Last updated on May 29th, 2015
Ouch! I gardened like a fiend last weekend, and now I’m paying the piper. My back aches. My arms and legs are sore. Even my hair hurts. But at least the annuals and veggies are in the ground! The planting-routine went something like this:
First, in order to sex up the Herb Garden’s seating area, I planted some large pots with colorful annuals. Pictured above: dark maroon Coleus, variegated coleus, blue Lobelia and yellow-green sweet potato vine. Simple. Cool. Perfect for shade.
Next, I finished (or nearly-finished) planting the four beds in the herb garden. Most of the seedlings are too small to photograph, so I’ll just tell you what’s what: lettuces, basil, kohlrabi, Savoy and red cabbages (have you tried my Roasted Cabbage Rounds?), and flat-leaved parsley. I also planted a row of green beans, just for Lily the Beagle!
Then I tackled the Kitchen Garden, which contains 12 raised beds. I managed to plant 11 of those beds with the following:
Leeks (at this stage, you’ll have to squint to see ’em — they are behind the trio of dwarf, rose snapdragons)…
and, for the first time in my life, sweet potatoes!
For a big kick of color, I planted the kitchen garden’s four narrow central beds with tall, purple zinnias.
Not pictured, but awaiting attention: 100 onion seedlings. Mañana, baby.
Fortunately, the weekend wasn’t all-work-no-play. I spent some quiet-time on the bench in the Serpentine Garden, sipping Coppola Cabernet while inhaling the sweet air of dwarf lilac ‘Palibin.’
And to cool off, I skinny-dipped in the icy pool! (Be glad there’s no picture of this last activity.)
Now it’s your turn. What — if anything — did you do over the long weekend? Did you garden? Bake? Barbecue? Attend a parade? Talk to me in the comments section below.
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Related Posts:
How I Plant and Grow Leeks
The Best Lemon Tart in the World
My Low-Carb Cottage Cheese Pancakes
Gerri says
I planted boxwood cuttings!!! And roses…and medicinal herbs 🙂 love your blog. Gorgeous photos, adore your sense of humor.
Kevin Lee Jacobs says
Hi Gerri – Sounds like you worked hard, too. Good luck with your cuttings and plants!
Jeane says
Oh, lovely. I did some planting too, but not nearly so much. I do love coleus- I didn’t know there were dark purple ones like that. I’d been thinking of starting sweet potato vine from a spud at the grocery store, but haven’t found any untreated ones w/eyes…. must probably just buy a young plant, is that what you did?
Susan Kennedy says
Weeded, weeded, weeded!
Kevin Lee Jacobs says
Hi Jeane – For the coleus container planting, I purchased a sweet potato vine from my favorite farm store. The sweet potato slips for the kitchen garden were started indoors, from a sweet potato that I rooted in water. (Even treated sweet potatoes will eventually sprout.)
Hi Susan Kennedy – You have my sympathy!
Durf says
All of the above, actually. Attended a parade to see my nephew carrying the flag for the Boy Scouts, made brownies for brownie sundae’s at my sister’s barbeque, and did a little gardening. Mostly these days, I’m watching a cardinal family in my side garden. The parents are feeding the babies. It’s so interesting to see.
Robin says
I spent a lot of time in the garden, too. We’re re-building some rock walls on a terraced hill and it was time to put gravel behind one of the walls. Heavy, hot work. Punctuated by a couple of remodeling projects and the installation of a new mushroom garden under the apple tree. Stropharia [Wine cap] mushrooms are supposed to be good for my bees. We also put feeders in the beehives just in case the next 8 days are as rainy as predicted [so far, not so much!] It was one of those weekends my kids were begging me to just stop already, Mom, please! [We got a lot done, though!]
Alyce says
The mower belt broke allowing the pasture grass to get too high, so after repair, it took 8 hours of mowing and lawn sweeping, mowing and lawn sweeping, mowing and lawn sweeping to get all the grass down to the same manageable level and cleaned off so new grass can grow. My beautiful sheep and alpacas are grateful. Cut peonies for house aroma, but didn’t get to the flowers until this week.
Marilyn Elliott says
It has rained here 20 days out of the last 26, so we are watching our gardens grow but not doing much active gardening. But my oregano is two feet tall! And the sage patch is as big around as a small tire. Basil, thyme, lavender, tomatoes, cucumbers, onions, garlic, and in the less practical but just as important field, impatiens, begonias, caladiums, portulaca, daisies — all are loving this rain. It’s been a weird and unusual Texas spring but we’ll take it!
