Archive for Garden
September 17, 2009
· Filed under Garden · Tagged city, city gardening, digging, Garden, grass, lariopie, lemon grass, lilies, pictures, pvc pipes, spider, urban, well
July 15, 2009
· Filed under Garden, Well Digging SAGA · Tagged air conditioning, city garden, codes, Garden, heating, State Rules, urban, water, well
I am so sad. Now that my little garden has been torn up for the installation of a new water well we got the bad news today. Not enough water to run our water to air heating / air conditioning system. And to think we live only a block away from water!
You see, new State rules are in place. My previous water well system is not grandfathered, even though it is very energy efficient and cost effective. Now, we sit here in all this heat after two months, going on three, waiting for estimates to have an air to air system installed!! I could just cry thinking what heating and cooling costs will be now. Very sad day.
July 8, 2009
· Filed under Garden, Well Digging SAGA · Tagged air conditioning, city garden, drilling, Garden, gardening, heating, produce, urban garden, well digging, well rigs
July 7, 2009
· Filed under Garden · Tagged air conditioning, city garden, drilling, Garden, gardening, heating, morning glory, produce, urban garden, vegetables, well digging, well rigs
Half a Garden!?!
Nearly two months ago our heating and air conditioning system quit running. Much to our chagrin, we found out that our unit was ok but the problem was with the well. That had gone dry! Yikes. You see, we have a water to air heat pump. Now you know the background.
When the well diggers came they told us we would have to put the new well in the only spot available to the well digging rig. In our Garden! Not only that but we would have to take down our gate to allow the truck access to the backyard. This has been a two month nightmare. Waiting, waiting for permission to sink the well, getting a contractor to come and take down the Gate and part of the fence. Of course, that same contractor had to come back and put the gate and fence back up. That meant that our new driveway needed to be torn up. Oh, then there is the Dogwood tree, the branches needed to be trimmed back because the well rig was so large.
If you follow this journal you have seen pictures of the garden before but here are a few recent ones. We have harvested plums, green beans, kohlrabi, lettuce and the list goes on and on, even though we have to fight with the critters we have been very lucky with the crops from our small garden.
While we were preparing for this event I took a few snaps. I just had to take a snap of the Morning Glory. My little bench corner.
But this is what the corner looks like now. This is where we had to store all the things we had to remove from the other side of the yard.
Here is a picture of where the fence and gate had to come down. You can see where we had to make our Dogwood look like a toothpick!
Then, here comes the truck. My goodness! I thought there was a whole house coming up our street. The driver had a really interesting time getting into our small space. Backing into drive.
Finally backed in and parked. See what I mean about a tight squeeze?
They were finally set up and ready to start drilling. The generator was positioned on the street.
This is where they let out the excess water.
We have to dig in the silt they left us. Hopefully, we will be able to till it in with a little neutra green which should fortify the soil (a product we can get locally).
So there ya go, now you know why we only have half a garden. It is gonna take some doing to get it straightened out but the job is still not done. They have to come back and put an injector down in the ground.
I will get a picture of the dirt pile, once called a garden, with the next post. and if I get really creative, I will try to get some video capture on line and place it here.
May 31, 2009
· Filed under Garden · Tagged Garden, city garden, yard, urban garden, birds, nesting, Cardinals, bluejays, blue jay, baby bird, nurturing, protecting, young, squirrel
What’s up with the Birds in my yard?
My back yard and fruit trees have turned into a nursery for baby birds. In the last chapter I spoke about being attacked by the Robins.
This time it is the Cardinals. Their little one flew the coop yesterday and I got a few snaps on the camera. I wasn’t attacked this time because this wasn’t my fault. A squirrel was the culprit! Again, the parents were just busy feeding and guarding the little one. My oh my, I have certainly learned something about birds this spring! Things I never knew.
The parents are just so wonderful at protecting their young. These two kept an ever watchful eye and kept the squirrels and Blue-jays away. While making sure their little Tyke didn’t go hungry.
I have put some arrows pointing to the birds because I had to keep my distance. I didn’t want to scare anyone.
Mom and Dad Cardinals keeping a watchful eye, making sure their little one was protected.
Little Cardinal is at the bottom trying to spread his little wings. Dad is vigilante.
May 18, 2009
· Filed under Garden · Tagged attack, baby birds, bird nest, birds, fruit trees, Garden, pruning, robins
Birds – A Robin Story
The other day I went out into the yard to prune some spring growth from my fruit trees. The theory here is that the fruit will get more nourishment and become larger.
I got out the ladder and the pruning shears and began. I knew there was a Robin’s nest in the tree but I didn’t think that I was very close and I, certainly, had no intention of disturbing the family. Well, I guess I did get too close because, as I was trimming, all of a sudden a “thud” and I got slammed and beaked on the head by one very angry momma or papa!
I had no clue that Robins could be so vicious. Here I am on a ladder and both birds were attacking me. I ran into the patio and I looked down on my on my arm and saw blood. At first I thought it was one of the birds but soon realized it was me. I went in a cleaned up. Then I worried that the Robin that had hit me in the head might have injured them-self.
I went back outside to check things out and got chased back into the patio by both birds. They were still making quite a fuss. Then, I saw why. Their teenage baby had jumped out of the nest!! Oh my, I was really worried that they would abandon their bouncing teen. Flapping wings and jumping around the entire yard all the rest of the day. Much to my suprise, those two parents did not give up the ship but keep a watchful eye on their baby’s location at all times. It started to shower all the rest of the day and into the night.
