From commentor Linda Featheringill:
Here you go. One is a picture of the whole garden and the other is a shot of our first tomato [yes, you’ll have to look for it].
From commentor Mark D:
First, let me just say how much I really enjoy the garden threads. I’ve learned a great deal, saved many a link, and can’t wait to try out some of the techniques and plants suggested by others… Anyway, I’ll be uploading pics this weekend of our GIGANTIC FREAKING HOSTAS — seriously. They are the biggest I’ve ever seen (I credit the compost tea we water them with)…
__
So … here’s last year’s lilies:
… And the snake that keeps guard of our front garden. He (or she?) is back this year, and got quite a bit larger over the winter ……
And my gnome, given to me on my 30th (can’t believe it’s now 10 years old!), and perhaps the coolest one I’ve ever seen. And the fact he’s smoking a bowl adds a whole other layer to it … ;-)
Not much to report from New England this week. The tomatoes are growing in all directions, sending out flowers, starting to set fruit. Unfortunately, the Sun Gold front & center in the most prominent planter is yellowing & may be infected… I should pull it out before the contagion spreads, but I’m not sure enough of my diagnosis to be brutal.
__
How are things in your gardens this week?
Dexwood
Guardian Snakes and Gnomes, gardens don’t get any better.
Just Some Fuckhead
As you may recall, I lost my plants in a hailstorm and decided to put in a pond instead of fighting mother nature all summer. So I’m operating on a Pond Update, not a Garden Update.
I took about 10 cubic yards of earth out of the ground before deciding it was too hot to dig.
That’s my pond update.
MikeJ
Just pulled my chipotle lime compound butter from the fridge, salmon is on the grill, pinot noir is open and all is right with the world.
Just Some Fuckhead
I can send you a pic of the hole in the ground if you wanna share.
MonkeyBoy
I dug a big bed and put in rhubarb roots (little 1.6″ roots that came in a deceptively large 8″ cardboard package that looked something like small animal p3n1ses) over a week ago.
They all quickly sent out about 2 leaves 1 to 2 inches long and since then have just been sitting there with no further development. How long do I have to wait before deciding nothing else is going to happen?
jl
After the last rainy weekend, threw a package of native summer wildflower seeds on the patch of the back yard recently converted to very nice and neat flat dirt.
Will see what happens.
I remember a time when I loved to have a garden. I would read books, dream dreams, hatch plans, and even do something about it.
But, this is as far I can go now. I will be fun. I guess all I have to do is keep it watered. What will happen to that dirt patch?
I think I’ll go stick an avocado pit in a glass of water!
My new gardening project has made me feel young again!
Dexwood
Tempting offer, but I think I’d prefer the chipotle lime compound recipe.
jane from hell
@JSF, that’s a helluvan update. Pictures will be required and appreciated.
@Monkeyboy, I am also sensing a certain *ennui on the part of the seedlings, which seems to have set in about the same time the temps reached the high 90s, and it stopped raining. Alas.
@jl, gardening is a religion to some of us, no matter how big or small our successes.
jane from hell
Also, Dexwood has a point.
jl
thanks to Dexwood for pointing out JSF’s comment.
@4 Just Some Fuckhead – June 23, 2011 | 10:23 pm:
” I can send you a pic of the hole in the ground if you wanna share. ”
Down on the farm, when I was a youngin’ the saying ‘can’t even piss in a hole in the ground’ was common way of expressing an unfavorable evaluation of somebody or other, sometimes of me when I messed up some chore.
Maybe that gives you an idea for an interesting pic, keeping in mind this is a family blog.
MonkeyBoy
Looks like a garter snake – you must be keeping your garden moist. BAD news is that they seem to prefer eating worms who are good guys in gardens. On the other hand they will eat bugs and slugs also.
[ We used to have a big garter snake that we presumed lived part-time in the storm sewers. We could sometimes see her half-way hanging out of a gap where a down-spout connected to a storm-sewer feed. ]
jl
@8 jane from hell – June 23, 2011 | 10:34 pm
Thanks! I would like to have a real garden, but have no time now.
I live in the SF Bay Area, one of the best places for gardens. I used to sneer and leer at all the yards around here that people neglected right in the middle of a gardening heaven. But, now, I am one of them.