Jan Worth says
Spent most of the weekend glued to the TV listening to reports of tornados and taking shelter in an inside closet. The tornados played hop-scotch all round us but did no touch down near me. The big culprit was the massive amount of rain. 10 inches in 2 days.My garden is flooded. The parsley and cilantro wintered over and now are 3-4 feet tall. I left them because they are a food source for the bees and butterflies. Hopefully if we ever dry out, I can get back to gardening. Do love your garden and all of your yummy recipes.
Tracy says
I did battle with clear weed. Everywhere….sigh.
Rosie S says
Hi! I am new to your blog….really like it! We did projects involving moving about 4 tons of gravel and stone. We rocked an area where mulch just slides down a hill and placed big flagstone steppers leading to a raised garden area. You know, just a normal weekend! 🙂 I love coleus and recently saw the darker leaves used in a milk glass vase, and the contrast was stunning! I wish I had more shade to plant more varieties! The pea gravel surrounding the raised beds is just the thing I want to do next….time to show those pictures to the hubby! Thanks for the inspiration!
Mary in Iowa says
Planted boxwood, 4 small arborvitae trees, more hostas and ferns, and roughly 175 perennials and annuals, most of them from winter-sown cartons. Dug out massive mats of Canadian wild ginger and Adenophora roots. UGH! Potted on 20 Astilbe and 15 Butterfly Weed (Asclepias tuberosa) grown under lights inside for the butterflies and bees. After days and days of rain with more predicted, the ground is too saturated to work, so the remaining 150 or so winter sown plants will have to wait it out with me. I walk the perimeters, looking in, sighing, like a kid outside the candy store gazing in the window with longing. And, Kevin, the aching everything doesn’t improve with age, but it’s the calculated price of the golden badge of accomplishment.
Bethe says
Out here in drought stricken California, I am careful what I plant this year. One of my raised beds will be almost empty. I did manage to transplant a volunteer Black Cherry tomato plant that came up from last year’s very successful garden. I picked a huge bouquet of sweet peas and delivered a container of ladybugs to my two squash plants – patty pan and flying saucer. Fun squash and easy to use in anything. Please send some of your rain our way……….
Jeane says
Ah, well then maybe I should just tried again. I’ve attempted it twice with potatoes from grocery store, and only grew mold (I did change the water every few days)
Kevin Lee Jacobs says
Jan Worth – Yikes! Stay safe.
Elke Richard says
First…your gardens are stunning! We planted a shade garden with 12 different hostas (not sure what else to add in, I don’t want any colour maybe just some white something’s lol). It was 35 Celsius which I believe converts to 950 Fahrenheit!
badger gardener says
I love hearing from people all around the country on your blog about what is going on in their gardens! Truly interesting stuff.
Here In WI I still need to plant out some of my winter sown vegetables. Most of the flowers are in the ground. Temps are supposed to dip into the 50’s for highs so I suppose it is not bad that I am behind on getting tomatoes and eggplants into their garden spots. In the meantime, because of the current warmer temps, I came home to find all of my arugula has bolted and it was supposed to be on the menu tonight. Garden surprises : )
Denise T says
Every day and sometimes 2 times per day in this heat, I’ve been watering the garden. Growing my own plants from seeds is a joy, but I have been only planting/potting up as I have time. New seedlings need water. So every thing I plant makes watering time longer. Out of all the jugs I winter seeded, most germinated, although not all successfully. Some didn;t and I am still watching to see if they are just late-comers or bad seed or just not happy winter germinating. I really wish I had an in-ground pool to dive into.
Barbara says
All of this hyper-productivity puts me to shame! Hubby wasn’t feeling too well, so i was a slug without the slime all weekend.
Beverly, zone 6, eastern PA says
I did a rain dance, which worked but not to the degree needed.
georgeann says
Planted annuals . I would like to know what kind of perennials do you plant, your place looks beautiful.
Susan D. Maguire says
I canned my first harvest of tomatoes yesterday. It is odd to see you planting your tomatoes for the first time, but I have already canned pints and pints of yummy, fresh tomato sauce. Then again, I live in Florida.
georgeann says
Planted annuals . I would like to know what kind of perennials do you plant, your place looks beautiful. Also waiting for rain, had to do a lot of watering.
georgeann says
Planted annuals . I would like to know what kind of perennials do you plant, your place looks beautiful. Also waiting for rain, had to do a lot of watering.
georgeann says
Planted annuals . I would like to know what kind of perennials do you plant, your place looks beautiful. Also waiting for rain, had to do a lot of watering.
