A clever weekly state of the garden memo is current on what is scheduled to be grown, what’s been planted and its progress, what is close to prime time and eventually…what will be in short supply.
The California poppies, with their vibrant colors, are a stunning announcement that spring has sprung. We let them self-seed, ensuring a breathtaking display each spring. These cool-season flowers gracefully fade away as the weather turns hot.
Fresh chamomile is a sure sign that spring is marching on. We harvest and dry these flowers for future use.
New mulch gives the Chefs Garden entrance summer pizzazz, declaring that we are ready for summer events and visitors. Yesterday, we finished pulling the flowering broccoli and kale in preparation for tilling, which will happen this coming week.
On Thursday, April 25, Master Gardener and Beekeeper Anna Ashby received a very important package from California. A strong harmonious buzz could be heard from it. The box was marked: Live Queen Bees. Keep Out of Sun. In that cardboard box were 35 smaller wooden boxes, each with a queen bee, and surrounded by hundreds
April showers are bringing May flowers. While we grow the petunia flowers for their beauty, we also have several edible flowers. Our harvest of violas continues, and this week, we added flowering chervil and horse radish flowers to them.
We have violas scattered throughout the Garden. Spring is their favorite weather, so we have plenty, which we are harvesting regularly.
The camas are blooming! We planted them in an area of the garden with a high water table during winter, hoping that they would thrive where everything else we have tried to grow in that area has failed. Finally, we have succeeded. The camas love their new home.
Weeds are plants growing where we do not want them. Since we spend increasing amounts of time dealing with weeds, it’s beneficial to look at their beauty while removing the unwanted plants. Baby Blue Eyes popped up in the middle of Clover in this photo.
We will have flowers from kale, collards, and broccoli until the soil dries enough for rototilling. We will include them in our regular edible flower harvest schedule.
This week despite some freezing rainy days, spring is marching on. We harvested the first of the pea shoots. We only have them for a short time in spring before they get turned under to feed the soil, so enjoy them while they are around.