Monday, April 08, 2013

Gardening at last, new cardigan

Sorry no pictures again;  I'm fed up with my camera situation. I'll have to pressure Partner into taking some photos for me (or nick his camera to do it myself).

It warmed up a bit from last month though it's still colder than usual.  There are still a few snow drifts lingering on the edges of the village, but there's no snow in our garden or on our street, and the past week has been sunny--albeit with a very cold northern breeze.  But regardless, I scattered seeds with abandon out back last week.  I also put up some very disreputable-looking DIY trellises and planted out my early cabbages and mallow in various places (to grow into tasty treats for chickens).  Seed trays have been shifting from house to garage to patio, to harden off the seedlings, and new seeds have been sown.  I'd say about half of the seed sowing is done.  I can only hope they sprout and grow.  And that the weather cooperates, unlike last year...

I've taken cuttings from my old raggedy sage plant and from my little potted lavender recently, and will take some from my new rosemary (which was a replacement for my last, which was also a replacement--had bad luck with  rosemary!) and my potted geraniums.  Last summer I bought two blackcurrants, one of which appears not to have survived the winter.  Hopefully the other will grow a bit and I'll be able to take cuttings from it too.  I took a couple cuttings from my favorite rose last autumn but only one's still there, and like Schroedinger's cat, I'm not entirely sure it's alive or dead.  However, at the same time I also planted some willow wands (sneakily harvested from the local park) which seem to be not dead. 

Partner and I (though mostly he) tore off the old leaky roof from the garage last month and put up a new transparent roof;  now it's very like a greenhouse.  A greenhouse full of junk and roofing scraps.  I am now considering possibilities for growing in there:  potted citrus, peach, and grape vines are on my mind.  Though not till we clear it out.  For the moment it has seed trays on any free-ish surface. 

Though I need to purchase buttons for it--none in my button stash quite work--I finished knitting my new pink cardigan.  It took me not quite a month to complete and I like it very much.  I'm still in a knitting mood but not quite sure what I'd like to work on next.  I promised myself not to start a new project until I'd finished this one, giving me incentive to complete it. 

No comments: