Long spate of rain sandwiched between misties today. Still warm even as I write this, over 50°F.
- Round of seedling watering. I’m seriously thinking of trying to put some of the seedlings outdoors at this point to see if more sunlight will move things along. Maude is still recovering just fine, but I realized given the bin we put her in, her stalks are likely a bit leggy as she sought the sun. The next sized down is also rather tall, but maybe when the leaves start really growing aside from some of the side to side weave of the stalks, they’ll be fine.
- When the rains break and we’re at least back to more misty than drops, I need to start screening some of last year’s compost. I saw in one video that potatoes in particular can burn through nutrients, and although I’m going to check a few more of my bookmarks for confirmation, since they’ll be among what we transplant in the ground earliest, I want the beds to be ready for them. Maude in particular has come too far just to put her in a poorly readied site. She deserves better.
- I didn’t really spend much time outside at all today, so a bit of a physical rest day. The most I did was wander around the covered front porch and peer over the sides to see how things were doing, mostly noting all the flowers that desperately need dividing as well as their distant offspring popping up in odd places.
- I did look up starting onions from sets which is sort of what we have with the Canadian onions that we have. I know that most of them may simply bolt into seed, and I talked to my partner about it. We both agree that’s not the worst that can happen, and we still have the walla walla seeds so we should be able to get at least some edible onions. I’m curious about the green onions some videos mention related to planting onion sets.
- Although we did finally blow up the backyard portion of the scale drawing of the property we got when we bought the house, not all of the planned spots we penciled in are to scale, and I feel the need to get out some tracing paper and set it down better. I’ve also realized a few spots we didn’t think through very well so we may be switching some things around in the garden beds area on our plan before planting.
- I keep reading and seeing folks raving about cattle fencing for climbers, and I’m trying to figure how we can work some into the budget for some things like the luffas and melons.
- Still trying to figure out what exactly we can do about the rain garden this year, as well as moving the downspout away from the slope towards the driveway. It may be something we can start to a point, but will have to hold off until next year to finish.
- When I start to feel like we’re in over our heads, I keep reminding myself, “we’ll do what we can when we can and be glad for it”.
- I have started noting where some of the companions need to go. I still have what feels like a long list of things I need to refer back to notes to place on our backyard sketch.
- Sunday, if the weather cooperates, we will be lifting up the old concrete splash guards on the east side so I can dig out the milkweed there. Some have already started forming above grade, and I want to transplant them to their new home along the driveway fence line. We know four spots we’ll have milkweed this year, but we still need to pick three more, two of which will be out front. I also hope to divide the bee balm this year to encourage more to grow. We’re hoping by spreading the milkweed/overall pollinator attractant specific plantings to more areas will garner even more interest (and possibly monarch eggs) this year. Also, by not having so much clustered together, less aphid farming to deal with because the ants will have to haul their “cattle” farther. Time will tell how that plays out.
