Vacations and the garden

We just got back from a camping vacation and it is amazing how the garden took off while we were gone. My neighbor took over watering duties and had the fortune of well timed rains in her favor.  After so many weeks of dry weather, she had to only water once even with the heat Milwaukee had this last week.  She should have bought a lottery ticket with luck on her side.

If you have to ask someone to water for you while you leave town, remember a few simple rules to make life easier for that person.  First, move your pots together whenever possible so they can be watered as a group.  They will need it more often so make it a quick job for your friend filling in for you.

Second, leave your hoses off the reels so they are easily moved back and forth for your water person.  If you leave it on the reel, they will feel the need to put it back, leave it out and they will do the same.  So what if you have yellow lines over your grass when you come back, It will recover.

Third, set up sprinklers in the important spots so it just requires a quick hook up and go.  If you have soaker hoses, make sure that using those are an easy task for the person taking over.  They don't know what goes where so make it easier for them.

Fourth tip: Get a quick hose coupler system so it is a quick turn of the spigot rather than connecting and reconnecting hoses.  I have one set to the front yard, one to the back, and the tomatoes are on a soaker right at this point.

Fifth and sixth, keep all the tools visible and keep the pots close to the water source.  It shouldn't be a game of hide and seek for water heads, hoses, or plants.  If you have things that need more water, keep them close to the water source so a quick hit can be done easily.

Seventh tip:  Stake the plants before you go.  Plants put on a lot of growth in a week.  Make sure they will be staked and trellised in anticipation of the growth that will take place while you are gone.  This will keep the plants up out of the way for watering as well as secure them if a wind storm should hit while you are away.  Your plants and your neighbor will thank you.
Finally, remember your friend with an appropriate gift when you return.  They did bring your garden through the week for you.

Back from vacation

I took a wonderful break from everyday life and went with my family on a vacation during my daughter's spring break.  The gardener in me did not take a break from watching the emerging plant life going by my car window on our trip from the upper mid-west to Florida's northwest panhandle. We did make one intentional garden stop at Eden State Park in Florida where the Spanish moss hangs of the trees of this former mansion of a lumber baron.  Not much was planted yet but the grounds offer such a peaceful setting as you sit and rock on the wrap-around porch of this beautiful home.

A stop in Pensacola's historic district was a treat for the senses.  So much was blooming in the yards surrounding the historic buildings.  The only orange trees we saw in Florida where also in this area.  A town square across from our lunch stop was also a pleasure to stroll through.

Of course, there were palm trees in all kinds of varieties.  The pool was surrounded by jasmine adding a wonderful smell to the nighttime air.  The grounds had pansies and snap dragons in full bloom.  According to the locals, they also had a mild winter and could have grown just about anything through a winter with no freeze.  Several newspaper articles talked about the early arrival of spring in all the stops along our route.

 There were sunrise walks along the beach...

birds of all kinds on land, in the air and sea...

 and a few other little friends popped up in surprising places.

Coming home to a blooming garden was a wonderful treat.  With temperatures reaching the 80's in our southern Wisconsin city, so much had emerged from the ground.  The primroses were fully open as well as the periwinkle and scilla in their bright blues.  Daffodils are fully open with tulips not far behind.  My transplanted blood root has also pushed up its white petals and delicate green leaves.

I will continue to approach this spring with caution as there are many days that can bring a cold snap and kill off developing blossoms.  Fruit crops face an uncertain future with such an early bloom happening with hardy peaches and pears.  Insect populations promise a strong showing with so little frost to knock down their numbers this winter.
I thank my oldest daughter for her kind devotion to my greenhouse plants while I was gone.  With so many things just started, I could not have left them unattended for a week and expected to find them still alive when I came home.

Just a reminder to those who got their onions started early.  Keep them cut back to 3" when they get up to 6".  It is also time to start setting them out for a couple hours every day in a protected location to harden them off for transplant in the middle of April.  I will try and remember to take and post pictures when I do this job as you won't believe what these tiny little babies can endure.  Get your flowers started soon so you will have some strong plants by Memorial Day.