Well, this is phase 1 of Garden Experiment 2012. Rhubarb. Don't know if it will grow here but I'm sure going to try. This is the 'McDonald' variety; supposed to tolerate the heat here. We'll see.
Also in the experiment is asparagus! You can see some already coming up in the background of this photo. I didn't get enough plants in the first order to fill up the whole bed Jack built so I had to order again. What has come up seems to be doing well.
The blueberries are doing really well this year, so far. I am keeping these watered better than last year in an effort to prevent them from all falling off before they ripen. The bushes have about doubled in size since last year and are really heavy with fruit.
My first strawberries are ripening! I ate the first handful this morning! Yum-O!!! The raspberries also seem to be doing well and setting much fruit; even the wild blackberries look like they are going to do well this year. Hopefully this will be a great year for fruit!
The rest of the cool weather crops are doing well so we'll see if they actually produce much.
This is a little better close up of the sprouting asparagus. Maybe one day. *sigh*
I have been pretty busy getting ready for this show coming up and just haven't been able to wrap my head around a topic for posting. Maybe I will have something interesting soon. After this show is over I'm going to have to make a concerted effort to start working on the house again. I've got parts of the kitchen sitting all around the house waiting to be installed and just no time. Well, I'm going to make time. I may have to write out an actual schedule for each hour of the day but I'm going to get this house finished! It's ran way too far over and I'm tired of it being undone. So, time to knuckle down and get serious. I've kept thinking that I'd start when I got through with work or after my feet got a little better or after the garden was in or yah, yah, yah and things never get anywhere like that. For me anyway. Plus, it seems this blog has gotten so boring and stale lately I've got to give ya'll something more interesting or you're going to dump me!!
I am trying to redo and add some pages to the blog so ya'll can check out the 'Pottery' page and tell me how you like it or don't like it. I want to add a 'Food' page that includes all recipes and a "See Alabama' page that includes many of the great places to visit here. Or weird places or unusual places and all that.
5 comments:
My parents planted asparagus I think four years ago. The first year you are supposed to let it head out and not pick any. The second year they picked enough for a few meals. Last year they had enough to preserve extra in the form of asparagus soup. This year it is best described as they have, and by virtue of being blood, I have asparagus coming out my ears. I grill a double fist worth (picture a bundle six inches in diameter) every weekend. My only complaint it that it makes urine stink but it is a small price to pay.
Also, I wanted to say a few words on rhubarb. Up here, we can only grow it on the south sides of buildings in sheltered alcoves. That is something my current house doesn't have. So when we start our search for a new house, that is one aspect I am looking to fix. I love rhubarb raw and in cooked dessert format.
I think that all in all, things in your garden are looking pretty good!
I may have to start coming to your house to eat!
If I am remembering it correctly, if asparagus is planted at different depths it will be ready to harvest at different times. So, if you plant one area a little deeper you can spread the harvest out and/or lower the risk of a crop failure.
I don't know if it is true, but it might be worth planting some a little bit deeper on the off-chance that you could eat asparagus for an extra week or so.
Hey Ed! Yeah, I read up on both, asparagus and rhubarb, and had already told myself not expect to eat any for some time! lol! You actually have to let the rhubarb do the same thing really. By it's 3rd year you can usually harvest a decent amount. This year the asparagus is so teeny it wouldn't be worth picking anyway. I hope it gets bigger!
I am planting the rhubarb in an area that gets a lot of afternoon shade, so maybe it will do okay.
Hey Jim! well that'd be a pretty good drive but come on! lol! thanks!
Hey Rich! that's an interesting idea! I may have done that inadvertently anyway, since I planted at 2 different times. One end of the bed could also take about 2 more inches of soil to be filled up and I had planned on putting more in as it grows, so that will change the depth too. We'll see!
We have some asparagus sprouting as well and have been able to enjoy it in omelettes a couple of times. It does take a few years to be able to pick and enjoy, so you and Jack have a way to go. Garden is looking great and we too will have lots of strawberries...soo we hope. Good luck on the show!
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