gone walkabout in the garden

Rubeckia



Romanesco zucchini

I just finished my weekly tour and photo catalog of the garden. Once again the dominant theme is WEEDS! Everything is so lush and it includes many vegetables gone to seed and giant weeds such as lambs quarters and yellow dock. There's always something to do out there.

The lushness from all the rain we've been having includes summer squashes that need picking every day, many annual flowers coming into bloom such as Eustoma and Dahlias, and - big excitement - a Night Blooming Cereus (also known as Queen of the Night) that has a giant exotic looking bud. I think it may bloom tonight! I have had the plant for about 7 years and this is the first time it has bloomed. My understanding is that the flower will only last for one night and smells wonderful. Maybe I will be posting a picture of its flower soon. Anyway, it's a thrill even to see the bud.


Night Blooming Cereus bud




On the down side, one of my apply trees has listed over. It's a Stayman Winesap that is loaded with fruit this year, probably the most fruit it has ever had. It was fine this morning but I am guessing that the weight of the fruit combined with the heavy rain we have been having, made it so top heavy that it just kind of pulled out of the soil. The roots are actually still underground so maybe it can be pushed upright again. I sure hope so. It's big enough that it would probably require a tractor and chains to do it and then some clever engineering to keep it up. Ummmmmm......

Stayman Wiinesap Apple Tree






In any case, I think I will head out soon to prop up the young peach tree that is leaning a bit. Yikes!

May Flowers

Note: This post is really on May 25. (A little learning to blog blip.)

Everything is is full swing here at the farm. It's the first day of my second "Farm Week" where I get to stay home and farm full time. It's bliss. The sun is shining, the birds are singing, the work is happening, and the flowers are blooming. These pictures were taken 1 week ago and already there are more kinds of flowers coming into bloom. The tree peony buds were fatter and pinker this afternoon than they were in the morning! Dianthus and Centaurea will be flowering soon. Last year the first CSA delivery bouquet included some of these stunning tulips. This year they will be all done before the first delivery so here are some pictures to enjoy. I definitely want to plant more tulips this fall.

Amazing Parrot Tulips



This bouquet was made on May 16. Even this early, it's possible to make something pretty. Now the lilacs are in full swing. I have light and dark purple, white and cream. Plus an old bush I am trying to revive that has dark ruby flowers. I am a sucker for lilacs. I want more!

An early bouquet



I love species daffodils, especially the scented varieties. This one is a sweetie.

Sweet daffodils: I think the variety is Sun Disc



By now (May 25) the apple blossoms are nearly done but the trees were loaded this year. Plus we had a bunch of sunny weather while they were blooming so maybe we will get a good crop of apples in the fall. Apple trees in my garden: Baldwin, Gravenstein, Pippen, Bramley, Red Astrachan, Stayman Winesap

Apple Blossoms: Baldwin



There's lots and lots of planting going on. Yesterday I finished planting 16 teepees of pole beans and 20 feet of head lettuce. Today I put in 8 hills of summer squashes and 14 feet of slicing cucumbers. Plus I dug more space in the flower garden and took soil samples for the new tomato area and next year's cutting garden. Rob mowed the grass and set up the frame for the greenhouse and yesterday Karen dug up another 6 feet of overgrown garden space. Phew! We are all working hard and it's starting to show.

The first delivery bouquet