Mom's May Garden Tips

May Garden Tips

The weather has finally warmed up and now everyone is anxious to get their garden planted.  My cool-weather crops like cabbage, onions, and peas have survived the two freezes and are looking much better.   The potatoes are sprouting new leaves as the previous one got bite by the late freeze.

 If you started any plants from seeds, they should be transplanted to the garden this month.  I have found that not all plants, however like to go into the garden in early May.   So at the beginning of the month (May 3-10) I plant green beans.  For a continuous production, I sow seeds every 14 days.  I plant sweet corn (which sometimes I do a first planting in late April).   Since corn is wind-pollinated, it should be planted in blocks of at least four rows rather than in long single rows. By planting early, mid, and late-season varieties you can extend the harvest over several weeks. If you can plant corn on the north side of the garden it will prevent it from shading nearby crops.   I plant my rows north and south.   You can always plant turnips, and a more beets, carrots, lettuce, and radishes. 

After the middle of the month which is usually after Mother’s Day, I plant tomatoes, cucumbers, squash, peppers, pumpkins, and limas.   I save the watermelon and muskmelon plants and sweet potatoes towards the end of the month (Memorial Day).

Transplants benefit from started fertilizer.   Apply fertilizer in the water that plants receive after planting.   Sometimes I just work 10-10-10 into the ground around the transplant and water well.    Remember plants will need about 1 inch of water per week.

Harvest the first radishes, lettuce, and green onions.   Keep picking the rhubarb and asparagus so they will keep producing.   When the asparagus spears diminish in size, stop picking and let the plants grow.  Rhubarb will produce all summer if it has enough water and fertilizer, so I give it 10-10-10 every month. 

Black Raspberries need to get their second feeding of plant food this month also.   They should start producing around July 4^th.

Gardening has been such a big part of the family tradition that I thought I'd better get as much information written down from mom and dad as soon as possible to pass on.

Spring Rummages & Family History

Spring is here and time for the rummage sales to begin.  For the past few years, mom and dad have been downsizing since retirement.  They've even been able to get me into the act, as per my previous post.  These rummage sales seem to turn into a family event, with the grandkids (my nieces) eager to help out.  Though my preference is an auction, rummages still hold a special place.  Our town's rummage date is always the third weekend in June.


Mom shared with me in an email some thoughts on rummages :

Every spring many people start cleaning out and holding rummage sales.  I remember the many rummage sales my mother and I organized for the church.   We would have one in the spring and fall.   They were very popular.  We had a fun doing them and then it seemed that after awhile, churches stopped having rummage sales.  I imagine it was because they are a lot of work and no one wanted to organize or help with them.   They have been reappearing in a few churches in the recent years.  

 We decided to do one this year and it got to me to thinking about the difference in generations.   My generation (baby boomers) collected and accumulated things possibly because of the way our parents were raised.   My parents were children during the depression and therefore, they didn’t throw anything away unless they couldn’t figure a new use of an item.   I can remember my mother would always remove buttons, zippers, elastic, and usable trim from a garment before she threw it away.    She would figure out how to make something new out of an item even if it she only painted it.   She would upholster furniture instead of buying new.   So I guess I continued on with the way I was raised by accumulating and redoing instead of throwing items away.   I’ve noticed that today’s generation don’t accumulated or collect.   I'm trying to be like today's generation and getting rid of all this stuff that I no longer need or use...wish me luck.

(P.S. I've inherited the same 'bug', just take a look at my garage.  Need to declutter myself....)

More Mom's April Gardening Tips

Planning your garden is important.   When the seed catalogs start coming in  January that is the time to start thinking of what you want to plant.  It is the time to look at your journal of the plants that did well or not so well from the previous year and what you want to eat fresh or for processing.   Draw a garden layout plan.   I keep my simple and try to rotate where I plant things.   I also make sure that I don't plant onions next to beans or peas as they are not compatible.   Tomatoes are not compatible with most cool weather plants such as broccoli, cabbage, corn, and potatoes.   Tomatoes are compatible with carrots, onions, cucumbers and peppers.    Sometimes it is hard not to put things next to each other but if you can avoid it, do so.   Therefore, one can see how a little plan can make for a better garden.    Marigolds are beneifical in the garden as they keep many bugs away and add color to your garden.  (Hint:  start buy canning jar lids now as the price will go up when canning season is in full swing.) 

