Friday, February 22, 2013

COUNTRY GARDEN PREPARATION

Spring is right around the corner. Signs of garden preparation are seen as I ride the back-country roads Here are a few.


Tractors have plowed  community gardens 


The country seed and feed store has cleaned out its plant sale shed in anticipation  of fresh trays of flowers and  vegetables.


The seed and feed store has readied its sale porch for garden supplies and spots for flower displays

No matter if you purchase one tomato plant or one geranium -- or plant a whole kitchen garden -- are you now having visions of flowers and vegetables dancing in your head?

31 comments:

  1. Oh yes, and I'd like a person to come take over the ground level work as well. For me it's all container gardening unfortunately these days, but those pots are sure calling me!

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    1. Barbara -- Potted plants are fun to use -- one can move them around to different places each year or if light enough every month. I notice the birds are more active around my place -- must be the birds get the call for spring action as well as humans like yourself. thanks-- barbara

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  2. Oh yes!! I have had visions of flowers and vegetables ever since the seed catalogs started arriving a month ago. I live on the Texas Gulf Coast so spring comes early here so I have my trays of seedlings well under way. Just this morning I saw the Tithonia seedlings were up. My cucumbers and tomatoes are well up and by Easter will be ready to set out. All the fields around us have been plowed and look almost ready for seeding. Happy almost spring!!

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    1. Florence -- You are way ahead of Kentucky. You certainly have lots of seedlings to plant. Cucumbers and tomatoes -- delicious -- thanks -- barbara

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  4. Your winter must be much shorter than ours. Still frost here, so no ploughing.

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    1. RunE -- Kentucky is a bit ahead of the northern part of the U.S. and a little behind the southern part. I envision your country as being quite cold compared to Kentucky. But in the long run all gets planted, everything is consumed with vigor, and smiles are plastered on gardener's faces. thanks -- barbara

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  6. We have early potatoes 'chitting' on the upstairs windowsill, they will go into outside containers next month. I like the change of seasons, rhythm of life. Great picture of the store.

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    1. claggle -- planting potatoes around central Kentucky is usually done on St Patricks Day which is in March -- its a long established tradition. In Ireland they plant their potatoes on Saint Pats. Being that there are many Irish in the area perhaps the tradition came across from Ireland. Interesting that you plant in March -- perhaps there is a bit of Irish in you.
      -- thanks barbara

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  7. Jealous. I don't get any down time or time to reflect on my garden. It's weeds weeds weeds! I love the aura of anticipation that your photos convey.

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    1. Hattie -- thanks for the nice comment about creating an aura. I used to be a gardener -- for years I maintained large flower gardens and also a kitchen garden. I taught gardening through adult ed classes in several school districts and gave lectures. Now -- I have reached a point where I no longer am doing any gardening. My last gardening project was to turn my land into a natural habitat for wildlife. Weeds are important to them -- look at it that way -- you are providing a natural habitat for them and I am sure they are thanking you. -- barbara

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  8. It's nice to know that spring is well on its way to more southerly parts of the country. I'm not a gardener of any type but a friend spoke of being about ready to start seedlings soon so I guess even in the northeast gardeners are getting antsy.

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    1. June- I used to be a gardener but have just recently given it up. Life has so much to offer us and because of this we metamorphosize occasionally into other pursuits. that is what makes life interesting don't you think. -- barbara

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  9. I am really looking forward to Spring! Yay!

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    1. Birdie -- Spring is a wonderful time of year -- an assurance of sorts -- thanks barbara

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  10. Oh my, Barbara, this is a gorgeous gorgeous portrait of a special time of year. These are scenes that perhaps people don't often notice becuase they are so subtle comparing the garden worlds of summer & harvest scenery of fall! In my last post, I perhaps shared a similar theme, but from a very different perspective...

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    1. Sketchbook Wandering -- Checked out your last few posts -- they are marvelous. Preparation is a huge part of gardening as you probably know. Always like to look at both ends -- prep, and putting to bed for winter. thanks -- barbara

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  11. This'll come soon enough for me. But May is still a ways away.

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    1. Yes I guess you would have a difficult time plowing a garden with all the snow you have on the ground!!!! -- barbara

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  12. We've been getting plenty of seed and garden supply catalogs lately, but spring is still enough far away for us that I haven't even given our plantings a thought yet. We had a flower bed put in front of the front porch and a small herb garden outside the kitchen nook during our landscaping in September, and since we need HOA permission for all perennial plantings I should be thinking of our list. (So much for fun spontaneity while browsing at the greenhouse!) I wish the catalogs and the wonderful sense of gardening anticipation your photos provide made me a sense of spring, but the scene outside my windows is still too blanketed in snow!

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    1. Laloofah -- I understand, snow isn't going to grow a garden. I guess we are a bit ahead of you weather wise. I don't grow a garden anymore -- gave it up about a year ago after growing one every year since I was 14. Now I just enjoy gardens grown by others and skip all the work it presents. Well your garden time will soon arrive -- thanks barbara

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  13. I get to experience Spring in blog land first. Gives me hope of what is just around the corner for us here in Michigan. It is nice you got to back road wander...I had to cancel my wandering due to bad weather. :(

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    1. Dee -- Glad that Kentucky could give you a glimpse of pre-spring. Did not realize that Michigan was having bad weather. Since I was raised in MI I still keep tabs on it. Funny how a place where you were born and raised always has a place in your heart no matter were you end up living. -- thanks -- barbara

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  14. Yes looking forward though after forty plus years of veggie gardening I've "retired" from that and now look forward to the farmers markets. Still flowers especially wildflowers remain my gardening passion and I nuture it everyway I can....:)

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    1. troutbirder -- I'm on the same page as you. I now will be buying my veggies from farmers markets after years of raising them. We have several in the area. Wonderful that you grow wildflowers -- they offer so much to the wild-ones. thanks for stopping by -- barbara

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  15. I am so impatient -- our garden is still way too wet to plow. But I can order seeds and start them in the greenhouse!

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    1. Vicki -- I imagine that by the time your greenhouse seeds have become seedlings your garden will be ready to plow. It's good that we have had all the rain and snow -- good for gardeners that is -- perhaps the doughty weather is over. thanks -- barbara

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  16. Looks like everyone is getting ready around your parts. The weather keeps teasin' us around here. At the moment it is verrrry cold. Can't wait till I see the beginnings of spring.

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    1. Janet -- I believe that you are in that eastern zone that is getting lots of cold weather and snow. Perhaps you are not in the snow zone -- just the cold. We for some reason have had a very mild winter but lots of rain -- good mix I think -- thanks for stopping by -- barbara

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  17. Your pictures are a real history.

    I enjoy them all. My sister was a farm lady and she also had two gardens


    that she looked after.Besides making food for the hired men back then. All

    work really not any time for her.

    Her hubby a dairy farmer.His Mom lived with them and she taught the children to sew.

    They had lots of land. Creeks and pastures.

    Since she and hubby have passed on and one son. Her other son is taking

    over.Her other two daughters never farmed but one daughter is a real sewing lady and a quilt lady and a lady of making jams, pies,winning ribbons, money at fairs each year. Other daughter a hairdresser.

    So I know what the beauty of Gods acres are and the hand that plows the fields and my sister who enjoyed her gardens, Hard work.

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