another day, another project

January 21, 2016

We're in the midst of another backyard project- adding a patio cover to the north side of our house. We haven't been totally satisfied with either pop-up gazebos or the semi-permanent one we got from Lowes, so decided to go ahead and have one professionally installed. This has meant reworking the patio pavers and raised beds so they will be able to pour footings for the support posts, So things are looking even messier than usual for this time of year.

The weather has been pleasantly warm in the afternoons, so I've been more motivated to work in the yard. My February gardening resolution is to spend at least 15 minutes a day weeding and getting the beds ready for spring planting, and I also need to rework the drip irrigation going to the two raised beds that were resized for our patio project. I planted zucchini, squash, Armenian cucumber, and melon seeds indoors in peat pots in the hopes that they will be ready for transplant in mid-February.I don't think we will get another frost this year, but it still gets too cool at night for the warmer-season crops to germinate.

I found this artichoke growing several feet away from the large artichoke plant in front of the gazebo, and moved it to what I hope will be a more hospitable and attractive location next to the stream bed. It must have sprouted from seed, as it was too far away to have spread from the mother plant underground. We are enjoying mixed green salads from an assortment of lettuces and spinach, and I think I will pick one of the broccoli heads in the next few days.