What’s Growing in the Yard and Garden

My husband gave me the best gift on Saturday morning. He cooked breakfast (biscuits and gravy with eggs) so I could work in my yard and garden. At little time outside makes my whole day better.

It is spring here on the front range of Colorado. We have enjoyed above average temps and sleeping with the windows open at night. Grace had her first soccer game Saturday, so it has to be spring! There is no guarantee that is will last, but we are enjoying it just the same.

I was able to plant my lettuces, spinach, radish, snow peas, and carrots. I even tried to entice my daughter in grad school to return home by planting parsnips this year. (It worked and she will be home in June.)

The Egyptian onions are off to a good start.

This is my garlic experiment. I decided to push the envelope by planting garlic last fall and just see what would happen. As I watched the squirrels dig up the bulbs, decide that they were not that desperate for food just yet, and then replant the builds for me. You notice they did not keep the plot a neat little square for me. 🙂

Also, I finally planted in my coldframe. I have never used one before so you could call this an experiment. I planted it with beans to give them a head start. I wanted to start my cool season crops in it weeks ago, but now I can sow them directly in the ground. I will let you know how this works. The earth is still pretty cool.

This spinach survived the mild winter.

The rhubarb is promising plenty of strawberry and rhubarb crisp. Mmmmmmm

Even the horseradish is springing up. Does anyone want some horseradish root? This spreads like wildfire!

I was able to rake bags and bags of pine needles from the yard after the winter’s wind storms and the neighboring pine trees. 😦 I also noticed many sticks tied into a slightly bowed shape. This is the evidence and joy of having a seven-year-old boy with a passion for weapons.

The lilacs will be leafing out soon along with blooms as long as the aforementioned sticks did not come from my lilac bushes. And the forsythia is just about ready to unfurl its yellow blossoms.

The tulips have a good start and the irises are popping up too.

I can not wait for these little hyacinths to bless me with their heady perfume – maybe by Easter! I better get this bed cleaned out so I can enjoy them.

I started some alfalfa spouts inside – but more about that later. And I need to get the tomatoes and peppers started indoors. Several of my herbs that I started two weeks ago are ready to be put in small pots since the peat pellets won’t sustain them for long.

Oh, here is a picture of the apple blossoms that I brought into the house to force after pruning the tree.

So, what is poking up at your house?