Cliff's 2013 Garden Blog

Marilyn and Cliff have gardens at home (H) and in New Russia, NY (NR) and also a double plot in the Lafayette College Community Organic Garden (OG). They enjoyed sizable organic gardens in the 80s and have kept small gardens annually but appreciate the fun and good food the OG plots provide. [Cliff's 2014 Garden Blog] [Cliff's 2012 Garden Blog] [Cliff's 2011 Garden Blog]


January 7

Pruned the grapes, blackberries, cherry and raspberries in OG.

January 15

Picked swiss chard and cilantro at H.

February 28

Spread clover seed on pathways in OG.

March 2

Planted coneflower seeds inside.

March 4

Planted tomatoes, peppers, eggplant, brocolli for OG at H.

March 5

Picked and transplanted cilantro at H and prepared for planting.

March 6

Planted peas, carrots, lettuce and onions at H where they can be covered with plastic.

March 11

First indoor seeds germinating.

March 15

A little clean up and restaking at the OG.

March 20

Broadcast clover seed at H.

March 24

Planted Rhubarb in NR.

March 27

Top dressed with organic soil at OG.

March 28

Planted a bed of peas and carrots.

March 29

Planted fruit trees in NR. Planted currants and honeyberries too.

March 30

Planted clover in lawn and pathways in NR. Pulled out the currants and honeyberries in NR since they had started leafing out. Replanted in pots at H.

March 31

Planted kiwi's for NR in pots at H.

April 1

Moved tomatoes, eggplants and peppers for OG into large pots at H.

April 2

Planted tomatoes, peppers and eggplants for NR at H.

April 3

Planted bed of peas and onions in OG.

April 5

Planted bed of peas and carrots and a patch of cumin in OG. Interplanted swiss chard and spinach in strawberry bed. Prepared a bed for potatoes.

April 6

Planted dormant raspberries for NR in pots at H. Cut seed potatoes for OG. Transplanted broccoli, kale and cabbage in OG.

April 7

Watered transplants in OG and interplanted onion sets with cole plants

April 8

Planted one row of white potatoes and two of blue in OG.

April 9

Planted lovege and basil inside at H.

April 10

Planted one bed of swiss chard in OG. One loveage plant survived the winter and me forgetting it was there and overplanting it with peas. Transplanted some painted daisies and started a radish patch.

April 11

Planted a bed of spinach in OG. Raspberries and blackberries are leafing out.

April 13

Planted a beds of carrots and onions and broccoli in NR.

April 14

Planted onions and garlic under fruit trees in enclosure in NR.

April 15

Planted bed of beets in OG. Weeded. Put mole chaser in garden as entire broccoli plant was eaten.

April 16

Planted bed of broccoli seed and onion seed in OG. Weeded.

April 19

Weeded in OG. Moved violets and painted daisies.

April 20

Weeded in OG.

April 22

Weeded in OG.

April 24

Weeded in OG.

April 26

Weeded in OG. Moved loveage and prepared beds for first tomatoes.

April 27

Transplanted first tomatoes in OG and moved some NR tomatoes to cups.

April 28

Apples leafing out and some native plants are perking up in NR. Creating several new beds behind the barn for potatoes: Dark Red Norland, Kennebec, and Adirondack Blue.

April 29

Continued planting potatoes. Approximately 45lbs in NR. Put 4ft fence around potatoe patch. Also planted two beds of peas, and one of spinach and swiss chard. First asparagus spear observed.

April 30

Planted 8 tomatoes in OG.

May 1

Hung Praying Mantis egg case at H. Planted 8 tomatoes in OG; prepared a new bed. Weeded and watered.

May 2

Hung 2 Praying Mantis egg cases at OG. Weeded.

May 3

Transplanted last NR tomatoes to cups. Weeded and watered at OG. Prepared two more beds and mulched.

May 4

Weeded and watered in NR. Put 7 praying mantis egg cases in yard. Planted cole transplants. Sprayed Heteromask for white grubs.

May 5

Weeded strawberries and watered in NR. Planted a bed of beets. Cherry trees have a few blossoms. Blueberries at H are covered in blossoms.

May 6

Weeded strawberries and watered in OG. Transplanted some eggplants and tomatoes.

May 7

Watered in OG. Prepared two beds. Planted wax and green bush beans. Harvested sorel from OG and swiss chard and cilantro from H.

May 8

Transplanted eggplant and peppers in OG. Planted burgundy bush beans. Prepared front flower bed at OG

May 9

Planted flower seeds in front bed at OG and prepared patch near old compost pile. Used cilantro from H.

May 10

Weeded at OG. Prepared a bed for melon.

May 11

Weeded at OG. Prepared a bed for summer squash.

