Bearded Irises Starting to Bloom. 4 May 25.

 Some of the bearded irises have started to bloom.

I had been frustrated about weeds - especially thistles - and worse, disease.  Last summer, I dug up the old iris flower bed, removed and cleaned up the rhizomes, and replanted them in a raised area surrounding a tree stump.  Contrary to recommendations and advice, I mulched with arborist chips.  I've been able to keep ahead of any weeds.

The result is, the plants look healthy and strong.  Slugs are still a challenge.  I use slug bait.  I didn't expect much if any bloom this year, so soon after planting.  However, there are about thirty flower stalks.

The first to bloom is a hybrid I created many years ago.  I had pollinated Immortality with pollen from Spiced Custard.  The result was a white-flowered bearded iris with golden beards.   I named it "Golden Caterpillar on Pilgrimage on Snowy Mountain, Seeking Enlightenment.  Or Golden Caterpillar for short.  

In a separate area, Sunny Disposition is blooming.  This area still needs some cleanup.

Iris germanica florentina has been blooming for a couple of weeks.  It is located inside the kitchen garden.  I thought this clump was Immortality, but I was wrong.

Iris dalmatica is also starting to bloom.  It's in the kitchen garden border.  This area also needs some cleanup.

Tomatoes Planted And Settled In. 4 May 25

 The tomato plants have been in the ground for a couple of weeks.  I think this is the earliest ever.

The cardboard keeps the ground more moist, prevent weeds, and prevents splashing fungal and bacterial disease spores onto tomato leaves.  I have wire cages in place for taller growing varieties.  All of the drip irrigation emitters are in place and working.  This year, I used in-line rater than individual emitters, 0.5 gal every 6 inches.  That way I don't have to take them apart at end of season, less plastic waste.  I don't know if they will keep the soil more uniformly moist, but I think so.

After the photo, I laid steel fence posts on the cardboard to prevent wind from scattering them.

After season's end, I compost the cardboard.

Container Dvid Austin Roses. 13 Apr 25.

 The container David Austin roses are growing very nicely.

They get most of the morning sun in this location and quite a bit of afternoon sun.  The ones that I repotted, I had given some organic vegetable fertilizer in the mix.  That may be gone now.  Today I gave some diluted Tomato fertilizer, which is pretty balanced.   

They look quite healthy.  If I remember correctly, they were blooming by mid May last year.  With such warm weather, and most are established, so maybe  little earlier this year?

This and That in the Kitchen Garden. 13 Apr 25.

 Lots going on in the kitchen garden.

This raised bed has bib lettuce, snow leas, daikon and turnips (almost too small to see) and radishes (ditto).  So far the main challenge, birds eating the plants, hasn't happened this go-around.  Maybe due to pre-starting them?  And the lettuce and snow peas are store bought plants.

We got the first crop of Chinese Chives for jiaozi dumplings.

I planted broccoli plants (not shown).

Today I gave the garlic plants some nitrogen fertilizer.

Also the onion plants.  Growing really nice.

Alpine strawberry plants have started to bloom.  I still have one container to separate / thin.

The Gravenstein apple is blooming.  Also Tasty Red columnar apple has started blooming.  I haven't seen any bees yet.

Dividing and Repotting Alpine Strawberry Plants. 31 Mar 25.

 These are the Alpine strawberries that I grew from seeds last year.  They bear tiny berries, very intense flavor, very sweet.  I think they are too crowded.

I started dividing them.  A lot remaining to divide.  I planted three in this large container that already contains some lilies.

This is good for accessible gardening.  I can sit on garden stool, to tend them at a comfortable height.