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This is good point to let you know that all the rain and snow melt that hits the roof of our house is funneled from the downspouts to the goldfish pond, so the pond gets a fresh water source and when it gets filled it overflows to the orchard to water the trees and feed the trees from the fish waste nutrients. As an organic and a green family it is a easy way of creating some great fruit. One of the great things I did when we bought our house is that each year at Christmas we bought a Balled and Bur lapped Evergreen Tree, brought it in for a week decorated it and then planted on Christmas Day. We did this ever year and landscaped our quarter acre and also created a wind break for winter keep our house warmer, made our yard aesthetically appealing and to save energy. The Last couple of years we harvested Red Cedar trees from our yard that have sprouted in our yard because the neighbor has Red Cedar that floats seeds through out the yard and I let some of them grow in areas with no impact to use as our Christmas trees when they got to Christmas Tree size. Very nice trees and the smell is great.

I encourage you to feed your local birds and the migrating birds in the spring as they will eat bugs that are coming out in the spring to feed their young as they nest or stop off to their ultimate nesting area. This will help in keeping insect populations to a more manageable level without using pesticides. We planted a couple of types of Milkweed to help the Monarchs and since the first year each year we get Monarchs stopping off . Please plant Milkweed, you will be richly rewarded.

Ponds attract Firefly's (Lightning Bugs) which need our help which are great for the garden!!!

Please note we are 1 mile from the Wisconsin Border and mile and half from the lake front. But this is not always bad, as in Summer we often have more even summer temps and more precipitation do to the lake. Our temps may be 10 to 20 degrees different than 10 miles Inland benefiting us Winter, Spring, Summer and Fall. This also means that we may be as much as 4 weeks later than the southern suburbs of Chicago that are in their growing season.

It is cold, only thing to do, Seed Catalogues. Ordered 2 Peach Trees Alberta and Sun Crisp because these 2 types of Peaches that are being slowly taken out of commercial use and the only place is left is the backyard grower. The reason is because of shipping and color, mostly yellow. They are great tasting Peaches.

Well we have a real winter, 3 days above 32 since the New Year. Another bunch of Seed Catalogues to look at with snow slowly disappearing with sun out. Always fun to see what's new to grow.

It snowed over night and 50 degree weather by 4PM. This past week I have raked the whole front yard and started on the back yard. Started to clean out the Greenhouse so I can start seeds this month. Most likely Lettuce, Peas and Spinach seeds to plant later this month in the Greenhouse. I have spruce tree started by seed in there. The 5 spruce seedlings I got from the Arbor Foundation are struggling a little. Back to the Seed catalogues.

Did some more raking of backyard and all raked into garden . Will be mulched with lawn mower and tilled in the garden in spring planting. Collected couple of buckets of Spruce cones and put in the front flower garden for to hold in the moisture in bed. Cleaned out some more of the Greenhouse. Bought some Lettuce, Spinach and Peas seed. Planting cold weather veggies in Greenhouse in a couple of weeks. More Seed Catalogues.

Winter is truly here, we got about 8 inches total of snow in 3 storms and cold, back to the seed catalogues. Bought some Flower seeds to grow in green house and also to plant this spring Black Lilies and Blue Hostas.

We totaled 8 inches of snow and now the snow melt begins. Four days at least above 33degrees. Bought some Hostas to put under the Cedar trees in front yard. Going to put some new floor plywood in greenhouse. It has been just too cold to start seed in greenhouse but this week may be the week.

The snow is gone and temps got warm but it is now back to 30 degrees with the trend to back to normal March Temps. I replaced the floor section in the Greenhouse that needed it and also the entrance panel. I cleaned out the Greenhouse. I planted Peas, Lettuce and Spinach in the Greenhouse and in containers around the yard that I cleaned out. The Peas were seeds I saved last fall. I planted about 16 Varied Hostas around the front yard Red Cedars. The dropped Pine needles from Red Pine tree, I raked over to the entrance of the Greenhouse where it is muddy. It made the entrance real easy to navigate.

This week was wet but planted Blue Hostas in between the rains. No seeds coming up in greenhouse yet. The Daffodils are coming up by the house, it is Spring!!! The Pond is thawing out. Paid some company to clean out my gutters. Always good practice especially since the water goes into my pond. Netted out the leaves in the pond. Planted a Shell Bark Hickey Nut tree to go with the one I have.

Even though it snowed today, about an inch, it will melt tomrrow.This past week, warm week, I planted about 5 different Flowers from seed in the Greenhouse for my wife with the Purple theme. Planted some Tomato seeds to test out just in case we get allot of sunny days to warm up the Greenhouse to get the Tomato seeds (I saved from last year) to germinate. The Peas, Spinach and Lettuce in the Greenhouse are up. On Friday I rottotilled two thirds of the garden. It rained and it filled up the pond. Planted a couple bulbs and a Hosta at my parents grave. The two trees I planted there 15 years ago are 10 & 13 ft tall, just amazing. Raked up some more Spruce cones to use as mulch barrier to keep in moisture in flower beds by the house.