Gardening has been such a big part of the family tradition that I thought I'd better get as much information written down from mom and dad as soon as possible to pass on.

Mom's April Garden Tips

April Garden Tips

Timing is very important when planting a garden.   Plants started too early will be overgrown and leggy.   Some vegetable varieties will stand a freeze and cen be set out quite early.   Others can stand some cold weather without injury.   Others are stricly warm-weather plants   They may not freeze if set out too early, but they do not grow and could rot off.   Here are some general rules for planting:

* Hardy vegetables can be planted as soon as the ground can be worked in the springs i.e. onions

*Semi-hardy vegetables can be planted 2-3 weeks before the average date of the last frost (Indiana it is April 17th)

*Tender kinds sould be planted at the frost-free date

*Very tender vegetables should be planted no sooner than 3 weeks after the frost-free date

Planting tips:

Plant potatoes, cabbage, broccoli, lettuce*, radishes, spinach, and green onions early in the month.

Plant asparagus crowns, horseradish, and rhubarb (perennials)

Begin planting flowering perennials, trees, and shrubs

Fertlilizing tips:

Fertilize established perennials, clematis, irises, and peonies, and ground covers; evergreens, trees, and shrubs.   Fertilize your lawn.  

Maintaining tips:

Gradually remove winter protection around roses as new growth appears.   Prune rose canes that are week, crossed or damaged.

Divide and transplant crowded summer and fall blooming perennials.

Clean and aerate lawn.

Apply pre-emergent weed control in mid-April to mid-May,.

Spray pines for diseases.

Spray fruit trees when blossoms fall.

When new leaves appear, spray crab trees with fungicide to prevent rust & scab.

Prune spring flowering shrubs after blooming.

Prune or mow winter damaged ground covers.

If you have not started a journal, it is time to do so.   Record the planting dates, varieties, and other pertinent information.   They can be a drag but will be very helpful, and interesting later when your want to recall facts about your garden.

*a fence of chicken wire is protection from rabbits but you don't put one up, I use moth balls to repel them.

Gardening has been such a big part of the family tradition that I thought I'd better get as much information written down from mom and dad as soon as possible to pass on.

More March Garden Tips

More March Garden Tips from mom:

March weather can be a mixed bag.   Work out side on sunny days but don't rush the season.  If you spaded the garden last fall and left it rough, rake out a small area to plant onion sets for green onions and a row or two of radishes.   These will provide some fresh produce in just a few weeks.  A few herbs and vegetables can be sown directly intp the garden as soon as the soil can be worked.  Do not destroy the soil by working it when it is too wet.   Plant rhubarb and asparagus.   Plant or sow plants or seeds of spinanch, chives, dill, mint, oregano, and thyme.   Plant peas.  Plant hardy perennial plants.

 Gardening has been such a big part of the family tradition that I thought I'd better get as much information written down from mom and dad as possible to pass on.

March Garden Tips

 Gardening has been such a big part of the family tradition that I thought I'd better get as much information written down from mom and dad as possible to pass on.

If you haven't done so already, prune the grapes.   I usually do them around President's Day.  Plant pansies in ground or pots.  Seed annuals indoors.  Apply dormant spray to fruit trees before new growth appears.   Prune winter-damaged hedges.   Trim more at top than bottom to allow light to reach lower branches.  Prune young trees before they leaf out.   Remove dead and crossing branches.   Clean up and mulch all existing beds.  Trim yews, junipers, arborvitae, and hemlock.   When weather premits, mow lawn short to remove dead grass.  Cut back perennials and ornamental grasses before new growth appears.  Remove all of the small, weak canes on raspberries. Cut back the lateral branches to 18 inches. 

Personal History : Letter From Cousin Jim (1978)

7/25/78


Dear Travis 


How are you?  I'm fine.  I got your letter today.  I got my cast off on the 21st of June.


I got my train set set up and I got two train engines, one of the Spirit of 76, the other is the Penn Central.  I got this box car that unloads boxes by itself.  So write soon.


Your cousin   Jim W.


P.S. Sorry I forgot to write.


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The above is a letter written to me by my first cousin, Jim Wright, back in 1978.  It was saved by my parents and given to me recently while they were cleaning out.