[gardeners] Monday in the Garden - really
George Shirley (gardeners@globalgarden.com)
Mon, 01 Feb 1999 08:31:22 -0600
Woke up to a glorious Monday, bright and sunny, cool but warm enough not
to wear a jacket. Slung on my industrial strength "Big Ben" overalls
(overhauls in East Texas) put the Nikes on my feet and went out to the
garden with a cuppa coffee. Miz Anne was going off to substitute teach
at about the same time and was giving me such a look I had to laugh,
which, in turn, increased the power of the wifely look. Of course I
rubbed it in a bit hollering "I got the day off, nyah, hyah!" Anyway,
back to the garden. Harvested a bit of broccoli for dinner tonight.
Should go good with the salmon I'm going to grill over hot coals (fresh
frozen salmon for 99 cents a pound at the supermarket) and the Jerusalem
artichokes I plan to cook in some manner as yet undecided. Also cut a
big head of cabbage to take to my friends the doctors over at the
Industrial Medicine clinic. Took some other friends a nice head of
cabbage and a jar of Rio Red Grapefruit marmalade yesterday. It pleases
us both to share the bounty of our garden.
Had to open the greenhouse up about 0800 as it was getting rather warm
in there. No ripe tomatoes today but a couple looked like they will be
ready this week. We're really enjoying have a few vine ripened tomatoes
all during the winter, certainly beats those carboard things at the
supermarket.
Pulled a few weeds in the herb garden and looked to see if any more
volunteers have come up. Got a new sassafras tree up in there, probably
from the roots of the small one about 10 feet away.
This year we're doing the main garden ala Ruth Stout, pulling the mulch
back and planting the seedlings and seeds then pushing the mulch up when
it warms up good. The "new" strip down the west fence will get tilled
about half way down and then mulched again. We're still trying to
improve that area. The herb garden will get a good mulching of composted
horse manure and rice hulls along about April. In the meantime I'm going
to put some old bricks in to make small retaining walls on the slope in
that garden. Should look much better, and do a better job, than the old
redwood 4X4's that are there now.
The squirrels are chasing around the tree tops and the cardinals are
singing their mating songs so spring can't be far away from SW
Louisiana. Think I'll put the Tumbler tomato seedlings in hanging
baskets today and put them in the greenhouse. I hope I'm not getting to
over anxious to plant stuff.
Stay warm my Yankee friends, spring will pass through the south before
long and head your way.<VBG>
George