Friday, February 17, 2006
Planting summer flowers and blackberries
Today was so nice I planted the Rudbeckia Goldstrum (Black Eyed Susan) and Echinacea Purpurea on the west end of the yard under the three trees there. The three trees are a Bradford Pear, a Red Maple, and a white Dogwood. Each has a 10 ft diameter mulched area underneath that makes it easier to mow the grass. Each also has a butterfly bush that I put in last spring. The new plantings will provide three each of the yellow and purple flowered perenials under each of the trees. This sort of part of the plan to make this area butterfly friendly.
Last week I also put in 10 more asparagus plants in a row next the the ones I planted a year ago. Only 4 of those plants came up. Hope to get some stalks from those 4 this year. I seeded this area with rye (grain, not grass) earlier this year and it is coming up fantastic. It turns out I put down way too much rye seed, about 1 inch apart. Normal spacing is much wider. We will see how that works out.
On the east side of the lot, the leaves have been placed in a bed along the fence to provide a bed that is from 4 to 8 feet deep. It mows well. I put in three blackberry plants. Arapaho is thornless with stems from 3 to 6 feet long. They are about 8 feet apart. Blackberries produce fruit on the canes in the second year, so after fruiting, the spent canes are removed. Thornless should help this process. This is part of the vegetable garden area.
The third of the four vegetable garden plots has been dug and amended with peat moss. One more to go. Peas are planted in one and onion sets for green onions are placed in one square foot. Vidalia type sets are on order.
I put in three more day lilies. I can't avoid these it seems.
Sweet peas are planted along the fence behind the blueberries.
Last week I also put in 10 more asparagus plants in a row next the the ones I planted a year ago. Only 4 of those plants came up. Hope to get some stalks from those 4 this year. I seeded this area with rye (grain, not grass) earlier this year and it is coming up fantastic. It turns out I put down way too much rye seed, about 1 inch apart. Normal spacing is much wider. We will see how that works out.
On the east side of the lot, the leaves have been placed in a bed along the fence to provide a bed that is from 4 to 8 feet deep. It mows well. I put in three blackberry plants. Arapaho is thornless with stems from 3 to 6 feet long. They are about 8 feet apart. Blackberries produce fruit on the canes in the second year, so after fruiting, the spent canes are removed. Thornless should help this process. This is part of the vegetable garden area.
The third of the four vegetable garden plots has been dug and amended with peat moss. One more to go. Peas are planted in one and onion sets for green onions are placed in one square foot. Vidalia type sets are on order.
I put in three more day lilies. I can't avoid these it seems.
Sweet peas are planted along the fence behind the blueberries.
