A Winner
I mentioned a few weeks ago that I planted a new variety of pea, ‘Sienna’ from Johnny’s Seeds. Around here, I’ve mostly grown heirloom peas, so this variety was a first for me. Overall, I’m really happy with it. All the pods came ripe at the same time, allowing me to harvest the entire row, pull the plants, and replace with something else. These peas are kind of like determinate tomatoes, very convenient if you want to process them all at once.
It was nice to harvest all of them and not have to be picking peas every couple days. Processing them all at once for the freezer was also very convenient, no small batches to process every week or so. If you’re growing peas for freezing, I highly recommend giving ‘Sienna’ a try. I also appreciate that they are ready to pull from the garden a month or so ahead of ‘Green Arrow’, which means by the time I’m pulling the other variety, I’m already going to be harvesting lettuce from the space where the ‘Sienna’ peas were growing. If you have a small garden, maximizing space is a great reason to consider this variety.
Are you growing any new varieties this year? Do you love them or prefer others?
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Future Bouquets
Typically, I grow cutting flowers from seed each year. This year my grow light space was limited, so I cut back on the number of annuals I started from seed. I stopped at a local farm stand last Friday and scored an entire flat of cut flower seedlings for $19. Into the potager they went, filling in the empty space with the possibility of future flowers for the table and for gifting.
I scored a lot of different colors of snapdragons, bachelor buttons, scabiosa, and some zinnias.
Do you grow flowers just for cutting? Which is your favorite?
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Out With The Old
The strawberry patch was in need of removal last year, which didn’t happen because I spent too much time traveling in the spring/early summer. I started pulling the plants last fall, but didn’t get that far. Now that strawberry season it over, all the crowns are being removed to make way for other produce.
We will still have strawberries, they will just be in raised beds in the new soft fruit section of the main garden. I purchased 50 new crowns this spring. We also have a few ‘Old North Sea’ strawberry crowns that will be transplanted and propagated. Next year we will have a small harvest, but the following years should be decent. We are looking to reduce the number of strawberries but add other soft fruits, like red and black raspberries, currants, and blueberries.
Do you grow strawberries in your garden?
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Maine Garden Entry Focal Point
Last fall, I curved a stock panel between several pieces of rebar and made an arch to add a focal point to the entry of the main garden. I planted a few perennial climbers on it, mostly clematis, but a grape vine I found on clearance at the end of the season. I knew the climbers wouldn’t grow up and cover the arch this year, so I added gold pod peas and scarlet runner beans for late season color. It also makes a nice place to hang my favorite garden tool so it’s at hand when I need it.
The arch is looking fantastic at the entry of the garden. I also moved an old half barrel planted to flank the arch and planted my horseradish in it. I’ve added various elements around the arch to enhance the area and make it a true focal point to signify that this is the entry to the garden. It’s still young, but it’s really starting to look nice. In a few years this area will be a stunning entryway, especially when the box hedges grow up on either side and the perennial beds fill in behind them.
What kind of focal points do you have in your garden?
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Hello Luna
It’s Luna Moth season here in Maine, I’ve managed to see four in the past week. Last night, two were on the chicken coop when I went up to gather eggs. I’ve seen them before, but only here and there throughout my life. In fact, I’ve probably seen more this week than I have in the rest of my life put together.
In the North, the season for these beauties is short, only about a week. Did you know that the adult moths don’t eat, they only live for about 7 days. It’s no wonder I’ve seen so many, I guess it’s the season for them to be out making the next generation of moths.
Do you see Luna Moths in your area?
