Today I got myself into the garden and remembered to take the camera! Yea me! I checked my garden and noticed the radishes have begun to come up under protective custody.

It was nice to see these under their chicken wire cover…
The spinach and lettuces are also starting under the protection of the white row cover. Unfortunately, the seeds in the cold frame and the pop-up tent seem to be hunkering down until warmer weather.

from the back: the bean enclosure, to foil rabbits and voles; the row cover, where spinach and lettuce sprouts hide; the pop-up tent, where there are three kinds of tomato seed planted; and the cold frame, where the pepper and eggplant seeds are hunkering down.
I spent most of the time in the large outside garden. Jane is taking care of the small inside garden for Plot Against Hunger. Doesn’t it look fabulous?

Jane has exceeded herself again! Little pavers allow access to the plantings, and she planted the sidewalk edge as well.
Last year she built beds in the outside garden and this year, she pilfered the timbers she had bought and cut and installed to rebuild the small garden bed. That left the beds in the outside garden unenclosed, but my garden neighbor Patrick was getting rid of pavers in his garden and I snatched them to rebuild and enclose the beds in the large garden.

There’s a lot going on here–older ties supplemented by the pavers. I neglected to take an overall picture, but I did use up 50 pavers on the beds!
There has been a bit going on there. We have a blackberry, courtesy of AFAC, and I bought two small blueberry plants. I also have promises of raspberries to come.

This bed has the small blueberry bushes and the blackberry. It will acquire some raspberries in a few weeks.
My plan has been to plant perennials there, so that the garden produces without the clearing and planting required normally. The rest will go into flowers for the gardeners to cut during the summer.

These were a surprise. I had no idea!
I found asparagus roots at a local garden center. I would like to have an asparagus patch there. Yum!! I bought purple passion and Jersey Knight. I hope they do well.

Apparently some asparagus are more disease resistant than others. I’ll see how these do.
I have never grown asparagus, so followed the directions on the packages. They are one year to harvest asparagus–what a relief! Some are two or three years. I dug trenches, as the packages of roots said and filled them in partially, then watered them. I notified other gardeners that the piles of soil left were not a mistake and that I’d have to fill in over the next few weeks.

Yup, looks like an unfinished project!
In the meantime, I took the lovely kale, or most of it–what a nice lot it was. It’s still a bit cool, but I’m encouraged by the radishes coming up, so sometime in the next two weeks or so, I’ll probably be able to start planting the flowers for the garden border and the large garden–and more lettuces and vegetables in my own garden. It’s a common problem that I start too early, but then again, sometimes the season cooperates and I have a fabulous early garden! Happy Easter to all who celebrate it. And happy spring to all and sundry!

