Re: [gardeners] Wednesday
Jane Burdekin (gardeners@globalgarden.com)
Thu, 19 Feb 1998 05:25:05 -0700
Cheryl,
Hopes and prayers for your daughter, and hugs for you. Jane
>
> 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
>
>