Susan D. Maguire says
I canned my first harvest of tomatoes yesterday. It is odd to see you planting your tomatoes for the first time, but I have already canned pints and pints of yummy, fresh tomato sauce. Then again, I live in Florida. Oh – and yesterday I received some live plants that I ordered. There is a new spinach plant that is a perennial, and I also got 2 goji berry plants. I’ll add those to my garden today.
gloria says
I know about hair hurting-
Staggering in from the garden on hot days means that every muscle in my aging body has been utilized in some way-
Gardening should be an Olympic sport-Extreme weeding and power planting could be a category followed by speed mulching.
Elizabeth Loeblich says
Love your blog. First thing I open when I see your email. I’m hoping to move to NY (from CA, SC, WV) so gardening will be different. I don’t even own a snow shovel. Your emails give me an idea of what grows, what to do in 6 mo of winter (winter sowing, etc), so keep the news coming. Your garden and house are beautiful. What an inspiration.
This past weekend planted containers for my daughter who just gave birth to second baby. 16 of vegetables: tomatoes, shallots, lettuce, herbs basil, mint, rosemary, and two in ground beds of veggies: one of peppers, squash, beans, carrots, lettuce, and one of potatoes, red and Yukon Gold, and red and yellow onions. In Montreal, all coming up and doing well in rain.
Thanks again.
Beth P says
Living in New Hampshire I am lagging behind a bit on getting things planted. I’ve been tending to the landscaping this year. Mulch first with newspaper, thank you for the fabulous tip, and then with wood chips on top. I got one 4’x4′ raised bed put together and it is right out my front door – it will be the herb and salad garden. DH helped move 2 yellow roses and the strawberry vanilla hydrangea. The latter may or may not make it – right now it is looking quite sad. I pruned the roses and fertilized with SaferGro organic fish fertilizer.
Three 8’x3′ beds will be going together on Monday and hopefully at least filled with their mix of top soil, garden soil and peat moss. I still haven’t worked out what will be planted where… guess I better get a move on with that! LOL!
My goal for this year is just to get the veggie garden going finally and to get all of the beds mulched. Next year I will do more perennial planting and perhaps a couple more raised beds. I do plan on using your milk jug technique for planting over the winter as I don’t have a really good place to start plants in the house. I also think my new kitty, Miss Savannah probably would think they were a snack! 😀
I just love your gardens Kevin and really don’t know where you get the energy! I’m sure you have help but gosh…! I also love your tours you take us on when we visit! Can’t wait to see those little plant-lets grow!
Susie says
Finished planting the 4 raised beds at my new (old) home in NJ, complete with a row of green beans for my Frenchie, Beau! The beds are an exact copy of your herb garden, thank you, and my Mother’s Day gift this year. Yes, I’m sore all over.
Troy says
This is my second year doing sweet potatoes! They came out great last year in spite of groundhog damage. That was an epic battle indeed! Just finished eating last years harvest. I feel your pain though, I’ve been building gardens and filling hanging herb pots for weeks. It’s an addiction everything from Jerusalem artichokes to berries much too much to list. Love your site!!!
Lori says
I’ve been trying to plant flowers and mulch. Trying as in “rain delays”. Cold Wisconsin weather returned but my hopes are still high.
Alice says
I played some of the weekend with friends, music, beer, and a pig roast. I also watered my and my neighbor’s small community garden plots. That means carrying 16 gallons of water, approximately 50 feet, again and again and again. I rewarded my self with fresh picked lettuce, bok choy, and turnip greens. I planted 30 basil seedlings. I wish I had enough sun for a kitchen garden…yours is wonderful.
Susan Owens says
Spent Friday sweeping, blowing, etc. all the millions of flower petals from my glorious Kentucky Yellowwood tree. Who knew it could be so beautiful or so messy?
Diane says
I always look forward to Sunday morning as that is when I receive your blog. We in TN suffered through a terribly cold winter and I wondered what all we would lose. Turned out, we lost very little and some plants have bloomed with a vengeance. I plant mostly perennials with a few annuals for color. And what did I do this weekend? My sweet granddaughter was married yesterday after a hectic year of planning. It all came together well. She and all the brides maids carried simple white hyacinths and the tables were decorated with them. It was lovely; you would have approved.
gina says
I finished two knitting projects and made a twine trellis for my clematis. It was a lovely day.
