The Grass is Definitely...... Purple and Yellow

I was driving home today and as I turned onto my street, I noticed my neighbor's lawn wasn't just green but also purple and yellow.  I had seen the little purple flowers in my yard, but never really stepped back to see it from a far.  It looked beautiful.  Where is the yellow from?  Dandelions of course.

When I first started this blog, I was looking for ways to get rid of dandelions.  That was before I friended bee keepers.  It seems dandelions as well as other early blooming flowers help the bees feed after a long winter.  And here we were trying to get rid of them.  At least the hub was and is always trying to get rid of them.  The dandelions greens are good for you and good for helping with digestion.  The root is a good liver detoxifier and tastes best when they are roasted first.  I don't know what all the fuss is about.  Sure hub wants a lush green lawn, but it's prettier with a little purple and yellow thrown in.

Spring Show

I hadn't noticed until someone mentioned we have had a VERY wet spring here in Pittsburgh.  Now it is all I think about as I prepare my day.  Today started out wet but warm.  It is slowly getting cold again and the wind is whipping so hard against my windows that at times I'm afraid they are going to break.

Before we get dumped on again, I decided to run out and document my Spring Show.  After all this is my favorite growing season of the year.  Mostly because we've just come off of a cold, snowy winter and here Mother Nature is promising us that the weather is changing, even if it is really slow going.

These pictures are probably some of my worst pictures, but it's cold and the wind is the devil.  I hope to post more soon.

Sage is coming back!

All of my Daffodils are droopy.  I think it is due to the crazy weather we've been having.

I used SCRAM to keep the deer away from my Tulips. So far so good!

Hyacinth.

Lillies!

Not sure what this is, but it makes a semi circle of growth.

I must have planted this last year, but have no clue what it is.

I believe this is a Hosta. 

I think this is either a Black Eyed Susan or Echinacea.

Never planted these that I know of but they come up each year.

Aren't they pretty?

My transplanted Day Lillies from last year are coming up!

Even though the deer ate the buds, the blueberries are hanging on!

Blueberry #2

Forsythia tumbling into my yard from the neighbor's yard.  Isn't she GRAND?!?

Clay- Good for Sculpting. Bad for Plants.

Yesterday as I dug the two holes needed to plant my blueberry bushes I reconfirmed the knowledge that my ground is all clay.  I mean I knew this, but I've been concentrating on digging around in the beds in which have been maintained in the past.  This soil is light and perfect making it hard to imagine that a mere 6 inches below the surface everywhere else in my yard is thick with clay.  I literally could take the clay out of the ground here, mold it and fire it.  It is that thick.  My goal is to eventually turn all of this clay land into viable land to plant.  Until then, I see a lot of pottery in my future ;)

Blueberries

This entire blog is about me buying things and then promptly killing them.  It is amazing how bad I am at gardening, however, I feel like I am learning things.  When I'm 80 years old, I'll probably be the best gardener thanks to 50+ years of trial and error.

So this year, I promised myself and my husband I would not buy anything more.  I meant it.  But yesterday I took my mom to the nursery to get dirt for her square foot garden and to get starter pods for her seeds.  I thought I was safe because hell it is March in Pittsburgh.  Nursery centers have squat..... WRONG!  There were three pallets of blueberries.  I've been wanting blueberries.  So I caved and bought two plants.

This morning, before we get our rain and in the next few days snow, I finally got them planted in what I hope is the perfect spot.  It is hard to tell because our yard is so sunny in spring until all of the leaves grow back in.  For now, I think they are planted in full sun.

If You Aren't Square Foot Gardening, You Are CRAZY!

This time of year comes and I want to be out in the dirt as much as possible.  I want to dig and plant and dig some more.  However, with my recent change in work, I'm now working most weekends.  This is the time my husband and I used to set aside in spring to get the garden going. This morning, I woke up late and had a lazy Sunday off from work.  At about 1:30ish after fighting with the hub about a project, I went outside to clean the clover out of the garden from last year.

Last year, we built two square foot gardens the right way.  We put down cardboard and then topped it with soil and peat and vermiculite just the way it said in the square foot gardening book.  The year prior to last we kind of did the square foot thing, but in a more lackadaisical way.  We failed two years ago, miserably, however last year I think we would have done better had we known how to garden.  You see, no one tells you when to start picking.  So we spent the majority of our time thinking our items needed time to grow and by the time we were picking them, they had already gone to seed.  This year, we are wiser.

So today, hub says, "There's no way you are going to have time to plant today.  That garden bed needs so much work, you are going to be out there cleaning it out forever!"  He ate his words, for one hour later my garden was cleaned out and spring seeds were planted.  Honestly, this was the easiest space to weed and plant.  I don't know why more people aren't using this method!

Tomorrow, I plant some swiss chard and I begin to tend to my containers..... Let Garden Season START!

Spring AGAIN!

A few days ago we "sprung forward" giving us more time to spend in the daylight.  While my body is still adjusting to this time change, Mother Nature is sending up signs of love.... Starting with crocuses.  But I also have Daffodils and Tulips coming up.  In the back I see the signs of my Daylillies and I'm so excited!  I need to get my seeds going for the season as I'm behind.  But I can finally see the light at the end of this crappy winter!

This and That. Wrapping up Summer.

As usual, I haven't blogged in some time.  I forget or get tied to other things and just never blog, even though I have every intention of doing it. 

Summer went by and was very dry.  As such, a lot of my plants died.  I am just awful at maintaining them.  It is a wonder my children are alive and well. 

In any case, the one area that did well was my herb garden right outside of my front door.  I'm REALLY hoping that all the plants come back next year.  I am also searching for somewhere to plant my mint.  I want to put it in the ground and let it go.  I know it is a bear to get rid of, but I could not see myself wanting to get rid of that plant EVER! 

Our garden wasn't as exciting this year.  I need to fix our stake problem.  We just never get the tomatoes staked right.  I ended up buying tomatoes this year from the farmer to make salsa.  We never got a chance to make any plain tomatoes.  I'm quite bummed about it. 

I did however, get about a bushel and a half or almost two bushels of apples.  I'm planning on making apple butter and can't wait to get started on it.  The kids, I think will really enjoy helping do this.