Getting to work - Spring is coming!

Well, reality is the work is never done... you really just get 'caught up' and then you eventually fall behind. There is no in-between. You get a winter break which is only a few weeks here. However, you're fidgety the entire time you're supposed to be relaxing, so what does it matter, right?

So with a gorgeous day, felt like 80 out with a cool breeze (if you call 20 mph winds a breeze) I took a few hours to plan a plant rescue and finish up the garden that was tilled up to be prepared when the corn can go in. (That still almost 2 months away, but I'm just so darn fidgety!)

First the rescue of the rose-

My mother bought this rose many years ago, Jackson Perkins I do believe. I think its a Henry Fonda Tea rose?! It was never in a proper bed and it was at the top of a hill in front of their house so daddy just couldn't manage to steer the riding mower around it. Several years ago he gave up and just mowed right over it. After awhile we just forgot it was ever there. Last year the yard became a weed jungle when the mower died, low and behold the roses emerged and dainty yellow buds graced the front yard scene. I decided to swoop in and get it transplanted here and give it a garden bed of its own. It will never have to fear the blades of a mower again.

First nightmare... get the crown and as much of the root ball out of the ground as I could. Found out the roses was originally mulched with ROCK! Can you say my wrist is killing me right now. So after 30-45 minutes of fighting with the tangled mess of root, grass, weeds and rock I finally got it free. It was about 3 ft tall with some diseased growth, so I immediately pruned it down as much as I could without destroying the new growth. I was a little late getting to it because of this mild winter we've had. 

From here I dusted the root ball with rooting hormone which will help root growth. I've add some bone meal to the potting soil and decided to pot it up for not. The front bed isn't ready and I'd really like to baby it and make sure she'll survive before I give her the place of honor in my new expanded front yard garden bed. I'm sure it was well worth the afternoon struggles. 

And when I thought I had no energy left in my body, I finished raking out the rows for the corn getting 2 more done today. So we now have 7 finished rows for the sweet corn. The one I bought over 200 seeds for! YIKES! We also decided after some time on 'pinterest' I would create 2 bamboo teepees for my daughter to use as play space in the garden. Those will go where you see the round mounds.

And just when I thought I had done more then my fair share for the day, I checked my brussel sprouts which are as done as they are going to be. I planted these last March, even though I took some for the holiday meal I took the last of them today. I only had 6 plants, when 2 never produced any, so I'm satisfied. 

These are now in the oven roasting with some olive oil, balsamic vinegar, salt, pepper and garlic. Come on dinner!