Early Spring Garden: Flowers & Veggies in April

Things are happening in the gardens! The flowers are making a splash, the daffodils, hyacinths, tulips, and grape hyacinths. When these bloom, along with the Redbud trees, you know it's time to plant your cold crops! 

I have planted broccoli, cauliflower, cabbage, lettuce, pansies, and potatoes. For these, I tilled, then hoed large mounds and then applied mulch to each mound. From there, I transplanted seedlings in the mulch. For frost and freeze protection, I affixed plastic hoop pipe over each mound then covered with clear plastic sheeting. Simple as that! 

Additionally, I have potatoes in garden mounds and covered with mulch, to keep some warmth and moisture retained to help them grow. In the pictures, you'll notice that I have put tobacco sticks on those potato mounds- this is an effort to keep all of my grandma's cats out.

This is just the beginning stages of the Spring garden, I have more pounds of potatoes to plant and directly sow some radishes, carrots, kale, spinach, and lettuces. Stay tuned! 

Rainy day tulip flower spring garden

Of all my tulip varieties, I love these little red stripey numbers. They are nature's eye candy! 

After a rainy afternoon, I made sure to snap some photos of these tulips where they glisten in the garden. 

I also snapped a photo of this beautiful flower I found by the creek. This wild flower was growing in sandy soil. My grandma called it a blue bell when I showed her the picture. 

As you think about your beautiful flowering Spring garden, and are mesmerized by your bounty of the veggie garden; and as you're studying your plants and tending to them-- also tend to your community-- pay attention to what is affecting you and your neighbors. There is much that is going on in everyone's community where we can actively help and be a good steward to others...

Tulip, Spring Flower Garden & fruit trees

This Spring, find your hope and treasure it. I have hope when I see the fruit trees in bloom. You see with me in the photo below, the peach tree split over the winter, and yet, it still persists. It has gorgeous little pink blossoms. 

Amongst the flowering trees, the tulip garden is in full swing. 

Here, the plum blooms white like a big cloud in the sky.

Similar to the Plum, the pear trees are blooming.

At my job, this beautiful pear is also showing off...

Over the last 2 days, I planted almost 10 rows of potatoes; and sowed radish and spinach seed. Slowly, but surely, I am getting some things in the ground! 

Kale harvest & Flowering Fruit Tree garden

On this Tuesday, March 30th, I enjoyed the rest of my evening after work by sowing some radish seed, wild flower seed, and transplanting herbs. I was also able to harvest a bag of curly kale!

I drove over to one of my gardens, and noticed the fruit trees and flowers in bloom. Just 2 days ago, everything was still a bud. A little bit of warmth and sun today made everything pop.

The plum and cherry trees bloom white little fragrant puffs. The pears, peaches, and other trees also dazzled with whimsical white and pink petals today...

And here blooms in all sorts of pink hues, the nectarine tree. A hundred bees buzzed this tree today. It outshined all other fruit trees blooming in the food forest today.

Garden harvest & Tulip photography in April

Last week I posted pictures of covering my garden and fruit trees for frost protection. The good news is, the blueberry fruits are still growing, and veggies are very hardy; the bad news is, all the fruit trees are not so hardy. You can see small black fruit dangling from the pear trees, the grape vines are wilted, the mulberry leaves died, the pineapple sage died, the plums that speckled the sky all turned shriveled and black.

I'm not sure if any of the fruit from the peaches and nectarines survived, but I still see some hanging on for life.

Still, I harvest food everyday. I have so many radishes and little greens to prepare salads, vegan seaweed rolls, garnish for ramen, salad wraps, and other pasta dishes loaded with garden food.

I have also been delivering garden food to elders that are social distancing, and to coworkers as well.

Garden veg out for delivery

Spinach & arugula used for tomato pasta dish

Potatoes in grow bags

French breakfast radishes poking out from the soil

Yesterday I planted more pockets of seed around these strawberry plants and other bare spots in the garden beds. I sowed spinach and basil seed which are supposed to be companion plants to strawberries. I sowed the spinach and basil seed around additional bare spots in other garden beds.

Strawberry plants and lettuces

Cilantro bed

Arugula and spinach bed

And the tulips rise, regardless of the frost. However, as of tonight, there's not a petal in sight. The Irises will be taking their place in the upcoming weeks--once again brightening the landscape.

Aronia berry plant blossoms