art of pruning

A delicate balance of youthful expression and established maturity a well-pruned fruit tree makes. To sharpen my teeth on recent lessons in pruning I got to work on the assorted fruit trees planted around the yard. The trick, as I was taught, is to maintain a productive vegetative cycle while still allowing the tree to have fruiting potential. This means managing the older growth as well as suppressing some of the newer growth, as fruit arises from growth older than one year. As a general rule, 10% of the tree is removed in the pruning process. The tree is also shaped to facilitate ease of harvest and so that it does not become too large to maintain. An art, truly, and one not easily understood even under the tutelage of an experienced orchardist. "When in doubt, cut it out" as Bob would tell us. Observe the trees' growth behavior in the coming season and adjust your future pruning endeavors to suit the habit of the tree.

garden prep

Rains continue to soak the saturated ground. Field (lawn) capacity was reached days ago but still the skies offer no mercy to anxious gardeners. Wait is all I can do, and to busy myself with other projects and plans.

To prepare for the additional garden space that will occupy the front yard, cardboard salvaged from area grocers is laid flat on the existing sod and secured with bricks. A shambled patchwork of urban refuse it appears to passersby, but if it speeds the death of the grass beneath and facilitates easier cultivation when (if) the rains ever subside, it'll be worth the eyesore. Meanwhile seeds continue to sprout and ready themselves for life outside in the big, wet world.

doors open...

...and all we have to do is walk through them. A friend's father has been gracious enough to employ me to install a gardening space in the backyard of his suburban home. The plan as it stands is to create an 8'x8' vegetable patch, plant rhubarb, various adapted berry bushes and a perennial herb garden. To the drawing board and praying rains subside long enough to allow the ground to be workable.

The remnants from last years' garden (1st attempt), a 4'x8' plot that will double in size (and productivity, we will hope). A moss-filled lawn indicates acidic soil (typical Northwest conditions), which will be amended with limestone, gypsum, green sand, phosphate and compost to boost fertility and give the veggies a better shot at expressing their full genetic (and flavor!) potential.

seed flats sown

Spring looms through cold rains but daylight savings is the home gardener's best friend. To busy myself and make it through these winnowing winter days, planting seeds proves a welcome respite. Instead of using 2.5" pots with a few seeds in each (last year's method), I'm testing a new and hopefully more efficient way of cranking out some early spring starts.

The flats (11" by 20") are filled to just below the top edge with a self-assembled mix consisting of 1 part peat moss, 1 part perlite, and 2 parts compost. A pinch of seeds is broadcast over the surface of the media and additional mixture is sprinkled over the flat to ensure the seeds are covered. The flat is kept moist (propagation domes work best) and warm. Germination should follow in a few short days.

In choosing what to plant first, cold-hardiness wins the selection game, and the seedlings sprouted so far include cabbages, chards, kales, mustards, mache and other various greens. In spite of the seasons' reticence to relent on this mucky cold wetness, it's also time to start thinking of tender varieties to begin indoors; i.e. tomatoes and the rest of the solanums. Yum.

compost (like you mean it)

The compost situation at my parents house until yesterday and earlier this afternoon was a rather miserable one: a single bin, rarely turned, not easily accessible, and whose wooden sides themselves were slowly but surely turning into compost. Using some recycled pallets (is there anything they aren't good for?) I constructed a simple three bin system that should be much easier to turn, process, and store ready-made compost until it can be used.

The two larger bins measure 4' square, and are vented to allow air flow. The third bin (for finished compost, measures slightly smaller (approx. 42"). As with most projects I've undertaken in the course of my agricultural experimentation, the prime concern is cost. These bins are held together simply, with drywall screws ($5.49 for 225 screws) and small corner posts (scraps) that the slats are screwed into. Pallets, where you can find them, are free.

To locate the new system, some invasive english ivy was removed (with much zeal) from a hedge near the western edge of their property. The cleared section is leveled so that the bins are likewise resting level. Aesthetics being everything, after all.

The existing bin was emptied: the top layer of fresh yard waste and kitchen scraps is set aside and the processed compost sifted and stored in the third bin. Side note: as uncovered humus (the finished product) will lose nutrients over time, it is best to either use it right away or cover it. All as to be yet decomposed material is added to the first two bins: the larger bin for the freshest, the second for that material which has been at it awhile.

There you have it. The fresh bins are watered to streamline the process by encouraging microbes and bacteria to get to work.

back in action

Met with a college friend last night in Bellingham to assess her potential for an over-wintering garden in the yard of her newly rented abode. Light situation looks pretty amicable, all things considered. Emphasis on greens, roots, and anything else that seems to tolerate our mild Pacific Northwest "winters."

To the drawing board to evaluate space limitations and the (presumably/typically) compacted and clayey soils of our recently glaciated past. Will try to make this a priority as the sooner these buggers can get established, the more chance they'll have of surviving/thriving the cold rains to come.

I am but the gardener. Planting seeds is all I do. Help yourself to some random hiking pictures from earlier in the day.

Hard Frost/Times

Finally got our first frosts since I last posted. The ground has actually been frozen in our back yard for the last little bit. Clear and beautiful days though. An unusually dry December so far. Had a chance to visit with Christian last week and took some pics of his garden to pass along.

Beginning to re-think the location we selected for his garden. It doesn't seem to receive much direct sunlight during the day. This wouldn't normally be a problem in the Pacific Northwest because the typically overcast days diffuse light that would normally not be available to the plants. The past week has been unusually clear though, and downright cold. And it's when the ground stays frozen that the plants are in the most danger. Hopefully the daytime temps will warm a little or at the least the clouds will return for a while (never thought I'd be inviting gray skies...).

Broccoli sure looks good though.