Záhrada na jar

(“The garden in spring”)

The end of March, with only days left before we move into the apartment in town, already sees activity in our garden.

We* have planted 72 peas along the eastern fence;  and two rows each of butter lettuce, iceberg and spinach in the cold frames. Moles immediately went for the spinach, so Jo is getting help from her friend Kiki to translate the German instructions on the mole traps.

(At least the moles know how to do a nice grouping.)

The trees up in the orchard (cherry, apple, apricot, pear and black walnut) all show signs of life. The berry bushes (red currant, blueberries, blackberries) also show some activity.

(Incidently, the chata terrace will soon no longer exist, being replaced by our new kitchen.)

The sage is already back. We think the lavendar will come back.  The rosemary we think not. Scott has also planted a healthy thyme plant.

Those are bay laurels in the pots

 The chives – amazingly – are back!

And even some garlic is starting to pop up. We have 36 tomato seedinglings growing in the windows inside the chata. They’ll move to the greenhouse when we move to town. Scott is determined to grow bumper crops of cucumbers and tomatoes this year.  If the weather cooperates better than last year, he may just have his wish.

 

 

Jo is keen to do more pickling this year, especially using Grandma Helen Zumberge’s vague but wonderful recipe (see below). We will search more thoroughly for pickling lime this year, in order to make the pickles crunchier.

Dill Pickles (Barto)

14 c. water - 3 c. Br. vinegar - 1 c. salt

 garlic

Have brine hot just to boiling

Pour over pickles packed in jars with dill - let stand in boiling hot water until green turns - about 1/2 hour

We know that all the photos look pretty brown. But just those little bits of green here and there make us hopeful - spring has arrived! 

 

* Please note: every time we say ‘we’ when planting something edible in the garden, ‘we’ means Scott.

 

Comments

[Angele Switzler]

* It's the royal "we".

[Jon Peterson]

Hey Jo -
about the pickles.
I heard someplace that if you trim off the blossom end of the cucumber the pickle will be crunchier.

[Carol]

Add some cilantro so you can make that awesome Mexican salsa we had in Cancun!!

[Karen]

You are making my mouth water (literally) thinking of Grandma's pickles. I'm glad you were able to put those vague recipe directions to good use.
Any other recipes of hers you might want, I may have as I have her recipe box.

[JoEllen Zumberge]

Jonny: yeah, but still not crunchy enough. Carol: happily, we can get cilantro pretty much all the time at Tesco - we try to grow it but it's tough.
Karen: you have a real treasure. Gosh. Let me think about that.