I ordered a pile of mulch and thought I had gotten out of doing any of it. But it turns out that I ordered a bit too much. We were only going to mulch the front landscape beds, but with the extra I mulched the asparagus and the back raspberry bed. We have two more small beds in the back that I've told my townhouse mates to mulch. Basically I'm in charge of all the landscaping, but I'm allowed to boss everyone around and tell them what to do. For a lot of things it is just easier to do myself since I mostly know what needs doing, but certain chores I farm out to the rest of the crew.
But I guess it is good that my asparagus is mulched just in case the weather is dry. I wasn't going to. I was going to let it go this year and just keep it weeded. Next year I'm thinking of over seeding it with white clover provided all the plants make it. If not I'll do one more round of asparagus planting to fill in any gaps and wait one more year.
The weather is destined to warm up eventually. Yesterday we had a nice taste of it. We got to 71F(21C) and it was a glorious day. Today we are back into wet and cooler weather. But the trend really seems to be for a nice slow warm up. Which means it is time to starting thinking about the warm weather crops. I already have the first of the corn planted. But corn can handle some cool weather. Beans, which are the next to be planted, won't germinate until the soil hits 60F(15C). Yesterday with the sun the soil hit 70F, but with the rain coming in I'm thinking it will still stay mostly around 60F. But that is high enough. So I got the first of the trellises made. On the next dry day (maybe Thursday afternoon or Friday), I'll make the second. Then I can get them seeded. My radishes are a bit in the way. I planted them at the end of the bean bed. But the French Breakfast can mostly all be picked. It is just a little that I seeded with white icicle. It hasn't gotten big roots yet. Maybe I'll just over seed that small areas with the beans and pick the radishes when they get ready. The beans will take a while to germinate anyway.
Without the solanums, you must feel like you have space for so much more. I know you miss them, but what you get in their place is fantastic!
ReplyDeleteWhat a great bean support structure and your onions behind the bed to be planted look so cheery growing in their uniform rows. They look like they have a really good amount of top growth going on already.
ReplyDeleteLooks like you are getting a lot done. The down side of warmer weather is that it makes you WANT to work, lol.
ReplyDeleteHow does white clover help when planted in asparagus bed? Do you assemble these trellises yourself? They look very nice.
ReplyDeleteIt reduces the amount of fertilizer you have to put on the bed, plus it is a living mulch. I read an article on it a while back, I think from NOFA and they talked about different cover crops that you can use under asparagus. So I'm going to try it. But It can't be put down until the asparagus is more established.
DeleteYes I assemble them in the spring and take them down in the fall. They are just tied together with string.
I like the bean trellis. With the diagonals it should be very solid. Do you anchor it to keep the whole thing from blowing over? Those bean leaves can catch a lot of wind.
ReplyDeleteThe poles are pushed about a foot into the ground. I don't anchor it any other way. In a way the beans plants will anchor it though. They are pretty well attached to the ground.
DeleteYou are the project manager for your garden:) It sounds like there is a lot going on. The trellis looks fantastic. Where do you get such tall bamboo? Did you harvest it (and dry it?).
ReplyDeleteNo I ordered it online in bulk. Our local stores weren't carrying it. I do have bamboo in my garden now, but it is small still and will never make poles this sturdy. The bamboo is 8'x1"
DeleteNeat asparagus bed and efficient use of space.
ReplyDeleteWe are wilting and impatiently waiting for summer fog. Bleah. I think using the mulch is a good idea. Your job description reminds me of one of the girl's t shirts: "Team Work means a lot of people doing what I say."
ReplyDeleteIt was 21 here today too - but I suspect that for us it will the last warm day for a long while. Oh well at least I'll get to read about warm weather.
ReplyDeleteI just love your bean trellises. My neighbor has some bamboo growing. He has given me some nice dry bamboo in the past for the garden. I guess that I should go over there and see what he has available for me to use at the plots.
ReplyDeleteHi Daphne!!! Greetings from northern Wyoming... where the gardening season is just beginning!
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