Appreciating Blackberries

I still remember the first time I picked blackberries at Highbanks. I was horrified. Never had I suffered through such an ordeal for something I didn't even like to eat. Tom and I were pretty newly married--he liked them, so I picked them for him. (He also likes rhubarb, but I have to draw the line somewhere...ick.)

These blackberries are wild--brambly and loaded with beautiful blackberries. They are also loaded with briars. These gangly canes had me in their stickery clutches from the first berry picked. I was poked, stuck, and entangled...and melting. Seldom is there a mild day when blackberry picking is done. It seems the more humid, the greater the need to pick.

A conspiracy to be sure.

However, over the many years that I've returned to the blackberry brambles, I've learned to actually enjoy the picking. I love the orderliness of how a grouping of blackberries (I'm sure there's a fancy term for this) has a distinct pattern of which berry will ripen; I love the smooth gentle "snap" of the ripe berry as it's removed from the crown on its stem.

And, believe it or not, I've even developed a real liking for them. 

The picking has become an evening-time pleasure this time of year--no more horrors, just a little scratch from time to time...and the taste of a giant-sized blackberry makes it all worthwhile. 

Jekyll and Hyde

I was out yesterday in the beautiful 76 degree weather like most every other gardener working like crazy cleaning trash out of the various flower beds.

It was then I realized that I have a Jekyll and Hyde flower bed...I'm not kidding.

The bed is situated in an area of the yard that encompasses a large electric pole and a guy wire. It was decided long ago that a flower bed might alleviate all the tedium of mowing around said pole and wire. Besides, who doesn't like to look at pretty flowers?

The east side of the flower bed was planted in tiger lilies obtained from the nearby hills on another part of the farm. Over the years, various other lilies have been added to the collection. Come June, there is a beautiful array of types and colors to enjoy.

However...then there is the west side of the garden, aka Mr. Hyde. This area of the garden, sans a few tough little survivors, is a desolate and mean land indeed. Clumps of crab grass, stray random saplings, and general weeds of all ilk roam the area like thugs on street corners. There is a clump of healthy looking magic lilies along with three or four small coral bells that are bravely coming on this season so far, but I fear for their lives. It seems no matter how often I till, I dig, I transplant, I sew seed, the end result is always the same...a general untidy mess.

Hyde or no, I will NOT be deterred.

I am secretly planning my revenge. My plan this year is to bombard the area, so much so that it won't know what hit it until it looks pretty. And then I'm sure the battle will begin...but I'm ready. Crab grass beware, saplings fear the blade of the lopper--I will be watching for you. I'm thinking this might be a good spot for a cutting garden, so a little Hyde won't hurt. It can be un-uniform, with a cacophony of colors. Maybe, just maybe this organized chaos will be just enough to throw the thugs off their game.

Having a Bale of Fun

I've set a challenge for myself--fresh green beans during the first week of June. Why, you ask? It's my goal after sitting at the first day of the Farmers' Market for the past few years and having at least a couple of people asking for green beans...in June.

IN JUNE. REALLY??

So, I have been figuring out a way to say, "Well, of course!" when that question is asked this June...and, trust me, it will be.

A straw bale will hopefully be my solution to some dandy snap beans.

I don't know how many of you are straw bale gardeners, but if you're not, it's something you really might want to try. All it takes is a straw bale, a little fertilizer, and some warm water.

And twelve days.

I'm adding some environmental heat by putting mine into the greenhouse to get it to heat a little quicker.

On the thirteenth day, I'll add some soiless mix and plant the seeds. And then I'll see what happens.

The nice thing about gardening is if there's a failure, you just toss it and try again...I like the low stakes of gardening.

If you'd like to try the straw bale method--did I mention that there's no weeding--Google Joel Karsten. This guy knows his stuff.

You'll have a bale of fun.

New Chicks, New Plants...Now What?

We all know the story...we are winter-weary and anything, I mean ANYTHING that looks fresh, new, and non-wintry catches our eyes as we emerge from our polar cocoons and head to stores that are now "busting out all over" with glorious spring well, everything. Swimsuits, flip flops, shorts, lawnchairs, bubbles, picnic supplies--all those items that our poor old snow-blinded eyes relish with great joy.

NEW is the key term here...anything NEW sounds GOOD.

Stop by the local farm store and what do you see? NEW baby chicks, ducklings, guineas of all shapes and sizes...chirping and cooing and quacking up a cute little storm. And, of course, there is always a group of people of all shapes, sizes, and ages looking in lovingly on them. They are the promise of SPRING!! Let's get just a couple and we'll feel all warm and springy again. The buy is made, the food and accompanying shelter is purchased, and we head home with our cute and fuzzy new purchase.

NOW WHAT?!?

How the heck does one raise a chick/duck/guinea? More urgently, how does one keep the aforementioned ALIVE during the weekend? Yikes! Spring Fever symptoms have over-ruled common sense once again and another malady, Buyers Remorse, is quickly settling in...maybe we jumped the gun just a little.

