Thursday, June 17, 2010

Sunny Days/ Freezing Nights!

Come on sun you can do it, keep the ground warm so the garden will grow. To garden in Central Oregon you have to be a little crazy, stubborn, and have a drive that just won't quit. Time is not on your side when you are trying to get your plants to produce vegetables before the 1st freeze of the fall season which is usually around September 15th. Most Central Oregon Gardeners don't even think about putting in a garden before July 1st but every year I get this "itch" to start in June. If you start your garden early you have to provide any kind of warmth you have available. Last night the temp. dropped to 31 degrees this is enough to wipe out your garden and not even think twice about it. All that hard work gone in a matter of minutes, so I actually with help from my Husband, I put the garden to bed. Yes I covered the whole garden in bed sheets, I bet the houses across the canal are having a fit because of the view they have out their back windows into my garden:) But I am going to do what I have to do, with what I have to work with and that would be 15 bed sheets all colors and varied in size! I also have to remember the view of my sunflowers are breath taking from their homes. As for me I have to walk across  the canal path to their yards to admire my sunflowers since my house blocks them from following the sun every night in July and August.
I forgot to cover the carrots but they did OK next to the house. I don't have very good luck with carrots so this year I am trying this little "round" type we will see what happens. Now the peas should be OK they like a little cold weather but these are still pretty small the raised bed should help and the morning sun.The flowers are surviving, I am pretty selective on what gets planted in the yard as far as flowers are concerned. They have to be deer proof! I do use a spray that works pretty well but you never really know for sure. Sun come on do your fine work and keep the frost away until the fall that is all I ask of you!

Sunday, June 13, 2010

For The Love of WILDFLOWERS!

A wildflower (or wild flower) is a flower that grows wild, meaning it was not intentionally seeded or 
planted.
 Bitter Root
Red Clover
???

Harebell

???

???

 WOW! these wildflower photos were taken Saturday 6/12/10 in the Ochoco Mountain range where we will be camping in about a month. I am so excited to see what else we will find since we will have a week to explore this beautiful area.  I hope you enjoy looking at them as much as I do.
So I got out my Wild Flowers spotters guide and still can't identify all of them. I bet my husband can tell us what some of these flowers are:) If you can identify any of these please leave me a comment.

Have a beautiful day, Betty