May 12

Planted a peach tree and 4 grape vines in NR. Put in a few true geraniums. Found a few shiitake mushrooms on logs. Started one log soaking.

May 13

Finished putting in geraniums in NR. Prepared beds for tomatoes and beds for 3 sisters. Put cord high around the potato garden. Replaced ad hoc cover of dayliy bed with field fence. Planted chamomile, basil and broadleaf sage. Transplanted blue flax.

May 15

Weeded in OG. Heavy frost damage to tomatoes, peppers and eggplant. Blue flax blooming away. Harvested some greens: spinach, sorrel, thinnings.

May 16

Weeded in OG.

May 17

Weeded and watered in OG. Planted tomato and eggplant seedlings from Farm bureau at OG. Planted cantelope and summer squash in OG

May 18

Weeded in OG. Transplanted tomatoes and peppers grown for NR at OG. Picked kale and a tad of broccoli and spinach.

May 19

Transplanted tomatoes, peppers, eggplant in NR. Planted raspberries, honeyberries and currants in NR.

May 21

Planted winegrapes in NR.

May 22

Prepared (not planted) a dozen 3 sisters mounds in NR.

May 23

Weeded at OG. Replanted chips bed of Adirondack blue potatoes. Harvested some broccoli and picked first 3 strawberries.

May 24

Thinned beets and harvested kale and spinach and a few strawberries at OG.

May 25

Weeded at OG. Picked a bit of spinach and a few strawberries at OG.

May 26

Weeded at OG. Picked a few strawberries at OG. Mulched a couple beds of beans. Hilled white potatoes with straw and compost. Transplanted ground seeded broccoli.

May 27

Weeded and watered at OG. Picked a few strawberries.

May 28

Transplanted rhubarb and tomatoes from seeds in NR.

May 29

Planted corn, acorn squash, cantaloupe, sugar baby watermelon in NR. Transplanted bunchberries, solomon's seal, and pink lady slippers in NR. Lots of weeding and weed whacking.

May 30

Planted creeping thyme in NR. Moved russian almond to where the dead apricot was. Weeded. Planted golden flax bed. Planted summer squash.

May 31

Finished soaking a oyster mushroom log in NR. Picked lots of strawberries (8pts) in OG. Two voles under wheelbarrow.

June 1

Picked strawberries, kale, broccoli, spinach in OG. Did some mulching and weeding.

June 2

Planted soybeans in spinach bed at OG. Watered.

June 3

Froze 2 cookie sheets of strawberries then picked a box full at OG. Picked swiss chard in OG and Lamb's quarters in NR.

June 4

Watered and spread mulch in NR. Reseeded flax.

June 5

Watered and planted painted daisies, coneflowers, zinnias and cosmos in NR. Strawberries and spinach picked in OG.

June 6

Watered in NR.

June 7

Made a batch of strawberry jam. (2lbs s.b., 4c sug., 1/4c lem.j., 19 min boil)

June 8

Weeded at OG. Picked ~4lbs strawberries, spinach, swiss chard, kale, broccoli and carrot thinnings. Transplanted basil near tomatoes. Made strawberry jam and froze strawberries.

June 9

Weeded at OG. Picked strawberries and replanted beans and beets. Dug up catnip for NR. Harvested first (1) currant in NR.

June 10

Weeded and weed wacked in NR. Voles are attacking the potatoes. Replanted carrots, swiss chard and beets. Planted cabbage. Transplanted catnip from OG to NR.

June 11

Replanted sugar baby in NR as needed. Planted pole beans, cucumber and morning glories.

June 12

Picked strawberries, broccoli, kale, spinach and swiss chard in OG. Froze strawberries.

June 13

Temporarily planted daylilies for NR at H.

June 14

Picked strawberries, swiss chard, kale and spinach at OG. Froze swiss chard..

June 15

Weeded at OG. Picked peas.

June 16

Picked strawberries at OG and planted cucumbers.

June 17

Picked peas at OG, some broccoli.

June 18

Picked/froze strawberries, kale and swiss chard at OG.

June 21

Picked/froze strawberries, peas at OG. Picked raspberries. Watered.

June 22

Picked peas and raspberries at OG. Watered.

June 23

Weeded in NR. Picked broccoli and and a few strawberries.

June 24

Weeded in NR. Planted clover. Built new compost pile. Put up strings for morning glories.

June 25

Weeded in NR. Planted four o'clocks. Picked 10 pints of raspberries, a couple of strawberries, and lots of peas and some broccoli at OG.

June 27

Picked peas and raspberries in OG. Froze bluberries.

June 28

Weeded in NR. Planted clover. Built new compost pile. Put up strings for morning glories.