BD of MN
JSF, were you using a back hoe? 10 cubic yards is about four pickup truck loads of dirt, that’s going to be quite the pond…
perhaps I’ll get the camera out this weekend, the sun may be making an appearance this weekend….
RoonieRoo
I made it rain here in Central Texas! I apparently can affect the drought.
I did it by pulling my garlic. When I take out the garlic, I usually leave it laying in the bed just a day before I move it to the screen for curing. I just needed it to not rain that ONE day/night. We haven’t had any rain since March and are in one of our worst droughts ever. You would think I would be safe. Nope, around 2 AM, huge freaking rainstorm.
I’m pretty sure I made it rain.
Anne Laurie
Poor JSF!
Wait for the next rainstorm, and you can send us pictures of the muddy prints the kids & pets will track from that hole all over the carpets. And furniture. And walls. Possibly even ceilings…
MonkeyBoy
@Just Some Fuckhead
Have you gotten your roofing membrane* (bought or scrounged)yet? The size of that may constrain the size of the hole you dig, unless you just like to dig.
*[Black EPDM (Ethylene Propylene Diene Monomer) roofing membrane]
jane from hell
@Ronnieroo, of *course* you did. And I’m sure Texas thanks you. Now do it again.
@jl- we’ll need a “before” picture. Then we can all tell you what *we* would do for a low-maintenance garden in that space. (It’s plant pr0n.)
Anne Laurie
Congratulations, RoonieRoo. Since you’ve established a better record at rain-making than Rick Perry, perhaps you should announce that you’re thinking of running for president? (And then use the contributions that come pouring in to buy garlic.)
kdaug
Got any more garlic?
jl
RoonieRoo should write up a movie pitch.
The Rainmaker
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Rainmaker_(1956_film)
Just think, Lancaster… Hepburn… garlic!
It will be huge.
Just Some Fuckhead
@BD of SM:
Duh! I meant 10 cubic feet. It’s clay, so I’m having to break it up with a mattock before shoveling it out.
kdaug
Actually, “Pulling My Garlic” has certain connotations that ain’t exactly family-friendly. Might want to hold off on that production deal.
jane from hell
@JSF: Oh.
Pussy.
CatHairEverywhere
EEK! SNAKE!
Yes, I know it’s harmless, but my fear of them is completely irrational. I have to suppress my urge to run from the picture. If I came across it while gardening, I might have to move. Love the gnome, though, and those lilies look like they will be spectacular!
Steeplejack
@Just Some Fuckhead:
By digging that hole, haven’t you now pretty much guaranteed a record drought for your area?
Waratah
I was not happy to find that green caterpillars had almost demolished three of my pepper plants, but when I read John’s post of how much he lost to deer decided I was lucky.
I do have a few tiny green tomatoes on my Red Robin.
Comrade Kevin
I have a bunch of oranges, lemons and limes right now, a few blueberries, the grapes are growing, and have some chile peppers going. Got about 10 cherries off that tree after the fucking birds and squirrels had their way with it. For some reason, something really weird happened to the pear tree. It had a ton of flowers on it, and then where all of them were, the surrounding leaves all died, and no pears.
Oh yeah, have some red currants too.
Just Some Fuckhead
@jane:
It’s only been a week since I started.
The Fat Kate Middleton
I read “the snake that keeps guard,” and I think, “Oh, sweet. Snakes really are sweet.” Then I see the picture and freak out and immediately hit the back arrow. And my spouse is a Master Gardener (and Biology teacher, and teacher of Botany and Landscaping), who loves snakes. I try so hard to get over the phobia, and just can’t. But I do love gardening, and our acreage is beyond beautiful right now.
Grover Gardner
Finally got the tomatoes, peppers, eggplants, strawberries, basil, squash and watermelon planted, two weeks ago. It was so cold and wet until June 1 there was no point planting anything. I seeded some lettuce, peas and beans tonight but it may be to hot now, we shall see. Cool enough at night so that should help a bit.
jane from hell
Obligatory plant pr0n: End of May and beginning of June was exquisite here in central NC. Jasmine, then Ligustrum, then Gardenia blooming made it smell like a frickin funeral home, but good, for the entire elongated Spring.
