Wait for it.

Wait for it.

It’s Ruth Ann. Ruth Ann Keister is working with us in the nursery this spring. When she’s not climbing out of boxes.

We received a number of interesting pots including these very large mossy ones.

Should be fun to open the rest of the boxes. — A. C.

For six weeks the tubers have been “pre-sprouting” in the greenhouse.

I had to wait for the soil temperature to be above 55 degrees, and yesterday morning it was at about 58, so I went for it, especially given the forecast for warmer weather ahead.

Ginger starts off in trenches, with some fertilizer as it is a heavy feeder. (We use Ocean Organics seaweed based fertilizer here). As it grows we will hill the plants, much as with potatoes or asparagus.

Some of the sprouts are shooting up already; others are little white nubs. The ginger root, when ready for harvest, will be pink like the base of the sprout here.

The rows are about three feet apart and the sprouted tubers are around 5 inches from each other.

Hopefully everyone will be happy in their new home and grow, grow, grow.

Thanks to Betsy Welch for bringing us a piece of fresh ginger last year and Growing for Market and MOFGA newsletters for articles about growing ginger in northern climates (it normally grows in places like Hawaii). Stay tuned for progress. — A. C.

The way these cedars find purchase among the rocks is amazing. Feels ancient.

The first task has been to simply clean up the woods. Which has had its challenges, given much of what needed to be cut and chipped or carted away was down a very steep embankment. Enter Doug Gammon and associates, chainsaws, tractors, chippers, wood winches.

A bundle of trees and brush comes up the hill,

and heads for the chipper.

Now that most of the large clearing work is done, we are beginning to work on the paths. Adam built a set of steps to negotiate one of the steepest parts of the route. In the rain, he built them.

The next step is to limb up branches in the way of the path and drag downed branches up the slope for one final day of chipping and finishing up. The end result should be lovely, with a path that goes between two areas of ledge, crosses the upper edge of the marsh, and reaches from Glenmere Rd. to Horsepoint Rd. — A. C.

In a shaded garden the early plants are taking advantage of what sunlight there is before the trees overhead leaf out.

The hellebores.

Daphne ‘Carol Mackie’ is blooming and fragrant.

Many of the viburnums are opening up and just starting to bloom. I think this is a doublefile viburnum.

Glaucidium. That’s the only name it has as far as I know. A great woodland plant.

And then once we get out of the shade, the bold ornamental rhubarb leaves are magnificent once again. They’re huge. And the colors are delicious.

The advantage of a slow spring (though I could do without the sub-freezing temperatures just about now) is that one gets to enjoy the minute changes as plants wake up with long slow stretches. — A. C.

We staggered the beds with a central one a bit higher at the elevated corner of this property. Then we planted blueberries behind them.

The last step was to slip back and put pea stone over filter fabric on the apron between the beds. (No picture of the finished product yet.) — A. C.

It’s still wool sock weather, though. — A. C.

Artichokes, cardoons and tomatoes in the distance.

And the great fig.

Even on a grey day, it’s nice in here. — A. C.

Poodle girls like the canal. Well, the edge.

And then inside the woods. Little wonder not much grows in here, with the wet-dry extremes.

Glad to be inside most of the day today. — A. C.

Actually, it was the cat, Albert. He likes that we’ve accessorized one of his favorite places.

What a guy. — A. C.

Spring! — A. C.