May 10: Everything's growing, grapevines pruned, herbs from Ted's

It's been super hot and super cold in the past 10 days, mostly dry, but a little rain, and pretty breezy.  I've had to water several times to give the new seedlings a chance.   The onions have all sprouted up about 3 inches and are looking great.  They're in the foreground in this photo.  The taller ones in the back are the garlic!

I finally pruned back the grapevines and tied them to the fence.  The leaves are coming out fast this week.





I ordered a nylon trellis from Burpee but will need to spend a little more time with it to get it to look nice and straight on my will stick trellis.  One tragedy of the week is that ComEd sent a tree cutting service which cut down all the willow along the creek under the high lines---now we've lost our source of reindeer legs, marshmallow sticks, and garden teepees.  I suspect it will grow back---maybe 5 years?

Garrett helped me lay down a big sheet of black plastic which I bought.  I'm hoping to get woodchips dumped on it.  Last year, the grass and bindweed (ugh!) grew up through the woodchips which didn't get used right away.  I think the plastic will be good as a base for the chip pile.  Hopefully, Des Athy's Egle Scout project will result in new compost bins along the fence later this year.

Chris Hopkins, Aleida Netzel, and I spent the morning at Ted's greenhouse, picking out tomatoes and herbs for the camp scholarship fund plant sale.   Aleida and I have done this for years and years!  When we got back, it was so cold, so we (Aleida, Carol Alesia, and I)  worked in the dining room to get the plants divided into bags for those who ordered them.  Carol sang to the plants!