Now, we’re in high daylily season, with coneflowers, Russian sage, even crepe myrtles.
It’s clockwork around here, the white crepe myrtles bust open on June 1, and by now some of the shrub types and lavender ones are in bloom.
The Fat Kate Middleton
We’ve been eating lettuce and spinach salads for a week now in zone 5.
So good. The multifarious flora we’ve planted are doing well (except for exotic begoinae, which have rotted off at the bottom of their stalks). Well, and the lobelia are pretty sucky here, but not at my sons’ places – I think it’s the ph level here. Re the begonia – my husband can’t figure it out, other than to think maybe it’s all the rain we’ve had. Ideas?
Linda Featheringill
Oooh! My babies are on the internet!
And the garden is doing well. I have several little green tomatoes and a few little peppers.
I had forgotten how pretty pea plants are. I love them! And the cucumbers are so macho!
CatHairEverywhere
We’re zone 8/9, and would normally be knee-deep in tomatoes, but our unseasonably cool spring has slowed things down a bit. It’s been over 100 this week, so the poor tomatoes are really confused. I’ve had the soaker hose on a slow drip all afternoon to keep the tomatoes happy. The peppers, squash and eggplant are going crazy, though.
jharp
cool pics.
I’m glad I brought up the idea.
Was out the past week or so and look forward to catching up.
Linda Featheringill
I suppose this is one of the few places I can actually complain about getting so much rain. Enough already! I don’t want a drought but I sure would like a couple of dry days.
Kristine
NE Illinois.
Finally harvested some mesclun a couple of days ago. More’s ready for cutting over the next few days.
The tomatoes in the deck pots (Aunt Ginny’s Purple and Mountain Fresh) are shooting are shooting up–maybe a foot high with leaves spreading, but no buds yet. The Tommy Toe, a cherry variety, is lagging behind. The tomatoes in the raised bed are still lagging. Either they don’t like the mulch or I planted them too early, which I mentioned before.
Basils are shooting up in the planters. Some shoots are a couple of inches high.
MikeJ
HAlf a stick of butter, a tablespoon of mixed minced chipotles and adobo, zest of one lime. Let the butter soften up a bit beforehand, stir it all together, wrap it tightly back into a stick of butter, and harden in the fridge. When the salmon comes off the grill, put a nice slice on the fish.
jane from hell
@MikeJ, yum. I shall save this and call it “MikeJ’s tempting chipotle lime compound slash nice slice.” TWSS
Violet
RoonieRoo:
I thought it was Rick Perry’s prayers that did that. Don’t rightly care who made it rain, since the drought is so severe.
My garden is okay. We’re in that sort of slow period when spring things are finishing up and before we start putting in the fall garden. The long beans look okay but they’re not growing very fast. I water them, but probably not enough given the drought. Hopefully we’ll get something from them eventually.
Dexwood
Thanks, MikeJ, I grill salmon frequently, this gets bumped up to the top of the list.
Anne Laurie
Why I put the ‘warning’/caption above the break & the photo below, just as for anything NSFW. I’m good with our ophidian brethren, but people drink beverages whilst browsing this blog, and the combination of startled shrieks & hot coffee has to be considered NSFW…
Cliff in NH
I thought all gnomes were smokin’ bowls.
They sure stand still a lot.
MonkeyBoy
@Anne Laurie
Why do you buy into the male patriarchy imposition of calling any garter snake our brother? Garter snakes are sexually dimorphic where the females get big and fat so they can make babies while the little males are only sperm contributors. Almost any garter snake you notice in nature is female (unless it is during mating season when the males go wild and don’t care so much about hiding). The females are so much more present that they are biologically enhanced to expel extra stink out of their ass to keep from being bothered, an ability which the hiding chicken males don’t need much.
If you pick up a garter snake and find your hands covered with stinky shiat then it is female.
Sexual Dimorphism in Malodorousness of Musk Secretions of Snakes
Why Male Garter Snakes Have Small Heads: The Evolution and Endocrine Control of Sexual Dimorphism
jane from hell
@MonkeyBoy: Does that work in bars?
*I mean your repertoire, of course.
Kristine
God, I miss the Reply button….
