Spring cleaning and planting

Spring cleaning - I can wait to get it done, to get into my beds and clean out all the dead debris.  But I know I need to wait until the chance of freeze is over... but I know in Texas, that we can get freezes until the last week in February.  Ahhh, the spring time dilemma :o)


This year has been an extremely odd year, with only a few days below freezing, and only one of them getting to 28 degrees. Having planted so many new plants last year, I am very hopeful for a good turn out this spring.

In preparation for the spring cleanup, I attended two Natural Gardener classes that were very helpful: Intro to Pruning and Grape pruning.  I learned a lot from both.

After watching them demonstrate how to prune the grapes, I came home to inspect mine.  We have never pruned the grape plant.... which is obvious by the fact that it had three main trunks, instead of one.  Knowing the answer, but wanting confirmation, I took photos of the plant and brought them in to NG.  Sure enough, the advice was to hack off the outlying trunks.  Sigh.  I did leave a few one year canes, hoping that I might get some grapes this year. I really hacked off a lot of the plant, so I must admit I am fairly nervous to see what this year brings, growth-wise.

BEFORE

AFTER

Tomatoes
I also decided that I was not going to grow tomatoes this year, too many failed crops.  Then I came across a new method of growing tomatoes (The well method).  And then Dave came home with a paper explaining this new method (unrelated to my learning about it).  Surely this was a sign, right? 

So I decided to try it out.  I planted one in the well (the SunMaster). This method is supposed to protect the plant from cold temperatures, allowing one to plant the tomato earlier.  


I am a little skeptical that this plant will get enough light to grow all the way down there.  But we'll see.

I also picked up a really tall Celebrity plant, and for that one I just dug a deep hole and buried it deep, up to its top leaves.  I planted an Early Girl and a Cherry tomato in the regular way.

Potatoes

Since today was President's, I went ahead and put my potatoes in the ground. Time had gotten away from me, and knowing I was going to be gone for the next two weekends I didn't think I had time to cut the potatoes into smaller pieces... so I just buried them whole.  We'll see what results I get from that.

And lastly, I found this little grape hyacinth growing in my bed.  I usually take the spring plants I receive as housewarming gifts and put them in the garden. I never expect much from them, and in fact, I don't remember even burying this little guy. And I clearly planted a shrub over it, and put a rock on it. Not very nice of me. But here he is, shining and smelling for all he is worth.