Posted in Landscape on May 29th, 2008 1 Comment »
Remember the wasp nest that was growing on our house last year?
Well, as predicted the wasps abandoned the nest when it got cold. We left it up all winter, just to be safe. We finally took it down this weekend (and by “we” I mean my husband … I poked at it a few times with a shovel and it freaked me out).
Here’s the space where the nest … continued »
Posted in Garden on May 27th, 2008 1 Comment »
This week’s Yard Dirt column is about the garden project that almost didn’t happen:
“Going soft in the garden, but still working hard”
Luckily, it did happen. We made two new garden beds, nearly doubling the size of our vegetable garden. Here’s how we did it.
The frame is made from three 2″x8″x8′ boards, one board cut in half and used as the end pieces. I put a stack of old newspaper … continued »
Posted in Landscape, Garden on May 25th, 2008 No Comments »
Memorial Day is quickly becoming one of my favorite holidays. I’ve been waiting so long to plant my flowers and veggies. The time is finally here.Here’s what I’ve been up to this week, getting ready for the big planting.
Hardening off seedlings:
Checking on the early spring crops, shell peas and lettuce … and some surprises. This picture shows how little cilantro plants are sprouting on their own among the peas!… continued »
Posted in Garden on May 23rd, 2008 No Comments »
I am not endorsing this. However, if anybody is inclined to plant flowers in their socks — or can think of a good reason to do so — please, please tell me about it. I want photos.
http://www.wikihow.com/Make-a-Plant-Hanger-from-a-Sock
I especially like this part of step 4:
Bring the sock with you to the nursery and explain what you are trying to do.
And I thought my garden store questions were weird.
Posted in Uncategorized on May 21st, 2008 No Comments »
This week’s Yard Dirt column was about mowing the lawn.
“Motherhood makes everything beautiful, even weeds”
I’m happy to report that the second lawn mowing of the year was still a good time. The lawn is looking so good I had to take a picture.
Considering I haven’t fertilized and the weeds are spreading rapidly, this certainly won’t last. Just one of the many reasons to love May!
Posted in Uncategorized on May 16th, 2008 No Comments »
I couldn’t resist. We were at a garden store last weekend and I bought some herbs and veggies on impulse. It’s too early to plant, so I put them out on the deck every day and bring them in at night.
Here’s the haul (with my Mother’s Day flowers in the background).
My favorite finds are pineapple sage (it really smells like pineapple!)
and curry (I didn’t know … continued »
Posted in Garden on May 13th, 2008 1 Comment »
Here’s this week’s column, voicing my frustrations at trying to build “no dig” gardens following instructions on the Internet:
“Hay is for horses … not my garden”
There is an epilogue to this story. I had a chat today with Tom Stachulski, store manager of Dodge Grain Co. in Salem, N.H.
That’s an Agway, though not my local one, and it turns out they do carry bales of alfalfa hay.
And that’s not all. Tom also had … continued »
Posted in Garden on May 13th, 2008 2 Comments »
I’m pulling this up from the comments because I think it’s such a clever idea, I don’t want anybody to miss it:
Hi Julie:
I had never seen the “yard dirt column/blog” until today when I was reading the G.D.T. online, what a great way to share and receive some great information! Please allow me to introduce myself, I work @ Neptune’s Harvest, We are an organic fish fertilizer company in Gloucester, MA.
Anyway, I noticed you where … continued »
Posted in Garden on May 8th, 2008 No Comments »
My indoor seedlings are coming along nicely this year.
Here are the tomato sprouts:
And here are the purple basil, with tomato in the background.
I really like the combination of seed starter mix and sphagnum moss. These little guys went almost two weeks before I needed to water them — that soil really holds water!
The poblano pepper seedlings just popped out a couple days ago, two weeks … continued »
Posted in Garden on May 5th, 2008 1 Comment »
This week’s Yard Dirt column is about how I’m scrambling to make garden beds so I have a place to put all the things I want to grow.
“So many seedlings, so little space”
Two days ago I noticed the leaves on my shell pea plants have been nibbled a little. That means something has been sneaking through the chicken wire fence (chipmunks?). I’m so sad!
If the peas don’t survive, though, at least I’ll have more … continued »
Julie has been chronicling her lawn adventures and mishaps since 2005 in a weekly column called Yard Dirt, which appears (More...)