Yutsano
A hunk of king taunted me in the store on Monday, but I eschewed because it was a targeted buying mission. This weekend is a much different tale. :)
b-psycho
I wanna see weed gardens on here someday.
+5
Anne Laurie
Only if you promise to come help me mow the damned things.
Oh, wait, you had your hipster hat on, didn’t you. Carry on.
abo gato
RoonieRoo! Please do it again. That storm woke me up at 2 AM also and in a fog, I wondered, can it really be RAIN that I am hearing? Want more! Please work your magic.
Svensker
So that’s what the kids are calling it now.
Nasturtiums are blooming — this is a thrill because our NJ garden was too hot for them so I missed them for 20 years. Got our small pond/raccoon spa drained and filled in with gravel and dirt and are hoping this will discourage them from hanging out poolside and pooping all over our deck.
Would love to try some veggies but no way I’m growing a raccoon buffet lunch at the moment, so this will have to wait.
Lost in America
Here in northern Minnesota, it has been rainy and unseasonably cool, so nothing has really taken off yet. I make the most of my small yard–the currents have lots of green fruit as do my 4 blueberry bushes. Only flowers on the raspberries. The young apple and plum trees don’t look like they are going to produce anything yet this year. My juneberries have been attacked by spiteful rabbits and look sickly.
I have a small garden that receives all of our compost. Right now the 2 roma tomatoes are just over a foot tall, the serrano pepper is about the same, the 2 mystery bean plants my son grew at school are only a few inches but growing fast, and the 2 bush acorn squash plants have a LONG way to go. Last spring was MUCH better for gardening.
jnfr
I love garden threads. Why do you people do them at night when I’m not online? Bugger.
Anyway, my squash finally sprouted and I have baby tomatoes. Roses and yarrow are blooming. I am content.
ET
My garden – and my swimming alligator yard decorations – are doing great. Except a few of my ajugas.
Mark D
First, thanks for posting the pics! I gotta get the pics of the gigantor hostas uploaded soon.
Second, I am so, so sorry — forgot about those who don’t like snakes. Never really thought about the fear some have of them that would make even a pic hard to handle. So my apologies.
Speaking of which …
Yep — and we’ve got one of his cousins in the backyard (though not as large).
Thankfully, the number of worms are NOT a problem around here, especially in that front garden (the back ones are a little light, but that’s because they’re more recent). This one, which is in front, has a perforated pipe connected to a downspout running underneath it. We could probably go all year without ever having to truly water it, so yeah … it’s a moist one out there. :-)
The lilies this year didn’t seem as large — and not sure why that is. Maybe they needed moreless heat … ?
Sister Machine Gun of Quiet Harmony
Two of the tomatoes are starting to flower. The serano and jalapeno pepper plants have baby peppers on them. I walk by and salivate every day.
ceece
@Comrade Kevin #27:
About your pear tree: Are the tips of the branches dying back and turning black? It could be fireblight, a bacterial infection more common in rainy years. If it is, you want to cut off the infected branches several inches below the damage (sterilize the pruners between cuts) or you may lose the whole tree.
Fireblight starts at the flower clusters and works its way down into the main trunk.
UC Davis info: http://www.ipm.ucdavis.edu/PMG/r603100211.html
Mitchell Young
I thought the growing and harvesting of tomatoes was ‘a job Americans won’t do’?
OzarkHillbilly (used to be tom p)
Jnfr, I agree. Anne, I hereby make a motion for a Sunday Morning Garden thread as well.
Speaking of snakes, I have a milk snake (aka “scarlet king snake”) gaurding my place (I have pics) … Last year it was a beaded king snake, (I have garter snakes as well) LOVE the king snakes, means no Copperheads. Or timber rattlers, or eastern diamondbacks….
I have a granddaughter you see…
I will try to send you pics of the garden, Anne. But I am unable to compress (so far).
tom p
OzarkHillbilly
Anne, for the record, I typically fall asleep between 8 and 9 pm… waking up between 3:30 and 5 am. My circadian rythms follow the sun.
tom p
Anne Laurie
I am fortunate enough to be able to keep vampire hours, usually c2pm-6am or thereabouts. If people send me enough pics that I have something to put up, I’ll post a ‘Sunday Morning Garden Chat’ around 6am, before going to bed — sound good?