We are utterly exhausted.
We had plans to do 5 raised beds yesterday, and we completely pooped out after only two. Then we had nothing left to carry us to one of our office cleaning jobs. We literally fell apart.
It was a beautiful morning. While Michael began rototilling where we would put the next bed...
I set out to plant the rest of the herbs we had left at this point.
On my way!
Don't leave for the fields without your drink.
I plunked the extra basil pots behind the rosemary in this shot. This new rosemary is a little different than the one that was already in the ground on the right, but I don't know what cultivar it is.
I planted a Lambs Ear here, and then took that Provence lavender on it's left out to move over by the other lavenders.
Michael came over to help plant the Stevia with me. My knees don't bend so well, so he was a great help, as usual.
No sign of the Caraway sprouting yet.
Nor the Anise.
But the mustard is very happy.
We moved the little patio set from the back porch down here to have a cooler place to sit when we rested on this 85 degree spring day. It really helped, but by noon we were so tired neither one of us could believe it.
I knew we were not going to reach our goal of 5 beds.
After two, we were facing the end.
We went up to eat lunch, and decided we would not try to do any more beds. We did plant some carrots and summer squash, but we were too exhausted to do our office cleaning job that we usually do on Friday evenings.
We mustered enough energy to get Michael to his gymnastics class at 6:30, and I could hardly stay sitting up. But we'll be doing two office cleanings on Sunday.
We came home, left all the windows open, used candle light, played a few quiet card games, and drifted off to sleep. I'm going to do that again tonight too.
And now I am caught up.
Today is a regular Shabbat Saturday, and I am going to enjoy my time here with Michael.
May you each be blessed!
~Faith
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my caraway from the jar never sprouted... i tried the paper towel chitting method. no dice.
ReplyDeletebut my anise in the 6pack flats worked fine, germinated in about 10 days i think.
mmmmm.... basil!
Icebear,
ReplyDeleteI used up the last of my anise seed from last year. I didn't have too many left. I love the flavor of black licorice, so I have been looking forward to the herb.
Strangely, there are quite a few plants that taste like that. I didn't know that until recently. Cool!
~Faith
Faith,
ReplyDeleteLooks great! Love your grapes, wish you were closer to let me apprentice with you in dealing with grapes*wink*
The raised beds, are you putting a mat/ cardboard, newspaper or something as a weed block? We've done three beds this was using cardboard and many layers of newspaper, then topping it with fresh manure and covering that with 5-7" of soil. We're hoping this will prove a good fight against the bindweed, so it's a experiment of sorts, if it works we'll work at doing the entire garden this way next year.
My peppers have been giving me fits, I thought my seed was not good, so bought hybrid and guess what not much better germination with them, so now I think it is a matter of not enough heat. It's always a learning process, even after almost two decades*wink*
We have anise hysopp, it reseeds it self and boy does it make a wonderful tea( hot or cold!) We tried several new herbs, for medicinal as well as culinary and haven't had a very good germination rate, so will sow outside and see what happens. Sometimes they come up the following season! That's what happened to my dill, didn't come up last season and is thick as thieves this season*sigh*
It's tiring, but it's a good tired, very satisfying too :o)
I am officially caught up with your bog. Man it is good to have you back! Your place looks great. Cool that your son is building a hunting area...very good idea since you have turkeys on your place. I am sorry you are so hot already. So far here we have been blessed with mild temps and nice spring rains. We will see how the summer unfolds.
ReplyDeleteKelle,
ReplyDeleteI don't know that I'd do much good, it's been more challenge than anything. I guess I must be learning a lot though. If I ever get in a place with good growing conditions, I'll really be something! LOL
We are using newspaper and cultivating for weed control. My hope is to use as much newspaper as we can. Fresh manure is going to be really hot - how are you dealing with that concerning your veggie plants?
I've seen bindweed, but never had a problem with it. I have one herb bed that is infested with a similar problem. The tops may be all gone, but the root system is a thick web under there. I'm hoping that if I continue to cultivate it mercilessly, every few days, the roots will run out of energy. Same with those giant weeds with tuber roots that grow new plants with every little piece, I'm pulling every leaf off of them til they die. Digging does no good, as you would have to dig down 2 feet deep and 2 feet wide to get every piece of root out of there.
I've never seen anise hyssop. I am just so impatient to get my herb beds filled. First, it will cut down on weeding, but secondly I am wanting to focus on USING them rather than just growing them.
I expected my dill to reseed as well, but it didn't. So I planted more. I love the smell! Well, I love all the smells out there. Don't you just love walking past and brushing each group, just to get a heady fragrance?
~Faith
SM,
ReplyDeleteIt's good to have some posts up again. My blog focus has been to share how to do things - sadly, I've been so busy DOing them that I've not had much time to focus on making tutorials, so then the blog becomes just a long list of photos and what we've been doing. It might be interesting in some ways, but not what I was going for.
Still it is sure good to catch up with you guys on here! Makes me remember how great it would be to all live on the same road. LOL
~Faith
Hi Faith, so nice to meet you, you are a girl after my own heart. I looove herbs, and enjoy growing and using them. Enjoyed looking at all of your pics. I have heard of stevia, and would like to grow it. Could you tell me how, and when to harvest it, and how you preserve it. Also how to use it. I would so appreciate it.My email is josue1945@gmail.com
ReplyDeleteThanks for sharing this beautiful day , and thank you for visiting and for leaving me such a sweet comment.
Blessings,
Sue
Hi Sue,
ReplyDeleteI'm so glad you stopped by.
Email sent! :o)
~Faith