Week 19

Oklahoma weather typically skips over spring and dives right into hot summer days. This year has been an exception. We’ve experienced a few cold days in early winter, then received the gift of an actual spring, and my garden shows it. For the last 3 years, I’ve been trying to grow Lupins, and just when I had given up and decided to forget them, I found magnificent blooming Lupins. I can only attribute their blooms to warmer temperatures during March and cooler temperatures during April.

The spring rain has just begun, and we are getting a lot quickly, with flood warnings daily. My lot is on an 11’ elevation grade, and several flower beds are prone to erosion. I’ve done my best to build up tiering, but as time goes on, my beds are sliding. I am working on a plan to build up a terrace more permanently. This weekend Husband and I got a few buckets of 3-5” river rock to help direct the water through my bed and minimize more erosion.

I am still planting seedlings. It’s back-breaking work, but I’m planting as much as possible while giving myself many breaks.

Week 19 blooms:

• Allium
• Lupins
• Oriental Lilies
• Roses
• Violas

Week 18 recap:

• Planted lisianthus seedlings
• Planted caladiums
• Direct sowed pumpkins
• Constructed a rock river bed
• We picked up a truckload of mulch
• Began weeding rock-wall beds

Week 19 plans:

• Continue planting lisianthus
• Start seeds for:
  • Amaranth
  • Cosmos
  • Zinnia
• Prune Barberry
• Continue to weed and remove tulips from rock-wall beds.

I love the lush green garden this time of year when the soil is damp, overcast skies, and the garden is plump and vibrant.

Happy Gardening,

Lelo