Thursday, February 4, 2010

On my hands and knees

I did some weeding today in the perennial bed. It felt good to get my hands in dirt, even if I was wearing gloves. The soil is extremely wet. I lost a few things over the winter. The guara, for one, just doesn't tolerate wet feet. The soil hasn't dried out since the fall.

I collected a wheelbarrow of weeds and a few leaves with them.



That was just from the border along the edge of the street. I dumped it into the compost bin twice.



The most exciting thing that happened to me all day was finding the first crocus bloom. Spring really is coming, but not before a cold rainy weekend passes through.



Anise hyssop "Golden Jubilee" is coming back. This is a self sown plant that popped up last year.



Lots of rudbeckias are hanging around.







Coreopsis "Full Moon" is doing great. I planted 12 of my divisions in the backyard today.



Coreopsis "Moonbeam" has new growth too. I didn't see any along the retaining wall. I paid a whole dollar for those 15 plants last year. They'd better come back.



I saw new growth on a few clearance rack mums too. Ditch lilies are ready for spring, like me.



Montauk Daisy



Purple columbine



Rose campion. These were wintersown last year. I thought they were lambs ear for a few months. I was wrong.



Dianthus Pinks are holding their own. These are clumps I rooted from a bag full that Jim at Frogview Cottage sent me.



All over the yard, daffodils are popping up. I even saw the tip of one on the front slope where I planted 200 back in December. As usual, those around the oak tree in the front yard will be the first to bloom.



It's 45 degrees. The rain will be here soon. Plenty of wood has been hauled into the basement. Lunch has been eaten. It's time for that nap. The rest of the weeds can wait.

4:42pm
- No nap yet. I just had to check on the hoophouse. The seedlings survived the cold nights last week just fine. Not much growth, but plenty of sprouts. They know what they're doing.

Rudbeckia hirta. I think I may have overdone it with these. I have 125 of these little cups and every seed sprouted.



Like little soldiers. Dianthus and several others have already sprouted. In another month, it should be a sea of green in there.



Behind the hoophouse, the sedums I rooted this summer are coming back. The variegated sedum was shy. Here's the red.

9 comments:

gld said...

A rest that is well deserved!

Things are looking very promising.

We are getting a mix of sleet, rain and snow and supposed to get the same in a couple of days again.

This is getting old!

Tom - 7th Street Cottage said...

Yes it is. I'm sick of winter. I need some sunshine!

Randy Emmitt said...

Tom,
Wow your hoop house is full. Planting all of those plants will be a full time job! Our garden still is covered in snow. We planted peas last year on jan 24th, not even close to planting peas yet.

IlonaGarden said...

Oh, it looks like spring there! we have a prediction for more snow here.
I lost "gaura" every time I planted it, even though I read it would survive here in zone5.

Your garden looks SO good :)

FlowerLady Lorraine said...

You never cease to amaze me with what is growing at your place. It is so neat to see things coming up out of the ground after a winter sleep. It's not something we see down here. I love your hoop house and what a joy it must be to have and to watch things sprout and grow.

Way to go Tom.

FlowerLady

Tom - 7th Street Cottage said...

Randy, In two months, all those plants will be out of the hoophouse to make way for all the annuals I'm starting this year. It'll come down in April when the tomatoes need to be planted in that bed.

Ilona, we have snow in the forecast too, but this time no accumulation. It's just going to be nasty and wet all weekend. Great time to be working on the house.

FlowerLady, thanks for mentioning me yesterday. You wait until you see what I've sown this year. I'm adding nearly 100 varieties of perennials to the gardens. Lots of shade plants, many ornamentals, some new shrubs, a couple trees, and lots of reseeding annuals. Next year, I hope to take it easy with the sowing. ;)

Betty819 said...

I see a lot of columbine popping up among your other plants. I have a tulip that has popped through the soil..that is if Bambi or a bunny didn't get it last night. We're expecting another snowfall today and they are also talking about another one next week. Had 4 in. two nights ago. Can't get out in the back yard for the wet ground to check for any sprouts in my milk jugs. My order from MegaGreenhouse or whatever it is called arrived yesterday. 3 days from time I called the order in. How's that for service? I need to get the rest of my perennials planted. Hubby came home from rehab yesterday. Hope the snow will hold off until he can get back to surgeon today for follow-up. My 2 1/2 weeks vacation is over! Felt great not having to cook all that time; but I'm sure his own bed felt great to him last night.My weeks of chauffering have begun!

Darla said...

It seems as if the rain has been delayed here...it's coming today though I'm sure of it. I've been painting bathrooms...yippee! All of the new growth around your place is so encouraging...love the view in the hoophouse!! I have a container of columbine that I started from seed at the end of the summer, don't see it around these parts..how do I need to take care of it?

Tom - 7th Street Cottage said...

Betty, most of what you see popping up in there is either oxalis or red clover. I scattered clover seeds this past fall. They both look similar to columbine, but after a couple years here, I can tell the difference. Hope his recovery goes well. No snow for us, just rain.

Darla, in your area, the columbine can be treated as a shade plant. Give it a little morning sun, but protect it during the heat of the day. Mine get about 4 hours of sun each day.