Finally, the daffodils are declaring that spring is right around the corner, even if it is a month later than last year. The weather this past week was amazing and long-awaited. The gardeners scurried around, making the most of the dry, sunny days.
LETTUCE | The Allison gardeners are regularly harvesting and replanting lettuce. It is growing very well right now, as we are up to twelve hours of daylight!
LEEKS | Leeks are ready to be harvested at any time.
RADICCHIO | The greenhouse also has small radicchio heads that are harvestable.
PURPLE SPROUTING BROCCOLI | The final variety of purple sprouting broccoli is looking good. The gardeners can start harvesting them this coming week. They have had to endure a hard winter but are looking really good. Master gardener, Anna Ashby, says, “On top of that, the flavor is amazing. Nothing like adversity to bring out the sweet.”
PEAS | Last fall, the gardeners relocated a couple of buckets of daffodil bulbs, and they have just started blooming this week. On the left in the photo, hiding under black mulch is the garden’s pea planting. The soil temperature finally reached 50 degrees so the gardeners could plant with a better chance of the seed actually growing instead of rotting. “Yes, we will remove the mulch in a couple of weeks. We use the mulch to increase soil temperature and to keep it drier,” Anna explains. Peas should be ready to harvest in June.
The honey bees were out in force in the sunshine. They are currently collecting pollen and nectar from weeds (Persian speedwell and purple dead nettle), willows, and maples. Anna hopes this spring provides more flying time for the bees so they are able to pollinate the early blooms. “We would be delighted to have an early honey harvest,” says Anna.
Come on out to the garden to see what else is growing!
The Allison
