Notes for June 2, 2008

We had thunderstorms on Saturday that gave me 0.35" of rain.

Took off from work on Friday for other reasons and was able to spend the day working outside. I was happy with the work I got done but I was not happy on Saturday. I am 45 years old and I can't do as much as I once did and not pay for it the next day. It made me concerned but I was better on Sunday (still sore but better).

Friday I was able to plant another row of green beans after I finished picking my spinach. I planted about 12 volunteer tomato plants (probably all cherry tomatoes, yum). Each tomato plant was planted in the same way ( a 2 gallon hole filled with manure and sprinkled with wood ashes mixed thoroughly with the excavated soil and the remaining soil used to make a bowled wall around the plant to channel all watering). On Thursday on my way home from work, I bought a Coreopsis (tickseed), a purple/blue Salvia, a Pincushion flower and a green Hosta. I planted all these on Friday. I found several more volunteer marigolds in my veggie patch and transplanted them back in to my veggie patch between the tomato plants. I have more coming as seedlings that I will plant in with the cucumbers and peppers.

Then I mulched. I had ambitions of mulching my veggie garden and all my flower beds but of course, I didn't get that far. I ended up only mulching all the tomato and pepper plants and their walking rows and the row of green beans that is about 8" tall. I will mulch the rest as the plants mature. I used up one compost pile completely, but I still have the big one and another of the same size I used up. To use up the remainder of the wood ashes I had, I sprinkled it heavily in the walking rows before I mulched it over. That way it will get into the soil. While digging out the compost pile I saw plenty of earthworms.

Some of the cucumbers are starting to sprout and it looks like all of the sunflowers have sprouted (so I will have to thin them).

Friday afternoon I called a friend up and asked him if he wanted some tomato plants. he came over and I gave him about 12 volunteer tomato plants and the remainder of my radishes.

The Mountain Laurels are in full bloom in my area and there are many in the woods all around. I wouldn't mind finding one in the woods to transplant into my yard. I had one at my home but it died. I still have a Mountain Pink and it is beautiful.