Monday, February 21, 2011

Looking For Crocus

This February warm spell is showing no signs of leaving anytime soon. It is hard to decide if this is a good thing to enjoy and take advantage of, or something to worry about that can make the plants break their dormancy before the time is right. It can still get cold and snow again. It should get cold and snow again.

The garden to be is calling out in this warm. Thankfully there is plenty of cleanup type work that can be done when there is no snow on the ground. That should help keep me busy enough and prevent me from planting anything in the near future.



The garden to be is much bigger than my garden on Maui was. I probably should confine it to the front forty since I will be staff at the much larger wild cultivated garden next door. After all these years thinking about it, how the new garden will flow is really coming into focus.

For now there are other things to attend to. The tire tracks over the drain field from the tree removal were roughed up. Hopefully it will rain tonight and blend it back in before the environmental inspector man comes. I don't want no questions. The answer is rocks.



I gathered rocks while I was down there to add to the short wall to raise the soil level over the sewer line. I won't add more dirt until after the environmental inspector man says I can. The answer will be that women who fussed at me said I might have to dig it up.



One garbage disposal was finally installed. It really is pretty simple .... if you have the right sized parts. I also added shutoff valves to the dishwasher and ice maker water lines while I was under there. That's pretty simple too .... if you have the right size parts. It seems the different plumbing parts manufacturers at Lowes call the same size threads different sizes. Why do they do that? Just to annoy me?



Enough with the plumbing. This warm spell is bound to make the crocus appear. There are certainly more daffodils poking up through the ground.



I do believe this is a clump of camassia. It will be in desperate need of division when it is finished blooming. I should be in a planting mode by then.



Ah, here are some crocus looking a little blanched hiding under the leaf litter. No blooms yet. I know there are a lot more crocus than this.



A daffodil with flower buds. The first. I do believe this is the daffodil always in the running for the worlds ugliest daffodil. It is one of those fully double frilly ones that is sensitive to temperature swings. Could be an ugly year if it gets cold cold again.



Crocus. I found some. The first crocus of the year. It will be warm and sunny tomorrow. They should open.



There was a stiff west wind ahead of the rain while I was out searching for crocus and this is the second time I have smelled a very sweet and thick molasses type odor riding in on the wind. I think someone is making some moonshine out there.

6 comments:

Randy Emmitt said...

Christopher,
I don't mean to rain on your parade. Here in Orange County I'm told those fitting you used under the sink will not pass code. I have a pecks crimping tool, but it cost $150.

Cureently we have 5 species of crocus blooms, just added three of them to my recent post.

Lola said...

I hope you don't get anymore snow but think you may. Even in April it can snow.
I have more daffodils blooming. Seems they bloom one at a time. I have one that is really strange looking. It looks like yellow & green together but exploded.
The temps are nice here. Will plant "taters" & veggies tomorrow. So a busy day. Hope I'm up to the challenge.

Siria said...

There is always some excitement going on up there ~ mooonshine! :)

Enjoy all the good weather!

Christopher C. NC said...

Randy are you referring to the Gatorbite/Sharkbite fittings? I hope so because that is what was on there when the lines were pressurized to pass the rough plumbing inspection. I think the big bloom of crocus here is still a minimum of a week away.

Lola if I was to bet, I'd bet on more snow. I hear it was 80 degrees down there today.

Siria I need to ask a local about this odor. Reminds me of the sugarcane mill smell in Maui.

Lola said...

Yes, it was warm here & very nice.
I for sure would find out what is causing that smell. You may be surprised. Let us know.

Lisa at Greenbow said...

Our poor little crocus are barely sticking out of the ground. It seems they don't trust this weather. Ha... neither do I. It is cold here today. You are going to have so much fun in your garden this year. Get the CC finished so you don't have to worry about it any more. I am afraid that once it gets pretty you won't want to be inside.