Happy May 1st – Red Peony Bloom Buds

Looks like my red peony will have some healthy blooms soon. The ants are working the blooms pretty good.
Supposedly, peonies need a lot of sunshine and don’t need ants on them to bloom. However, I’ve learned over my many decades of trying to grow them, that the varieites like this one would have a lot of bloom buds shrivel away if they didn’t get much attention from ants or other insects and bugs.
My old white peony bushes out in the yard has only one viable bloom bud between 7 of them and they get plenty of sun. Early on each bush had several bloom buds but no ants insects nor lady bugs. Sure enough, all the bloom buds shriveled away but 1.
Happily, this red peony is giving a great promise of several blooms.
(If the wind doesn’t flatten them to the ground first.)

Wishing you all a month of sunshine and smiles.


 

Spring Signs

0-buttersI went for a walk to see the signs of spring during our oddly warm days. I was surprised to see a buttefly. The weather has been gorgeous. The trees and flowers are budding and growing.
We could still have some freezing weather this winter. It’s a long time until last frost.
My mini-daffodils are blooming and there is an old saying about ‘snow falling on daffodils once’… but since mine aren’t the classic kind, they may not count. Meanwhile, we’ll enjoy the pleasant weather while it’s here.0-dafi

Wishing you all a pleasant week.

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1st Harvest – Blackberry Winter

IMG_8755May 3rd my husband harvested our first crop. It was a lovley mess of radishes. My husband says they’re really good. I’m not a radish eater, but I like growing them as companion planting to help deter pests.5-3-2016-radishes

P1000489I re-potted my bell peppers. 59 have survived so far. However, I don’t know how much longer they’re going to last with no sunshine…
We’re in the throws of Blackberry winter. It’s quite cool and storms are fequent visitors.
The dewberries and blackberries are blooming pretty though.P1000387
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My peonies were blooming happy & beautifullyP1000440Now since it’s storming everyday not so much…P1000611

We lost 2 small trees during the storms. My husband had to buy a chainsaw to clear them out of the yard. Hopefully the storms are finished with us for awhile and Blackberry winter will be over soon. Perhaps we can soon get back to the business of enjoying sunshine once again.

Wishing you all a pleasant rest of the week!turtspacer2