June 29

Froze peas and swiss chard from OG. Planted daylilies in NR in gaps.

June 30

Picked raspberries, peas in OG and froze raspberries & blueberries. Picked peas in NR.

July 1

Picked blackberries, peas in OG and froze peas. Picked blueberries at home.

July 2

Picked raspberries and a few beans in OG.

July 3

Picked snow peas at OG and NR.

July 4

Weeded and mulched in NR.

July 5

Weeded and thinned in NR. Hand picked bugs. Put out 6 alum pie pans with cucumber under trees. Japanese beetles become very active. Froze raspberries.

July 6

Weeded in NR. Picked broccoli, kale and peas. Sprayed spinosad. Put out more cucumber tins. Hand picked Japanese beetles.

July 7

Picked blackcaps and peas in NR. Sprayed spinosad on cabbage crops. Hand picked Japanese beetles. Picked almost a pint of Blueberries at H. Picked raspberries, blackberries, peas, squash and tomatoes at OG.

July 8

Picked beans (6 lbs) and cabbage at OG. Froze beans.

July 9

Picked raspberries, blackberries, wineberries, tomatoes, kale and swiss chard at OG. Froze kale and swiss chard. Made raspberry-wineberry jam.

July 10

Picked raspberries, blackberries, tomatoes, beans, peas at OG. Picked peas in NR. Froze peas and beans. Handpicked JapBe.

July 11

Picked winecaps, peas and kale in NR. Weeded and picked JB. Froze kale.

July 12

Picked winecaps. Weeded and picked JB.

July 13

Picked beans, raspberries and a few blackberries and tomatoes in OG. Got a few Hansen bush cherries too.

July 14

Weeded, mulched and picked tomatoes and carrots in OG.

July 15

Picked beans, raspberries, tomatoes, beets & squash in OG. Got a few Hansen bush cherries too.

July 16

Picked peas in NR. Picked Jap B and watered. Picked beans, raspberries and tomatoes in OG.

July 17

Picked peas and kale in NR. Picked Jap B and watered. Froze kale and beans.

July 18

Picked a squash in OG. Watered. Picked Jap B and watered in NR.

July 19

Picked beans, broccoli, kale, cabbage, tomatoes and onions in OG. Planted a bed of spinach. Planted swiss chard and beets in pots.

July 20

weeded in NR

July 22

Picked beans, tomatoes at OG. Pruned raspberries, grapes and cherry.

July 23

Picked tomatoes, onions, sorrel and snagged an early potato in OG. Lots of weeding.

July 24

Picked tomatoes and snagged an early potato in OG. Lots of weeding.

July 25

Picked tomatoes, onions, brocolli, beans in OG. Hand picked JB in NR.

July 26

Picked squash, peas in NR. Weeded. Hand picked JB.

July 27

Picked squash in NR. Weeded. Froze beans and squash. Hand picked JB.

July 28

Weeded and watered in NR. Hand picked JB.

July 29

Watered in NR. Hand picked JB. Picked peas, brocolli, kale in NR. Picked brocolli, squash and beans in OG. Transplanted swiss chard and beets in OG. Planted spinach and lettuce seed in OG.

July 30

Watered and weeded in OG. Replanted spinach bed.

July 31

Watered and weeded in OG. Cleared beds of beets and green beans. Planted spinach bed and carrot-beet beds.

August 1

Picked tomatoes, kale and swiss chard in OG. Picked summer squash and Jap. B. in NR. Froze squash. Garden clean-up at H.

August 2

Picked and froze kale in NR. Prepared beds on N side of house, E & W sides of garden in NR. Picked Jap.B.

August 3

Picked peas, squash, garlic, brocolli in NR. Prepared garlic bed and tranplanted beets and swiss chard. Prepared bed on N side of potatoe garden. Planted Echinacea plants in cherry bed. Picked Jap.B. and watered.

August 4

Planted Gloriosa daisy, tenn. coneflower and showy black eyed susan seed in test patches on east side of garden in NR. Picked squash, cucumbers, onions and a few potatoes. Transplanted red raspberries to the potato patch. Picked Jap.B. and watered.

August 5

Watered in NR.

August 6

Planted lettuce and spinach at H. Picked squash, tomatoes, beans and peppers at OG. Froze squash.

August 7

Picked tomatoes, squash, brocolli, kale and strawberries at OG. Picked cucumbers, beans, squash in NR -- Jap. B. too.

August 8

Picked beans and peas in NR. Planted hibiscus.

August 9

Picked Jap B in Nr.

August 10

Picked beans, squash and cucumbers in NR. Picked Jap B.

August 11

Picked Jap B. in NR.

