Re: [gardeners] Wednesday
Cheryl & Erich Schaefer (gardeners@globalgarden.com)
Wed, 18 Feb 1998 21:48:04 -0500 (EST)
It's great to be able to garden vicariously along with you, George. Spring
is still weeks away here. I haven't even started seeds yet.
We haven't thought much about the garden lately anyway. My daughter, Danya,
who is developmentally disabled and lost the sight in her left eye to a
virus two years ago, is now battling the same virus again in her right eye.
The virus is herpes simplex, the same one responsible for the cold sore,
which can become a vicious, destructive force in the eye. There is no cure,
just a fight to get it under control this time before it does any damage to
what little sight she has left; she is legally blind already. She has only
been on her own and in her own apartment for four months and was doing so
well that this seems so dreadfully and particularly unfair. I wasn't going
to say anything to the list, but somehow you all seem part of my extended
family and while I want to share gardening enthusiasm, just now it just
helps to be able to think about something else for a few minutes at a time.
I can't quite concentrate and drift so fast that I fear planting one thing
and labelling it something else. Not that I'm not capable of doing that at
the best of times. :-/ So, please plant hope and try not to let life
interfere with your plans. Cheryl
>Lessee here, planted one each dwarf Kieffer pear, Aprium, Pluot, and
>Kumquat today. Used the Mantis to dig the planting holes, just marked off
>an area for each and let the little tyke dig its heart out. Used the shovel
>to clean the pulverized dirt out and we were ready for the trees. I am very
>pleased with the quality of the trees and raspberries we ordered from Stark
>Bros. Very healthy appearing stuff and with a neat little book with
>planting and care instructions.
>In addition they threw in 5 Asiatic lily bulbs as lagniappe, making Miz
>Anne happy.
>
>We fertilized the blueberries and all the fruit trees today, it is time.
>The blueberries are in full bud with some flowers already opening up. With
>all the honey bees, bumbles, and wasps hanging around the garden, feeding
>on the favas, we should have no pollenation problems this year.
>
>Tomorrow, if the good weather holds, we will begin ripping out the remnants
>of the fall garden. The only thing that will stay will be a couple of
>chiles that made it through the winter, the favas (still filling out), and
>the shallots, onions, and garlic. The rest will be plowed and readied for
>planting. Would you believe that the spaghetti squash, 8 inches tall in the
>seed flats, is ready to bloom and putting out tendrils? They sprouted on
>January 31st and have been growing like veritable weeds.
>
>As usual I am pleased with the quality of the seeds purchased from
>Burpee's, Richters, and Pinetree. I ordered Tumbler tomatoes from Burpee
>this year and they are already up about 4 inches, stocky, deep green, and
>growing well. This variety was developed to grow in containers and hanging
>baskets. I have several hanging baskets that will be filled with potting
>medium tomorrow and readied for the Tumblers. In addition we have Yellow
>Pear, Homestead, Amish Paste, and Dinner Plate tomato seedlings growing.
>They will be potted up to a bigger size tomorrow. The Long Green Louisiana
>eggplant seedlings are good looking little fellows and they will be potted
>up tomorrow also. The chiles have a ways to go yet but will be potting them
>up tomorrow too.
>
>Miz Anne is in the den platting the main garden out and figuring how we
>will divvy up the 60X4 strip on the west fence and the 10X4 strip on the
>south fence. I'm still working on the 25X25 herb garden, which is where the
>new fruit trees are planted.
>
>Life is very good.
>
>George, Anne, and Sleepy Dawg