Tuesday, March 24, 2009

Happy Days

I've got flowers blooming all over my garden. And that makes me a happy lady! And, I've got fennel, radishes, carrots, lettuce, Swiss chard, and leeks growing in my veggie garden - more veggies than ever. If I could just keep the squirrels out of my radish and carrot patch, then everything would be rolling along beautifully. Swiss chard, leeks, and lettuce.

Saturday morning I finally loaded up the Envirocycle with almost-finished compost. It took me about two hours to unload the wire bin, dig some of the good stuff from the bottom of the bin, load the tumbler, then reload all the compost back into the wire bin.
I moved all this stuff out of the compost bin with my pitchfork.

And then found some good-looking stuff at the bottom of the pile.

And this big worm, too!

I added approximately 1/4 cup of the Organic Traditions Bio-Excelerator to the compost in the tumbler. So far I've been rotating it about 4 or 5 turns every day. I'm almost certain I won't be able to keep that up. I know I'm going to slip up a few days and forget to do it. I'll keep you posted on how long it takes to get usable compost from it. Hopefully I'll have some in a few weeks because tomato season is just around the corner.



A few tulips popped open this week in my semi-circle bed. These are some freebie Rembrandt tulips I got last year with an online order. I've never been much of a tulip lover, but the colors in my semi-circle bed this year just might change my mind. Wouldn't it be gorgeous if I had about 10 more red tulips blooming? Maybe next year!

11 comments:

Ginger said...

Wow, your winter vegetable gardening has gone SO well!!! Those leeks look delicious! So you had more success with carrots this year?

Your flowers look really pretty, too.

Leah Maria said...

Everything looks great! I really cannot wait till I can start composing. Tulips are such great flowers, seeing them all bloom around here makes me wish for some in my yard....this fall.

Sandra said...

Oh, that all looks so nice - even the worm! We're still way too cold here in lower Michigan for much to be growing. Your garden reminds that spring really will come yet again this year.

Dirt Princess said...

5 years ago I would have NEVER said this....but earth worms are a GREAT SIGHT!!!!!!!!!! I love to see them...that means good things :). Keep up the great work, it is definitely paying off

Lisa Blair said...

Ginger, I wouldn't call my carrots successes quite yet. The seedlings are still very small. The squirrels may demolish them all given another week. I should have covered them. My original winter garden included broccoli and cauliflower, and those didn't work out so well. Swiss chard, fennel, and leeks are still hanging in there.

Leah, the tulips at Ole Miss are always so beautiful. I keep saying I am going to take a Lyceum photo while the tulips are in bloom. Haven't done it yet.

Sande and Dirt Princess, big ole worms like that are always welcomed in my garden!

Susie S said...

I sure hope we have good weather this weekend, so we can work in the yard! I have so much prep work to do!

Casey said...

I love your garden! I do have a question, what do you do with leeks? Michael brought some home from the store and grilled them and we really weren't sure exactly what they were or how to cook/eat them...

P.S. See you in 2 days!!

Lisa Blair said...

Casey, I can't wait to see you! Gonna be a fun weekend!

I've mostly used my leeks in soups. I usually make a simple homemade chicken soup with leftover baked chicken. I'll post my recipe next week.

Ginger said...

Casey,
Leeks are also really good in frittatas and in cream-based pastas. If you want the recipes I use, you can email me at ginger_gibson@comcast.net and I'll be happy to share. I LOVE leeks!

Bren Haas said...

This is a wonderful entry. I can't wait to see what spring holds for you. Happy Spring!

Sylvana said...

That compost is looking good!
I just planted spinach and kale today. The earliest I have ever planted something. We will see.