There isn't much to share about February's garden except that it has survived - that's the big news. This month's weather has been unusual, absolutely no snow. It has been warm and rainy, well warm for winter. If you look through the fence into the woods on the back side of the garden, it's possible to see the pond that has formed in the sinkhole.
No work has been done in the garden - it hasn't stopped pouring rain. The vegetables have already awakened and begun growing.
There has been plenty for us to eat. Back in the fall, I was concerned enough wasn't planted but since it has warmed up, I can't keep up with the harvest. This broccoli is needing to be picked now. Every few days, I wade out to the garden, gather a basketful of vegetables, then slosh back to the house.
This is the first winter radish I have ever grown that has survived to the end of February. It's a Green Meat and I planted it extremely late. They were all about one inch tall during December and January and have now started growing.
The most amazing thing to survive this winter is the store bought petunia sitting on a shelf on my front porch. I left it there last fall, assuming it would die when cold weather arrived. It has lived even though the temperature has occasionally dropped down into the teens. It receives early morning sunshine, is backed up against the sun-warmed siding on the house, and the shelf is sitting on concrete. I think the combined protection has been just enough.
The two pieces of heart-shaped wood were cut from an oddly shaped limb on one of the bodock trees that were just cut down. I am going to make something special with them after they dry a bit.
A Red Swiss Chard has also endured the winter on the front porch. I didn't think it would survive since it's in an old watering can and I expected the roots to freeze. The plant looks rough, but I think it will make it.
The Broad Fava beans are blooming now. I tried to get a picture but Scooter didn't cooperate. He wanted me to take a picture of his clean, white teeth, not the beans.
They were never under a hoop house and soon will begin growing beans.
It has been an unusual winter, but then I don't know what is normal for Tennessee even though I have lived here all my life. I do think (or perhaps I should say I hope) we are through the worst of the harsh weather.
"Everybody look at me!" called Scooter. I know my fan club has been worried since Mom drug me to the horrible veterinarian to get my teeth cleaned. I am doing fine now. Don't they look bright?"
Additional Links:
Last Month's January Garden (2019)
Last Year's February's Garden (2018)
February's Garden (2017)
Cutting down our Bodock/Osage Orange trees
TIMBEEEEEERRRRRR!...Again!
TIMBEEEEEERRRRRR!
Scooter Feels Bad
This month I am sharing my garden with other bloggers around the world at:
Through the Garden Gate
Looking good, Scooter! :)
ReplyDeleteMs. Margaret,
DeleteI know I am awesome but thanks anyway:).
Love, Scooter
Totally lol'd and startled my baby. :)
DeleteThese two pieces of wood really are something special! Even when the cracks will be a bit wider
ReplyDeleteonce the wood is quite dry, it is a sort of natural art object. Very nice.
And such a large variety of vegetables in February. It is amazing. So I like to say:
Enjoy your meals!
Christel
I picked so many vegetables yesterday it took two trips to carry them. Joshua is coming down for the weekend and he loves fresh vegetables. We will have salad, stir-fried greens, shredded carrot salad and steamed broccoli all from the garden. I put a turkey breast in the crock-pot last night so no matter what time he arrives, he will be able to eat.
DeleteTwo hearts that beat as one? I still have a piece of driftwood in the garden, that I found when I was at school.
ReplyDeleteHopefully, since the hearts are from the Bodock trees, they should last FOREVER! That wood never rots. I will be 100 years old before they think about decaying.
DeleteHi Jeannie, Thanks for joining in Through the Garden Gate , it is lovely to meet you and visit your garden too. We were so busy at the end of last season that we didn't have any vegetables growing over the winter period and we have missed them. It is amazing how some of your plants have survived over the winter. I find some seem to go all the way through and then the last frost seems to get them! Scooter looks as if he loves the garden too! Sarah x
ReplyDeleteWelcome Sarah! Scooter does love the garden because the ground is soft, muddy and easy to dig up. Right now there is a mole digging through it and Scooter is determined to catch it - that's the terrier in him. He doesn't mind getting filthy, but then gets his feelings hurt when he must be bathe.
DeleteHi Jeannie - what a lovely garden with that broccoli - I'm envious. We too have way too much wet weather and it has me concerned about moving forward with planting this spring - there isn' any way the ground can be worked any time soon. Hooray for the petunia and those heart shaped logs - can't wait to see what you do with them. Hug Scooter for being so good. Best, Kim
ReplyDeleteWhen we cut down the trees, I noticed one limb that was oddly shaped and had Bill cut the pieces for me. We could only get two hearts because after that the wood changed its shape again. I have sent the hearts to a friend who does wood burning and will leave it up to her to do something special. I will post the pictures when she is finished.
DeleteI love seeing what your garden does all year long. I have not overwintered broccoli yet. I tried once, but misunderstood what I was growing and planted it in the spring instead of fall. Oops. It's been a few years since I've tried. Our weather has been so odd. Yesterday, we got 1/2 inch of snow. I can't believe it! This is so late in the season for us. It quickly melted, but, WOW!
ReplyDeleteI am in a super busy 2-1/2-week stretch of work with the kids right now, and don't seem to be finding time for much else. Tomorrow, Mr. Jake gets several teeth pulled because there just isn't room in there for them all, so I'm going over there all day to, and I quote, "wait on him hand and foot after I get him a slushy from 7-11 to eat with a spoon and his Daddy gets the soup from John's Chinese Food and he builds his new Lego Mommy got him, but he probably won't be able to reach it without me getting the pieces for him while I'm reading....." and so on. :).
In the meanwhile, Miss Michaela doesn't want to be anywhere near her brother after he gets his teeth pulled, since she can't handle someone else in pain/crying, complaining, or whining (she says), so Uncle and Patsy are taking her to the movies in the afternoon and to our house to spend the night Friday night. Rob will take her to her horse riding on Saturday, after they do a Saturday chore, which Rob has informed them will be cleaning out the van and taking it to get vacuumed. It's sorely needed. So, a busy weekend, for sure. Since Jake's mom will be home Saturday taking care of him, I plan to help with Michaela and get things done around my own house. We've been over there so much, we've even been cooking and eating over there part of the time. Win-win for everyone. They are working a ton right now, so therefore, so are we! Everyone's payoff will be at the end of the month when they go on vacation. We will have enough hours clocked, they will be able to leave their jobs with everything done, and we will all rest up, we hope!
Poor Jake! Getting teeth pulled is never any fun no matter how many slushys you are given. I don't blame Michaela for wanting to get away from the complaining, whining and crying. Who wouldn't prefer a movie to that! Tell her I get to go to a funeral this weekend so there is always someone else with a more difficult life...unless you are going to attend your own funeral.
ReplyDelete