Friday, August 21, 2009

Preparedness.

We're inching ever closer to spring here, and while i would be celebrating, really spring here just equals even more rain!

but on the upside my mini camelias are flowering, and the two new grape vines are showing signs that they were just being deciduous, not being dead. So that is worth a good dose of cheeriness i reckon!

Various friends of mine have been busying themselves making compost heaps, shovelling mulch (including some into the drier thanks to a helper), setting out tiny seeds, and drooling over seed catalogs.

me?

well, i planted my garlic only a few weeks ago, but it's looking strong (hooray for the trick of sprouting them overnight in water with a little bit of manure!) -

and i've made a spring gnome-so i might not be exactly on top of the whole spring planting thing, but hey, that doesn't matter because at least i've got a gnome.

(she's made from a little wooden gnome base from Winterwood toys, cotton wrapped pipe cleaner arms, wool felt clothes & hat, and wool fleece hair)

3 comments:

Mary said...

Garlic....Isabelle came home from school with some in a yoghurt pottle which has happily sprouted on the windowsill. What now? Transfer outside you think? What conditions do they like?

Sharonnz said...

Love the wee gnome. I keep looking at my basket of supplies waiting for inspiration to hit. Our garlic isn't looking nearly as super duper - go you guys!

Nova said...

mary it should be fine to go outside (mustn't be frost tender if it's supposed to be sown mid-winter surely?!) it likes free draining soil, full sun, compost, lime & well rotted manure. benefits from regular cultivation of the soil surface & foliar feeds. loves growing with heartsease, poppies & camomile :) (had my koanga garden guide handy! ;) )

lol sharon, my stash has been looking pretty neglected too, but i got a gnome for each season, so just made this one up as i went along! she's just got three circles of felt sewn & 'tailored' around her ;)