Rural Gardening: It's April already!!!, 0 by CajuninKy

CajuninKy wrote:
Hi guys! I sure have been busy.

The seed swap was a bit disappointing because the weather turned off cold, rainy and windy. But I still had about 10 folks show up and we had a good time swapping. Already planning a seed and plant swap for fall. I took my seed box to church on Sunday and swapped seeds with some people who couldn't brave the weather the day before.

I seeded a mixed tray of peppers, eggplant and tomatoes. They are already coming up. I won't need them all because I only have 30 square feet in my garden and a few containers. I will give away the extras or I might be able to sit on the swing at the little store and sell them.

I got 6 tater bags planted yesterday, 3 pontiacs and 3 kennibecs (sp?). Got lots more to plant. A friend gave me the kennibecs.

Layed out the new strawberry bed for the 50 plants another friend gave me. It's only about 18" wide and maybe 10' long. Not enough but I ran out of pavers. I used 3 feed sacks to line the bottom of the bed. They are paper sacks with plastic lining so I shouldn't have any weed problems. Now I just have to fill it and plant the berries.

When I was laying out the bed, I had to move a small Japanese Wineberry bush that was in the way. I didn't want to lose it so I transplanted it to the end of the golden raspberry row. A friend gave me about 10 of the GRs. All but 1 are leafing out and looking great.

I had planted lettuce in the top of my 2 hay bales but it never came up so I transplanted 6 purple sprouting broccoli plants to the bales from my winter sow jugs.

My sugar snap peas are up pretty good and I have to get the few out of the winter sow jug and put them in the barrel with the others.

Every sweet onion and every hardneck garlic I planted are up and looking good. The elephant garlic is not up yet.

Carrots, broccoli raab, chinese cabbage and osaka purple mustard are not up yet.

Lost a couple hens and put the blind rooster down. Got the big roo in a tub on the porch ready to kill this week. Got another hen in a small cage on the porch. She was nearly eaten alive by the older layers. Saphire hatched out 3 bantam chicks and I have 6 golden comet pullet chicks and 6 EE pullet chicks in brooders.

So glad to read everybody's good news and progress. Life goes merrily on!

This is my friend, Jovita. She is a new gardener who came out for the swap.