More planting on Sunday

We saw some sweet onions at the garden store, so of course I had to get them. Got those planted, along with some arugula, more lettuce, mesclun, broccoli rabe, and radishes. No evidence any of that is coming up. We also planted some pansies around Jean's roses.

Today, there was a LOT of asparagus up, quite a few potatoes, and the peas are looking very healthy.

Franz brought me some cooked ramps today. He says to use them in omelets; I think they would be good with potatoes also.

Fence is up

We got the fence in at 86 today, and some chard, kale, and lettuces planted. The transplants are all doing well, and the peas, garlic, and onions are up. Raspberries are coming up all over, as usual.

There were some surprises today. We have volunteer cilantro coming up all around where we had it last year. And there were also some Bells of Ireland volunteers.

There are quite a few asparagi up, although it looks like maybe some of the early ones got a little frostbite. The tarragon is going great guns, as are the chives and lemon balm.

Four Asparagi

When I checked the asparagus this afternoon, there were four little tips poking up -almost enough for an appetizer! Still teeny tiny of course, but so beautiful in their presence.

I got the interior path in on 86, and salt hay down in the areas I won't be planting for a while. I planted some Agway lettuce and parsley transplants - cheating I know but I need quick action there! I would have planted chard, kale & more peas, but without the portapotty, I kind of had to limit my time there.

This week is supposed to be rainy & cold so don't know how much I'll be able to get done. But I'll be checking on those asparagi regardless!

Asparagus Dreams

When I went to the garden today, three little asparagus tips had poked their way through the soil. Finally! At last! Asparagus is in my future! The onions we planted last week are up, too. And the tarragon has finally reached a height we can hope to harvest a teensy for potatoes or corn in the next week.

Today was opening day for the seasonal plots. We got 4 wheel-barrows full of compost onto our seasonal plot (#86), and got the main path woodchipped. It is amazing how even Jazzercising 4-5 days a week, the spring chores are hard! The weather is supposed to be nicer tomorrow, so I'm hoping we'll get the rest of the peas in the year-round plot (#103), and then maybe some greens in at 86.

People, including me, are disgruntled at the community garden. First, they raised the prices substantially this year - 33% for the seasonal plots and 55% for the year-round ones. The coordinator, Sarah, refuses to deal with the topics of vermin control and management of abandoned, weedy plots. The portapotty is AWOL. Sarah made a mistake laying out the plots, and some were only 9 feet wide instead of 10 feet. And, she was just finishing laying out the plots when I got there at 10 AM. The end stakes were not in on any of the plots, and even when we left at 1:30, less than half were done. I think she is not long for her job, and I think it could be another disastrous year for garden management.

On the positive side, my pal Nancy is back. Her husband has been working in London and so she gave up her plot a couple years ago. He's about to return, so she has returned to the garden. Great to see her there. Gardener extraordinaire Rose is also back, though not sure how robust she is. She seemed to spend a LOT of time sitting while son Russ did the hard work.

I'll try to get Alan to take a photo of the garden tomorrow to post. And of the asparagus.

Peas, potatoes, onions, garlic

Today we planted the potatoes (red ones), onions, garlic (yes, it is really too late, but better late than...) and some peas.  Sadly, I forgot some of the peas, so will have to finish those up later.  Developed a  tentative plan for the rest of the garden.  

I'm frantic for some fresh asparagus, and there's no sign of any yet.  

A new gardening season

It is a new gardening season, and I'm getting ready.

I garden at a community garden in northern NJ.  I have two plots there, a seasonal plot, where everything must be removed at the end of the season, and a year-round plot where I can grow perennials.  Opening day for the seasonal plot is April 4, but we've already begun work at the year-round plot.

In the year-round plot, we grow fall-bearing raspberries, asparagus, strawberries, iris, roses, and herbs.  A few weeks ago, we cleaned out all the old raspberry canes, and the asparagus from last season (should have done it in the fall, but oh well.)  This past weekend, we repaired the fence and cleaned out the leaves and other debris that landed there over the winter.  We also put in some tomato cages to support the peas we will plant this coming weekend.  A few raspberries are already poking up their rambunctious little heads, as is the tarragon and chives.  We even harvested a few chives from volunteers from last year's flowers.