Friday, April 15, 2011

Whistle While You Work!

Sorry no pics tonight.

After picking up a second rain barrel, we now have a total capacity of 700 gallons of water hidden under our backyard deck.  It's simply a matter of plumbing them from roof to vegetables.  I hope my dad knows how to do that, because I'm clueless! He's coming in June to help get the job done.

Our peas are coming up in droves.  We're so happy about that. We planted 3 blueberry plants yesterday (50 % organic compost 50% garden soil and 4" of pine needle mulch). 20 raspberry canes came in the mail today; we'll plant them tomorrow.  Our 3 year old Morris plum trees are blooming white; and the peach trees are blooming pink. We've finally finished pruning all eight.  Our short row of spring onions are bursting out. I planted them to closely, so we'll need to harvest every other one early to make room for size.  The Red Delicious onions we seeded under lights are doing better in the garden outside.

For anyone who may remember our first post of that "spring garden" before spring, even before the late March snow and ice that worried many of us in zone 6 about our peas, it survived and is thriving!  We have cabbage, kale, romaine and spinach in full growth -no cold frame, no greenhouse, no hoop house- just early planting, covers at night and a great deal of attention and care.  I can't wait to get the pictures posted, maybe this weekend. Although next season I'm hoping we'll have a cold frame and maybe a couple hoop houses too.

5 comments:

  1. I know you will be happy with that water saver :o) all your plants sound delightful...

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  2. I'm SO jealous... zone 6!!! We are in zone 3 and I still have 2 feet of snow in the yard :( I won't be planting (typically) until the 3rd week of May, but this year may be later due to the tremendous amounts of snow we received this year.

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  3. Gingerbreadhouse7 -thanks for posting, we paid more than $800 for city water last year. We've had enough of that!

    Carpe Diem -I don't know what to say, except perhaps, seize the day! Your homestead is an inspiration. Thank you for posting.

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  4. I am zone six PA too, and my peas rotted:( It has just been too wet. Worst winter and spring that I can remember.

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  5. I hope that you get out there early to plant those raspberries!! We are supposed to get a lot of rain!

    The peas seemed to take forever to come up at the home garden with the weather we had. I planted the peas at the plots just one week ago...no signs of them yet.

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