I bought our traditional Purple Pansies 2 hanging baskets (split into 4 with Sweet Peas seed planted with them ) and 3- 6pk Purple Pansies. Planted the plugs in our containers in our front yard. Planted some Gladiolas at driveway entrance. Hung the hanging baskets, 2 in front and 2 in the back yard. Planted some Pink Lilies next to Blue Hostas. Planted seed saved from last year, Marigolds. The Peas, Lettuce and Spinach are doing good in the Greenhouse. A variety of Flowers around the Barrel are coming up. The Fig tree that was in a container I took out of the garage is showing signs of life. Raked up some more of front yard that blew in on the last 2 storms.

We got a couple good rains and one day in the 70's. I planted some Black and Pink and White Gladiolas. Also planted Black Hollyhocks and some more Black Lilies and Pink Lilies as this years front yard theme is Goth and Barbie. Planted another tray of seeds of Purple Flowers in the green house. Some more Onions and Garlic are coming up in the garden and raised bed from last year. I emptied one of the compost bins on one of a raised bed. I bought a Jack Daniel's Whisky barrel for a water barrel and a planter for the front yard. Did some more tree trimming. We have 2 Robin families at each of our quarter acre. We also have a Mourning Dove family. I ordered a Black Iris for the pond. My wife is back doing the videos after some health issues and I can happily hand it back to her as I and you guys will enjoy her view of my efforts. Below is her first 4 after her health break. She will get back to her usual naivety and fun quickly.

Planted some more purple flower seeds in the greenhouse. Also planted some more "Black" Flower bulbs and tubers going with the Goth & Barbie theme. Did a little more tree trimming. Also bought a half barrel "Jack Daniel's" to match the one in the front yard barrel I bought 20 years ago and planted it out with the Theme. Planted some more saved Tomato and Pepper seeds in the greenhouse. I bought like every year 5 different Tomato plants (often ones I want to save seeds of) from the local nursery to planted in 2 containers on south facing side of our house (Micro climate) to get a head start on Tomatoes. Bulbs and Tubers are making their presence known, no sign of Hostas yet. The Alliums are coming up now and first flower to bloom Grape Hyacinth. Collected some more Spruce cones to use as a mulch.

It has been busy as the weather gets warmer. We had 2 really cold nights and lost one Tomato plants in our Micro climate containers and replaced it because having Tomato plants 90 days ahead of in the ground plants is worth it if you lose one or two. This is because this Micro climate has worked over the years as I put in my videos's each year. If you find a place like this it is time experiment what you push the edge of growing early. I planted a couple more hanging baskets with Marigolds from a nursery. The New half Barrel planter I bought has been placed in the front yard and planted with a few Flowers with our Goth and Barbie theme. Our first half barrel has the flowers around it coming up, Tulips, Lilies, Crocus and Daffodils. The Rock/Rain garden is just starting to wake up, no Hostas yet but will be shortly. In the Greenhouse the Peas, Lettuce and Spinach are growing well. The Flower seeds I planted also are coming up. When Tomato seeds start coming up the Greenhouse is getting consistent temperatures during the day and when Peppers come up you have consistent hot day time temps. Rototilled more of the garden, waiting on dry up more plus last years Onions I missed are getting to size and we will have some Spring Onions. Planted a bunch of Goth theme Bulbs, Roots and Corms. Grape Hyacinth, Muscari, White Hyacinth and Daffodils are first to bloom. Planted some Cauliflower and Cabbage starts in raised bed from a nursery.

This week was about average for April and we got some rain. I planted Onions and also a bag of 9 types of Beans (just as a Lark to see if that 9 soup beans are viable). I would buy The Mixed bag of Fancy Potatoes in the food store because it was cheaper than buying them at a nursery or a Home Depot. When that was happening allot of the growers starting putting on a growth inhibitor on the Potatoes in the Food stores. We continued on Our Goth and Barbie theme on our front yard with "Black Lilies, Peonies, Irisis and Hollyhocks". I ordered some "Black Purple Butterfly bush too. The Apricot trees are in bloom, best show by them yet. The Trillium are up. Tulips seem to be a little slow. The Hostas in the Rock/Rain garden are breaking ground an we have drifts of Muscari. The original barrel garden just glorious as the plants grow in this cool Spring. Gooseberries have flowers on them. The Strawberries are up. The Magnolia in front yard has its buds enlarging. The plants in the greenhouse got some sun this week so they doing good.

We planted a Purple Bloom Magnolia and 2 Giant Sequoias for Earth Day and Arbor Day. The greenhouse plants are doing great, only one tray of seeds not up. The Peas are starting to climb the sticks have for them. The Rain / Rock garden and Barrel garden are bursting with life. To continue our Goth and Barbie theme I planted Dark Knight Butterfly Bushes. Planted 2 Black Hollyhocks. Planted a 4 sisters comb in the tub the Purple Magnolia came in. The Peonies are up. The Apricot trees in full bloom all week. The Peach trees are next to bloom. The Cherries are showing signs of life as is the Golgi berry bushes. Tulips just about to bloom. 3 of the Trilliums came back. Irisis are up. Black Berries are coming to life. No real rain all week. The Red Bud is starting to bloom as is the Magnolia. The Crabapples not blooming yet but this is their off year.

