Eagle-Tribune Blogs: Yard Dirt

Check out this interesting article in the New York Times today about the worldwide shortage of fertilizer for agriculture.

“The Food Chain: Shortages threaten farmers’ key tool, fertilizer”

It’s strange to think that people in many parts of the world are facing malnutrition because crops are suddenly so expensive, in part because of fertilizer prices, and yet the annual spring ritual of fertilizing our lawns is underway in the U.S. … at least in my neighborhood.

Sure, … continued »

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One of the best things about being a lawn and garden geek is that you can appreciate a dismal rainy April day. Isn’t today gorgeous?

I enjoyed all that sun, but the tender new grass in my lawn was getting thirsty. Yesterday it was looking a little yellow. And my lettuce didn’t seem to be growing. It was just sitting there. Now it’s so green I can see it from the window — it’s almost glowing!

Love … continued »

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This week’s Yard Dirt column is about my adventures starting seedlings for my veggie garden:

“This week’s lesson: It takes two hands to handle a seedling”

Here’s my messy kitchen counter during the planting process:

And here’s the baby right behind me being patient:

And then not so patient:

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It’s been a great week for yard work. I’ve miraculously been able to get outside in short bursts — thanks to my mom’s visit and a baby monitor with good range — and it’s been enough to make real progress.

My big project right now is tidying up the gardens in the front of my house. I’ve had a curl of plastic edging getting in the way in the garage since last spring. Yesterday I finally … continued »

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In my column this week, I wrote about the clover I planted in my lawn last year (and also my unfortunate habit of spying on my neighbors’ lawns).

It’s Spring: Time to get in the game and check out the competition

It’s nice to know I’m not the only one who likes clover.

Here’s a comment posted to the blog:
Hi Julie, I live in the Newburyport area and like you, have discovered the joy of clover. … continued »

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On Sunday I wrote about how nothing is happening yet in my garden:

“Yard Dirt: Backyard garden off to a slow, and messy, start”

Well, the seedlings have finally poked through. Here’s the leaf lettuce.

The lawn is waking up, too. Hooray for April showers and April sun!

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What a gorgeous day this turned out to be!!

I woke up at 6 a.m. with the baby and we listened to the rain. It was a good, steady garden-friendly rain, and it felt so cozy to be inside and awake when most people are sleeping.

The forecast called for raw, rainy weather all day so I wasn’t planning on going outside, but by late morning it was sunny and 60 degrees. Now it’s 70 and absolutely … continued »

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It was nice outside today and, though I couldn’t garden with the baby in my hands, I could take pictures.

Here is a nibbled crocus beside one that somehow survived (and that randomly came up purple from a bag of orange crocuses — maybe the rabbits don’t like the purple ones?).

The early daffodils …

And the dormant lawn …

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Grrrr!

Something has been eating my crocuses.  They were coming up so nicely. Many of them had bloomed, and many were on their way. Now they are just little green stumps.

I suspect rabbits, though I haven’t seen any yet this year. Whatever it is, it looks like we’re going to have a tough year for gardening.

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This week’s column, “Awakening to the possibilities for balancing baby, garden care,” about my baby’s first nap in the garage, can be found here.

Also, I forgot to post a link to the column from two weeks ago, “Baby it’s cold outside, but let the planting begin.”

I hate to miss a Sunday for yard work, but it’s cold and dark and raw out today. There’s no way I’m going out in … continued »

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