Painting by Josephine Wall – CC 3.0

Welcome back to Good Gardening! Last week most of our Good Gardeners were lying dormant still, and didn’t have anything so far to share. Perhaps on the cusp of May, there will be news and pictures—or at least we can start with mine.

Since our last post, my garden has sprung to life thanks to a mild Italian winter. I took a chance to start a bit early, which is why the tomato plant in the central frame is as tall as it is (my grandmother told me it was doomed).

In the left frame one can see a line of yellow bell peppers, and on the right, the sown carrots beginning to emerge from their thick winter mulch. The flowers in the middle are calendula, which I also started early to build as deep a root system as possible to survive the summer.

I also planted a Japanese maple to commemorate the birth of my son, Harrison, on April 13th. I had to make the difficult choice between a rising maple and a spreading maple, but unlike what I remember from living in the US, here in Italy, the rising maple is quite popular, and I liked the idea of saving space along the ground. I covered the upturned soil in moss, watered it, and covered it with leaves because the birds rip up the moss I plant.

 

 

“More beings than most – Awake but one time a year – and with that are glad,” – Andy Corbley

 

Topic Week 14: What have you got in the ground?

Question 1: How did you prepare your garden for the growing season?

Question 2: What have you got peeking out of the soil so far?

Question 3: Do you like to start things inside early or sow directly?

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  • Green thumbs can help novice greenhorns.
  • Share your gardening photos and resources.
  • Garden jargon encouraged!

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