Terri says
We didn’t have my granddaughter over the weekend so it was a good time to caught up on some needed cleaning. I also did more planting in the garden. I planted more potatoes, and also for the first time sweet potatoes. I have to put the pumpkin plants in the ground now that they have gotten bigger, jack-o- lantern and pie pumpkins. I had gotten a free package of melon seeds from Tractor Supply, the plants now need to be put in the garden along with the English cucumber and the pickling cucumbers. It has been a very slow spring when it comes to the garden this year. We also baled hay over the weekend, one field done, one to go, then April, the horse, can go out in the field for the summer.
One more thing that I did over the weekend was use some of my rhubarb. I had found a recipe for Rhubarb Custard Bars. It was delicious, very refreshing.
Kevin, we are having a big picnic on June 13 and 14th. It is the 3rd year that we are having this event, around 40 or 50 people come over between the 2 days. Do you have any suggestion that I could make along with hot dogs and hamburgers. It is a pot luck type picnic but it is always nice have something different and unusual to offer the guests.
I enjoyed your tour of the gardens today.
selma says
I have planted my first raised beds …only two but it is a start. Tomatoes, zucchini and yellow squash, some lettuce and swiss chard. Would love to have some strawberries but maybe next year. My spinach, kale and collards are doing beautifully. I’ve been watering almost daily as it has been very dry!
One question… what do you use for mulch on your raised beds? It looks like straw but is it mixed with some kind of organic composted manure? Thanks for this fabulous site! I love every part of it!
Ava lansbery says
You will be so impressed if your sweet potatoes produce. Big Bang for the buck. I was told to plant them in hills?
Mindy says
I cut out all the dead palmetto branches from the hundreds of palmettos around here. So of course my arms and legs are all scratched up now. I picked another big batch of cherry tomatoes and pulled up more potatoes. Have a few more zucchinis almost ready to pick and a bunch more planted and growing great. I love your sense of humor on the web. It makes me smile after a long hard day in the garden!! But don’t those sore muscles make you feel good about what you accomplished??
Linda says
I had a wonderful day yesterday at my local farmer’s market, the Historic Lewes Farmers Market. Its located at an amazing shady location in Lewes, Delaware and is the number one farmer’s market in Delaware. All the vendors practice sustainable farming, bring a very large variety of fruits, vegetables, meats and dairy to the market. Any monies raised go to fund scholarships to sustainable farming workshops for local farmers, school gardening programs, SNAPS (food stamps) matching funds, and many other programs. At the end of every market, food donations are accepted from vendors and delivered to a local shelter. It is a magical, colorful community day and I love it. The volunteers who run the market are very dedicated. Oh, there was also a little weeding going on at home!
CheyAnne Sexton says
got my potatoes in last week and they are finally pushing up. Something came along and dug them all up the first night, still not sure what critter did that, but I put them all back and they survived. Maybe it was a lucky kiss that was bestowed in the night and now they will be the best potatoes ever, haha
Judy Hines says
Kevin, our son, wife and 9 month old live in Bellevue WA near Seattle and they have an area that needs your Serpentine Path! Everything is in — Theuret tomatoes, of course. Someone decided to sell Theuets at our Saturday Bloomington Farmers Market. Take care.
Janet says
OMG I laughed so hard! Here I lay just having taken some Tylenol. My back aches, my hands, arms & legs and yes even my hair. But, the garden is in! It looks gorgeous. Now to enjoy the lazy summer days with coffee &a good book on the deck. Well, sometimes. 🙂
Deb says
We planted our beds a few weeks ago–in a warmer zone than you–and are already dealing with insects. Organic gardeners are always looking for creative ways to combat the various issues. This year, I’ve discovered the various uses of Diatomaceous earth–inside and outside! There’s a special dispenser to fan it into the veggie patch, and I use a clean dry mustard bottle with the tip snipped closer to give a wider opening, to deliver it to crevices in the house as needed to combat ant invasions, etc. Some friends tell me it’s also useful to combat fleas. I will keep that in mind in case my Standard Poodle gets into any. I always enjoy your blog and your Facebook Page.
Lucille Fanger says
What do you use for mulch?
I used to live in the Hudson River Valley–Gardiner, NY I’m in eastern PA now and overrun with thistle!!!
Marjie T. says
Cool and wet here on the shores of Lake Michigan. Half the week was spent planting the raised beds and and the other half was cutting the grass in the orchard, trails and lawn. Within one week, the grasses and dandelions have emerged through 4 inches of wood chips between the garden beds, so it is back to wood chip spreading. One voice says “grow, grow, grow” while the other hollers “stop, stop, stop growing.”
