Thursday, April 12, 2012

Working the Garden - Rural Thursday #11

It's about that time....garden update!  We've been hard at work on ours.  We put up some fencing (new and improved over last year's fencing, which the rabbits kept eating holes in).

A few items are already coming up.  Remember last year I planted rhubarb and it didn't make it?  Well, going for another round this year, and all 3 bunches of rhubarb are up and looking healthy.

And remember last year, when I planted asparagus and it never came up.  Well, I replanted aspargus and it came up!  Not only that, but the asparagus I planted last year came up!  How's that for a random surprise?  Now I just have to wait for next year to harvest.

The hens are busy laying.  We're getting about 5 eggs a day, from 6 hens (5 of whom are over 2 years old now) so we're stocking up!  Can you spot the imposter in this picture?  Hint: it's something you would hit with a club...

I love this random tulip.  I planted a bunch of them one year, but this is the only one that comes back year after year, fleetingly.

And finally, I'm going to try my hand at garlic.  I use it in just about every dish I make.  And it claims, on the package, that it's "Easy to Grow".  We will see.

Alright folks, it's Rural Thursday, so I'd love for you to link up with Nancy from A Rural Journal and myself to show us what's going on at your place.  Link up your rural related stories and pictures of your own gardens, flowers, recipes, and animals.  Grab the code below the button and paste it into your blog post, then come back and add your url to the linky.  Please be sure to visit at least 5 other people that link up and leave them some comment love.  I can't wait to see what you come up with!

49 comments:

Myya said...

Oh how I wish I could manage a garden like this! I have the perfect spot for it, but there is NO WAY I could mantain it. I'll live vicariously through you ok :)

Brian King said...

You have been busy. It looks like your rhubarb and asparagus are going to do well. Love the tulip!

EG CameraGirl said...

I want to see what comes out when that golf ball hatches. :)) Garlic IS easy to grow but here in Canada we plant it in October - I don't know when you are supposed to plant it where you are.

Judy said...

We planted purple asparagus this year and it's doing pretty good, I'm glad your last years planting came up.

Tanya Breese said...

your garden is coming along great! ok, what's the imposter, i see something there but can't quite make it out...

Gone Country said...

Your soil looks so nice! Ours is mostly sand... sigh. But, I continue to add organic matter to it and cross my fingers for a decent crop each year. Everything's coming up so far...

Good luck with the garlic. I hope it grows for you. I tried growing some and ended up with nothing. I would love to try again though cuz I love garlic!

TexWisGirl said...

good luck w/ the rabbits! looks like you've got a good start on them!

Unknown said...

I just joined your Rural Thursday crowd. You can catch me at thepauleyprinciple.blogspot.com. I also follow you as The Cabin Cook. Your posts just sweep me away! Keep them coming. Thanks!

Anonymous said...

I think the imposter is Tiger Woods' ball from The Master's!

Amy Burzese said...

Good luck this year!

Unknown said...

Loving your blog posts! Thanks for the invitation to join the Hop! This will be a delight!

Sonya @ Under the Desert Sky said...

I like that you have some "surprises" growing this year that never came up last year.

I love garlic, by the way!

Anonymous said...

Asparagus takes a couple years to establish. I've still had NO luck with rhubarb, dang it.

Ginny Hartzler said...

O.K. I give up, what is the invader that you would hit with a club? Guess I am really dense this morning!! It looks like this year will be much better for you than last!!! And I am so glad for Pierce, I hope you get pictures of his face when he gets the Lego set!!! Gosh, you DO have over 1,000 followers!!!! And still have time to comment to little old me!!! Congratulations!

Nancy said...

The garlic is really easy -- I grew some in an old canner one year and it was great!

Tracy said...

my goodness Lisa, you have been busy. When you talked about the rhubarb I had to smile because I grew up with a rhubarb patch in our back yard and my mom used it all and I grew to hate it :)
the tulip is very pretty!

Anonymous said...

Love the imposter! I grew so much garlic last year that I scaled back for this year...

Valerie Boersma said...

That asparagus is so cool! Now I want to try to grow some too!

Your hard work is really going to pay off in your garden-great job!!

Eat To Live said...

My rhubarb is suffering from the cold. We have had snow for the last 2 days and I have had it covered so it doesn't frost agian.

I am trying a little garlic this year too!! I should try asparagus, but I would need to find a good spot to put it.

Is the imposter a mouse... I can't get the picture to enlarge.

warren said...

The garden is looking good! And garlic is super easy to grow...and it's awesome!

Candy C. said...

Oohhh, asparagus!! I am soooo jealous! I should plant some garlic too. I finally planted onions for the first time this year! LOL!!