I had to remove this as it turns out I needed two beds for the asparagus. But I’m sure it will be yummy.
The garden looks good! I love homegrown asparagus. We have a small patch of it. Unfortunately, the slugs like it too. 🙂
LikeLiked by 1 person
Yes, what I’ve read of it, it is prone to some diseases we have here and certain insect infestations. Well, if it doesn’t work, about $20 lost on buying the roots. If it does work, well many $ saved over many years of growing!!!
LikeLiked by 1 person
That is a funny combination:
Radishes – Yeah!
Asparagus – What?
Pavers – No, thank you?
It is funny that asparagus grow so well just a few miles down the coast from here, but do not do well here. We have some soil (in part of the garden) that is both sandy and rich, but asparagus just do not like it here. It is a shame. They are such an excellent vegetable.
When I was in college, we got ‘special’ asparagus. It was the floral stalks of Yucca whipplei. It tastes like asparagus, smells like asparagus and looks like asparagus . . . except that each stem is about three inches wide. Instead of cooking several stems, we cooked just one stem at a time. The cooked stem got sliced about an inch or two thick, and peeled to remove the tough exterior, leaving nice asparagus patties! I have not had them in many years.
LikeLike
Oh, that sounds fabulous. Kind of the Yucca versions of garlic scapes. I’ve never had that, but have wanted to grow asparagus. It does take some space, so I’m trying it in the outside garden. It may not be as sandy as it needs to be, but I’ll see. It’s certainly well drained out there. Now I want to go in search of Yucca plants in people’s yards…
LikeLiked by 1 person
Does asparagus require sandy soil, or does sandy soil just make it easier to cut them down low?
Yucca whipplei would not likely be found in a refined landscape. They grow wild, and are not a very desirable specie of yucca. Other yuccas have edible flower stalks too, but none are as big as those of Yucca whipplei. I never tried the others for two reasons. I would think that there would not be much of the soft interior left after the tough exterior got peeled away. And I would not want to ruin the bloom.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Well, it’s nice to learn about wild plants I can eat; I grew up with people who went mushrooming or thought nothing of walking down to the edge of the woods for some chives–or field cress in the spring. I must look these things up. I remember the first time I ate a roasted prickly pear. Yum!
LikeLike
You and Jane have been going hard at it – and it’s still very early. I have to count on my fingers to see where I would be in relative terms and yes, it is a hit and miss time. Just depends if Miss Spring is ready to get going yet or if Mr Winter wants to make another go round ….. I do love asparagus and have never grown it. I hope it goes well for you and it a year or two you get to enjoy a bountiful crop! Happy Easter to you – we enjoyed a sunny Easter Sunday here and with the clocks being put back last night I eventually found I had an extra long day to enjoy 🙂
LikeLiked by 1 person
Happy Easter to you, Pauline. Yes, it’s a risky time. Could snow again! But at some point it’s going to be getting late for the early crops, though I don’t do certain ones like peas any more. I have hopes for the asparagus–it’s supposed to be one year!! We’ll see. I was out working yesterday because I think today is going to be cooler and a bit gloomy, weather-wise. I’m off to church and then a late potluck lunch with friends.
LikeLike
It’s totally irrelevant but I learned today that NZ is a leader in radishes. Meanwhile, cauliflower is 10 dollars and avocados are on special at 7 dollars. It is supposed to be godzone!
LikeLiked by 2 people
That’s pretty awful. Cauliflower here is considered expensive at $4. Our avocados are not that much either, but we’re close to nonseasonal sources. Radishes I have no clue as I grow them myself and they store well–just using up last fall’s with the spring ones coming on. Canada had a spate of $10 cauliflower last year, I think. Ugh.
LikeLike
Make the most of your radishes !
LikeLiked by 1 person
Good to see you both able to get cracking again. I hope the Easter Bunnies keep away
LikeLike
Well, the evil lagomorphs will no doubt find certain things to their taste. I’ll be building another enclosure in my garden. I’m not sure whether they think asparagus sprouts are tasty.
LikeLiked by 1 person
You sound so happy, out there digging and planning and planting!
LikeLiked by 1 person
Yes, it was definitely a therapeutic day. I’m a little sore this morning, but that comes with the early gardening!
LikeLike
Wonderful. Here in New Zealand I should be tidying up for winter. The zucchinis are still producing – and the chard will go all winter. I’ve never been able to grow spinach! Isn’t that pathetic! Your posting has prompted me to get out and dig!
LikeLike
I find tidying up for the winter really pleasurable. Not sure why; part of it has to be the rest you get after!
LikeLiked by 1 person
The garden looks really good. I grew Jersey Knight asparagus in the bed I planted in NE Ohio. It’s now about 15 years old and still growing strong. One thing I noticed is that it was more productive when I didn’t weed the asparagus bed. I don’t weed the one we have here, either, and it does well.
Happy Easter. 🙂
LikeLike
That’s a nice hint. Thanks, and happy Easter to you!
LikeLike
Looking good, Lisa. I have a trough that holds the asparagus but the yield is not fabulous so I am thinking of ripping it out. If you were here I would give them to you! 🙂
LikeLiked by 1 person
And I would take them!
LikeLiked by 1 person
Seems like you are at least 6 wks ahead of me, weatherwise. Question: How do you regulate the temps in the cold frame when you aren’t there? I’ve lost seedlings on a hot day, when I couldn’t get to the frame to open it. Which, after all that seeding and nurturing effort, was rather upsetting!
I have a small bed of asparagus, but being heavy feeders, isn’t what it could be if I manured it every year. 😉 We collect it as it comes, store in the fridge and when we have enough, we steam them. There are lots of local farms that offer bunches for sale. I saw Mexican bunches yesterday for only $1.99! It looked fresh, but I didn’t buy it. I’ll wait for the local.
LikeLike
Well, my cold frame isn’t the most sealed up weather proof thing. It’s a bit like a drafty house. I also prop it open with small rocks when I think it’s going to be hot, so that it’s draftier, so to speak. That seems to work with lettuces and seedlings. Asparagus is pretty expensive here, but I by a bunch when it’s sturdy and not pencil thin. The fresh stuff–local–what a difference in looks and texture! You’re probably better off to wait! I’m hoping I’ll have fresh next spring. And I’ll make sure I fertilize. Right now that soil is pretty good, but it will need feeding.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Hello Lisa! I’m back from an amazing trip to the Southern Hemisphere, and making some blog visits. Hope you are well!
And it seems from this post that you are! Wow! The garden looks pretty and well organized. Off to check out another post!
LikeLiked by 1 person
I was following while you were down under. What a great trip! I’m sorry to have missed it, but glad to get the view through your camera.
LikeLike
It all looks fabulous!
LikeLiked by 1 person
Let’s hope it yields! Goodness, the prices in the grocery store! But it’s nice to get pleasure from it regardless.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Good luck with the asparagus. I’ve never had the patience to plant it. I should do, as apart from a couple of months ours is shipped in from South America, which is not good.
LikeLiked by 1 person
I have no clue about it, except what I read on the packages. We’ll see. Hmmm… don’t they grow lots of asparagus in Germany? But there’s that whole EU thing, then isn’t there? Except in the spring, ours seems to come from Peru…and today, the poor little tops looked so dried out, I couldn’t make myself pay $4 for it…It’s just lovely and miraculous when it’s fresh, which is why I wanted to plant it, I guess…
LikeLiked by 1 person
It’s also a healthy thing to eat and easy to cook. We are growing more in the UK in polytunnels so should extend the season.
LikeLiked by 1 person
It all looks very yummy. Congrats!
LikeLiked by 1 person
The article has really peaks my interest. I am going to bookmark your site and preserve checking for new information.http://www.wellingtonpavers.com/
LikeLiked by 1 person
Thanks, this is in every respect what I need to know. Thank you, it’s very interesting. I wish you all the best and every success in future.
retaining wall Wellington
LikeLike
Thanks for coming by. My little bed outlining doesn’t rise to the retaining wall, but it works for this vegetable garden. It currently has winter squash growing like crazy in it, but I haven’t done a blog in a few weeks!
LikeLike