FINALLY! Wind Is Gone and the Temperatures Are UP! GARDENING UPDATE!

~~By NM-Girl (IA)

Well, I’ve been slaving away in the garden every moment I have over the last few days. A couple of days ago, it happened. You could tell.

The winds died down and instead of the cool weather, we started feeling warm. Warm enough to make the car hot during the time I was in the store shopping.  Warm enough to make some of the plants look a little wilted midday.  It’s all about the sun–today it’s overcast, but for the last few days the sun has been stronger.  I’m already tanning if I go out for just a few minutes without my sun gear.

I have a big hat with a flap which covers my neck and an array of long-sleeved shirts that I use when I walk the dogs and go to the mailbox.  No matter how hot it gets–and it gets HOT–I still put those things on.  I’m sure people think I’m nuts.

Saturday I planted the new Belle of Georgia peach. Even with a pre-existing hole (after I pulled out the old tree), it was still a huge job as I enlarged the whole and mixed in a lot more compost and root stimulator.

On Sunday I planted a lot of the pots and sweet potato slips.  Yesterday, I moved around a lot of extra stones which I was getting out of the way while preparing the spot for the new chocolate flower.  In the morning, this perennial does smell like chocolate. I killed one a couple of years ago in the wrong spot, so I’m trying again. I’m going to wait to see if rains tonight or tomorrow before digging so I can take advantage if any moisture helps soften up the  hard concrete-like sandy “soil.”

So, here are some pics of where things are now in the garden!

The honeysuckle is blooming now…

Blooming honeysuckle...

The cactus is sprouting…

Cactus awakening...

The mockingbird surveys the scene below:

Here’s a view across the covered patio looking toward the vegetable beds:

From the opposite direction to the other side of the yard:

The far corner of the yard where the white-tailed doves and rock squirrels eat cracked corn…a vitex tree starting to leaf out by corner…

Lots of fruit is growing now…and the squirrel was spotted in the yard…more next time!!

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The Fruit is Growing!

~~By NM-GRL (IA-GRL)

Well, yesterday about noon the winds started.   So before they kicked up I went out and got some pictures of the various fruits I’m growing…

But first, here’s a picture of the garden “under wraps.”  Because I knew the wind was coming, I watered the plants and then put the covers that I’ve been using overnight back on.  It was easier that putting up the “windbreak” that you see draped around the edge of the raised beds. Tomorrow, the plants will be in the sun again since the winds will be gone.

Ready for the wind...

As you can see, the Flame grape  is already growing like crazy, complete with the beginnings of bunches of grapes!!

A baby bunch of grapes...

The first figs are about the size of a ping pong ball now…

Yummy, a fig!

Last but not least, the peaches…I sure hope I can get the bags on one of the days before the squirrels get to them!! (You can see the tree to the right in the corner in the garden picture above.)

More ping pong-sized fruits...PEACHES!

This may be the most peaches I’ve seen on this tree since I’ve had it. We’ve had a very mild winter and the peaches have grown big enough to withstand the winds (so far!).

This is a standard “Ranger” peach which I’ve kept small.  It grows like crazy in this warm corner.

Eventually, I want to remove it and put something in that won’t be “fooled” into an early bloom.

The tree I bought a few years ago and moved last year doesn’t seem to be waking up at all, although I was doing fine after I transplanted it last fall.  I’m not quite sure if it’s just slow or dead!  The buds have separated from the branches, but they dont’ seem to be doing much. This is the tree I’m hoping to have producing before I take out the Ranger.

I moved one of the artichokes today because I thought it need more sun. Besides, I may be using the space if my big plan actually swings into gear. I’ll know more on Friday…

Hope the weather is good wherever you are today…

Hello from Open Range Ramblings….

By NM-GRL (IA-GRL)

Just a quick post to let you know what’s going on today.  This is the first day in several where the wind ISN’T  howling so I’m outside planting. Bagged shopping and will go to the gym later if I feel like it…

But for now, I’m planting and putting up “trinkets”…like my little windchimes. Found a new spot for them and the are making lovely sounds right now!

Will update later…but for now…INTO THE GARDEN!