Garden Journal – Chapter 22 – Pictures
April 4, 2009 · Filed under Garden and Home · 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.
Grouchow's Weblog 
fleapirates said,
April 5, 2009 @ 8:22 am
Oh, I am jealous… we are not quite to that “spring blooms” phase here in Chicago! 😦 And expecting snow again tonight! Thankfully, it won’t last long, and the spring colors should arrive soon!
I still want to know what you suggest to keep away critters. I tried cayenne pepper last year, and my chipmunks just thought it was GREAT seasoning for the cherry tomatoes!
grouchow said,
April 5, 2009 @ 3:48 pm
Pirates, unfortunately, I have no suggestion for getting rid of critters. We have squirels, racoons,rabbits and a wide variety of birds. I live in the city and told the Hubs with all these animals around here, I would move if a deer ends up on the front porch!!!!
I just try to plant enough so they will share with me. 🙂
blightproductions said,
April 5, 2009 @ 12:30 pm
Nice pics!
Sunflower Ranch said,
April 5, 2009 @ 4:21 pm
What a great post!! Your pictures are gorgeous!! You’re way ahead of me out here in the Wild West. Your post gave me a lot of enthusiasm to get more active in the yard and see what I could do with it! Thanks for the inspiration & keep posting pix as everything grows!
Flea, contact your local big nursery and ask for help from a master gardener. They always know the latest environmentally safe ways to get rid of critters. And have the current phone numbers to contact the county extension office of state wildlife dept. They often will come out and remove, so you don’t have to. Good luck!
fleapirates said,
April 5, 2009 @ 5:26 pm
Thanks ladies! I can’t call Animal Control… my neighbors spend a lot of time FEEDING the local varmints! LOL! One night I came home to find the flying squirrels out, along with 3 raccoons, a skunk, and a neighborhood cat, who was patiently waiting for the optimum time to attack. During the day, we have about 8 squirrels and a family of chipmunks… yes a family. Every year I get to see them raise their babies. Also have a local red-tailed hawk who thinks that this is a PRIME feeding ground.
Can you tell that I live in a town-house? We have 5 units, and all share a parking lot. The feeder is set up right in the corner of the lot. LOL, A’s… we’re right next to ravines, too, so if they’d put a salt lick out there we’d have deer, too. Guess I’ll grin and bear it like you… it’s just that I have such a small space to plant! 🙂 And those darn chipmunks think I am Emeril or something! 😮
Sunflower Ranch said,
April 5, 2009 @ 8:41 pm
Wow! I think I’d just skip the garden, with all that wildlife!! LOL I don’t think that chickenwire cages would either be very attractive on your patio or even keep out the smallest critters. How’s the rat problem? Thank goodness the hawk hangs around!! I think you’d better set up a web cam and stream that right into your blog! I know I’d watch it! Too bad about the thoughtless neighbor,with the generous heart and feeding schedule. Your own little welfare state! LOL Might as well add the salt lick, kick back and watch the antics! 🙂
grouchow said,
April 5, 2009 @ 9:09 pm
You are too, too funny. I think the garden is getting a life of its own. Good idea about that web cam. That would be a hoot! Thanks for the posts Pirates and Sunflower. 🙂
supergranny said,
April 7, 2009 @ 8:01 am
Yes, I am jealous!! We will probably go from 70 – like today – to over 100 very soon. Hot and dry! Soil not the best, lots of ginormous trees. We’ve been here for 2 years and have not found many perennials that will grow. Russian Sage, Carnation, a few herbs. With water at a premium, it is difficult, at best.
We have indoor cats also, do yours tend to make a mess when they eat the grass ending up with dirt all over? or are mine just little piggies?
grouchow said,
April 8, 2009 @ 4:25 pm
I gave up on plants that were not hardy too. The only thing I plant that I expect to live in my man proof yard is bulbs and tuber type plants. They seem to make it through the drought years too.
As for the cats, you are not alone…. both are gluttons. I only give them the grass on the patio so I can sweep up the dirt afterwards, lol.