February is the longest short month.
Still winter, but so longing to be spring, it is time to prune, and start seed, and amend beds.
The ritual of pruning has begun. I usually start with the roses. Rugosas need a hard cut,
where other varieties require a bit more of a plan, with decisions about long term shrub shape and size in mind.
Then the fruit trees. The last few years we’ve just kind of let our giant cherry tree out back do it’s thing- but it’s developed some sort of leaf spot issue, and i think this year we need to do some thinning and try and get it back under control. That will be a two person job.
The “getting the big ladder out” grand finale of pruning is our King apple.
And here is the tree I think of as the Sheep Apple (because I use it’s new growth as sheep treats throughout the summer) complete with a robin shopping for the perfect nest location, and sheep wondering what I’m up to 🙂
Seed starting will hopefully begin later today or tomorrow with onions and shallots- and maybe poppies.
And I’ve found a local source for mushroom compost, so I’m excited about that. Hoping that I can arrange a pickup of a trailerload maybe next weekend. The volume of our homemade compost is down some since I don’t have chickens contributing anymore, but I’d probably need an external source anyway, as I’m hoping to reconfigure/extend my planting area this year.
It’s still pretty chilly outside, but I feel better, and less anxious about the general state of the world, when I can be outside working. Seedlings and buds on fruit trees work wonders for my psyche.
As does knitting, which is like watching something grow right under my fingertips. Twining cable stems, in a vaguely mushroomy natural color.
Coming along nicely. I’m just a few rows shy of the 4th buttonhole, and the beginning of the V neck shaping.
Not much spinning this week, but I took stock of all the little blendy skeins I’ve been spun up over the winter-
They make a nice little collection- no immediate plans for a project, tho. they might just need to cure a while in the stash.
Have a good week, folks-