April 2020

April 1st 

8 cubic yards of soil were dumped on the driveway today and we spent a few hours filling up the raised beds and fabric growing tubs.

I ordered a strawberry tower and 10 plants along with four butterfly bushes (2 Black Knight and 2 Kaleidoscope) at a buy-one-get-one-free sale. 

April 3rd

I planted the peas finally after work. I was planning on planting these on St. Patrick’s Day, but the weather was too cold. 

April 4th 

I filled all of the containers with soil this morning and watered the beds. S started his rock removal project in the front yard island. Rather than mulch, the side yard path will be filled with the rocks from the front island, The clematis out front is starting to bud again. 

I planted two of each of the following: 

• Tomato – Cherokee Purple
• Tomato – Cherry Sweetie
• Tomato – Golden Jubilee
• Tomato – Green Zebra
• Tomato – Italian Roma
• Tomato – San Marzano Roma Pole
• Tomatillo Toma Verde
• Tomato – Artisan Bumble Bee Blend Pole Cherry

I planted the following in one of the grow bags outside and covered it with the cold frame. 

• Kale – Dwarf Blue Curled
• Kale – Red Winter
• Spinach – Bloomsdale

I also replanted the onions and leeks from inside into the grow bag.

April 5th

The sewer pipe company left at about 2pm. Spring amendment delayed another day. I plan on taking care of it this week. 

Planted three of each in the cold frame:

• Okra – Star of David
• Broccoli – Di Cisso

Chose not to plant Georgia Southern Collards this year. 

Planted Johnny-Jump-Up and King Henry Viola seed in containers in the cold frame. 

I also planted 6 Bells of Ireland in the cold frame as I am out of room inside the sun room greenhouse. 

I want to plant the poppies out front tomorrow with the remaining viola seeds. 

April 6th 

This morning I got up early to plant the poppies and violas in the front bed, and watered the backyard lawn in preparation for the amendment I hope to complete today. 

Update: I aerated and sprinkled sheep manure and peat moss on a third of the lawn. 

I soaked the Sweet Pea seeds. 

April 7th

Today was warm. I completed the aeration, amendment and seeding after purchasing some seeds at the local hardware store. The yard soil is so compacted and uneven after the sewer work was completed. 

April 8th

This morning I planted the soaked Sweet Pea seeds. One of the columbine seeds is sprouting! 

I moved some pots around and managed to bring 2 of the 3 Okra inside under lights and onto the heat mat. 

April 12th

The tomatoes on the heat mat sprouted much quicker than those just under lights. Snow is falling again – I protected the clematis on the back yard fence and in the process a brick I was balancing fell and broke a set of very healthy Iris leaves. 

Two of the three living peonies are sprouting. To protect them from the snow, I placed tupperware containers over them and weighed them down with stones. We are expecting 10 days of below freezing weather.

This week I was able to weed the majority of the front yard, and help S with his front yard island project. The stones are filling up the path in the side yard. 

April 15th 

We received approximately 6 inches of snow on April 13th, and we are expecting the same tomorrow. 

After work I plan to cover more of the bubs and protect the peonies (one has grown and is touching the inside of the tupperware already).

Today I set up a small, additional growing space in the sun room and planted two each of Moonflower and Orlaya. 

The spinach and other greens are sprouting in the cold frame, which has been outside through the snow.

April 19th

The snow is nearly melted and the grass is soaked in places. The dandelions have all popped up and yellow flashes cover the lawn. The three clematis that were under the frost cover have grown quickly. The cover I placed over the bulb garden and secured with binder clips fell down and flattened the bulbs. Some are popping back up, but some look decidedly pressed. 

This afternoon I planted Dahlias from Breck’s Bulbs:

• 2x Crazy Love
• 2x Rocco
• 2x Snowflake
• 5x Dahlia Mix 

April 20th

The weather is mild and this morning I took out the houseplants and bee balm outside to begin their hardening off. 

April 24th

The peas and sweet peas are sprouting in the garden. One of the three broccoli planted outside is sprouting, as is the Bells of Ireland (very excited about this). Also in the cold frame, the spinach is coming up along with other leaves I do not recognize.

The dandelions have been flowering en masse this week. The sea holly and phlox are also growing well,and all three peonies are coming up well. The blue hydrangea in the back bed is showing leaves at the base, my hope is that the soil is replenishing the nutrients.

There is no sign of the fern in the shade garden yet, but the lilies of the valley are strongly pushing through the earth. 

The lawn has died in areas and is growing well where the patch fix was planted. I am hoping to find the seeds in the shed this weekend and add soil and seed in the dead spots.

I have continued to harden off the basil and bee balm. 

The jasmine, which has been flowering for weeks now, has suffered from three full days outside, and its leaves are showing burn marks and are wilting. I brought both the jasmine and rosemary inside last night. The Colorado sun is intense. 

In the front yard, the roses and perennials are all growing well after the snow. No seedlings are visible in the front garden bed, where I planted the poppies and violas. 

Yesterday I reworked the garden layout in order to make room for the bok choy, which was purchased after this Spring’s plan was made. I also replanted a Red Siberian and Artisan Bumble Bee Blend Pole Cherry tomato into the only two pots that have not sprouted.

April 25th 

I sowed two Broccoli directly into the beds, along with the following:

• Bok Choy Suzhou Baby
• Lettuce Mesclun Asian Salad Greens Seeds
• Beet Gourmet Blend HEIRLOOM Seeds
• Carrot Carnival Blend Organic Seeds

I unpacked and set up the irrigation system and dug into the side yard bed to find the sprinkler pipe for irrigation there. Once set up, I can plant seeds there. S neatened up the brick bed closer to the house, which is now an even 5 foot width all the way across. 

I rearranged the seedlings and house plants, and have a lot of potting up to do tomorrow of tomatoes, herbs and peppers. 

April 26th 

I potted up all of the peppers, the 2 eggplant and 3 dill plants. I also repotted the milkwood and bee balm plants, the latter of which look rather sad now. I am hoping the new soil is not too strong for the seedlings.

I added sprinkler attachments to the irrigation pipe to the side yard and front bed, for the first time. I am hoping this will help keep the bed moist for the plants. 

I planted in the following in the front yard beds

• Poppies
• Fairy Meadow Flower Mix Seeds 
• And Hummingbird Haven Flower Mix Seeds in the back bed. 

April 28th 

The fern in the back bed is finally pushing through the new soil, and it looks like we have three separate fern plants coming through. 

One of the dahlias in the Dahlia Mix planter is starting to sprout. 

I sowed more grass seed on the bare and dead spots this morning. All three peonies are sprouting beautifully, as are the two hydrangeas in the back beds. The sweet peas are coming up (more than ever before). 

April 30th 

I planted Hollyhock seeds in the yard and in flats under lights inside the house. The seeds I planted at the start of the season never sprouted. 

All of the greens are sprouting on one side of the grow tub, with bare soil on the other, a sign that I watered too vigorously and washed all the seeds together. 

The dandelions have been relentless. The peas are coming up strong.