Jack-in-the-Pulpit

Arisaema triphyllum

This was one of the first plants transplanted from Avon when we moved here in 2005. It was a rough transplant and barely came back in 2006. 2007 was much better, but the flower still didn't last very long. This year the plant began flowering not long before this was taken on 5/18 and it's still going strong. It's in a nice shady spot up front, but also a spot that gets little rain. I'm sure it would like a bit more to drink, but it's nice to see it doing well. I find this purple-striped flower both fascinating and haunting.

Leopard's Bane

Doronicum orientale 'Magnificum'
5/11/08

The Leopard's Bane was already spent by this past weekend, but it was at its peak for Mother's Day.

Allium

Photo taken 5/11

A number of these came in the basket of bulbs I won last fall. We didn't note the exact variety, though.

Snow Pea Sprouts

After seeing how well my cover crop peas have done, I wish I had gotten these in the ground earlier! This picture was taken on 5/11. Another 5 days of seasonal weather with the right amount of rain have sped them up.

Snow peas are one of my garden favorites because they:

1) are easy to plant and grow;

2) deteriorate in quality very quickly after picking, so it's best to grow your own and eat them right off the vine;

3) are so tasty!

This year I planted Oregon Giant Snow Pea and Mammoth Melting Sugar Snow Pea. I'll have to get the trellis ready soon, as both like to climb. I'll keep you posted on their growth so you know when the time is right to stop by for a snack.

Forget-Me-Not

We had a few of these biennials, but Grammy transplanted more from Spring Street in April. Thanks Mom!

Lilac

The lilacs first started to bloom at the end of those hot weeks we had at the end of April. We were starting to get worried about them being spent too quickly for the Lilac Festival and general enjoyment at the traditional time in the middle of May. But the chilly weather (but no hard frosts!) over the next week or two slowed things down.

Green Manure Cover Crops

Austrian Winter Pea

Since I first started gardening, I've always tried to grow cover crops. They are an easy way to ensure healthy and fertile soil.

The idea is that in addition to the three elements found in any conventional fertilizer (Nitrogen, Phosphorous, and Potassium), soil needs plenty of organic matter. The organic matter, which is basically decomposed plant life, is filled with other minerals, helps the soil absorb and hold water (but not too much!), and generally makes life worth living for our plant friends.

When you just toss in a chemical-based fertilizer, you're giving your plants the basic N-P-K they need to survive, but your soil health will gradually deteriorate, beneficials like worms will find it harder to thrive, and your plants will get less and less happy, tasty, and nutritious over the years.

Now, a good gardener could and should work lots of compost into the soil every year to get a good mix of organic matter into your soil. I do a certain amount of this, but our family doesn't really produce enough compost to make the garden happy and I'm not big on seeking out alternative sources.

It has always seemed much simpler to just grow a cover crop. Flip through the seed catalog to find something that looks right, place the order in the Internet, and a week later the seeds arrive at your doorstep. Plant them when the time is right, watch them grow, and work them into the soil to complete the process.

Right now I'm growing a couple varieties of peas because they're hardy enough to go into the ground in early spring. In the past, I've also grown varieties of wheat, beans, clovers, and vetches. You mostly see Field Pea in the photo to the left with some Austrian Winter Pea in the background. I planted them the weekend of April 12th and watered them daily through a hot dry week because I had been too lazy and time-pressed to make sure they were deep enough in the soil to stay moist. Thankfully, Grandpa Bill visited at the end of the week, bought a few bags of topsoil, and covered them up. Four or five days later, they were sprouting through the soil and they've been thriving ever since. These pictures were taken May 10th.

As legumes, the peas are diligently fixing nitrogen in the soil that will be available for other vegetables to feed on all summer long. Additionally, after I work them into the soil, the foliage and roots will decompose and provide that all-important organic matter the soil needs. I dug up the first patch of peas to put my overwintered rosemary plant back into the garden. It's probably time now to work the rest of it into the other beds and let it decompose a bit before planting everything else. I just need the time to do it!

Like a few other things in life, there's still plenty more I'd like to know about cover crops. I'm especially interested in timing. I try to plant some in the early spring and work them into the ground before planting tomatoes, peppers, beans, and such in late May/early June. I also usually plant some in mid-late summer in the bed where garlic or peas were earlier harvested. But when is the ideal time to plant? Is it better for the cover crop to die off over the winter before working it into the soil? Is it possible to plant your vegetables too soon after you've worked your cover crop into the soil? Umbra tackled a portion of this question last week in Grist. Anyone else have answers?

Urban Farming

IN the shadows of the elevated tracks toward the end of the No. 3 line in East New York, Brooklyn, with an April chill still in the air, Denniston and Marlene Wilks gently pulled clusters of slender green shoots from the earth, revealing a blush of tiny red shallots at the base.


There's a great story in today's New York Times on urban farmers in New York City and other cities around the country. I've read about this spreading through vacant lots in Detroit, especially. We're not talking gardeners here--these are farmers, selling their produce in farmer's markets and elsewhere. Check it out.

Around the Neighborhood - International Fiber Collaborative

The abandoned gas station a few blocks away is now public art!

This project, called the International Fiber Collaborative, is scheduled to be taken down on June 14th. Come see it while you can! The installation was created by SU MFA student Jennifer Marsh and other artists. There's lots of information about the project and more photos up at its website.