Zone 14

While I was away for the weekend at a scrap booking crop, the Head Gardener was home working on a special project.

We moved here in late winter 2009. In 2010 we gardened in a grass ridden spot north of the barn. The following year we moved the vegetable garden to the south side of the barn where it could be watered using the water from the irrigation wells that we share with 5 neighbors, which we use to water the lawn and pastures. Wanting not to use city water which was both expensive and seemingly not a good use of water, we pondered how we could connect to the irrigation system. After much discussion and the HG's genius mind and hard work, we now have the Garden Spot all on an automated irrigation system. While not fully automated, Zone 14, the vegetable garden, will be more efficiently watered. There is a trade off, however: electricity vs. city water, but the whole system now works from one zone to the next seamlessly with each zone timed according to its need, the vegetable garden included. Whew. What a chore. Thank you, dear HG.

When I got home mid afternoon Sunday, the HG met me with the EZ-Go (our golf  garden cart) to take me on the Grand Tour. So now pretend that you are riding along with me on the EZ-Go, and I'll take you on a tour of the Garden Spot, including Zone 14. Grab a sweater because it is just a bit chilly.

I knew exactly what the HG was doing while I sorted,  cropped, and trimmed photos for little Lily's photo album because my cell phone was exploding with the HG's texts to not just me, but to our two daughters. These first four scared me. I told my crop friend that my husband had either purchased a drone or was on the roof of the chicken house.  The photos do show the trench he dug in which to lay the plastic pipe for the watering system: along the coral fence,





 and around the corner with sprinkler heads attached to water the day lily garden, and along the back side of the chicken house with sprinkler heads attached along the way to water the mound. This week we will add sod to the bare spots to reduce weeds. Reasoning: Grass is easier to mow than weeds are to pull.



His text photo shows that the system works.



Right now we only have potatoes, onions, and peas growing. Tomatoes and seeds will go in after Mother's Day, the second weekend in May, the safe time in Zone 5 to begin planting tender plants to avoid that one last freeze.

From the ground: It works.

Good coverage. The well water is stored in an underground tank beneath the mound.

 Now fully, automated, irrigation will much easier to accomplish.

Our EZ-Go tour will take us down the driveway to see the tulips. We planted them the first fall we were here, and this year they are spectacular.

Don't pay any attention to the dead trees. We lost 3 of the flowering crabs a couple of years ago. This year they will come out. We have pondered a number of solutions for the bare circles that will be left. Everything from sod to new trees to flower beds. I am opting for flower beds at least one year. I'll get back to you on that.

Have I mentioned the red bud lately? Yes, I admit to having been a bit obsessive about my little tree, but would you just look at her. She is at her best this year. The cold and snow from last week didn't damage any of the spring bulbs or the blossoms on the trees, so the northern Colorado landscape has been ablaze in color.

We had our first roasted asparagus the other night. You well know the difference between store bought; healthy and green as it may look, the taste does not compare with the home grown. Of course you can grow it in your own garden. We did. I figured that if it grows wild on ditch banks and along roadsides that it will grow in my garden and it is. You jut have to be patient because this is the 3rd year (or 4th) and finally I am getting healthy big stocks. 

A Fond Farewell

 We parted ways with this handsome fellow, the cuckoo maran rooster. We didn't need two roosters (we really don't need one). These are last year's photos before his tail plumage fully matured. He is a real beauty and gentle since he was handled quite a bit. He had large golden tail plumage that made him look so grand. He went to a good home to lady who keeps a number of hens and sells eggs, so he will be happy.

This is our setting hen, a Black Rock Partridge. She has been setting on a fake egg that we keep in the nesting boxes to remind the ladies where they should lay their eggs.

Even though we have had two roosters, we kept them from the hens so we don't have any fertilized eggs, so we got 8 from another keeper of hens. The hen sat on them, then moved to another nest, so we took away 4. She sat on them for a couple of days then moved off. Oddly she hasn't laid any of her own. We have been told that we must chase her off the nest to make sure that she eats and drinks for hens will literally starve themselves as the they set. She is pretty thin now, so who know how long she will keep this up. I am not expecting any chicks.

I appreciated all of your comments on the homemade yogurt that a ranged from I don't eat yogurt, I buy it once in a while, I prefer Greek yogurt, I think I'll try to make some, to Joanna who wrote that she makes her own and told me to strain the yogurt through muslin to get a sweeter,  Greek style yogurt with less lactose. I am going to do just that, Joanna (at Petal Pics), this week. I did like the homemade, tart as it was and really it isn't that much of an effort. Thanks so much for weighing on the subject. 

This week, weather cooperating, yard work: Clean-up and planting. I am excited to plan out the tree circles. I am thinking of Cannas in the center for drama, surrounded with a variety and annuals, petunias--sun and head hardy plants with lots of color to match the drama that the tulips have added this year--oh and bunny resistant, too. A good plan, until I get to the garden center and see the price of plants. Then I will opt for sod, I am guessing.

I also have to finish packing up the kitchen and living room to have the new flooring installed next Monday.

Today I'll play with the granddaughters. They have a mini spring break since Easter came so early. Guess I'd better get dressed and get on with my day.

Enjoy your week, and thanks so much for visiting. Hopefully I'll do a better a job of getting around this week to see you.

If you have mind to, visit Ann's Dollhouse Dreams to see the recent project.

Linking with Judith @ Lavender Cottage for Mosaic Monday