The next morning I kept looking for activity. I did see the parents but I didn’t see the baby. Then, the Hubs went out and got attacked. He got too close to the teenager too. The parents had managed to get the baby in the pomegranate bush for the overnight. Thank goodness. I watched all day, worrying that the little bird wouldn’t get any nourishment and could die. Well, somehow, this teenager was learning how to spread his wings. He kept getting a little higher air time all day long.
By the end of the day my fears of emminant starvation were put to rest. The parents had been feeding their offspring all day long. I caught this loving caring scene late in the afternoon. I got these pictures through my window.
Scenario: Do Not prune trees while birds nest.
May 8, 2009
· Filed under Garden · Tagged bell pepper, birds, cantalope, city garden, cucumber, food, freezing, Garden, gardening, green beans, healthy food, home grown, kohlrabi, lettuce, pear, peas, radish, save money, sharing, squash, tomatoe, urban garden
May Garden Update
Watching your veggies growing every year is so much fun! I guess because it is such hard labor when turning your ground over, your muscles are sore and you ache so bad after you’ve finished planting your seed. But then the good part is when you can sit back and enjoy the growth. When you see the progress of things growing, knowing that you will be able to freeze much of it (that’s what I do) then eat it during the winter months. Of course sharing with friends is rewarding as well.
This is a full shot of of my small garden. Green beans are the newest growth emerging. Next to that small row are two more rows, newly planted, because I stagger the planting about two weeks apart. When anything else like the lettuce, radish or kohlrabi are done growing new green bean plantings will go in those empty spots to. When you have a small city space you need to take advantage of every opportunity and opening in your little garden. Don’t forget this garden is approximately 30 x 15 feet.
Look how the lettuce has progressed since I last posted. We, my family and friends have savored the pick-ens. The weather will be too hot soon so they will go into seed but meanwhile I just leave the plant in the ground and harvest the leaves from the bottom up. Radishes are just about finished too.
Shouldn’t be to long before the kohlrabi are totally mature. Hopefully the weather will stay cool in the evenings just a little while longer!
I took this picture of the peas last week. They are blooming this week, wow!!
The Squash, Cantaloupe and Cucumbers are thriving nicely. The flowers I planted them in between will die back but meanwhile it slows weed growth.
Tomatoes and Bell Peppers are growing well. I have planted transplants of Kohlrabi to take advantage of the space. As they grow the leaves will spread and again keep weeds from growing under the tomatoes. The kohlrabi will be done before the tomatoes get to large to block their sun.
I didn’t remember to post the Morning Glories in the last post. They are finally coming through the wire which I had to use to cover them with because the squirrels are too quick to dig in my pots! Second time I planted these this year. Wire will keep those pesky critters out of the pots.
May 4, 2009
· Filed under Garden · Tagged apple, asian pear, Azaleas, bird nest, birds, blueberry bush, bush, city garden, damson, fruit trees, Garden, gardening, healthy food, home grown, peach, pear, pesticides, plum, pomegranate, save money, urban garden
April 4, 2009
· Filed under Garden · Tagged apple, asian pear, blossom, blueberry, camelia, camellia, cat grass, city garden, city gardening, flowers, Frizzle, kohlrabi, lettuce, peach, pear, radish, spring, tomatoe, urban garden, vegtables
Spring 2009 Picture Update
If you live in the North, you can be jealous now! Lots of pictures here so it might be a bit of a long chapter. 
I know spring will come your way soon but Spring is here in the lower 48. Now, I am happy. I have taken some pictures just to let you see the progress of my little yard and city garden.
Anyone for Veggies? I think I mentioned this before but will again. I planted these lettuce seeds in November of 2008 and covered the small plants with leaves from the fall. My experiment worked! Check it out. I already picked some leaves and had some of the juciy leaf lettuce on a sandwich! Yum.
Next to the lettuce I planted the radish seeds last month, March. Sometimes you just have to take some chances. It is only a package of seed. The times to plant aren’t always correct, at least, not for my area. Plus, my garden is very sheltered.
Just planted the tomato sets today, right next to the kohlrabi seeds that were planted earlier.
Now that it is warmer, I could remove the cold frame from the kohlrabi.
I have a couple of cats so I have to plant some Cat grass for them too. I put that in pots because they are house cats and aren’t allowed outside. I plant the grass in several pots throughout the summer because they eat it up so fast.
Now for a couple of pictures of the fruit tree blossoms. Oooh, I am just so excited. I get to have fresh fruit from my small city garden too!
Blueberries
Peach Blossoms
Asian Pear Blossoms
Apple Blossoms
I think I went a little crazy with the pictures today but the yard just has soooo many flowers that I couldn’t help myself. I just needed to share.
The pictures of these plants aren’t food producing but they are lovely blooms just the same. They are just fun to share.
This is a Double Camellia. It almost looks like a rose!
My Frizzle, cute frilly flowers! Look closely at the purple. This a great hedge bush. And the color of the leaves are wonderful year round. From dark green to deep purple and blossoms most of the summer.
March 27, 2009
· Filed under Garden · Tagged bird, bird roost, birds, city garden, city yard, nesting
Another Bird Update!
I’m so excited. I did a little researching on the web yesterday and I found out what kind of birds, my tiny couple are! I found this neat bird site that had pictures and it turns out that these birds are called Wren’s. Apparently, there are several varieties but mine happens to be the Carolina Wren. There are really good pictures on this bird identification site called What Bird.com. There is even sound of the bird’s song. The site is a Field Guide to Birds of North America.
Until I am able to get a better snap shot, you can see some really nice pictures on this site. http://identify.whatbird.com/obj/677/_/Carolina_Wren.aspx
