But still. Let's just call it done and not be quite so OCD about it, 'kay? (And I'm sure both of you know I've walked more than 299.81 miles in my life. I only started using DailyMile at the beginning of this year. So those aren't lifetime stats, those are 2013 stats.)
The rain and pain kept me up last night, but I feel pretty good now. An Aleve at 4 a.m., along with the gentle rainfall from the tail end of the storms helped lull me back to sleep for another 90 minutes. The pain is temporary, as I become accustomed to working again. The IT pain I mentioned a few days ago has abated with continued roller and stretching therapy. It flares up toward the end of a long walk, but otherwise hasn't been a problem. I'm even getting in and out of my car without difficulty, so I know it's getting better.
It's amazing what one night of rain does for the garden. In addition to all. those. weeds., the hostas have emerged and the asparagus is skyrocketing! For those of you with asparagus envy, there's no time like the present to plant some. I'm so sorry I waited so long. I kept putting it off because you can't harvest it the first year (you need to let those stalks die back to provide energy for the next 20 years). It's that whole instant gratification thing, I guess. Well, you can't pick it any year if you don't plant it first.
I have since planted apple trees and blackberry bushes, which also take a while to begin producing. I learned my lesson with the asparagus. Last year was the first year for apples, and I got enough for a pie. ONE pie. I would have had more but that summer windstorm blew them all off their branches. And the birds got all the blackberries, but there weren't many since it also was their first year. I expect to have enough to share this summer.
I've shared far too many strawberries with slugs, and am considering planting them in containers this spring. I suppose slugs can crawl into containers, too, though. Fresh-from-the-garden strawberries are so much more delicious than fresh-from-the-grocery ones … it might be worth the risk. I am, however, going to till up the old strawberry bed and plant something else there this year.
After our record-high heat this week, spring is returning and we're going to have perfect work-in-the-yard weather all week long. I'm SO ready.
8 comments:
Just FYI - I had a rectangular container about 5 or 6 inches high (sort of a window box format) that had strawberries in it last year. I also had my tomatoes and herbs in containers that are probably 2 feet high and have a ridged design around them (so something crawling would travel even more than just the 2 feet to get in).
And, you guessed it, the slugs got into it all! For slow-moving critters they can definitely make good time at night getting in and out of containers. So you definitely shouldn't expect that merely putting your strawberries into containers will keep the slugs out, unfortunately.
I attended a lecture at a local library about container gardening and had the opportunity to ask the presenter about slugs. She suggested putting a rim of egg shells or glass shards around the edge of the containers as the slugs will not cross something sharp that will cut them up. It would take me 5 years of egg use to get that many shells, but I may try the glass trip to see how it goes.
Good luck!
I knew you'd had slug problems, Denise, and am grateful for your input. Adding a rim of eggshells would work for me. I'd hoped to be able to grow enough strawberries to preserve some, either in jam or by freezing them whole, but I think I'll leave major production to the Amish.
Someone, assuming chipmunks, but it might have been anyone of a variety of 4 legged friends, took ONE BITE OUT OF EACH/EVERY strawberry the three years we had a bed. Tilled it under. It was in a rambling area what was not conducive to a fence.
Does asparagus start from a seed? I do not think I have EVER seen starts (for sale). And I think the only place I have ever seen it growing was a huge mound at a farm. So I pictured it as a farm thing. Does it need to be a mound? Do the four legged friends like it or dislike it?
I am the person who can't have tulips (too yummy), but can have irises and daffodils and jonquils.
have you asked your amish what they do (strawberries/slugs)?
They grow so many there's enough to sacrifice to the slugs. Like you, I only had a small bed and the slugs ravaged nearly all the fruit.
You CAN start asparagus from seed, but you'll be able to harvest sooner if you buy plants. They're called crowns, and they generally sell for about a buck apiece. You can order them from any good garden supplier; I've never seen them offered for sale at the big-box gardening places. Do a Google search for "growing asparagus." It's VERY easy to grow, critters don't like it, and it produces for 20 to 25 years. If you want to harvest next year, plant two-year-old crowns. If you're willing to wait, buy the one-year-old ones. Jersey Giant is a good variety, but you might want to call a nursery in your area to see if there's a better producer for your climate.
The last nursery (like your store) we had, closed last year. We are down to tree/bush only nurseries and box store nurseries. But we have TONS of Amish. I can ask them. And maybe even get starts from them.
And do I need a 'mound' or where does it like to grow? I am in woody area. Does it need a lot of sun? dry? wet? Do I need to hide it or is it pretty? My sunniest, driest area is actually in the front yard near street. . .
You plant asparagus in trenches. My bed us on the south side of my garage. Google will give you better info about growing conditions/requirements, or call one of the ag departments at a state university.
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