| April 29, 2004 - It's
been a busy spring and I have not kept you up to date on every thing in
our gardens but perhaps I can pick up from here. The daffodils are looking
great and I just noticed that both groups of native orchids ( yellow and
pink Lady's Slippers) are coming up. The crab apple trees are starting
to bloom and they are always so fragrent. By the way have you ever noticed
just how bad the flowering pear trees are. They are not over powering
but they stink and they are so often planted along the entry way to businesses
and homes. I surely would think that one over a few more times and find
something different. They are pretty but get them away from your nose.
We had two groups of pre-school children here today. I am always amazed
at the energy level and how they are interested in everything except what
you think you want to swow them. Go figure! |
| Feb 29, 2004
- It's been a long time since I have done anything in the gardens. This
week I tapped the maple trees in my yard and am now collecting sap to
boil down into maple syrup. Stop in and see the process. We are boiling
right in the greenhouse |
| November - Not
a lot going on this month. I did visit Lakeland school's kindergarten
classes and show them how to press cider from apples. Click
here to see some inquisitive youngsters. |
| Oct 22, Wed - I finally
got around to trimming off all those limbs that I have had to duck all
summer long when I mowed. I wanted to wait until late especially on the
oaks as the open wounds on the tree would invite a disease called oak
wilt. The debris from the annual beds that have been cleaned out was just
thrown out on the lawn and run over a couple of times with the riding
mower and mulched into the lawn. |
| Oct 15, Wed - Wow!
It's been busy around the Neitzert house. The frost hit the annual beds
and I just ran the riding mower over many of them to get rid of the debris.
That was real easy and does a nice job. I continue to pick apples and
press fresh cider at least once a week. Stop by some time at the greenhouse
and you can try a glass. Boy are the poinsettias ever starting to show
color. |
| Sept 22, Mon - My son
and I harvested the wine grapes from the arbor and started a batch of
wine, about 3 gal. Look Earnest and Julio! Or maybe look out Thunderbird. |
| Sept 20, Sat - I made
some more cider, about 5 gal. It was a little easier this time. I guess
I may be getting the hang of it now. Sure is good to drink. |
| Sept 16, Tue - Yesterday
Zachary and Sam DeMeester stopped by to let a monarch butterfly go in
our flower gardens as they thought that it might find a good home here.
Guess what I saw this morning slurping away on the zinnias? Click
here to find out. Thanks boys for the addition to our gardens.
|
| Sept 7, Sun - I squeezed
2 gallons of cider from the apples in my front yard. The press is not
to hard to work but the fruit grinder is a job. The cider is great and
well worth the effort. I have more apples to pick so I hope to have cider
throughout the fall. |
| Aug 21, Thur
- I picked the peaches off of our tree. They are delicious. This is just
the 3rd full summer for the tree and I would guess that it had over a
bushel of large peaches. It's a great tree to have in your home orchard.
|
| Aug 14, Thur - The
great power outage!!!! We lost power at 4:11 p.m. and had to call it a
day. Luckily everything was watered at the greenhouse and it wasn't so
hot as to cause problems. We just pretended it was 1803 and went about
having a little holiday. It was hot so we took a
dip in the old swimming hole. Tomatoes are looking mighty sick.
I think this bunch is a lost cause for the season. At least we have had
and will continue to have quite a few tomatoes from them. I check the
peach tree every day. They are just about ready to harvest and I don't
want to miss any. Also sprayed the wine grapes last night ( doesn't take
power to do that only my own ) as the japanese beetles were again riddling
them. |
| Aug 11, Mon - We have
had sufficient rain so as to not have to water the flower beds. In fact
it is pouring rain as I type ( even a little hail mixed in). I need to
get a time between rains to get a cover of spray on the grapes. The japanese
beetles are really working on them especially the wine grapes. The table
grapes seem to be less appetizing. |
| Aug 6, Wed - It's hard
to immagine but the poinsettias arrived
at the greenhouse today and we got started planting. Wow we have 29 different
varieties plus 2 brand new introductions from Fischer that won't hit the
general market until next fall. We were chosen as one of the few growers
in the state to produce these plants. Be sure to get a look at them this
fall. |
| July 31, Wed - I finished
up the new bed for planting. It was sprayed with round-up, allowed to
set for a week then mowed real short. I put a layer of bark mulch on it
and tomorrow I will plant it with Rudbeckia "Prairie Sun". It's
a fairly lazy way to establish a new bed but I have found that it works
quite well as long as I keep it watered well to get it going. I also started
back around on watering the flower beds. It's been dry. |
| July 26, Sat - It was
overcast all day but a great day for our Garden Walk. Quite a few people
attended and took home some new ideas for their own gardens. |
| July 23,Wed
- Just finished replanting the deer's "food plot" with New Guinea
Impatiens. They look good and should be nice for this weekends garden
walk. |
| July 20, Sun
- Roger was very interesting and informative last night and again this
morning at a brunch for the garden club members. Its too bad he doesn't
say what he thinks. He is very articulate and outspoken concerning gardening.
Roger and his wife stopped and strolled through our gardens before we
accompanied them along with Wade and Pat Smith to their flight at Detroit
Metro |
| July 19, Sat
- We had a nice rain so we can quit watering for a few days. Tonight we
are going to listen to Roger Swain talk on back yard fruit production. |
| July 18, Fri.
- Its quite dry so I ( actually Kathy does a great deal of it ) need to
get some more water on the flower beds. The impatiens bed in the circle
drive is outstanding this year. I think it is due to the load of compost
that I put on it last fall. |
| July 16, Wed. - Well
I was wrong; the deer have completely devoured the impatiens. It was a
lovely bed about 8' X 15'. It had just covered over and looked quite impressive.
But you will have to take my word for it since you can now barely see
the stubs amongst the foot prints. I guess there is enough summer left
that I will put some flowers back in the bed and spray them with a deer
repellent. ( Luckily we have quite a few New Guinea Impatiens left and
I will use them.) |
| July 15, Tue
- The Japanese beetles are pretty bad on our cut flower bed and the grape
vines. So I sprayed them and my fruit trees with a Sevin / Captan mixture.
We have a lovely bed of zinnias for cuts and need to spray with a fungicide
to prevent black spot and mildew. |
| July 14, Mon
- I noticed that the deer have been eating on the planting of impatiens
next to the bee hives but not a major problem. I hope they didn't like
them all that well. It has been a little dry so I need to put the sprinklers
on some of the flower beds. |