madhatter's 2018 garden thread

[f.a.s.t.]

Daffodils next to my foundation/fireplace. I will be happy to see them buried under a foot of snow or more by Thursday night.

[madhatter]

almost a month later than f.a.s.t. here in madhatterville the daffodils and crocuses are just peaking through which prompted a walk in the woods and yep ramps are just starting to peak up as well...gonna be a little slowdown this week but it won;t be long before:



followed by

[ANGUS]

I got an early start with tomatoes, lettuce and basil. 2/1 I've re potted some and its time to do more.

[freeski]

Lots of Italian Parsley (indoors).

Grape and another type of hyacinth.

As always, raking out the garden with the smell of bee balm. My second favorite plant scent.

[f.a.s.t.]

Please consider planting Milkweed in your yard or garden this year to save the Monarch Butterfly. Their population has been rapidly declining. Milkweed is the only plant they can lay eggs on. If you plant it, they will find it and you'll see a lot of them. If you see one that's been tagged on the wing, you can track where it's been. They migrate and hibernate in Mexico every year.

https://www.saveourmonarchs.org/why-milkweed.html" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

[madhatter]

Please consider planting Milkweed in your yard or garden this year to save the Monarch Butterfly. Their population has been rapidly declining. Milkweed is the only plant they can lay eggs on. If you plant it, they will find it and you'll see a lot of them. If you see one that's been tagged on the wing, you can track where it's been. They migrate and hibernate in Mexico every year.

https://www.saveourmonarchs.org/why-milkweed.html" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

have been for many years now...it does spread but can easily be removed when unwanted...and the monarchs do find them...haven't seen one with a tag..

[f.a.s.t.]

Please consider planting Milkweed in your yard or garden this year to save the Monarch Butterfly. Their population has been rapidly declining. Milkweed is the only plant they can lay eggs on. If you plant it, they will find it and you'll see a lot of them. If you see one that's been tagged on the wing, you can track where it's been. They migrate and hibernate in Mexico every year.

https://www.saveourmonarchs.org/why-milkweed.html" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

have been for many years now...it does spread but can easily be removed when unwanted...and the monarchs do find them...haven't seen one with a tag..

Yes, it is best to plant it somewhere all by itself, away from other plants.

[Captain Hafski]

Well. Robins everywhere last weekend at our house in West Bridgewater.

Speaking of planting, let us not forget what is being legalized this year in Vermont !!

CH out.

[f.a.s.t.]

First asparagus harvest this morning. More and more everyday for the next four weeks or more.

[madhatter]

First asparagus harvest this morning. More and more everyday for the next four weeks or more.

my garlic ain't even that tall yet...almost..ramps are fully up...fiddleheads maybe I gotta go look later today...not much else yet...lots of starts in the greenhouse and front windows...some flowers are up, things need to green up a bit so the deer get the fvck outta here before we can put starts out...direct sow can begin any day now... been getting some salad greens from the greenhouse for quite a while now...

[freeski]

[f.a.s.t.]

For the last ten years I had two strawberry patches. They were producing well, but the weeds were out of control and strawberry patches are very hard to weed. Last summer I dug up the patches and renovated the raised bed with compost, manure and leaf/grass clippings. Today I started over, this time using rows with fabric to control the weeds. I planted two rows done the middle. These new plants will produce a lot of strawberries for two to three years. After that, the shoots they send out will be used in new rows. When the shoots are ready, I will plant one row on each side of the existing double row. Those single rows will produce for two or three years, and then their shoots will be put in a double row done the middle again.

I also have lettuce, radishes, scallions, red-yellow-white onions, beets, leeks, shallots, broccoli, kale, spinach, and peas; all doing well.

[madhatter]

For the last ten years I had two strawberry patches. They were producing well, but the weeds were out of control and strawberry patches are very hard to weed. Last summer I dug up the patches and renovated the raised bed with compost, manure and leaf/grass clippings. Today I started over, this time using rows with fabric to control the weeds. I planted two rows done the middle. These new plants will produce a lot of strawberries for two to three years. After that, the shoots they send out will be used in new rows. When the shoots are ready, I will plant one row on each side of the existing double row. Those single rows will produce for two or three years, and then their shoots will be put in a double row done the middle again.

I also have lettuce, radishes, scallions, red-yellow-white onions, beets, leeks, shallots, broccoli, kale, spinach, and peas; all doing well.

peas went in today here...saw one asparagus just peaking up a 1/4 inch or so...trees are in the very earliest stages of leaf...

[skiadikt]

For the last ten years I had two strawberry patches. They were producing well, but the weeds were out of control and strawberry patches are very hard to weed. Last summer I dug up the patches and renovated the raised bed with compost, manure and leaf/grass clippings. Today I started over, this time using rows with fabric to control the weeds. I planted two rows done the middle. These new plants will produce a lot of strawberries for two to three years. After that, the shoots they send out will be used in new rows. When the shoots are ready, I will plant one row on each side of the existing double row. Those single rows will produce for two or three years, and then their shoots will be put in a double row done the middle again.

I also have lettuce, radishes, scallions, red-yellow-white onions, beets, leeks, shallots, broccoli, kale, spinach, and peas; all doing well.

peas went in today here...saw one asparagus just peaking up a 1/4 inch or so...trees are in the very earliest stages of leaf...

great minds ... put peas, snowpeas, green beans and salad mix in today, all from seed. garlic looking great. strawberries have come back nicely though should have removed straw sooner.

asparagus question - planted from roots/crowns last year. supposed to take 2 yrs for harvest (next year). what do i do with this year's stalks which are looking good. can i harvest anyway or do i just let them grow out til fall. also looks like i have 8 plants returning. thinking of putting in another 10. not sure of yields. would 18 plants be too much for one person?

[madhatter]

For the last ten years I had two strawberry patches. They were producing well, but the weeds were out of control and strawberry patches are very hard to weed. Last summer I dug up the patches and renovated the raised bed with compost, manure and leaf/grass clippings. Today I started over, this time using rows with fabric to control the weeds. I planted two rows done the middle. These new plants will produce a lot of strawberries for two to three years. After that, the shoots they send out will be used in new rows. When the shoots are ready, I will plant one row on each side of the existing double row. Those single rows will produce for two or three years, and then their shoots will be put in a double row done the middle again.

I also have lettuce, radishes, scallions, red-yellow-white onions, beets, leeks, shallots, broccoli, kale, spinach, and peas; all doing well.

peas went in today here...saw one asparagus just peaking up a 1/4 inch or so...trees are in the very earliest stages of leaf...

great minds ... put peas, snowpeas, green beans and salad mix in today, all from seed. garlic looking great. strawberries have come back nicely though should have removed straw sooner.

asparagus question - planted from roots/crowns last year. supposed to take 2 yrs for harvest (next year). what do i do with this year's stalks which are looking good. can i harvest anyway or do i just let them grow out til fall. also looks like i have 8 plants returning. thinking of putting in another 10. not sure of yields. would 18 plants be too much for one person?

let em grow, keep em weeded and well nourished....patience now = rewards later...minimal harvest 3rd year then you can cut em pretty hard in the following years til they start slowing down and sending thinner shoots, at that point ya stop cutting...

glad you are moving along well w this...