Jenn says
I decided to tackle the rampant honeysuckle that is overtaking my azaleas here in Virginia. It smells absolutely intoxicating right now in bloom but is so invasive and hard to control.
I pulled and pulled piles of it out until being attacked by chiggers and doing the itchy dance into the house and straight into the shower. I am still itching days later! Mother Nature’s way of saving my back by making stop working early, since I always end up with a sore back for days when I go after the honeysuckle. Not sure which is worse- the itching or the aching.
For Terri (above) who is looking for cookout food ideas: I have made Kevin’s chive pesto and the puff pastry cheese straws for work parties and people love both. They are nice because you can make them ahead and just have them out at room temperature. I am planning to use Kevin’s pesto recipe today but with a mixture of cilantro, carrot tops, chives, and parsley to take to work tomorrow with some crackers and some water infused with strawberries and mint from the garden (we are in the middle of two weeks of stressful times at work, so I am bringing little treats for our lunchroom each day to give people a lift).
Anne says
Let the chickens in the garden to do some chicken tractor clean up…then I chased chickens around the yard because they are such intelligent little ____ that they managed to escape through the tiniest opening….wee bastards! Love their eggs though.
Like Deb’s comment about diatomaceous earth…it really works in the chicken coop and helps keep us on the organic side.
Weeding, prepping window boxes and annual beds,moving worm bins to their summer home, harvesting worm poo…my hair hurts too!
linda faatz says
Love your blog. Should file them all in a notebook for regular reference.
Raining steadily here and supposed to for 3 days here in Maine. We surely needed it.
Went to garden centers just to see what they had left for my planters around the garden. Sweet potato vine was the pick of the day. Have tried it before and the bugs ate the leaves. Maybe this year the bugs have gone to the neighbors to eat!!!
Started sunflowers in individual plugs and even though they don’t like to be transplanted I think I can fool them ( when they are well-rooted) into thinking they were planted in the garden when I transplant them.
Another trap set for mother woodchuck this am. Have caught 3 littler ones and taken them over the river. Hope the big one is still hungry for my bait.
Carol Samsel says
I worked in the garden and then I worked in the garden …then in the evenings I worked at Home Depot. So it was a working holiday for sure. Got lots done in the garden and it’s really showing. I”m loving the straw bale experiment ! I have blooming tomatoes already and two tiny little tomatoes on one plant. Unheard of this early for here. Between the Winter Sown trick that you shared and the straw bales it’s a WIN WIN. I wrote a blog post on Tuesday with tons of photos .
linda faatz says
The horse farm next door provides all the manure that I can use and more. A 3 year old cured pile makes great mulch and has hardly any weeds. Also helps the soil be very viable and plantable.
My finely ground up leaves put right on the garden in the fall do well at keeping the weeds down. the weeds that do find their way putt up soooo easily. My practice is to use anything naturally found in the garden to help out.
Kate says
Chopped back to about 4 ft. a 15 yr old choisya which was huge and getting sooty leaves…
It’s hot and sunny in Seattle and have had to hand water the seedlings that have been transplanted from jugs to garden…plus deadheading and slug hunting and always, weed picking.
Sara in Indiana says
Hi Kevin, I ache just thinking about all the work you did! I have planted two hay rack window boxes with verbenas and argyranthemums (daisy-like blooms). These are window boxes that I converted to sub-irrigated planters last year and loved it–only having to water once a week or less was great! Looking at your raised beds I have a comment/question. The soil in our raised beds sinks, too, and usually we top it off with potting soil before planting in spring. Is there a reason you did not top yours off? Oh, and I can’t forget to thank you for recommending Seascape strawberries! They are doing well and we have gotten a few berries already this year!
Theresa says
Thanks to some great help from friends, I have lots and lots of sweet potatoes planted. I’m hoping to contribute to a CSA project for my community. Last year I had good success with sweet potatoes. And having recently learned that the leaves of the plant can be eaten like spinach, they are a double-gifting plant. Their vines spread far and wide by the end of the growing season. The potatoes kept very well in my basement also, all the way through winter and spring.
I planted a mulberry tree that I got from a friend I visited in Virginia. (I’m in WV.) The old one on my property finally lost its battle and toppled over during the winter. I also put in two Japanese Maples, which I purchased last summer, but had never gotten in the ground.
