860-639-8088  lindathyme2@yahoo.com   Linda Turner, Owner

 The incredible
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2012:
The Year with No Winter and
 Summer before Spring
With only 2 'real' snowstorms and 75 degree temperatures in March, this has been record setting weather for Connecticut. What it means for gardeners is that we will be observing and experiencing new and untimely reactions to this event.
Daffodils with thin foliage and no bloom, flowering trees that bloomed too early and were frost-damaged, and nurseries packed full of plants from growers who had to get them out of too-warm greenhouses-already, this is a challenging season!
But, as the New England cliche goes, 'wait a minute, it'll change'. Tonight we have the possibility of a killing freeze. As sad as it is to see ornamental plants lose their blooms and new growth to frost, think of the impact this has on edibles-strawberries, apples and cherries with fruit set already, lettuce in the fields, blueberries in bloom...
Our farmers dread the bulletins about frost and freeze warnings...it's a lot of work for them to cover everything and sometimes it's not even possible as in the case of trees. It means losing many crops (and $$) and the absence of much produce at the markets.



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Square Foot Gardening:
The best vegetable gardens ever!
Those of you who started gardening in the 70's may remember the book that made us look at vegetable gardening in different ways - 'Square Foot Gardening'. Well, there's a new version, written by the same ingenious author Mel Bartholomew! It's all about planting in raised beds and using the square foot methods to the ultimate advantage. THIS IS THE EASIEST, MOST PRODUCTIVE WAY TO GROW VEGETABLES! No longer will you dread the spring 'rituals' of our forefathers-rototilling, weeding, thinning, more weeding, aching backs....
Get this book and see how easy it is to 'grow your own' in very little space with little expense. Or, contact me to attend a local class (if you have a group such as a garden club, or want to try this method at a school or daycare, I can arrange a program for you.)

TOMATOES TOMATOES TOMATOES
My seedlings are bursting at the seams! If you have been growing your own plants from seed, such as tomatoes, peppers, eggplant and flowers/herbs, they should be planted up to larger pots (4"). I like CowPots-made from compressed composted manure. They decompose quickly over a season, unlike persistent peat pots that can dry out your plant if not sunken all the way in the ground. Even if they're in those pots these last two weeks of May, they'll gain many more roots and take off faster once planted. Don't forget to harden them off-gradually easing them outside starting with an hour or two in the shade and building up a little at a time over two weeks. If you don't, you can lose those precious seedlings in a couple of hours once exposed to the full sunlight and wind. +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
Finally-lettuce big enough to eat!
The peas are winding those little tendrills onto the fence now-they were so happy with all of the rain lately! And the cooler temperatures that brings.  The dry warm weather early in the season held them back -I was ready to replant after waiting so long to see them poke through!
 
Although I do like crispy fresh radish in my salad, they're in the garden to help repel striped cucumber beetles on squash, cucumber and melons and they are mutually beneficial with pole beans so I'll do successive plantings and let them go to seed.

Carrots, radish and onion are perfect planted with lettuce. Beets also do well with lettuce and onion.

HINT! If you wait until June 1 to plant your squash from seed, you can avoid squash bug damage. Planting earlier with a seedling calls them all in for dinner!

For great Companion Planting ideas, check out Louise Riotte's books, 'Carrots love Tomatoes', and Roses love Garlic'.
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860-639-8088   lindathyme2@yahoo.com
 
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