Garden On Steroids

Don't really know where to begin talking about the garden this year, it's been proceding at ludicrous speed!

Here are the highlights;

Already harvested bulb onions (though I confess I started them in six packs a couple weeks before going into the ground).

My Bhut Jolokias are three foot tall, three foot diameter, and already outgrew a five gallon bucket--they're in a ten gallon now.

Harvested my bucket grown Yukon Gold potatoes already.

Four kinds of mint--chocolate, pineapple, apple, and spearmint.

Stevia--for the first time, going to try and use some to make juice. Thought about wine, but don't know if it will work, has anyone tried by chance?

Everything is at least two weeks ahead this year too, I'm going to try a second crop of super sugar snap peas, radishes, and mayber even new potatoes.....we'll see.

Try and get some new pics up soon.

Garden on!

Spring Gardening

Think this is the earliest I've gotten the garden uncovered. Raked off/out all the leaves and dead plants from last year. Looks much nicer now. Air got into the soil and dried it out a bit.

Have to add some amendments and get it rototilled. Some sand/decomposed seaweed mix, and some compost. Last year it was peat moss that was added. Heay clay soil is fun to work with. Be awhile still before I can plant. Lake Chanplain is still around 36-39 degrees. Still a chance of a killing frost for a month.

Could probably get away with putting some rutabaga seeds in the ground now, but don't want to push it. Don't care that much about having rutabagas sooner than fall anyways.

Here's What I've Got Growing On....

....In the garden.

Actually I've got two veggie gardens going on. One traditionally planted in rows at my grandfathers house, the other is raised beds intensively planted at my house.

Tomatoes; Golden Jubilee, Dr. Wyche's, Free Tibet's, Black Prince, Sungold, Strawberry Husk
Hot Peppers; Cherry Bomb, Jalapeno, Habanero, Red Savina Habanero, Bhut Jolokia (first try)
Italia and Black Beauty for Sweet Peppers. String beans in yellow, green and purple. Sweet, Lime and Lemon Basils. Okra, Dill, Sage, Lavender, and Mammoth Sunflower. Super sugar snap peas.
Turnips, Radishes (almost gone by), Nantes Coreless carrots, Parsnips, Three types of heirloom Zucchini, Swiss Chard, Bunching onions, Red, White, and Yellow Onions. Black seeded simpson lettuce, and two salad mixes, Italian and French. A couple of sugar baby watermelons, and a vine peach for good measure.
Lastly I have some horseradish and yukon gold potatoes in five gallon buckets. These have done amazingly well.

Been super busy staying on top of the weeding, top-dressing with fresh compost, and keeping the soil turned up. The work is paying off though. The Tomato plants are knee high and flowering, the sunflowers are waist high. In spite of the almost two inches above average of rain for the month of June, things are proceeding well. Looks to be a lot of freezing, canning, and dehydrating coming up soon!

Act Locally, Think Nationally

There is no doubt in anyone's mind that we live in trying times. Many of us go to work everyday, just glad to be employed. Wanton for even a brief glimmer of hope, we are bombarded with bad news constantly. The worst part is that there really is not a lot your average citizen can do about such enormous issues.

An Islander really can't affect the outcome of national health care, debt, recession, and the economy going down the toilet. Let us not be overwhelmed by this, and instead act locally and think nationally. Going beyond our own frugality, we can simply help our own members of our Islands community in their struggles.

Local food shelves will surely see need in this year and the next. Anything that's donated would be a blessing for those who receive it. I like many others don't have extra coins to spare, and donate neeeded canned goods. But this doesn't mean we can't help, there is much opportunity for Islanders with some spare seed, soil, and time.

For those who've never gardened before, start now. If you've got a south facing window, a packet of tomato or squash seeds, and a couple small cups of soil you can help. No garden space? Got room on your porch, step, or walk for a bucket or two of soil? That's all you need.

No soil? Just talk to your local farmer about his pasture, Stuff your old buckets or containers 3/4 full of last years dried cow patties. Top off with some topsoil (if you have it) or a 50/50 mix of beach sand and organic matter like compost or very rotted wood. Put in a sunny spot, and water daily and you're on your way!

If you're an established gardener, consider tilling up more, and enlarging your garden. Start a couple extra plants, or try something new that keeps for a long time. Remember all those zuchini and summer squash that you couldn't give away last summer? Pick them smaller this year, slice them up, and dry them in the oven. Done this way they'll keep all the way till next summer!

Islanders will never solve the issues that face the United States. We barely stand a chance of affecting how Vermont weathers this economic storm. We can make a difference here at home in our own community, amongst our friends and neighbors. I implore all, please try.

Spring Blitzkrieg

Spring came into full force this week. Wow. The daily commute brings me past Sandbar Nat'l Wildlife Refuge, and it's a hopping place. Every piece of open water is chock full of ducks. I've seen so much waterfowl between ducks and geese so far. Everything is ready for spring.

Saw a Great Blue Heron hunting open water from the edge of the ice. Saw Osprey bringing sticks to the nest platforms above power lines. Saw some Wood ducks paddling around. My wife swears she saw a Pintail (I'm jealous, still never seen one). The ice on Lake Champlain is looking particularly ready to break up. Though I do note there are some fools who still insist on going out on it. At least they're being smart and staying next to shore!

The downside is all the leaves covering flower beds are still wet and heavy. They're hiding the best signs of spring, all the new plants looking for sunshine. Tulips poking skyward. The sedum looking for some light. It's all a matter of time. I looked at the buds on some apple trees, and elderberry yesterday, and they were looking ready. Pretty soon the buds will pop out on the Maples and sugaring will come to an end. Spring's just around the corner now.