A VERY windy day here in Idaho Falls. Spent time using the push hoe and cleaning flower beds and though the temperature was a pleasant 57 at its high it was hard to even keep my gardening hat on.

Good news on the raspberry front.

Each of the raspberry plants placed last year in in their bed are showing signs of life. I was getting a little worried about two of them but they are coming through. They are nicely mulched and should continue to show more growth.

The rhubarb continue to show growth and still are pushing up new stems. I will provide them with another dose of fertilizer in about 5 days.

We are due for four days of cold weather with highs expected to be only in the 40's and freezing temps at night. I'm not sure how the seedlings I have in will fare but its a fun effort to keep them going. I am desperately wishing that Spring will actually arrive and that the cold days become a rarity. A little  more heat would certainly help generate more growth.

....and last but not least.

 

The Black Currant bush put in last year is doing very well. I do believe we may add another this spring.

A few very cold days here. I've been covering my seedlings at night. The French Breakfast Radish and Daikon pictured below are doing fine and all seedlings are catching some sun before being tucked back in for the evening. So far I have showing radish, daikon, tom thumb lettuce, cabbage, broccoli, cauliflower and spinich. Brussel sprouts are yet to poke through. Hopefully we will make it through the next few days.

I certainly could make my rows a bit straighter. Will have to work on that.

Today was a day of more cleaning of the garden area (boring, but it must be done). I'm being careful as I woke up this morning with a sore lower back. The good news in the veggie corner is that the two rhubarb plants that we planted last year are coming up very nicely. This is a photo of one them below. We won't be able to harvest them heavily this year but should have enough for a crumble or two.

I placed some compost/manure on them as they are greedy as can be but they do return the favor with wonderful growth.

Absolutely nothing done in the veggie corner today. All work was done in the garden area. More progress made as I work around the beds and a few more days and the end may be in sight. Hard work but I am familarizing myself with everything in the garden and saving us a few hundred dollars in the process by doing it myself.

Richard did pick me up some great plant labels so tomorrow will be spent on getting at least 15 starts done. He is off to do work on our Denver home for a week. I have a feeling I'm really going to appreciate those light weight tools he purchased.

Now its time to go shower and get ready for dinner. Sushi twice in a week...I'm liking this.

Easter (and Andre's Birthday) certainly didn't slow down the gardening.

Today was spent filling pots, weeding, fertilizing and planting seeds for starts.

I'm doing this alongside my sister Rose in Port Townsend, Washington, and I think she is WAY ahead of me in the start department. I have to get many more of these done over the next few days. I did three pots with four seeds each of squash today. Will have to get more plant tags so that I can do tomatoes, etc., tomorrow. Its definitely looking like a working area though.

Richard placed some great webbing over my lattice in the far raised planter for my peas..though they won't go in yet. The cloche is over the brassica starts (fingers crossed). Most of the time was getting the large pots filled and watered so that they can settle and be topped off. My back will hurt later I'm sure.

I'm a bit worried about the raspberries that we put in last year. Not much to be seen though I did water and fertilize them with some mild miracle grow.

Today was another productive day in the garden. Cleaned another section of the flower garden and in the vegetable corner I planted Daikon radishes, French Breakfast radishes, Tom Thumb Lettuce, Pak Choi and Spinich. I know I'm early and it is a risk but I have plenty of seed and protective coverings to help them through.

In my brassica bed I did seeds for starting Cauliflower, Broccoli, Cabbage and Brussel Sprouts. They were placed under a cloche so hopefully will make it through the rest of spring. I rather like doing the "in bed" starts. It seems to be more comfortable for the plants and is easily more convenient for the farmer.

I just couldn't help myself.

Placed lack plastic over some of the other beds to help warm the soil. Tomorrow I will work at filling pots (large and small) in between cooking a ham dinner.

My muscles are soooo sore and my ankle is swollen and I'm limping when I walk...and enjoying every minute.

Today was more cleaning. After a year of relative inactivity my body is objecting vigorously but it feels great. Trellises are up for the peas and we have started filling pots for container plants.

Last autumn we planted four blueberry bushes. My neighbor (who is an excellent gardener) tells me that they are a bit of a "keep your fingers crossed" crop for Idaho Falls but I made sure to take care of soil acidity levels when they were placed last autumn and each of them is coming back with buds. Two varieties are necessary for cross-pollination. I sprinkled them with their additive and will hope they continue to do well. Nothing ventured, nothing gained.