Ramblings and Ideas

Wow!! Here we are in March, and I am nowhere near getting all the things done I wanted to before Spring arrives. Today AJ and I built another raised bed and started a rhubarb bed. Tomorrow, Lord willing, we will finish the rhubarb bed and maybe plant some lettuce and onions. If you are gardening, by now you should have planted potatoes, beets, onions, and leafy crops like spinach, lettuce and chard. Plant them in small rows (all but the potatoes) in 7-10 day intervals for the next month, and you should be enjoying fresh greens before you know it. If you haven't yet, you need to start tomatoes, peppers, squash, and cucumbers inside in peat pots right now, so they will be ready to go out in the garden in mid-April. Is your garden soil ready for Spring? Add composted manure and organic matter, and till or spade it in before you plant. Take all your old plant debris from last season and put it in your compost heap -you do have one, right? Want to try your hand at raising fruit? Try blueberries- they are fairly low maintainence and dependable, and once established should provide you with fresh fruit every year. Plant at least three different varieties, and use those for the Southern planting zones (7-9). Peach trees are also a good bet, but make sure you plant a later bloomer, so it doesnt get bit by the late frosts we seem to have here in Greenville. I am becoming more and more a believer in preparedness-do everything you can to take care of your family because it is for dang sure the government can,t take care of much of anything, except for wasting our tax dollars on entitlements and giveaways. . .comments,feedback...anyone?

Global Warming and other random thoughts

Has anyone other than me seen the wheels coming off of the AGW train?The big name scientists who backed it are starting to back away. More and more is coming out about all the flawed, or in some cases faked data. The Medieval Warming Period has thrown a wrench in the works, because, gee whiz, things got warmer and there were NO cars back then; not much heavy industry either.Meanwhile those that are making money on this scam(like AL Gore) are nowhere to be found. The network TV stations still play the (untrue) ads about polar bear decline and people are still worrying about costal flooding. I predict that within 5 years the same folks who are screaming about AGW will be screaming about the coming ICE AGE. . . .Anyway, it is about time to start those tomato, pepper, sguash,cucumber,etc. seeds in your kitchen. They need a good 6 weeks to grow large enough to transplant outside after the frost is over( usually April 15th here in the Greenville area). I am trying a few heirloom varieties this time so we will see.I will post pictures as they ( hopefully) grow.With Spring approaching there will be deals in the Nursery so keep watching. . .The Breath of Spring/Winter honeysuckle are blooming right now, and don't they smell great! We have a few for sale, contact us if you are interested. . They will take sun/partial shade,grow to a height of 6' and a width of 5' and flower from now through February. Looking to the future-The Piedmont Plant and Flower Festival will be happening the last of April/first of May. Come check us out!

Random thoughts

Looking out my den window,watching the sleet/snow blow over the sheet of ice covering the front yard makes me (1) GLAD for the heat coming from the woodstove, and (2) wish that Spring wasn't so far away. Took my boy out sled riding this AM and we both had a good time. Yeah, even I went down the hill once or twice. Still want to build some more raised beds for the garden. Still planning what I am going to plant and where I will plant it. I am sooo ready to start picking fresh veggies. . . Here is a thot: If you live in a apartment/condo, and don't have the room to plant a garden, try to find a friend or relative that does have the room and offer to do a shared garden. Or find a community gardening site. I wish there were more of the community gardens around. If you know of one let me know, and I will spread the word. . . Any political topics to rail on or comment on ? let me know what you think. . . tell your friends. The more people that read this blog, the more information that gets out there.

Random thoughts and Kudos

What a beautiful past couple of days!! Spring-like temps and warm sunshine. . .BUT Winter is not over. There are more cold days and nights coming and maybe even snow (my son hopes so). Plenty of time to enjoy a firepit. . just like the one in the picture. We can build one for you.. .The Nursery is mostly asleep right now, but I am eagerly awaiting Spring and selling plants and shrubs to all. We will have some new Color Choice selections as well as some old favorites. . . at prices that will make you smile.Keep watching, and tell your friends. . get on my followers list. You will save money and get great plants!! Time to send a shout out to Marty Hartman, a real friend who has been an encouragement and a great help getting this blog going. . . Also to Daniel Vervaet for my BlucasStoneWorks website and his friendship through some tough times. . . Thanks, guys!!

