05-25-12 First tomato

Guaranteed not photo shopped.

 I know this is very odd to be talking about a ripe tomato on May 25 when, on a normal year, you'd be happy to have the first taste by July 1st. It's only a cherry tomato "Cherry Roma" but one of my favorites. I cut it in half and Marge and I had a moment of silence before savoring it. It was small but tasted just like I remember. Can't wait to have many more in a few weeks.

This cuke, I did not share, just enjoyed the crunch and the fresh taste.

This Iris' sisters, on the other hand, were blooming several weeks ago. Not sure why it is already re-blooming.

Chicago figs promising a very good crop soon.

First sunflower bloom of the year. Pardon the odd angle but that thing is three feet taller than me. Way to make you feel small!

This innocuous looking plant makes some of the best pies around: rhubarb. Its ribs need to get a little more body and, in three to four weeks I'll be ready to enjoy.

Hollyhock, my first one in five years after I had to do without for way too long in order to rid my garden of the rust that had attacked the dozens of hollyhocks I had growing in many gorgeous colors. This is the first disease free survivor.

For the next two weeks, there will be no garden news. I'll be out of town and I won't even read my F B for a change. See you in two weeks with a garden full of giant weeds.:(

05-21-12 Blooms, blooms and more blooms!

The vegetables have been doing well; you can just about watch the tomato plants and corn stalk grow by the day.

















I have been spending time staking my tomatoes. One of the cherry tomatoes started changing color and the cucumbers are changing from flowers to baby cukes.

But the real attraction have been the flowers. Lilies, especially have been blooming in all kinds of colors and sizes.
Part of downtown Artsplosure this weekend were a numbers of statues representing impressionist characters but the plant side of things sure did not look too much Monet-like. Here is what Monet's garden looks like:

Lilies of all sorts:

Gladiolus bearing one of my favorite color combinations.

When i bought this rose bush, twenty some years ago, it had been guaranteed as not growing more than 3' tall. Here it is growing on the Crepe Myrtle and reaching 15 some feet. So much for guarantees!

Leek bloom made up of hundreds littles bloomlets, especially appreciated by bumble bees.

This wild onion, on the other hand produces tiny little onions ready to grow from the "flower". All it needs is to fall down and thirty new bulblets are ready to set root. Survival!

Banana plants reaching for the blue sky

The quiet corner under the dogwood.

05-13-12 A real Spring!!!!

Last week I deplored the lack of rain but things have changed nicely since with about 3 " of wet stuff in the last few days. I noticed that even the Neuse River has been allowed to run a little higher than normal--good for kayakers! I hear we might get a little more in the next few hours--no complaint on my part. Tomato plants have reacted beautifully to that added water and great temps by growing a foot just in the last few days.

The other thing that has been amazing
this year is that, for the first time in as long as I can remember we're actually experiencing a real Spring with Spring temperatures instead of the usual cool to hot over a period of 24 H, with no real transition as has been the case so many times. Those 70s have felt absolutely great and plants have responded in kind with nice growth and amazing green, healthy colors. The cooler temps have also allowed blooms to last a little longer rather than disappear in just a few hours. This has allowed for great combinations of white, yellow, pink, blue, purples,...all at the same time and for longer periods.





This fennel is ready to be harvested and will be this week. Time to pull out my fish/fennel/tomato recipe.

You may notice the nylon mesh put in place to keep rabbits and fennel physically separated even though they mix very well on a stove top.

Blue Sage: this variation of the wild sage sports long trumpet-shaped flowers full of nectar easily accessible only to humming birds and their specially designed long beak. Bees use their brains, cultural memory or whatever they possess to drill a hole at the base of the flower and access the nectar without being frustrated by the trumpet's length.






Gaillardia native to NC, at least in its shorter beach version. Here is a before and after showing:

Some color variations in yarrows:

First Hollyhock, in one of my favorite colors: pale lemon with a touch of red on the pistil.

This next flower is a total oddity, in line with how things have been off-schedule this year. This mum usually bloom during the fair and football season. Do not ask me what it is doing opening six months early! I have no answer!

A few more Spring flowers: 

One of the many variations on Turk's cap.

Love the colors!

Day lilies used to grow wild along roads in NC

Lambs' ears: named for their softness to the touch.

First bloom on my Canna Lilies

One of my favorite color variation on a gladiola

05-04-12 Getting hot in the garden!

It has now begun to get very hot which is good for the tomato plants that have grown very nicely as long as I water them. The natural rain system has not been very reliable the last few weeks and we are already behind when it comes to rainfalls.




















The heat has also been good to the corn that is growing nicely. Should be ready by the end of June!

The heat has been much harder on my lettuce that is now going to seeds. Can't complain though since we had a good run this spring with fresh lettuce head as often as we wanted.

 Now, it's just good for the wild rabbit that comes visit it at night.

New Bees: after flying around like crazy for the first day trying to figure out their bearings, the new bees have freed their queen from her private quarters, started drawing new cells and bringing in pollen and other goodies for their honey making. At this point in time, I feed them sugar water so that they can concentrate on the next generation rather then spending time looking for food.

Figs: getting nice and fat but not quite ready to eat yet.

Wild mountain strawberries: far away from their birth place, they grow a little larger than their ancestors living on such poor dirt as they were but they are still delicious.
















Life in the pond: good time of the year to have access to your own little private pond with waterfall and all.

Flowers: it has been a perfect spring for flowers with something new blooming every other day.

Larkspur has done really well this spring.

One of the last irises for the year!

This spiny looking fellow resembles an artichoke but is its blooming cousin the cardoon. In a few day you'll get to see its electric blue petals.

Peas have done well

Young banana plant unfurling its leaves

Others:

These leeks will soon lose that top cap and display their flowers.