see the little white hairs coming on them. I wanted to make sure you knew that. You can also remove the suckers on your plants and do that. These are just sitting on the deck. 

Another neighbor brought me over a start of her trumpet vine. Remember the big one I had at the old farm. The hummingbirds love them and I love the hummingbirds.

It sat right at the end of my old clothes line. The new one will sit right at the end of my NEW clothes line. 

Baby figs! My fig trees really took a beating last winter and I was surprised I have any at all. I had them covered all winter but it got really cold. 

Check out the size of these elderberry heads. They are huge!

I am off to Knoxville today. But I will see you again on Friday,

Blessings from the  Holler

The Canned Quilter

This Life Of Toil

We finally got some much needed rain over the weekend. With a cool and rainy spring the weeds are always in abundance. No matter how much I mulch there always seem to be some really tenacious ones that thrive.  But the temperatures lately have turned hot and the rain was getting scarce.  Morning chores in the the cool temperatures of early morning include weeding regularly. Rarely am I out and about without my faithful hoe and wheel barrow. I finally retired the old wheel barrow I had on the farm for a brand spanking new one. With two wheels in front it is much harder to tip it over. The old one has graduated to a flower pot with pretty spring annuals and herbs in it. Can you believe I got 20 years from it. Nothing goes to waste though and I'll get a few more as a flower pot. I'll have to remember to take pictures of it. 

The spring peas are gone now. We got four pickings from  a St. Patrick's Day planting. They are now securely bagged and in the freezer. And in their boxes a new crop of green beans planted. This rain should pop them on up. 

The day lillies are enjoying the sunshine and warm temperatures.

I started out with one clump of these yellow lilies that were left behind by the last owners.

But this pink one is my absolute favorite found struggling behind a scraggly shrub when we first moved here. 

Knock out roses that Baby O bought me for Mother's Day one year.

The elderberries are flourishing and the local pollinators are loving them.

And the simple loveliness of the old fashioned heirloom petunias.

Chairs are strategically placed in shady spots all over the property for old people to sit and catch their breath. Baby O bought me 6 of these for Mother's Day this year. They sure are nice. She truly does spoil me

Blessings from The Holler

The Canned Quilter

Spring Has Sprung

It's a never ending succession in the garden. 

It starts around St. Patrick's Day with the planting of the peas, onions, lettuce, beets, potatoes and cabbage. All cool weather crops that are slightly frost tolerant. They will mature hopefully before the heat of summer sets in. We picked the last of our peas and pulled the bushes and fed them to the chickens and ducks. 

Then come the asparagus sprouts emerging about the same time as the crappy (fish) start their spring run when they are breeding and the morel mushrooms start sprouting in the woods. Spring turkey season for you hunters.

This week we dug the garlic that was planted last October and it is hanging in the woodshed to dry. We will save enough to plant again this October and begin all over again. 

And those boxes of onions planted on St. Patrick's are ready to lay over to dry. After about a week they too will go into the wood shed to dry.

Next will be the spring green onions to either dehydrate or freeze and the beets to pickle. Then the cabbage will become a new batch of kraut and freezer slaw. All of these empty boxes will then be filled with summer green beans, squash, shell beans,melons and cucumbers and other heat loving crops.

Along the back fence on the east boundary of the property are the okra, butter bean and tomato crops. 

Every sunny nook and cranny has a crop this year. We are unsure what the future holds for food availability or grocery prices so we are in full gardening mode. Gorilla gardening if you will. Behind the woodshed is a bean patch. Red beans about ready to bloom. 

Once the cabbage and potatoes mature those spaces will go to July crops for the fall. Greens and carrots, fall lettuces maybe broccoli. And more fall cabbage. Then we gather our seeds and plant the garlic in October and rest another winter. And we give Thanks. We knit before the fire and dream and plan with the seed catalogs of January and plan again. New hope.

Season after season. Year after year. One harvest leading into another in a comforting progression. Life goes on regardless of the politics or the crisis. A life of work and thankfulness. A life of simplicity and peace. We love each other, our land and animals. We watch our grandchildren grow and flourish. And for the two of us we know that we are in the autumn season of our own lives. Our hair is gray and our knees are creaky but we get great satisfaction in knowing that we have lived a good honest life. Spring will be missed as it was short this year, cold and rainy. But next year will be another chance and regardless we will enjoy the blossoms.

Blessings from The Holler

The Canned Quilter