Spring has finally arrived! Our apricot tree has been in bloom over the past week. Yesterday, we were at 634 blossom degrees compared to 531 last year and normal at 820. Our spring is still late this year but not as late as last year. We've been in the upper 50's to low 60's for the past week.
Our Rainier cherry block will be the first to bloom. Right now it's at stage 5 open cluster on the WSU cherry bud stage. Bill turned up the windmachine thermostats to allow for more protection against potential low night time temperatures. Frost hasn't been a problem so far.
Yesterday, I called our pollen people to send us cherry pollen for the Rainiers and Skeenas. Bill called our bee contractor to let her know we're close to first bloom in our cherry blocks. The apples have a ways to go.
A contractor working for the city is dumping the excess dirt from a project in town in our ditch. It's very exciting how it's changing the topography of our property. Bill uses Lola to smooth it out.
He's pushing a boulder into the ditch in this picture. We'll be getting irrigation water from the Isenhart Irrigation District this spring, so this work is to prep our home property for future planting. The irrigation water has been a goal of ours ever since we moved here 30 + years ago. When the water starts flowing through the pipes, it will truly be something to celebrate!
Besides rescuing birds, I'm prepping our raised beds for planting, so I want to share with you some of my plans so far.
Last year we grew Sun Gold cherry tomatoes. They're so sweet and prolific. Salads have pizazz with some of these thrown in.
I'm planning on a couple of heirloom tomatoes, Black Krim and Mortgage Lifter. I've not grown them before but they sound mouth watering. This is a Black Krim that is from Russia and has rich sweet flavor with thin skin. Shyla gave me a package of seeds for Christmas. She also have a good feeling about them.
This is the Mortgage Lifter. They are 2 1/2 - 4 lb. tomatoes! Wow, wow, wow! The cool thing about heirlooms is that if you like them, you can save the seeds to use again next year. As Guy Clark wrote, "Only two things that money can't buy, That's true love and homegrown tomatoes."
These are Suyo Long heirloom cucumbers. I'm planning to trellis these and the beans this year.
Matilda pole beans will be new for me.
I'm hoping to grow some Ozette fingerling potatoes. Slow Food Seattle has been raving about these.
We have to have small sugar pumpkins for pumpkin pie and ale.
Every year I grow sunflowers. This year I want to try Cutters Delight.
There's so much to do!
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