Developing plums

The plums are plumping up nicely, and although there is evidence of bug damage - it doesn't appear to be from the plum curculio. Still, another spraying of Imidan will be applied in about a week - just to make sure they don't mess things up.....

New japanese maple seedlings

Every year I try to take a few Japanese maple seedlings that have just germinated and place them into 3 gallon containers to grow until they're ready to transplant into someone's yard. So, here's the new arrivals of 2012 - seven tiny Bloodgood variety, that'll stay with me for at least 2-3 years.....

True leaves on butternut squash

Butternut squash are being grown in the 4x9 raised bed next to the woods, and have begun to get their true leaves already. In all, there are 4 plants growing,  and I hope to get around 8-10 squash from them later....

Squash in containers

I'm growing several summer squash plants this year - 9 total, and will simply give most of the harvest away to friends and family as it comes in.  Of these, 3 will be grown in large containers - as seen in the photo above. It should be an interesting location for the squashbugs to congregate later.....

I got bored

So, I built a homemade self-watering container. This one has a float valve installed, and only needs a constant water supply connected to it for virtually hands free gardening. It'll be given away to someone, I'm sure - but who will the lucky person be? I don't know......

Jude and the snake

Jude has encountered a few snakes before( which always bothers me),  because she usually locates them before I do, and of course thinks they're something to play with. But not this one. She walked right by it 3 or 4 times without even noticing it. However, once I poked at it with a stick it climbed a small tree - then the chase was on......sheesh. Way to go Jude.........turdhead.

Crimson sweet watermelons

A total of four are evenly spaced in the 4x8 raised bed, and can be seen by the little seedlings protruding from the soil. They'll be allowed to climb the trellis attached to it of course.......

Corn is doing well

Thankfully, the squirrels haven't dug any up yet, either. Although, there's signs of their mischief elsewhere in the garden. You would think that Jude would patrol this area since being turned free, but apparently not......big butthead.

Another form of relaxation

Fishing. I've been doing lots of this lately, and thankfully the crappie have been biting pretty well. This one was caught at Little Bear Creek Lake yesterday evening after work, and in all - 9 total were caught.

Making sweet potato slips for this year

Around the middle of March it's time to suspend a sweet potato in a jar filled with water so that homemade slips can be grown for the summer garden. Four toothpicks keep it in place, and with the water being changed weekly - produces nice slips in about 45 days. This one is well on it's way to doing just that, it would seem.....

Apple blossom

The apple trees are always the last to get in on the parade of showy early spring flowers in the orchard, and it would appear that there will be a few apples to enjoy this year, hopefully.  The trees are only about 4 years old, so quite young as far as producing anything significant yet. Anyway, the blossoms are gorgeous.....

Cucumbers germinated

Direct sown into the garden, and will be allowed to climb inverted tomato cages for maximum yield. I might make pickles this year, but we'll just have to wait and see.

Butternut squash germination

Wintersown, of course. Any winter squash is a serious space hog, so I always try to grow them either vertically - or completely by themselves. Anyway, these seedlings are ready to be transplanted into the 4x9 raised bed next to the woods.

Corn has sprouted

With the warm temperatures as of late, it didn't take long at all for the corn to germinate. I just hope the stinkin squirrels don't dig them up, because they're prone to dig up everything this time of year while looking for acorns.

Blueberries

They will be plentiful this year, and most will actually find their way into the freezer for later use. It's gonna be interesting, because there's never been a bumper crop like this one before on the property..... I can't wait. :)

Tomato seedlings to give away later

The wintersown tomatoes have been placed into cellpacks now, and in all come to 36 total plants to be given away in about 4 more weeks. Half are Better Boy, the other half Early Girl. These in the picture happen to be the latter of the two......

Planting some things in the garden

Although it's 4 weeks early for it, I succumbed to the pressure of planting some things into the garden. Seeds are cheap, and I have tons at my disposal anyway( since I save nine from the previous year), so went ahead and took a gamble with planting squash, cucumbers, and watermelons. As indicated in the picture above, a couple of Early Girl tomato seedlings were even transplanted. There are plenty of those to go around, too.......

Time to plant corn

Regardless of the strange weather as of late, it's time to plant corn where I live. I always start mine in cellpacks, so that they can easily be moved indoors should freezing temperatures arrive. Anyway, here's my longtime favorite Peaches and Cream about to be covered, then watered well for germination to occur later.

Japanese maple transplants

My little trees have broken dormancy from their winter slumber once more, and are beginning to bud out with new growth. Year 3 will allow them to get some weak fertilizer, because they really need to grow by at least a foot or more.....

Purple zinnia seedlings with true leaves

After being put under constant artificial light for 5 days straight, the tiny purple zinnia seedlings are now getting their true leaves. With mild outdoor nightly temperatures now, these cellpacks are beings left out in the elements. Pretty soon, seeking will be all over the place. :)

Dividing up more tomato seedlings

As the tomatoes continue to germinate in the wintersown containers outside, each is continuously put into it's own container to remain until transplant size. These two are Cherokee Purple, and will most likely be given to a friend later.

Putting flower seedlings into cellpacks

Since a couple of wintersown containers with flower seeds had germinated already, I went ahead and divided them up into their own individual cellpacks. Purple zinnia and Bachelor button are what these are - and in all, came to 90 individual seedlings. Since they had grown pretty long and lanky already, I went ahead and put them under lights in the shed for now. When all is said and done, there should be around 300-400 individual flowers to give away this year. Anybody want some?

True leaves

Some of the wintersown tomato seedlings are beginning to get their true leaves now, which signals a time for rapid growth in upcoming weeks. By mid-April, this plant will have outgrown it's container already. That's OK, it'll be in someone's garden by that time......

Dividing more tomato seedlngs

As more early girl tomato seedlings germinate, each is quickly put into it's own container for the remainder of transplant stage of growth. There's quite a few to go around now, and will gladly be handed out to family and friends when it's time.

Germination of zinnia

Some of the zinnia that were wintersown only 2-3 weeks ago have already germinated, and will be divided up in upcoming days for making their new home in cellpacks. It may become necessary to put them under lights, but we'll just have to wait and see. Anyway, there will be lots of flowers this year.

Self-watering container area

The containers have been topped off with homemade compost, and are  ready for their upcoming crops of tomatoes and corn. Due to the watering needs, this area receives a lot of attention each season.

Santa rosa plum

Here's my one tree in full bloom, and it should be loaded with fruit this year - weather permitting of course. The other tree is a different variety of which I can't remember it's name.

Anyway, I think they're really pretty while in bloom, and indicative of what's to come later.....

Blueberries

There's gonna be tons of them to harvest this year from the 3 bushes, and I imagine the freezer will see alot of them for later use.

I planted a tree

Since those 20 Japanese maple transplants of mine are going into their 3rd year in containers, I decided to go ahead and plant one out in the front yard. This variety is Acer Red Bloodgood, and will grow to at least 20-25 feet tall. An application of dolomitic lime and some fertilizer with really low NPK values took place at planting time.....