Sure hope we get some rain though, because it’s been mighty dry here for the past month.
Hoosier John says
I noticed that your dwarf lilacs were getting quite large and just a little floppy. IF you decide they are getting somewhat out-of-hand, you can easily “rejuvenate” them with a severe pruning. I personally don’t like the look of sheared lilacs; instead the more natural look of your plants. Many people don’t realize that dwarf lilacs, as well as most flowering shrubs, can be “reduced and restored” by pruning them back to just a foot or so as soon as possible after they finish blooming. The mature root system will respond with extremely vigorous new growth, both from the stubs and the roots. In just a few weeks, you’ll have lush, fresh shrubs that will continue to grow all summer. IF this is done early enough, the rejuvenated shrubs will even bloom next spring as flower buds are set in midsummer. So, when you beautiful dwarf lilac hedge gets too rangy, try this method. It works.
Rhonda Strahler says
Finished planting (the last 2 of 5) raised beds. I modified your idea for the tomato trellis by using ladder-like pieces from a gazebo we had (it was destroyed by a huge storm last year). Used more pieces of same gazebo to make a trellis for the green beans. I have a large patch of volunteers in my “garden patch” (not raised beds) from last year, they are either zucchini, watermelon or cantaloupe, can’t tell yet which – maybe all three, as I had all three last year in that same area! I put a small fence around it, we will see what happens!! Also went to a family cookout and had a good game of train dominoes!
Deb says
Put up and planted an Brand New 4′ Window box under a front window…Pink and white Martha Washington Geraniums, Pink/lime coleus, fuchsia verbena, and clumps of a chartreuse grass. Such a nice greeting when I drive in!
Debbie says
Hi Kevin,
Your plantings are simply gorgeous! I must tell you I made your Blueberry Galette with the sweet crust…..what a delight! What a excellent recipe…keep on posting more scrumptious!!!!
Cheers,
Deb
David says
We have had tons and inches of rain. Gardening when I can. Weeds are easy to pull since the ground is so wet. Perennials are happy with the rain. Annuals are a challenge.
Allison K says
I love that you planted some green beans especially for Lilly the Beagle!!
I, too, spent much of the long weekend in the garden–between several much-needed rain showers!–and got the last plants (tomatoes/peppers/eggplants) in the ground, and then tossed a few more seeds of radishes, kohlrabi and baby pak choi in the spaces between the plants. And weeding, weeding, weeding!
It has been a treat to have a nice, long spring once–I’ve had plenty of time to get the garden planted little by little. We just had a light frost a couple of weeks ago and plenty of nights have been cool, so I’ve been biding my time to plant warm-weather veg. In the meantime, I’ve been enjoying lots of arugula and buttercrunch lettuce that self-seeded last year!
I attended the graduation party of a wonderful high school girl who is going to be pursuing a degree in horticulture, so as a gift I gave her my absolute favorite garden tool I’ve got both the short- and long-handled versions.
A coworker gave me 10 pounds of fresh rhubarb early this week, so I’ve been busy freezing, baking and making preserves with it. YUM!! Maybe I’ll make your Blueberry Galette with rhubarb later today!
Maggie says
I seemed to have slipped into your garden and made my way down the stone path for a moment of daydreaming. Sigh, but back to reality, which isn’t half bad, high up in the Ozarks overlooking lake and mountain tops. Our condo lifestyle limits garden space but each Summer I manage to pack more into it This year we’re focused on tomatoes and all were in their containers by last weekend. Patio, Sweet 100s, Husky Red Cherry, Better Bush and the heirlooms: Arkansas Traveler, Pineapple, Mr. Stripey, and Cherokee Purple. The first time I cut off a slab of Pineapple tomato (a beefsteak size) I had an urge to smear it all over my face. They are that good. Also, we have Boston Pickling cukes, and Burpless Bush. Don’t forget the Ghost pepper for Mango salsa.
Your kitchen garden brings back memories and I so enjoy passing the seasons with you and your blog.
Linda A says
Hi Kevin, The sweet potato vine is spectacular color off-set by other plants and I
like the look. But, I’m confused about which varieties are toxic to people and animals.
Are the potato vines with the little blue flowers the same as this one pictured as far
as toxicity goes?
BTW, I absolutely love reading your blog and look forward to your posts! I’ve tried your
recipes with good success and appreciate your good ideas across several categories.
A big YES to a cookbook. Then another big YES to a garden to kitchen book!!
