garden friday | sunny & sprouty edition

It was a beautiful, nearly hot week in the garden. I took lots of breaks from working in the still-chilly downstairs studio to just sit outside pondering, snooping, sipping coffee and sketching.

This new perennial-heavy garden plan has me hunting harder for signs of progress (it's a slower growing plan), which is an adjustment. In prior years I would have planted every single Spring seed (and every inch of soil) the day after I returned from an annual early February business trip. Little green shoots would pop up nearly in unison all throughout the garden beds, which was a fresh bit of excitement (and maintenance) every day. I think this new, "investment-y" plan's going to be great, but there's just not that visual WOW just yet. Patience.

Jacky planted these chives. Thinking of doing a couple more pots of them and placing them on the side of our yard that gets overrun by aphid-attracting wild nasturtiums, I guess to keep them on the nasties and away from the veggies. It's said that chives help with the little suckers.

Spears! I've been backfilling the asparagus trenches as the little tips emerge. This crown, which gets the most sun, is in the lead: all the soil has been back-filled and this little spear can now grow, frond out and do its growing up thing. We won't be picking/eating for a couple years.

Lettuce sprouts! Multiplying overnight.

Do you grow Alpine Strawberries? You really should. They're pretty plants, almost never die, are perennial ever-bloomers, and the the tiny fruits are ah-mayzing. Almost like a watermelon-y berry taste. I planted mine from these seeds two years ago, and this newer plant was transplanted here from a tiny self-sown volunteer off the main plant. Super carefree: just plunk it in and it won't stop.

Such pretty flowers too.

crazy bed head + runny nose + dirt pile = fun garden times

// Summary of the Week //

Sun: nearly constant! mid-70s most days. Actual sunburn danger (no complaints).

Seeds planted: kale (cavolo nero), 'catalina' spinach, chives, 'april in paris' sweet peas

Next up: 'bergamo bouquet' monarda, anise hyssop, carrots, parsley, cilantro, favorite lettuce

Spotted: wee salad sprouts (from 'Monet's Garden' mesclun mix), red-tailed hawks, hummingbird

Harvested: more thyme and rosemary

To buy: new watering can, copper tape (for slugs), more potting soil

To pot up: meyer lemon, kumquat, rosemary

To do: massive weeding and tidying (bet this'll be on the list next week!)