The very same thing can happen with plants this time of year. We yearn for signs of fresh life; we slog into our local farm stores or big box building stores and THERE THEY ARE...BEAUTIFUL rows of fresh and thriving plants...rose bushes, hibiscus, multi-colored lilies...you name it. Our first impulse is to sweep them up and take them home to enjoy their glory. So, the buy is made along with their food and accompanying shelter i.e. pretty new flower pot, and, once again, we head home with our lovely blooming new purchase.

NOW WHAT?!?

How the heck do  they actually keep these things ALIVE this time of year? What type of miraculous combination of humidity/light/plant feeding did these stores have that we don't? Alas...three maladies strike again--Spring Fever, Buyers Remorse, and Gun Jumping.

Fortunately, there's a local cure to the rescue for plant growers. I'm headed to the Pike County Fairgrounds on the next four Tuesdays in March from 1-3 p.m. for a neat class--a gardening series. I know I'm going to learn a lot and spare my beloved plants a great deal of suffering by learning how to do some things correctly. I hear there's still room in the class. Give the Extension Agency a call on Monday and grab a spot. It might not cure Buyers Remorse or Jumping the Gun, but I do believe it will help inoculate me somewhat against Spring Fever. And you know...the class is from 1-3...sounds like a perfect opportunity for a pre-class luncheon date at Friends...how I do love their fish sandwiches. Hope they read this and they have the slaw ready, too!

Hope to see you there!

Counting Down the Days

Everyone has a different reason for counting down the days on a calendar...a special event, a big test, a birthday, a vacation...some joyous reasons, others dreaded. Nevertheless, we are devoted to counting down those days on the calendar.

We gardeners feel much the same way with our calendars, although our "holidays" tend to differ from the general idea. A holiday for us is a day of sunshine in winter or early, early spring--sunshine that gives off a gentle warmth. It pulls us out from our basement gardens and away from our house plants out into the gardens to delight in one of our favorite pursuits...puttering around. We poke at the dirt, we pull a few random weeds or grasses that hung on throughout the winter, and we continually look for a hidden treasure...the spare leek, some still tender pieces of kale, a snippet of an herb that has been sheltered from the elements.

I have my calendar closely marked beginning with the 10th of March; according to the Almanac and some weather forecasts, that's when I can start moving the nursery of little indoor vegetable and flower plants into the greenhouse to begin the hardening-off process getting ready for their big new world of the garden. I'll plug in the little space heater once again and gingerly return them to their little sheltered windowed world in the great outdoors. (They were there once, but mean 'ol frigid February chased them back indoors.) I'm seeing highs of 50s and lows of 30s during those days...ideal for these little seedlings.

So, I'm counting down the days...and my smile grows. Yes, the next couple of days promise to be anything but agreeable, but I keep my eyes on my calendar, and I count these stubborn days away in anticipation of more plant-friendly ones.

Basement Gardening

It may be snowing, sleeting, or finding some other creative way to be absolutely miserable outside, but we gardeners will not be deterred...

we move to the basement and begin our gardens.

Sunday afternoon I've spent a blissful few hours transplanting roma and grape tomato plants, cilantro, bell peppers, banana peppers, chives, lavender, and savory into their next stage of peat pots. I've also begun the germination process for delphinium and leeks.

This garden may be a miniature in retrospect to what will develop in a couple of months, but for the time being it's keeping this Highbanks gardener quite sane and occupied.

So, blow wind blow...frustrate us with those seemingly never-ending polar days. We gardeners have our potting mix, our peat pots, and more than a proverbial mustard seed of faith knowing that the sun will come soon and bring with it that lovely spring warmth that can't be matched.

If you're beginning to feel frumpy, grumpy, and mopey...better head to the basement and start gardening!

Mid-Winter Shopping Therapy--Buy More Seed!

I think, judging from people's comments online and in person, that winter has pretty well been here long enough. I looked out over the main vegetable garden yesterday afternoon while cleaning the house, only to see the forlorn little greenhouse, all empty and covered with snow. The spot where I hastily planted some lettuce last Saturday in the polar winds is now covered in a heavy layer of snow. This time of year winter sure seems to like to rub our noses in it.

Tom and I were able to get out and about Thursday, so while "airing out", I did a little retail therapy. We stopped by a Menard's and headed straight for the garden section inside the store, growing very slowly in size just about like anything would grow this time of year. There, in all its multi-colored glory set all the seed packets, just waiting for frustrated gardeners.

By now I've made several treks to these displays at different garden stores as I can find them. Every time I find a different plant or flower to grow, I feel a little closer to spring and my cabin fever lifts a bit. This last trip found some leeks, pinks, phlox, baby's breath, and a wildflower mixture. Three dollars and eighteen cents worth of retail therapy...and a whole lot of fun watching these little fellas germinate over the next few weeks. The leeks can get started now; soon there will be those familiar little green spikes appearing under the germination plastic. 

So, if you feel winter getting the best of you, try a little green thumb retail therapy and buy more seed!