Lost Valley Gardens

Reflection and Renewal

My mother passed at this time of year which causes me to be particularly reflective each year during this transitional season. I find myself thinking of my mother often and how she loved gardening and growing unusual plants. She always had little plants rooting all over her sunny kitchen and she delighted in showing me each one. I learned a lot about plants and plant propagation from my mom.

Another cause of reflection this year is the sudden onset of cancer in one of our dogs which was just diagnosed last week. We just lost this dog’s mother last September, so her illness is reopening that wound and at the same time causing the onset of new grieving. It has been a difficult few days around here to say the least.

For me, keeping busy is the best remedy for dealing with grief and sadness, so I have been occupying myself with caring for the transplants in the greenhouse and propagating more warm weather vegetables and herbs. I have also started putting some of the chard, broccoli, and cauliflower transplants out into the gardens, but had a bit of a setback last night due to the temperature dipping down to 26. It looks like the transplants that I planted yesterday took a bit of a hit, but those in front of the greenhouse that I planted last week didn’t miss a beat. I should have hardened them off a bit more to the cold, or covered them with row cover. Of course I wasn’t expecting a freeze that hard at this point. The good news is that I have plenty more to backfill with.

This kale was planted late last fall and is still doing quite well. It is impervious to cold weather it would seem, since we have had temperatures down to 15 over the past month or so and have not had to cover them.

Since the El Nino effect resumed last fall drought conditions have returned which means that our wildflowers did not get much rain this year. However, these bluebonnets look pretty good and will bloom in a month or so with any luck.

Ron has onions and potatoes growing in the market garden raised beds and I will be adding broccoli, cauliflower, chard, arugula and lettuce transplants in the next day or so.

Our neighbor gave us a couple of madrone seedlings and a bunch of madrone seeds a few months ago. He is fortunate to have quite a few of these native beauties growing on his land. The seedlings are doing well and Ron planted many seeds in azalea pots, but none have sprouted yet.

Ciao for now.
Carol

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