I'm really excited about these columnar apple trees... the Northpole variety I bought came with a few tiny apples already on it. If you're not familiar with these, they are the perfect way to grow apples in a small space. Vertical with almost no branching. Disease resistant. Plants grow to 8-12 feet tall. Can be grown in a pot or directly in the ground. I also bought the Scarlet Sentinel variety. Like blueberries, they do need two different varieties to pollinate (these can be within a block of each other).
As you may recall, I planted several kinds of vegetable seeds inside a couple months ago, to get a jump start on spring. The seeds sprouted, turned into seedlings, and have now been planted outside. It’s amazing what a bit of sunshine and a torrential rain or two can do! I learned a thing or two in the process. First of all, some things do not benefit much from being started inside. Others just aren’t worth all the trouble that’s involved in this process of protecting from cold, protecting from too much heat, and watering, watering, watering, then moving the small starts to larger pots until the outside soil temperatures rises, then watering some more. Truth is, I just don’t have time for so much nurturing in my life!
Butterhead lettuce. Started inside 11 weeks ago...
Mesclun mix lettuce. Started outside two weeks ago...
sure do love basil...
the lone bean seed that sprouted. Pretty sure some chickens gobbled up all the others...
Kermit the Frog said it best... "It's not easy being green!"
Happy spring!
4 comments:
Things are looking good for a bountiful harvest! We've had several salads from our mixed lettuce bed which included some green onions. David planted the lettuce pretty early in a cold frame. Now it has chcken wire over it to keep the marauding chickens from eating it all! We also had to put a fence around the rest of the garden to keep them and the groundhogs out.
That apple tree sounds very interesting. Can't wait to see the fruit!
I gave up on lettuce. Even with the Terrorist on patrol the bunnies eat too much!
Susan, yes those marauding chickens are a bit challenging at times. Except when we pluck those beautiful eggs out of their nest boxes each day. What my photos don't show... netting to keep them out of the raised beds. Good thing the leaves and fruit are up high enough on the apple trees that little chicken beaks can't reach them.
Fannie, one word... netting.
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