garden work
Today I spent most of the day at my community plot. After doing a few hours of path mowing and debris removal, I brought several wheel barrows full of wood chips to my plot. These are the remains of many Belmont trees that were blown over in the big wind storm 2 weeks ago. I spread a 2-3 inch layer on the paths between my raised beds. Its perfect timing to get some mulch down as the summer is heating up and the garden needs help retaining its moisture. I’d…
broccoli
I’ve had several gardeners come by and thank me for weed whacking the community garden paths today. One gardener also commented on my broccoli, which is fantastic this year (variety Blue Wind). I have two patches of broccoli: one at my community plot, the other in my cold frame at home. The gardener said she also has a broccoli that’s doing well. Hers is a perennial purple broccoli. Wow that sounds great! She said it overwinters and grows heads every year. And she said she will drop off a few…
Belmont Victory Gardens
We have been putting a lot of work into the front area of our community gardens. We would like a nice inviting grass area with the garden plots behind. And nice grassy paths between all the plots. Its wonderful how native grasses seed themselves naturally if an overgrown area is mowed. We have just finished leveling sufficiently to run a lawn mower. Here’s the view just after the very first mowing. Isn’t it beautiful!! We will be holding a work day tomorrow to continue working on the grass. I haven’t…
today’s sowing list: sunflowers and soybeans
Normally I would direct seed sunflowers and soybeans, but because of my voracious chipmunk, I am sowing them at home in trays and will transplant. Sunflowers:Tahumara white (Sand Hill)Ling’s Grey Stripe (Johnny’s)Elf’s blend (Botanical Interests) Soybeans:Butterbeans (Johnny’s)Envy (Johnny’s) My soybeans that I planted 2 weeks ago had a germination rate of about 3/30 – bad. Today I remembered that I specifically bought the soybean inoculant and I forgot to use it. Today I added it to the soil as I sowed. I also went ahead and planted 3-4 seeds per…
glowing leaves
My plot in the late evening light. That’s my garlic in the foreground. Peas are over at the right.
giant weed pile
Look at this pile of weeds! After being away a while I had a big job clearing out all the weeds. I spent an hour or so, pulled them all, then raked most into a big pile. I usually put weeds in my compost bin, but last year’s bin is full. It’ll take another year to compost and empty it. Soon I’ll devise another bin for another corner of my garden and these weeds will go in first.
thrush or thrasher?
Can you help me identify this bird? He was very upset with Skippy and I walking down the path through his territory. He clucked and flapped. There is probably a nest nearby. Do you think its a brown thrasher or a wood thrush?
milkweed
Someone recently asked me about where to find milkweed. I’ve been looking. These photos are from Rock Meadow in Belmont – along Mill Street. The milkweed there is beautiful and just starting to bud. The Monarchs will be happy! I’ve also found smaller stands of milkweed off of Trapelo Road in Waltham in the area of the old Met life buildings.
This is a journal of my vegetable gardens. Skippy thinks the garden is his, even though I do all the work. We're located near Boston, in USDA zone 6. I have bees, chickens, fruit trees and berry bushes, too. I use all sustainable organic methods and strive to grow all of my family's vegetables myself. -Kathy
weeks and counting until my last spring frost
My garden this week
Skippy’s vegetable of the month – Egyptian walking onions!
