Please, someone tells me it cannot be June already? The weather is classical June. Cool and wet periods with a bit of sun now and then, just enough to warm up the greenhouse. May was coolish but nice compared to the last 3 years. A decent growing season so far.
Needless to say I am behind. That too is perfectly normal.
Apart from the fact that it is a lot of work I am my own worst enemy. When it comes to planning and visualizing things in space I am learning disabled. I just start muddling, and then I endlessly change my mind, especially in the flower beds.
Take yesterday, Sunday, the first fully free day since last Monday. Where did that week go? Let's see:
Tuesday is volunteer duty with a disabled friend in the afternoon, only morning available, got the rest of Brassica and leeks bed planted.
Wednesday I had 3 reflexology clients late in the day, preserved my energy for that. I have to do that this year.
Thursday was good.. I got a start on sorting plants for market on Saturday, and got a salad bed made in the greenhouse, which is being changed around in preparation for planting the tomatoes in the ground.
Friday was cold and rainy. I decided I might as well go to town in late morning for the weekly shopping. Not a bad choice, especially since I stumbled on a great sale of bagged manure, scored some good cardboard, and found petunia in the colours I had been looking for. By the time I come home I am starving, in need of a nap and a pot of Lapsang Souchong afterwards. There went the day. The plan was to start prepping for market next, but it was raining too hard to do anything. I worked in the blessed greenhouse with things in containers and that was it.
Saturday was still cold and wet in early morning. I decided against standing around shivering on an almost empty market. Went over at 7 for my 'Market Mom' jobs and was back home shortly after 9. Would you believe it cleared and warmed up by mid morning. Spent much of the day trying to get a grip on the whole plants-for-market thing to be ready for weeks ahead. This means sorting and caring for babies in pots.
This brings us to Sunday, June 3.
Plan: UP to the big veg garden and work like mad, NO fiddling with things in containers, NO flowers. Finish planting potatoes. They are about two thirds done, some are up. Do slug patrol. More raspberry jungle clearing. Sift compost. Put down cardboard for more lasagna beds. Prepare 2 beds for beans and squash. One still has tipis from last year for pole beans, and the remainder is covered with black plastic to keep down the weeds and warm the soil. That will be for summer squash.
The other bed, destined for snap beans, is a disaster. One end is covered with horseradish and a few perennial odds and ends that need to be moved. It is also surrounded by a broken frame, see previous post, that needs to be removed and covered in weeds.
Reality: The ground was TOO DARNED WET!! I got some slugs, weeded the asparagus and admired everyone's progress. Brassicas grinning from leaf to leaf, they like it wet.
Tiny broccoli heads starting. Peas have come up, carrots and beets up, though I noticed some gaps in the carrot square: slug was here.
The pole beans are getting a head start in the greenhouse. They are happily growing in containers and in no hurry to face the real world. I might pot them up before exposing them to the elements. My friend Ana had a brilliant suggestion: plant them in large pots in the ground, forming a bit of a barrier to the voles. Then place a trap inside each pot. I just might do that. Meanwhile I will get a tray of snap beans started as well. It will be too cold and wet to plant them outside for at least another week. Should I plant fewer tomatoes, forget cucumbers and egg plants and devote some greenhouse space to beans and zucchini?
Quick, someone bring me the crystal ball.....
The usual selection of annuals, potted up but waiting to be planted......This requires that horrid activity: making decisions. Start by looking at the little front yard bed. OMG. That lovage is starting to overhang everything. We'll get to the dear wee plants soon, but must first clip the monster back. After even more rain will flop it on top of the iris.
Every year I intend to harvest herbs at the right moment. It makes no sense to buy oregano in winter when it grows all over. Every year at peak herb harvesting time I am still frantically planting.
But this year I got lovage dried and removed from the drier at the right moment. The thought crossed my mind to dry extra for the market table, but there just isn't time.
And then I spent the rest of Sunday and all Monday fiddling with things in containers after all. Existing captives got TLC and a potting up if needed. A bunch of the annuals were planted in containers. Designing beds is beyond me. This way at least they are providing colour and growing.
In all this unfinished disaster there is one spot of brightness: a small corner with shade-loving plants. It is peaking right now, with the sweet woodruff blooming, the primroses not quite finished and the columbines starting.
Apart from the fact that it is a lot of work I am my own worst enemy. When it comes to planning and visualizing things in space I am learning disabled. I just start muddling, and then I endlessly change my mind, especially in the flower beds.
Take yesterday, Sunday, the first fully free day since last Monday. Where did that week go? Let's see:
Tuesday is volunteer duty with a disabled friend in the afternoon, only morning available, got the rest of Brassica and leeks bed planted.
Wednesday I had 3 reflexology clients late in the day, preserved my energy for that. I have to do that this year.
Thursday was good.. I got a start on sorting plants for market on Saturday, and got a salad bed made in the greenhouse, which is being changed around in preparation for planting the tomatoes in the ground.
Saturday was still cold and wet in early morning. I decided against standing around shivering on an almost empty market. Went over at 7 for my 'Market Mom' jobs and was back home shortly after 9. Would you believe it cleared and warmed up by mid morning. Spent much of the day trying to get a grip on the whole plants-for-market thing to be ready for weeks ahead. This means sorting and caring for babies in pots.
This brings us to Sunday, June 3.
Plan: UP to the big veg garden and work like mad, NO fiddling with things in containers, NO flowers. Finish planting potatoes. They are about two thirds done, some are up. Do slug patrol. More raspberry jungle clearing. Sift compost. Put down cardboard for more lasagna beds. Prepare 2 beds for beans and squash. One still has tipis from last year for pole beans, and the remainder is covered with black plastic to keep down the weeds and warm the soil. That will be for summer squash.
The other bed, destined for snap beans, is a disaster. One end is covered with horseradish and a few perennial odds and ends that need to be moved. It is also surrounded by a broken frame, see previous post, that needs to be removed and covered in weeds.
Reality: The ground was TOO DARNED WET!! I got some slugs, weeded the asparagus and admired everyone's progress. Brassicas grinning from leaf to leaf, they like it wet.
Tiny broccoli heads starting. Peas have come up, carrots and beets up, though I noticed some gaps in the carrot square: slug was here.
Quick, someone bring me the crystal ball.....
And I really must see about either cleaning or replacing the camera. It doesn't take the pictures it used to.
You make me feel better. I guess I find myself in much your same place. This year I am focusing on vegetables and the waste winter made of my flower bed put that decision firmly in place.
ReplyDeleteI just don't have time for everything and veggies are more important than flowers. But thanks for the reminder on herbs. I already need to trim back the curly parsley and dry.
And of course I dropped the dryer yesterday and it runs but is a bit worse for wear. Probably time to reinvest. Time and Money. Where does it all go?
My plan was to focus on vegs.....but I love being part of our farmers market. It gives me not only some badly needed extra cash, but it is my social fix of the week. And that means spending time on potting up perennials, and it always takes more time than I think it will....
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