It’s also been uncommonly chilly this month. While May 22 is the historical last frost date, it’s unusual for it to still be in the 40’s at night this late into the month. As a result, only two of us have been brave enough to plant tomatoes and peppers. My patio greenhouse is popping at the seams with seedlings waiting to find the ground.
So, I’ve spent my time weeding, planting beans and
transplanting volunteer sunflowers and cosmos.
My green beans and edamame are now poking through the soil, so I hope
our next two cold nights don’t do them in.
It was too wet this morning to plant my last two bean rows (of calypso
beans), so maybe I’ll get to it tomorrow. I let my chocolate mint get out of
control and have spent most of the month digging it up in order to make room
for beans and to plant some near where my squash patch will be (in order to
deter the infamous squash bug). 
I spent this morning mulching three of the flower beds –
which is about a month ahead of my usual schedule (since I haven’t been able to
do much planting). We had two geese visit us for over an hour. The beds look so much
better. The irises are blooming and the
daisies are starting to pop. Betty's clematis, of course, have also been in bloom.
I also had time today to research when I should be pruning our typically floppy asters (so that they flower out with shorter branches this Fall). The University of Illinois has a great website for this type of information. These were the suggestion:
I also had time today to research when I should be pruning our typically floppy asters (so that they flower out with shorter branches this Fall). The University of Illinois has a great website for this type of information. These were the suggestion:
·
Beebalm can be cut back by half in early to
mid-May (which will delay blooming by two weeks). One suggestion was just to cut back the front
half in order to stagger growth height and extend the blooming season.
·
Phlox can be pinched/cut back by half in at the
end of May or early June
·
Asters should be cut back by half in early June
(or pinch a few times before Independence Day).
The girls’ beds are growing fabulously. In fact, it’s time to thin out the lettuces
and cabbages. A few stopped by this
morning and had a nice baby spinach harvest.
However, grandma nixed making a salad, so they returned the leaves to me
(which means I’ll be having a spinach and mushroom omelet for breakfast
tomorrow).
It’s been a challenge to keep up with our grass lawn. However, the front lawn was mowed this
morning, but the back looks like we will need a scythe to catch up. Most of the gardeners are keeping up with
their chores, but not the guys assigned to weed the paths and around the raised
beds . . ..
We’re supposed to have a WEP volunteer this summer (which
has been a very exciting development for me since I hope to catch up on all of
my overdue projects). However, despite
three different assignments, not a single one of the guys has shown up
yet. Sigh.
By this time next week, I expect that we will be heavily
into summer planting and I’ll soon be able to pack up my greenhouse again for
the season and reclaim my breakfast room.
Our free little library has been hugely popular. Almost too much so. We’re half-empty and I’m out of books (both
for the kids and other neighbors) from restocking the library so often. So, if you have extra magazines (DIY, cooking, homemaking), children's books, or young adult books, please, please send them our direction so that they can have a new home.
No comments:
Post a Comment