life in and around the garden
As we enter autumn in the garden, the Tiger Eye Sumac foliage becomes the star.
I would so love to grow a Japanese Maple, but sadly it would not survive a zone 4 winter.
The Tiger Eye gives me an interesting shape in the garden and the burst of bright color at the end of the season.
While the gardeners in warmer climates are busy getting their gardens underway, we must wait patiently in the colder growing zones.
I found myself kicking at the last stubborn snow piles around the kitchen garden this morning.
Mother Nature is bringing rain with possible thunderstorms this evening…that should erase the last evidence of winter-for now!
March is a month of high snowfall amounts, so I’m sure the white will blanket the garden a bit more before spring, or even well into spring!
The garden is full of tomatoes, peppers, root vegetables and herbs.
Visit my Instagram @Downtoearthdigs for more images of life in the garden.
The garden starts producing and getting a bit messy around the edges.
With the heat and mosquitoes I have been practicing ‘speed gardening’!
Quick water, quick harvest, quick dead head, quick weeding…oh heck,
I’ll get those weeds next time.
I’m itching to get into the garden.
It will be weeks before plants and seeds can be dropped into the raised beds,
but getting the beds ready with new compost and some new mulch around the kitchen garden can happen just as soon as it stops snowing!
The greenhouse needs new paint and some repairs this spring,
Rabbit Run Cottage is changing it’s colors this year,
and the empty chicken coop is going to undergo some changes.
I am opening up the little garden to a few Garden Club tours this summer,
so the pressure is on!
Mother Nature responds with sunshine, calm and a promise of nearly 70 degrees!
Rolling up my sleeves for a day of work.
This trellis needs work from some winter damage.
The list goes on from there!
I like to provide some nesting material for the birds.
1/4″ hardware cloth is easily cut and rolled to hold some natural cotton batting.
You can use wool or even add some colorful pieces of string.
Hang in a few of the trees for your feathered friends!
Little critters moved into the greenhouse this winter.
Despite several attempts at location and eviction notices,
I couldn’t get more then a glimpse of the squatters.
Yes, I ran from the greenhouse with a few small screams, more then once!
Several times I brought in reinforcements.
My cats just lounged and cleaned their paws.
Last Saturday, the sun warmed to near 50 degrees and I announced it was ‘the day’,
I was going to find that mouse!
I bravely–stood on the little stool and poked at everything with a garden hoe.
Nothing moved, nothing scurried, no mouse.
Until I opened my toolbox!
How dare they–yes, they–take up residence in my toolbox!
Waiting for the next warm day to decontaminate EVERYTHING.
The snow has melted enough to uncover grass and ground.
The edges of the raised beds are visible after months of snow cover.
I’m born and raised in Minnesota, so I do know that winter is far from over.
That doesn’t stop me from enjoying the few days,
that the melting sunshine brings the hint of spring to the garden.
27 days to spring!
A glass greenhouse and some winter sunshine, it’s like a little vacation!
