Front Flower Beds. Cleanup. 3.9.14

Front Border 1

Front Border 2

I've made incremental progress cleaning up the front border.  This is a couple square feet at a time.

About 1/2 of the bulbs are moved from the Vancouver place, mostly in the past couple of weeks.

As I go along, I add compost mulch to prevent weed seed germination.

There are some large patches of weeds but it's getting there.  Should be nice when the flowers open.

I moved violets here from home, for ground cover.  Some people consider violets invasive.  Here, they occasionally self-sow new plants but have been in the Vancouver yard for 15 years and have barely increased their area.   Dividing them and replanting, they might fill in somewhat and reduce weed growth.

Sedum sarmentosum might be good here, if underlying weeds don't take over again.

I have left patches for summer flowers.  This is where I want to plant the Mirabilis jalapa.

Most of the plants here are deer and rabbit resistant.  I also want to add some herbs for color and for kitchen use.  There is lavender, rosemary, and garlic chive now for color and bee forage.

There is more to do.  I'm not / can't be in a hurry.

Fruit Tree Grafting. Progress Report. 3.9.14

Asian pear graft.  Hamese.  Whip and Tongue.

Asian pear graft.  Mishirasu.  Whip and Tongue.

 Some of the new grafts have swelling buds.  Probably flower buds.

I don't think it's beneficial to let them fruit the first year.  Wood may not be strong enough for the weight of the fruit.  Bearing would decrease stem growth.  I think it's OK to allow blooming, which might also help pollinate the established branches and 1-year-old grafts.

It looks like a couple of the 1-year-old grafts might also bloom.  I might let those bear fruit so I see what they are.  Forgot to label them last year.

The Hosui stock had buds in various states of development.  I want the grafted varieties to pollinize the Hosui, and vice versa, for better yield.  Or for yield at all.

Hosui bud.  This is the stock.  The framework I am adding more varieties to.

1 year old Asian pear cleft graft.

Spring Bulbs. Update. 3.9.14

Sprouting fritillaria "Crown Imperial"

Sprouting Fritillaria "Crown Imperial"

Puttering.
I discovered another sprout like the prior unkown.  This one, by a label I made last fall.  Fritillaria "crown imperial".  I was going to give up on these.

The other also had a label.  I didn't see it.

Wooden sticks make bad labels in this wet climate.  They rot too fast.

So part one of this experiment was a success.  They survived winter and are sprouting.

Part 2 of this experiment.  They continue to grow, they don't rot, and rabbits and deer don't eat them.  Websites claim this variety has a strong musky odor that repels deer and rabbits.

Spring Bulbs, Flowers and Irises. Progress Report. 3.7.14

Sedum sarmentosum in iris bed

Allium spring growth

Unknown bulb sprouting.

 With the warm days, many bulbs are growing rapidly.  A few daffodils are blooming.

Sedum sarmentosum ("Cemetery moss") survives the winter and growing nicely in the bearded iris raised bed.  I planted this fro starts taken from my previous garden.   Sedum sarmentosum grows easily.  I've seen some web information that it's invasive.  I've grown it for many years.  It grows and spreads easily, but also pulls out easily and does not self seed.  This plant is not invasive.  One reviewer didn't like this plant because they observed it attracts bees.  To me that's a plus.

Ornamental alliums are several inches tall.  Fortunately I labeled a couple, so I knew they were alliums.

A few will have to bloom so I know what they are.  One especially large sprouting bulb could be an allium.  I'm guessing it's a Camassia.

 Anemone blanda is blooming around the yard.  They are only a few inches tall.  Nice cheerful flowers.  Rabbits ate most of the De Caen anemones, although there is a chance some might bloom.  I planted them specifically  because they are described as rabbit and deer resistant.

I bought some hollyhock starts.  Hollyhocks are considered a short lived perennial.  If they survive and grow, they should bloom this year.  They are a long shot.  The roots don't look like much, and the root ends were ragged.  I trimmed them more cleanly and planted in a somewhat protected spot.  Hollyhocks are considered deer susceptible.  The spot is close to the house, surrounded by other plants.

I plated seeds for Four O'Clocks in containers.

Irises and bulbs.  Early Spring Growth.

Anemone blanda

Hollyhock Starts

Kitchen Garden Progress Report. Potatoes. Vegetables. 3.7.14

Potato Well.  Pontiac Red

Potato Well.  White Superior

Today the  temperature was in the mid 50s.  It's still early  to plant potatoes.  I planted some in the "Wells" that I built from tree surround rings.  The wells are dark brick-like material.  They should absorb heat from the sun.  That will warm the soil further.

If a frost is predicted, I can cover the wells to protect the potato plants.

Planted in soil:compost 50:50 mix.

Scallions are growing rapidly.

I planted some additional spinach seeds.

I planted some snow peas in small flower pots.

That's about all.