The puggle princess and I had a great time in the garden last week. The weather was a bit wonky, rain one minute, clouds or sunshine the next, but we were able to get a bunch of mini projects done nonetheless.
Lucy loves a good nature walk so one afternoon we went into the woods and collected sticks for the wool flowers I make and sell in my Etsy shop.
How are your raspberry canes doing? Ours are starting to come in nicely and are beginning to spread. I’m trying to decide if I should have the HH build another trellis or just pull up the extra shoots. On one hand it would be nice to have the extra berries, but I don’t think we’ll be here long enough to actually get any fruit from them. Hmmm.
Take a look at this shasta daisy plant. The first spring we were here {3 years ago!} I started a flat with seeds on the back patio. Towards the end of that first summer I divided the tiny seedlings and planted them along the fence line {near the garden beds} and out front near the garden gate. Now, just after a few years, they are all about a foot across. Isn’t that cool?
The fava beans are looking strong. I think they’ll make a nice backdrop in the garden beds until it’s time to plant zucchinis and cucumbers in late May.
The espalier pear trees are starting to wake up.
The kale I planted for The Girl is growing well too. I’ll keep the kale in the galvanized tubs until it’s time to set out the heirloom tomato plants in May.
The backyard, it’s starting to come alive again and I’m loving it. After such a long wet winter, I hope this means we’ll have a nice {and long} summer with lot’s of sunshine. 😉
Have a great week everyone,
~Mavis
Lisa Millar says
Its all looking so lovely and fresh! Exciting to see everything starting again.
lol – kale! Its like you’ve gone to the dark side of gardening! haha
I’d keep the new raspberry shoots. If you are there long enough – yay! If not, well… If I was buying a house, the abundance of raspberries would be a deal sealer for me! 😀
Still… its all extra work isn’t it??
Have fun!
Jennifer Meyer says
3 years already?! Wow! And I agrer to keep the extra raspberries as a possible selling point for a fellow gardener.
Mandy Nygren Daellenbach says
Hi Mavis!
I love your blog and after moving to the PNW from SoCal its been a wonderful resource! I have an animal problem. I planted fava beans. One by one they have been dug up and eatten! They leave about 2/3 of the sprout behind. They also dug up my onion starts , but didnt eat them. Ideas? Thoughts?
Mavis Butterfield says
What kind of animal?
Mandy Nygren Daellenbach says
Well Ive never seen them because it happens at night (i did stay up late enough to see a skunk parade come through for grubs but i digress) late at night. It could be rats. It could be squirrels or raccoons too. Raccoons peeled my eggplants and left little cores hanging from the plants last summer.They usually leave a mess though.
Mary Custer says
Everything looks so healthy and delicious!
May I please have your address again!
I was away caring for my mother who was very ill and was unable to sort through all of the accumulated emails.
I’d still like to send you my favorite garden tool!
Mavis Butterfield says
dig for your dinner@gmail.com spaces removed. Thanks Mary, have a great day.
Mary Custer says
May I have your PO Box so I can send you my favorite tool as a thank you for all of the ways you have helped me garden, cook and save money!
Mavis Butterfield says
PO Box 2083
Gig Harbor Wa 98335
Thanks Mary, that is very sweet of you.