August 12

Picked beans and tomatoes in OG, squash in NR. Picked Jap B. Transplanted bleeding hearts in NR.

August 13

Picked brocolli and kale at OG.

August 14

Picked squash, tomatoes and potatoes in OG. Beans in NR.

August 15

Picked brocolli in NR.

August 16

Picked beans and potatoes in NR.

August 17

Potted nut trees in NR. Canned chopped tomatoes.

August 18

Prepared beds in NR. Picked kale and beans.

August 19

Picked beans and squash at OG.

August 20

Dug onions and weeded in OG. Harvested beans and squash in NR. Cleaned up onions drying at H.

August 21

Harvested beans, squash, tomatoes, broccoli, kale, grapes in OG. Thinned lettuce.

August 22

Harvested and froze beans in NR. Sprayed some heteromask.

August 23

Sprayed heteromask, milky spore. Prepared garden beds. Planted 4 hazelnut trees and 5 Pecan-Hickory on John/Anita's land. Harvested beans, squash, tomatoes, watermelon, corn, cucumbers in NR. Canned tomatoes, pickles and grape jelly.

August 24

Harvested tomatoes, beans, cucumber in NR. Harvested tomatoes, beans, squash, grapes and some berries in OG.

August 29

Harvested tomatoes, grapes and the white potatoes.

August 31

Harvested tomatoes, beans, soybeans, squash, grapes and some berries in OG.

September 2

Nate harvested tomatoes, beans, squash, corn in NR.

September 4

Harvested tomatoes, squash, melon, swiss chard, kale, grapes and a few berries in OG.

September 6

Harvested tomatoes, squash, grapes and a few berries in OG. Froze grapes.

September 7

Harvested beans, squash, broccoli and basil in OG. Froze swiss chard at H. Picked squash, kale, cucumbers, corn, watermelon, beans and 50+ lbs of potatoes in NR. Froze corn, kale in NR. Made thin grape jam.

September 8

Harvested broccoli, tomatoes, watermelon, cucumbers, corn, in NR.

September 14

Picked corn, brocolli and tomatoes in NR.

September 13

Picked grapes, squash and carrots in OG.

September 12

picked tomatoes, berries, lettuce beans in OG.

September 9

Made a batch of grape jam.

September 15

Picked corn, kale, squash, beans and tomatoes in NR.

September 16

Picked brocolli, tomatoes, squash and berries in OG.

September 21

Picked kale, tomatoes, squash and berries in OG.

September 25

Picked tomatoes, beans and swiss chard in OG.

September 28

Picked watermelon, canteloupe, tomatoes, acorn squash, corn, brocolli and cabbage in NR.

September 29

Picked apples, watermelon, canteloupe, tomatoes, acorn squash, brocolli and corn in NR.

October 3

Picked tomatoes, squash, potatoes, and berries in OG.

October 4

Picked tomatoes, kale and swiss chard in NR.

October 5

Picked acorn squash in NR.

October 6

Picked mushrooms and apples in NR. Carrots, lettuce, raspberries in OG.

October 7

Picked tomatoes and raspberries in OG.

October 11

Picked kale, swiss chard, tomatoes, raspberries, lettuce in OG.

October 12

Picked acorn squash, cabbage in NR. Planted garlic and decorative onions (1000). Prepared beds with compost.

October 13

Garden clean up. Mulched with leaves. Prepared beds with compost.

October 14

Picked tomatoes in NR. Planted Echinechea and alpine poppy seeds.

October 15

Picked tomatoes, raspberries, cabbage, carrots in OG. Froze swiss chard and beet greens. Weeded.

October 17

Picked tomatoes, raspberries in OG.

October 18

Canned tomatoes.

October 19

Picked raspberries at OG

October 20

Picked a couple mushrooms at NR. Planted flower bulbs.

October 23

Picked tomatoes, cabbage, carrots, lettuce, raspberries at OG. weeded.

October 24

Picked cabbage at OG and weeded.

October 26

Planted flower bulbs in NR.

October 27

Picked a couple mushrooms, cabbage, kale, broccoli, spinach and swiss chard in NR.

October 28

Picked swiss chard in OG. Froze swiss chard and kale.

November 6

Covered lettuce in OG.

November 8

Picked beets and carrots in OG.

November 9

Picked potatoes, spinach, kale, beets in NR. Froze kale. Covered cranberries with mulch.

November 18

Dug carrots in OG.

November 23

Picked spinach, lettuce, kale in OG. Prepared beds for spring.

November 24

Planted bulbs in NR (as the ground froze). Put Echinacea and alpine poppies into cold stratification.

December 31

Pulled Echinacea and alpine poppies out of cold stratification. Forcing daffodil bulbs.