Phyllis Vander Linden says
Attended the Memorial Day services, in our local town, honoring the veterans.
Baked a double crust rhubarb custard pie. The best! Took it to our church’s campsite
to be sold. My husband bought it for $140.00 Also took fresh cut asparagus out of our 46 year old patch and sold that too.
Pat says
Hi Kevin,
I really had to get busy in the garden as well. I am spending my time keeping the tiny weeds from getting a good start. I mulch with cut grass, but there are always a few that manage to poke through anyway. My Romain lettuce is starting to make heads and we will soon be munching on them. The bachelor buttons are in full bloom brightening up the garden next to my tomatoes that are now tall enough to start tying them to their stakes. The strawberries are ripening and I find that I am sharing them with the birds and squirrels. Who would have thought that they would eat strawberries? Your serpentine garden is beautiful. One of these years, I am going to make it to your side of the country to see your gardens. It’s on my bucket list for sure.
P.S. Your tomato pie is the best. I sure hope it made it into your cookbook.
Jean Harrison says
After losing an entire summer due to a torn rotator cuff from turning the compost (!) I am playing catch-up. Surgery was in Feb. and I’m doing terrific. So great that I have to be careful I don’t over-do and go back to square 1. And I am over doing it because that is my nature. Yesterday I pulled grass from under a tree that had crept in over the last year. Today I moved several wheel barrels full of rocks from point A to point B. This afternoon I will probably load up the wheel barrel with a few loads of sod that needs a new home. Due to the drought in the west I won’t be planting veggies this year and will use my available water to keep trees and major shrubs alive. I tell my husband that he has to spit every time he passes the rose garden. I’m too much of a lady to do THAT. 🙂
Carole Mathieu says
Loved reading about what you and others around the country are doing this time of year. Here in south central PA we had our annuals and most of the veggies on their beds the past 2 weekends. Have been edging flower beds and put down 3 scoops of mulch. Pinched a disk, so #4 is still in the pickup bed. My husband added supers to his bee hives this weekend and yesterday I got the picnic table and front porch stained getting ready for outdoor living. Rescued and relocated a black snake who got tangled up in the netting over the chicken pen!
Colleen says
Hi Kevin. I worked very hard in my garden over memorial day weekend. My friend and my husband helped me plant all the vegetables from my winter sown seeds. We had to build a makeshift fence around the vegetables as the deer in my neighborhood love to visit. The day after we put up the fence they came and ate the tops off some of my annual flowers that hadn’t even bloomed yet. I think they were mad about the fence! Any suggestions on how to keep them away?
Kathy Massimi says
In Boston I planted holly cuttings
After your inspiration.
Boston very pretty but dry. Grass yellow but
Gorgeous rhododendron this year.
Laura says
Getting too old to do the marathon weeding like I used to but I used to garden till my hair hurt too so I know what that’s like!
Still too cold to do much warm veggie planting but because we were leaving town for a week I put in some tomato plants and prayed we wouldn’t have a frost (we didn’t). If it ever warms up in SE Michigan, I hope to plant the rest of the garden. Nothing big just a few zukes, cukes, melons and pumpkins. Garlic planted last fall is looking good.
Because it has been so wet, I haven’t done much weeding either but the perennials seem to be covering them up nicely for now.
Pam Keith says
Sorry about the aches and pains. This happens as we age. I speak from experience. Since I cannot plant a herb garden I bought a round bowl filled with herbs in it. It’s not huge, but it fits my needs for 1. I use these on my fish and other foods that I fix for myself. I miss my garden that I use to have, but this takes it’s place for my need to garden. Happy Gardening To You. 🙂
Donna Schumacher says
At 81 , I am too old to maintain my big perennial garden, plus veggies. Started cutting down by weeding out last fall what I decided I could live without. Now this year I had all these big holes which needed something till fall. So, I planted dozens of annuals. Lisianthus, petunias, geraniums from my plant room, plus more. Needless to say, my whole body hurts. I have quit with the containers, so a little less watering. I love my flowers, about 175 different Hostas, 75 daylilies, etc., too many to name. I know exactly how your body feels, but isn’t it fun?
Jesica Carleton says
Hi Kevin,
I haven’t had as much time lately to enjoy your posts… I don’t know how you are able to spend so much time working in your gardens, but I’m JEALOUS!!
