We finally got some rain this last week. Wow, are the weeds ever growing! We need to go after them. The horseradish is up. I put it into containers for now so it wouldn't take over my garden. I do wish there was a way to get rid of the ants without getting rid of all the good bugs. Chickens are not an option at this point. We checked with the city. They think we will be able to later since Missoula allows chickens now, but don't know when that will happen. That's okay though since our fence isn't up yet. We got the permit from the city and all so now we just need to start digging. I think. I'll have to double check with Tom.

Better go check on the Bear and see if I have time to pull some weeds...

How the Garden Grows...

Hanging basket of impatients: Front porch of the house with the last of the lilacs hanging on:

Strawberries and herbs:

Veggie garden. The milk jugs are protecting the watermelon...

Well, everything but my one cucumber is in and I'm not so sure I have room. Things are coming along nicely. The tomatoes are establishing themselves alright in spite of going from being frozen to getting sunburnt. The ones that got frozen seem to be coming back. I'm impressed. I thought for sure they were done. I have lots of flowers that need to get going but the veggies are in. Whew. Now comes the work. The weeds are trying my patience.

I am trying an expirment. All the tall grass and weeds I pull from the edges are going in between my rows as mulch. Hopefully this will cut down on the weeds and it will add the organic matter to the soil nice and slowly. We shall see. It kinda looks like hay laying in the wind-rows. I'm hoping it will help with the water as well since it looks like it will be a dry year. May was supposedly about an inch under normal for precipitation this year. Yikes! That doesn't bode well for my garden even if it does for the pocket book what with us being in the fire business.

Who would have thought I would find gardening so enjoyable. I like building the tomato fences and winding the peas up some poles. I even enjoy pulling weeds. Goofy. I do wish I did better with herbs. I just don't know what/where to put them. I have a few here and there though. The parsley, chervil, and chives are going great guns. Now if I can keep the lavender and basil going.

update

The lilacs are almost done blooming. Kinda sad to see them dying off. I love lilacs. It has been hot so it seems they haven't lasted as long. Maybe I'm mis-remembering last spring. I don't have a great memory for the last month or so of being pregnant with Bear. I got my beds planted along the front walk. Just seeds and seedlings. All flowers for Tom. My hanging baskets are doing well. Everything needs water though. It has been hot. It was into the mid 80s. The new plants (currant and raspberries) seem to have established well. I'm behind on weeding the garden. Imagine that? I'm also behind on getting the rest of my tomatoes and some of the other stuff planted. I think I'll see what I can do about getting a lot of stuff planted this weekend. I'm off to see about getting some of it done tonight.

Losses

Well, I didn't get them covered the other night and it froze. I lost what looks to be every other tomato in the row and both of my bush beans. The Kitchen King Beans seem to have made out okay though. Good thing I still have some tomato plants that need planted. It didn't even freeze all that hard. Maybe 28 degrees. I didn't check since I had to go to work and I saw the frost as I was walking to the car. Oh well. Such as life.

The lilacs are in full bloom though. They smell so good. Everything else seems to be doing all right.

Oops! Dog needs out and Bear is getting into everything...

Planting, planting, planting...

The night before last, so Monday, I got several of my tomatoes and all of my beans planted. I know I'll have to run out and cover if it gets too cold at night, but I'm finally getting some room in the house.

Let's see... over the weekend I also got another lavender planted and I found some hostas for the North (shady) side of the house. Mom and Dad were up visiting for the weekend. Mom decided she was going to help outside so my beds are dug along the walk-way and the random flagstones in the backyard are now dug up. She needs to show up more often. Lots got done.

Still more tomatoes, peppers, peas, and squash to plant. It is finally getting warm enough to plant everything. Maybe not the peppers until well into June? We'll see how the weather looks. Of course with the way time is going it will be June before I know it.

hanging baskets

I got the hanging baskets planted today! Impatients and petunias. Also I threw in some salvia seeds in with the impatients and some baby's breath in with the petunias. We'll see if it works. I planted two pots of marigolds I had started a couple weeks ago. I still need to dig the beds along the front walk and I got another lavender to plant.


Now that Mother's Day is past I should be able to plant my tomatoes and that out soon. I'm still kinda chicken though. I'm thinking I'll get some plastic for row covers today and then I can plant them out. That way with the inevitable freeze that we'll get I can not worry as much.

Perfect Spring Day

It was finally nice today so I got my peas, beets, some lettuce, and some spinach planted in the garden. Also, I ended up needing to plant my horseradish and my friend's so they are in containers.

It was a busy day outside. Tom pruned bushes and mowed the lawn. I planted and then we mulched, and I stained the second chair for the porch. Almost done with the set. As soon as we get the little table built and stained we'll be good to go. Our yard is finally coming along. It actually looks like someone lives here again.

Still so many beds I want to put in...