Anonymous said...

Looks like you're having a banner year w/ your garden, love nice surprises!!! =)

Sally said...

Rhubarb! I can remember how much my oldest brother loved rhubarb pie; so my mom always had it in her garden.

Best of luck, Lisa! :)

Anonymous said...

Love the tulip! Your garden site is so pretty.

Betsy Banks Adams said...

Looks like you are really going to have a great garden this year, Lisa.... The better fencing will really help!!!!!

I love Rhubarb... My mother used to make the best Rhubarb pie in the world....

Hugs,
Betsy

Carrie said...

Garlic is very easy to grow! It does best when planted in the fall, but will still produce heads (only smaller ones) when planted in spring. I just planted my last month. I love the pic of your garden - the grass and trees are such a pretty green. We keep saying we'll plant asparagus, but we haven't decided where to stick it. How did you decide on the location for it?

Jill said...

Things are definately looking up!

Anne Payne said...

You're going to have a great garden! I am so going to try that golf ball trick! My girls are laying someplace different almost everyday because my son swiped ALL the eggs :/

Tina Fariss Barbour said...

Your garden spot looks perfect. You've done a lot already! It looks like a good start for you.

Do you have a problem with deer eating your garden? If so, what tips do you have? We have a lot of deer visitors, and while we love them, they eat what we plant, so we don't try anymore. Of course, the deer were here first . . .

Michaele said...

I love the look of your garden spot and surroundings. Looks like you live on a mountain - to me : )
I doubt you will have any trouble with the garlic. I need to try asparagus.

Becky Jane said...

I want to try my hand at asparagus, but a bit nervous...Your garden space looks so good with a fence around it. Love the forest behind it too!

Chatty Crone said...

What a garden! sandie

Jen said...

Hooray for gardening!! love that tulip!

Roan said...

That is a beautiful place for a garden. We need a fence around ours. Last year the rabbits went crazy. The year before we didn't have any problem, but now they have discovered our spot, I bet they will be back.

Lin said...

Uh....I don't know about growing asparagus--do you all just share that one stalk or does it multiply a LOT in the next year???

MarmePurl said...

Garlic is easy. I love to give a little braid of a few when I go visiting. Quite an unexpected hostess gift!

Renegades said...

I so need to get my garden tilled. Mine isn't huge but we do so enjoy the pumpkins, zuccini, cucmbers, and tomatoes it produces.

LOVE MELISSA:) said...

Good luck with the Rabits! I am truly jealous that you do this!

Tweedles -- that's me said...

We grow lots of garlic- we just plant it and ignore it and it grows.
We don't have any luck with asparagus.
Good luck with your garden--- we have not started ours yet- because it is too cold,
love
tweedles

Rob-bear said...

Wonderful post from a very busy Bear. Seems things want to grow this year. I hope they develop well, and you have lots to eat.

Coloring Outside the Lines said...

We've got the onions in, but waiting patiently to plant the rest of the veggies. Fingers crossed that we don't have a repeat of last year's drought.

Tom Stewart said...

Once you start the garden each year, the work seems to never end! I have 8 raised beds and have to build 9 more! At least the wood was free!
As for the Garlic....I planted 60 cloves last October and because the weather was so warm....It came up slowly. But has now taken off. Remember that it is a 9 month crop! I should be harvesting in July!
TOM

LB @ Bullets And Biscuits said...

Our asparagus is slowing coming up from last year. I know you are suppose to wait 3 years before harvesting it but I don't think we can!! haha. We are trying our hand at garlic this year too so I hope you keep us posted on how yours turns out. I hope ours takes! I love me some garlic

Debbie said...

great start lisa....we still have freezing temps at night so we are still in the "thinking about it" phase!!

i don't do too much because then i have to cook....my nest in empty and i don't love to cook!!

thanks for hosting, i always enjoy this one!!

Carletta said...

We haven't planted yet. Been below freezing twice this week. I'm not a great gardener either but it's fun to try and a few fresh vegetables and tomatoes make it all worth while.
Hope you're having a great day!

Sandy said...

I miss having a garden. But the desert just isn't a place to have one. That asparagus looks lonely!

gtyyup said...

You have such a lovely place...all that green!!! My only advice is that rhubarb needs LOTS of water.

I didn't realize asparagus was a perennial...really? I remember someone saying that it will grow here in our cold, short season...I better give it a try.

Have a great weekend!

Shell said...

I keep saying I want to try my hand at gardening. Maybe someday.

shirley said...

I wish I had the time and energy to have a big farm and garden....so glad those plants are coming up!