I can finally say I am done with my spring gardening at home and abroad for this year. The manure has been spread, the soil has been turned, the seeds have all been sown and the plants have been planted. Now add some water and sun and presto. I took a bunch of pictures for a time stamp and I want to add more as the season moves forward. Victoria picked all the flowers this year so it looks like a strong pink, purple petunia theme. Should be interesting with the red cedar mulch. Special thanks goes out to Scott and Bryan for helping with the driveway sealant. The kids and I gave the big turtle a coat of paint. Now he just needs a name. What do you think?

 Victoria is still working on the little hippo.

I put up a rabbit fence around the veggies out back. Last night there was a bugs bunny convention just outside the fence but no bunnies had tickets. Security showed up and scared them all away.  Bottom line, the pepper plants live to see another day safe behind the walls of the vegetable garden Alamo.

No occupation is so delightful to me as the culture of the earth, and no culture comparable to that of the garden. ~Thomas Jefferson~

My Brothers and I planted a huge Vegetable garden (Huge to me anyways) this Victoria Day Weekend at Scott's house in Peterpatch. Complete with a Chickenwire fence (rows 1 through 9) and a Bean/cucumber trellis (row #6). We got to meet Scott's neighbor who has 50 head of beef cows. He gave us a huge load of cow poop for free. Scott and Lisa rented a roto-tiller and we added some ash, peatmoss and a bag concentrated 7-14-7 as well. The first row of peppers has a black weed barrier as a test. Below is a layout and a legend of how we set it up. Row Number 8 is all herbs Should be lots of stuff to freeze and can in the fall. Good Family Fun was had by all. And a special thanks to Lisa for the yummy dinners and for Keeping an eye on the kids.

1. Garlic

2. Dill

3. Rosemary

4. Sweet Basil

5. Parsley

6. Sage

7. Summer Savory

8. Garlic Chives

Thyme - Row #11

Oregano - Row #11

As long as I can remember there has always been a garden in my back yard. As a young boy I can remember, picking out the big rocks, shoveling cow manure and planting vegetables. At an early age I could tell what most garden vegetables were by the leaf type. I learned to hate radishes and swiss chard and love fresh carrots and tomatoes. Most of all I learned to love gardening. 

Now that I am a homeowner I have more control over what gets planted in my garden. Gone are the rows of chard and radishes, in their place are raspberries, clematis, fresh herbs and perennials. I planted a cherry tree 3 years ago and was looking forward to getting some cherries this year.

Around this time each year I take a trip out and survey the plants, remove the dead growth, pick up the dog poop that has collected over the winter, and give the soil a quick turn. I have to admit I was surprised to find 2 times as much rabbit shit as dog shit. Bugs and his buddies had chewed all my vines down to the ground, stripped the bark off around all my trees and dug up and ate most of my tulips. In past years I have tried cayenne pepper spray and moth balls with little to no effect. The dog does nothing to earn her keep. I'm not sure why but they seem to enjoy my yard more than my neighbors as I have checked for plant damage at several houses on both sides of me and found nothing. So this year when I saw my tulip bulbs dug up and spread all over the front lawn, half eaten and dead I decided it was time I take matters into my own hands. Off I went to Crappy Tire, where I picked up this little honey.

Marksman Laserhawk 2015K BB Repeater Air Rifle

With my new little friend in hand I waited quietly by my front window and sure enough by 11pm bugs had showed up for the evening buffet. This time I had something more than my shoe to fire at him. So as he munched away on my perennials I let him have it. The air rifle does not have enough power to kill but I'm sure it stings and as a deterrent it should work out great.

Checking again at 1:30am I find Peter cottontail and his buddy mowing down. It's nice the way they freeze thinking they are invisible. Let's me take my time lining them up. Last night I check 4 separate times and not a hare did I find. So it looks like the Air gun has solved my problem. I don't want to kill bugs, I just want him to go somewhere else to eat. Naw, I would love to kill bugs and his buddies. With the lack of natural predators in the area rabbits are breading like...rabbits. This problem is bound to get worse before it gets better. 

I wonder how long before my bunny loving neighbor calls the Humane society on me?

When looking at the plants in my garden I always wonder how much bigger they will be next year. In the winter I always try to remember what they looked like. With this in mind I've decided to take some pictures and keep them on my weblog for reference. Every year I try and add somthing new, this year I planted 4 new perenials which will not flower until next season if they live that long. I have been watering with a water/Miracle Grow  mixture once a week and it is helping a lot. Some of the plants have allready flowered and I didin't take a picture of them others wont bloom until later in the season  so I will add them at that time. I've forgotten the names of some of them so If you reconize any of  the nameless flowers please do not hesitate to chime in.