Tag Archives: Gooseberries

Read more..

Berry Good

I often get up long before I have to start getting ready for work to browse the garden. The morning is cool and the birds are out in full chorus. I do the container watering at this time, harvest what I can and just enjoy the morning. This morning on my rounds I came up with some of the early raspberries, the first couple of blackberries, a couple of handfuls of blueberries, currants, the first of the gooseberries and the last of the strawberries. What an awesome breakfast!

The dill is just getting large enough to take a small harvest. This batch went into a couple of small paper bags to dry. The bags will get a shake once or twice a day to insure even drying.

Read more..

Young visitor

I went out to take some pictures for this post and almost stepped on a little rabbit that ran under my foot as I was walking in the garden. We startled each other I think as he/she quickly ran for cover next to this daylily. Judging by it’s size, I would say this little guy is about 4 weeks old. Several years ago seeing this little guy would unnerve me but it is hard to feel the same way since I hand fed that litter a few years back.

yellow_iris

These yellow iris have probably been here as long as the house has. They were growing up near the door in a small area that was very over crowded when I thinned it out a couple of summers ago. This is where I planted the smallest ones. They get lots of sun and it tends to be on the dry side. This is the best showing of blooms I’ve seen from these yet.

I got back from watching Tia’s rehearsal at about 1:30 or 2. I tore into the 3 bags of composted manure I picked up from Lowes yesterday and made some soil by combining a bag of manure, some top soil from the yard and some peat moss. I have a small metal trash can I keep the soil in after mixing it in the wheel barrow. Nothing scientific about it but the plants seem to like the mix. I repotted the new Chicago Hardy fig, kiwi and Pres. Lincoln lilac I recently picked up. I also repotted a blueberry and a rooted fig cuttings from last year. The black knight butterfly bush as well as Eric’s zebra grass went into the side yard. I wanted the BB closer to the house but there really wasn’t a good place that the dog doesn’t get into on his walks. The last bag of manure was spread around a couple of container lilacs and cherries.

gooseberries

In addition to these gooseberries, we have currants (red and white), the blackberries are blooming and the raspberries are about to. The kiwi fruit are developing as are the grapes. We will have lots of grapes assuming I can keep black rot off of them. It has been VERY wet the last few weeks so that may be a trick in itself. Many of the old roses are blooming or preparing to do so and the chives are in full bloom. May has to be my favorite month. Everything is so new and green and alive.