We moved to Central Oregon at the beginning of May last year, and I completely lost one full gardening season. Our property is almost an acre, but had been sorely neglected for many years… a beautiful spot, but needed a LOT of work. Last year I was eager to get my gardens started, but alas, was unable to do anything until we got things cleaned up, put some raised beds in, got all the dirt & amendments, mixed it, moved it. Over Memorial Day weekend, I spend Sat/Sun working our local Saturday Market, but finally on Monday I was able to plant out… and I was in HEAVEN!!
The place has a greenhouse, so I started lots of seeds, and was able to plant out: lots of different types of kale and onions, mustard greens, arugula, broccoli, beans, radishes. I didn’t have great luck with my annuals, sadly, but also started a number of perennial flowers: LOTS of oriental poppies, some Icelandic poppies, delphiniums, coreopsis, lupine, daisies, hollyhock, blanket flower, clematis. Also, from bulbs/corms/bare roots: calla lilies, bleeding hearts, astilbe, hostas. Then, have numerous herbs in containers, which I will move to just outside the back door for easier access. And I finally got impatient for blooms, so bought a bunch of starts. It will take years to get this place back to its former glory, but it’s going to look amazing!
I work from home, so am able to take short breaks to go out and gaze upon my gardens, or the new babies in the greenhouse. I used to scratch my head about those people who just loved to get their hands dirty in their gardens… NOW I UNDERSTAND!!!
Jesica
formerly of Anchorage, AK, currently in Bend, OR
Barb Hulse says
Hi Kevin,
We were busy this weekend as well. My husband and I took our 1931 Model A Ford to a car show on Saturday and then picked up 15 quarts of Strawberries from a local farm. I used to pick them, but I’m too old for that now so I let someone else do that hard work. On Sunday,
my sister and I made 29 pints of your delicious recipe for Strawberry Rhubarb Sauce.
We made some last year but it didn’t last til Thanksgiving so we made a lot more this time!
Love your website and the recipies and gardening tips!! Can’t wait for the cookbook!!
Shelli says
My husband and I spent the 3rd weekend in a row watching it rain and continuing to flood the garden. I wish we could share the water with the people in CA who really need it! The only things surviving are the cucumber plants that are in grow-bags. We are in SE Ok and are fortunate that at least our house didn’t flood! So many people have not been so lucky. But – we’re hopeful that maybe we will just have a late garden. It’s not supposed to rain at all this week! Your garden looks beautiful as usual, Kevin! Love your newsletter!
Ann says
Your garden is fabulous. Mine is a fraction the size of yours and working on it induces the same aches and pains. But I look forward to it every spring!
Marlyn says
Over Memorial Weekend, well Sat. anyway, I worked (volunteered) prepping firework shells for a show Sat. night. I paired, tripled and cut chains of ten into two chains of five shells, labeled all and e matched all. This consisted of 5+ cases of 2.5″, 3″,4″ and 5″ shells, comets and mines. This past weekend is when my 3 flats of annuals went in the ground. My back is aching too.
Anne says
Kevin, your flagstone path/steps are an inspiration! What a beautiful picture!
Your lilacs are dwarf lilac ‘Palibin, and I presume a phlox below that, and periwinkle on the other side of the path? If you happen to know of the varieties (esp. of the phlox) I’d love to hear.
Jill Moore says
Hi Kevin,
I planted boxwood cuttings. Wanted to work more in the gardens but too swampy here in Kansas City! Had a college graduation party for my son and decorated the house with vases of fresh cut flowers from my yard. My winter sowing was a great success for lupines, sweet peas, and delphinium. In zone 5b-6a when would be best to start annuals and tomatoes using winter sowing?
Carol says
Hi Kevin,
Loved seeing how your garden is growing. I told you not to over do a couple of months ago before you thawed out! Here in East Texas, everything is a gorgeous green since we have had tons of rain. Not many flowers since we haven’t had that much sun. but it has been in the 70’s which is great… a lot cooler than usual this time of year! We had a beautiful early spring… can’t complain about the rain since all the lakes in Texas are full … some are even flooding… I guess, be careful what you wish for is appropriate now. Take care and enjoy your life.
Pat says
We had pouring rain and freezing cold weather! I was hibernating!
Tara says
Your garden is beautiful, Kevin! I love catching up with your current gardening projects, and recipes too. Lots of planting recently for me also. My seedlings made their way outside finally!
Carol says
Well honestly until I read your post I really thought no one worked as much as I did this past weekend!!! However, you certainly did more than me. Your garden is beautiful! You are so very talented. I wish my garden looked more like yours. Oh well, that will be my goal. Thanks for all of the pics and posts.