Raised beds and woodstoves

My son AJ and I were building another raised bed in our garden today. Now is the time of year to do that sort of thing, not in the Spring when the mad rush to get things in the ground pushes all thoughts of garden improvement to the back burner. Why raised beds? There are many good reasons for them: your soil warms up quicker in the Spring, allowing for earlier planting, by keeping the beds to a manageable size( 3'wide x8' long is ideal) you are able to reach all parts of the bed, and can avoid walking all over the bed, compacting the soil. If you are planting tomatoes( and who wouldn't?!) you can bury them deep(as you should) with a minimum of effort.You can also keep your plants closer together, allowing for a better yield in a smaller area.The beds can be constructed of almost any material capable of holding in your soil, from stones to concrete blocks, to even railroad ties.The only material I frown on is treated lumber, as the chemical treatment can leach into the soil- not good for you, the plants, or those necessary soil workers, the earthworm. The beds can be anywhere from 6-12" tall. Fill them with a good mix of soil and compost (remember your compost pile) and plant and enjoy. . . Is there anything as good as the heat coming from a woodstove or insert? I don't think so. To borrow a little from the Beatles:" Happiness is a warm . . . .stove." Another benefit is all that good ash that is left after the fire. Sprinkle a little of the ash on your garden, around your trees and shrubs, and in your flowerbeds, and enjoy the benefits of free fertilizer as you recycle and use all your resources. Doesn't feel bad to give the utility companies a little kick in the shorts either, does it?

Spring,Haiti, and Preparedness

With the continuing cold, my thoughts go often to the garden, and the chance to start planting. . . no, not planting yet, although you still could squeeze in a few Spring flowering bulbs (like daffodils, hyacinths, or crocuses). I am so ready to plant radishes, beets, lettuce, and onions, and then harvest those fresh organically grown veggies and chow down on a fresh salad. . . . I believe there is a connection between man and the soil, and for those who are willing to explore this connection, great satisfaction ensues. What a tragedy is taking place in Haiti even as I ramble, and my thoughts and prayers go out to friends there, and in fact for all affected .This brings me to my last point: BeingPrepared How ready are you and your family for even a minor natural or "man -caused" (what a bunch of bs!) disaster? Do you keep flashlights with fresh batteries on hand? Do you have any canned /dry goods on hand to feed yourselves for at least a few days? Do you have any cash on hand( I know, I know, I am a Luddite. . . Nobody that is techno savvy and "with it" keeps cash around.) That debit card ain't much good if the computers that run with it are down. How abour 5 gallons of gas? At least you can keep a little mobility. How about a jug of common bleach to purify water if the water system gets contaminated? A flood can put the screws to a water treatment facility real fast. What about a means of self defense? Horrors!! Yes, I am talking about having a gun(s) and knowing how to,and be willing, to use them to protect you and yours. Does this subject disturb you? Would you rather get back to important stuff like American Idol and the latest football/basketball game? Then don't come to me for help when the fecal matter hits the fan. You won't like my reply. . .

More cold!!

After going through the cold weather this week, I am more ready than ever to get to Spring. It is hard right now to look at all the plants and shrubs that were so alive and vibrant this Spring and Summer and see them dormant, but remember, they will, LORD willing, come back to life in a couple of months. Now is a good time to be thinking about what you will be planting in your garden this Spring. It doesn't hurt one bit to actually draw a rough sketch of your garden to plan it all out.Clean up all the old vines, stems and dead plants and compost them if you can.On a political note, anyone want to take bets on when Tim Geitner will be out the door? If this had been a Republican administration, the media and the democrats would have been screaming for his head, or at least some part of his anatomy. . . On the other side of the aisle, GOP chairman Steele either needs to grow some balls, or hit the road. . who's team is he playing on? Would like to reccomend a good news site: PajamasMedia. You will get a lot of news the MSM ignores. Don't those Oakleaf Hydrangeas look nice? Time to go put another log in the woodstove. . .