Cloche - or PolyTube?

Wow...really good resource from Oregon. The picture is from the article, not my garden, sadly. I need to build one o' these: http://extension.oregonstate.edu/catalog/pdf/ec/ec1627-e.pdf . So they call it a cloche, which is French I think and comes from these cool glass bell jars they used to grow lettuce in the winter. Personally, I don't think it's a cloche, to me...it is a polytube.

Gardening Podcasts

The host has a few...um...quirks, but it may be the best gardening podcast out there. It comes out of WHYY in Philly. Mike McGrath, the host knows a lot - he used to be connected with Organic Gardening Magazine and so it's worth putting up with some of his eccentricities. As Mike would say, "It's a phone call cats and kittens" and he just answers a whole bunch of phone call questions.

I don't agree with everything he says (he does not like using kitchen waste compost) but he has been very influential in the building and designing of our garden. He is all organic and on the side of goodness and light.

His site also has  a very useful Garden Answers A-Z section. Check it out: http://www.whyy.org/91FM/ybyg/

PVC Pipe = Future Greenhouse

IMG_1809, a photo by okfuskee on Flickr.

So here's the stuff I will turn into a Greenhous/squirrel defense system. Only cost about $24 (not including plastic or bird netting.) The materials I bought are for a flat topped structure, and I am already thinking that might be a mistake - the next one will be curved or cornered roof.

Working with the piping was pretty easy, there are all kinds of connectors and adaptors. All I needed for tools was a hack saw and a tape measure.

Sedum Under Ice

IMG_1800, a photo by okfuskee on Flickr.

Yep, Sedum is tough. It can survive drought, foot steps...and frost. Is it doing some photosynthesis under that ice? It wouldn't surprise me. Oh...and it can be propagated just by pulling a piece off and moving it somewhere...just like that you have a new plant. It's native to the area an d makes some merely ok flowers...but something's gotta be eating that pollen, though I have never seen it happening. Yep, I love sedum.

Winter Berry Holly...in the winter

IMG_1799, a photo by okfuskee on Flickr.

So recently I decided to start posting about the front garden. Here's a very early in the morning shot of some winter berry holly. We planted it because it is native and the red berries add some color in the winter. Turns out the berries also bring the birds which seems to be one of the benefits of having native plants

Cover Crop in Winter

So here's the Red Clover in winter. It is holding up pretty well - still green, still alive despite the snow. It is organic seed from High Mowing. Hopefully it is fixing nitrogen in the beds. One other benefit I forgot to mention earlier is that it reduces soil compaction that might be caused by precipitation. This stuff has been fine. It took about a pound to do about 6 beds. I reseeded a couple times when squirrels vandalized the seedlings. Next year, I will try something a little different - A Rye and Hairy Veitch mix from the Maine Potato Lady. I am hoping it will be a little tougher for squirrels to destroy it.