The More I Learn

and get my hands in the earth, the more I realize how little I know.  Just a few of my ponderings while weeding today...

What is this plant? When viewed from a standing position, the stems look like red and white twine twisted together.

Why are my potatoes so... sprouty? this year?  Looking back, I don't remember so many sprouts per plant.  This second picture perfectly demonstrates.  I'm accustomed to three or four stems in one place, but these are spread out.  Is it something to do with the cold weather?

Speaking of cold weather... Look at how big the potatoes were in APRIL of last year!  We were harvesting by the end of May last year.  Somehow, I don't think that will be the case this year.  We are well more than a month behind in growth.

Back to my ponderings... What is THIS plant?  It secretes a white sap when broken off.

If I were to attempt to grow quinoa for chick feed, must it be rinsed as for human consumption?  (Just wondering... I haven't gotten far enough to bother determining whether or not we even have the right climate.)

Why is my garden having such people-problems this year?  Some of my peas were taken out by tractor wheels.  A late but well-meaning application of compost smothered a section of onions.  Another well-meaning act of tilling took out all my spinach and lettuce.  I can plant in straighter rows at Purgatory Ranch, but any attempt to call my planting "rows" at YJ Acres is a farce.

Will I ever feel like I really know what I'm doing?

Purgatory Ranch Clean-Up

Despite my disappointment in the fertility of my potato bits, the time has come to weed.  I've been waiting for the ground to dry out or more potatoes to sprout, but with rain forecasted the rest of the week and weeds growing apace, it was now or never.

After all, if I'm going to plant, it's my job to weed too.

Please excuse the sideways pictures.  I'm snagging non-fussy-baby time, and it is precious and limited!  I forgot to rotate before uploading.

 The tree onions are amazing!

I discovered a bunch of onions thrown on the ground.  Did we drop them in our planting frenzy?  Did the kids take them, get bored, and abandon them?  Either way, I planted them today to see if the last remaining stems of green mean life remains.

 The entire stretch of onions, running west in this picture, are now nicely weeded.  Perfect?  No, but I'd say at least 80-90%.

Until next time, remember, this is not paradise.  It's Purgatory Ranch.

New Digs

 I usually check our chicks and guinea fowl twice a day.  In the last few days, however, I have checked on the guineas more frequently as they have been incessantly dumping their water, thereby making themselves waterless and their bedding damp and musty.

After discussing the issue with James, he decided we had to correct the situation... immediately.  It would be cruel to leave them longer in a tub they had clearly outgrown.  The search was on.  Our future home for them, outdoors, is not repaired to a relatively critter-proof status, and even temporary adjustments were labor and time consuming.

A brief search on the internet and calling to local stores convinced us a ready-made chicken coop was far to expensive to be a solution until... I kept looking at the search options under coop.  I found an exercise pen for a 1/3 of the price of a coop, and it would be reusable after proper sanitation.

After a few more phone calls, we headed to Tractor Supply.  Although by far not our favorite store for supplies, it was the only store to carry what we needed.

Fortunately, it was preassembled (it's just 8 panels, one with a door), and I was in business.  The cardboard is to save the bulk of the fertilizer-in-waiting (guinea poop) from being wasted by hardening into cement on the garage floor.  We have bedding material in the box, and I have since added some to the pen.

Just at sunset, we introduced the five guineas to their new home.

Were this to have a caption, I think it would be full of "oh my's" or more choice language!

"At least the food is the same, right?"

Morning, and the guineas were comfortable in their new digs.

 Until next time, remember, this is not paradise.  It's Purgatory Ranch.

Lazy Planting Day

It's Beginning to Look a Lot Like...

... Christmas?  It was definitely winter weather for far too long this year, but the plants are enjoying the moisture that came with it.  I certainly hope I have some giant, tasty onions as a result!

Strawberries, 5/5/2013

Rhubarb, 5/5/13

Just to confirm, my helpers assure I am incapable of planting in a straight line.  I've planted the first portion of a row of tomatoes.  Hopefully, they perk up a little more.  They look rough now, but between the wind, cold weather, and a lack of watering in the last few days on my part, it's understandable.

Our first Purple Passion asparagus is up.  Oh, the weeding yet to be done!

Until next time, remember, this is not paradise.  It's Purgatory Ranch.

Growth

The tree onions are growing larger than in past years.  I see a bit of spotting, frost damage from the multiple recent cold snaps.

I am grateful for the rain, even if it is slowing down planting.

The onions are looking good, even if I do spy a few stray potatoes popping up between rows. 

The potatoes in the south patch are orderly and up.

The same cannot be said for the north bed, which is more weed than potato.  I'm concerned that a fair number of those potatoes may have rotted away.  Ugh.  Maybe they are just slower sprouting. 

Until next time, remember, this is not paradise.  It's Purgatory Ranch.

Tomatoes hardening off...  I think we have 13 flats.

I love the sight of redbuds blooming in the spring.  I didn't know, given my ignorance of trees and the drought last summer, if I was lucky enough to have any redbuds. We have two!

While working outside today, I remembered my hat in an effort to avoid the nearly-obligatory first ferocious sunburn of the summer.  (No, it's not summer weather, but it's always the first sunburn!)

Rhubarb is thriving!

Strawberry bed

I don't see any major gaps in the strawberries, so I think we planted well.  The rain has definitely aided in helping plants establish themselves.

Peas, lettuce, spinach, and onions are planted.  Who left the shed door open?  I think one of my little helpers have come by...

Despite the thriving weeds and lilies around them, threatening to choke them out, the garlic is doing well.

ASPARAGUS!  I am so relieved to discover five plants survived the searing heat last summer.  Q added his finger to the picture.  I'm looking forward to the first harvest of the spring!

The Assistant and Q added their thumbs to this onion picture.  The onion have lovely new growth, and I hope they enjoyed the cold weather we had recently.  It should aid in bulb size.

Peach tree, post-multiple frosts.  I'm still not sure what will come of it.

Until next time, remember, this is not paradise.  It's Purgatory Ranch.