A Journey Through Crafts And Things I Like In Life;
"From one fine thread a work of art is born" - DMC Motto;
"To plant a garden is to believe in tomorrow" Audrey Hepburn;
"The purpose of our lives is to be happy" Dalai Lama.
Half a year later I'm back again in my garden. Since my last post in January alot of things have happened in my life. Shortly after Easter I had to go back home to my parents, my father's health got from bad to worse, he was fading slowly, and we lost him at the end of April. I love you dad and miss you every day.... 😢
Here are they in 2013 on their trip to Ireland. Mom's health isn't great either, I had to stay behind to take care of her. It has been difficult and a very complicated situation, but I'm blessed with friends, neighbours and relatives who can take care of mom so I could come home for a while. I've returned to Ireland at the end of July.....
After some TLC my garden is starting to look like a garden again, gifting me with a little bounty of fruit: apples, pears, grapes, raspberries etc.
My greenhouses are starting to look pretty too with fast growing lettuces, tomatoes, cabbages and cucumbers. Grapes and kiwi Jenny looking awesome too. The Kiwi is starting shooting new shoots and the new shoots on the grape vine are showing new fruit, like the plant is trying to make up lost time and with its extra bounty to comfort me in my sadness and grief. I'm blessed with my darling, caring husband who is been just amazing since I came home.
Also in my smaller greenhouse I took home 2 grapes that my father grew from cuttings and it was from my fav grape. The 2 plants are just thriving, just like everyone else that was left in my hubs care, for which I'm eternally grateful. He took so great care of my plants, I'm very proud of him. He says he is a musician, not a gardener, but he has done a great job.
Oh and my fish are alive too 😜
Outside my flowered looks good too, had to replant a few of my plants that got damaged, but now all is thriving aand looking good. My bug hotel is occupied again by solitary bees: leaf cutters and mason bees.
However where ever I turn in my garden my father is with me, I feel his presence, his guidance.... A few days later we went for a drive, we stopped at the cemetery where my husband was paying his respects, I was just thinking off my dad and when I lifted my eyes to the skies, there it was....it was just his way of saying "I'm OK, don't worry about me sweetheart, I'm just fine...." 😢ðŸ˜
I hope this post will find you all in good health, happy among your loved ones.
Today Winter granted us a light dusting of snow that discreetly covered everything. Some parts got more snow then they wished for.
My kale still stands proud with its sugary crown. Gammon and kale next week? Could happen... 😜 The railing and the picnic table along with the garden got a bit of taste of the freshly fallen snow shower. While in other parts of Ireland people are getting inches upon inches of snow and blizzard, my garden got another light dusting...🤷🤦
Today (5th) we woke up to another bitterly cold day - 2 C outside, everything frozen and dreaming of warmer days. Although the sun came out melting the ice on the footpaths, yet it has teeth, the air stays bitterly cold.
The morning of the 12th started mild, not so cold, but windy and wet. It rained all weekend and it was bitter cold. My garden is sleeping, not much to report on that front.
Today (14th)I harvested some kale for the dinner and I was amazed how quick it boiled and how sweet it was. Maybe the frost made them sweeter, which is true thinking of sprouts, experts say that a bit of frost will turn them sweeter. I like them anyway they are 😜ðŸ¤
Sun was out today, it was quite pleasant (18th), bit still had a lil bite. To my surprise the greenhouse was nice and warm. Outside my garden is slowly waking up despite everyone thinking that this month is a dead month.
Inside the small greenhouse, the fruiting buds on my peach tree is swelling up nicely. How do you know it's a fruiting bud?, you may ask. Here are a few tips I've found for you :
Fruiting buds are plump, fuzzy, and protrude from the branch, developing into flowers and then fruit, while leaf buds are slender, flatter, and lie closer to the stem, growing into new leaves and shoots. Think of fruit buds as "fat" and "furry" for reproduction, and leaf buds as "skinny" and "flat" for vegetative growth, often found in clusters or on short spurs for fruit, versus along the main branch for leaves.
Key Differences
Appearance:
Fruit Buds: Plump, round, often covered in downy or furry scales, and stick out more.
Leaf Buds: Slim, pointed, flat, and smooth, lying close to the branch.
Function:
Fruit Buds: Contain embryonic flowers that become fruit.
Leaf Buds: Contain embryonic leaves and stems for new growth.
Location:
Fruit Buds: Often appear in clusters or on short spurs (modified stems) at right angles to the branch, especially on horizontal shoots.
Leaf Buds: Usually found in the leaf axils (where leaves attach) or at the branch tips.
How to Tell Them Apart (Example: Apple/Pear Trees)
Look for plumpness: A fat, furry bud is likely a fruit bud.
Check its shape: A flat, pointed bud is usually a leaf bud.
Note its position: Leaf buds grow from leaf axils; fruit buds often sit next to them or on spurs, making them look like separate, larger bumps. Think of fruit buds as "fat" and "furry" for reproduction, and leaf buds as "skinny" and "flat" for vegetative growth, often found in clusters or on short spurs for fruit, versus along the main branch for leaves.
Key Differences
Appearance:
Fruit Buds: Plump, round, often covered in downy or furry scales, and stick out more.
Leaf Buds: Slim, pointed, flat, and smooth, lying close to the branch.
Function:
Fruit Buds: Contain embryonic flowers that become fruit.
Leaf Buds: Contain embryonic leaves and stems for new growth.
Location:
Fruit Buds: Often appear in clusters or on short spurs (modified stems) at right angles to the branch, especially on horizontal shoots.
Leaf Buds: Usually found in the leaf axils (where leaves attach) or at the branch tips.
How to Tell Them Apart (Example: Apple/Pear Trees)
Look for plumpness: A fat, furry bud is likely a fruit bud.
Check its shape: A flat, pointed bud is usually a leaf bud.
Note its position: Leaf buds grow from leaf axils; fruit buds often sit next to them or on spurs, making them look like separate, larger bumps.
After reading these, there's your challenge, go out find a fruiting tree and try and tell the difference between a fruiting bud and a leaf bud. Are you ready? Let's do this! Let me know in a comment how did it go for you.....
In the collage you can also see my newly planted grape vine. The vine comes from the town I was born in, and I can't wait to see it fruiting. Nice warmish inside for them (13 C), while outside was 8 C the 1st snowdrops are showing their little, delicate white faces, Christmas roses are blooming again, while the viburnum (winter lilac) never stopped blooming all winter.
This month ends on a wet note when Storm Chandra swept across Ireland flooding everyone everywhere, including my garden and just for a moment I was contemplating if we should start growing gills. The waters were up to my low raised bed, and kept growing then stopped when the rains stopped. It will slowly drew back in the following days, hopefully my plants didn't suffer from the excess if water.
This has never happened before, thanks Storm Chandra.