We got some rain and the front yard has kick in to a new gear. Planted 2 Peach trees, 2 Giant Sequoias and a Purple Magnolia tree for Earth and Arbor Day. Onions are up in the garden. Peach Trees are all in Bloom. The Pear and Cherry Trees just starting to bloom. The Redbud is blooming. Magnolia is in Bloom. Mowed the Lawn first time this spring. As usual plants are coming up and I can't remember where are all at but that is the fun of it. Nature is never in straight lines. The greenhouse plants doing great, one tray not showing any signs of life yet and Tomatoes and Peppers by seed are a no show but it has not been consistently hot in the greenhouse. (see Video) It is going to be a good year the Trilliums are up. Asparagus is coming up still skinny ones,needs a couple more years. Strawberry plants are up, something chewing on the Cabbage and Cauliflower. The Hostas are coming up at different rates. Gladiolas spikes appearing. The Evergreens just starting to grow. The Peas I planted all over from last year seeds are growing great everywhere.

Been really dry, Onions in garden are growing. The Cabbage & Cal flower are doing good in the raised bed as is the Chives & Garlic. A few good harvest size Asparagus for a dinner. We have had much sunny days so the greenhouse plants are doing great. The Rock/Rain garden is hitting its stride. Evergreen trees are starting to grow. The Peach, Cherry, Apple and Crabapple trees are in bloom. Strawberry plants are flowering. The Flower starts are doing good in the greenhouse. The new Giant Sequoias and Magnolia are doing good. There is some signs of life in the New Peach trees. Gooseberry and Golgi berry are leafing out. The Gladiola las are poking up out of the ground as is the Hostas The Dawn Redwoods, Bald Cypress and Rose Bush are also Leafing out. Tulips are almost done. The Tomato plants in the Micro climate containers doing good one has flowers on it. We are looking forward to see how our Goth (Black) and Barbie (Pink) Front Yard gardens turn out. I see many Pink Petunias in my future. The flowers in the green house growing from seed are some sort of shade of Pink or Black. This is fun, you need to try something out of your growing comfort zone. As the Theme progresses we will capture the moments.

A little rain this week, The 2 new Peach have started grow. The Milk Weed has started to grow. The Onions and the Beans (bag of 9 Beans soup mix planted only the Beans) are growing very well but I don't know how many of the9 varieties are growing (about 3or 4 so far}.. Bought some Pink Petunias and Violas. Waiting for the Goth plants to get mature to place best spot for Pink flowers. The new Magnolia is settling in. Lilies are growing fast. Hostas are doing good. The Rain/Rock is doing great as is the 2 Barrel gardens. One of the Apple trees are blooming. The greenhouse plants doing great. Gladiolas are coming up. Planted Pumpkin, Squash, Cucumber and Cantaloupe in the garden.

We have little Apricots and Peach's on the trees. The Beans from the 9 bean soup mix has viable beans and at least 3 or 4 so far types have started to grow amongst the Onions. The Goth and Barbie theme (Pink and Black) front yard gardens are coming along really good. The Barrel and Rain/Rock gardens are doing great. The Original Magnolia is in its third sequence of blooming, doesn't happen often. The 2 new Peach trees are starting to grow. The Giant Sequoias are settling in. The greenhouse plants are doing good. Some of the Pumpkin and Squash are coming up. We have little Pears, Cherries and Gooseberries growing. Milkweed are coming up. Strawberries have flowers. Cabbage and Cauliflower are growing well. Gladiolas are coming up. The Black Butterfly bush is starting to bloom. Planted a bunch of Pink Petunias. Purple Alums are blooming. A bunch of flowers that I planted by seed almost ready to plant out. The Tomato plants in the greenhouse ready to plant out, but been alittle to cool during the day. Yet the Tomato plants in Micro Climate containers (south facing side of house) have flowers on them.

I used a old Kiddie Pool as suggested by Chicago Tomato Man as a raised bed, the ground in the Kiddie Pool would warm up faster and better. So I happen to have a Kiddie Pool and put the Tomato plants from the greenhouse in the Kiddie Pool with a mixture of soil and compost. I planted 3 types of Potatoes and Corn in the garden. Also planted seeds Pumpkin, Cucumbers and Squash. To Continue on (which is fun) with our Front yard theme Goth (black) & Barbie (pink) I planted some more Pink Petunias and Sunflowers. Also planted a Black Heuchera. The Barrel gardens and Rock/Rain garden just exploding with life. All the Evergreens are setting out their new growth. The Flowers grown by seed in greenhouse almost ready to plant out. Beans and Onions doing good in the garden. Already planted Marigolds with Tomatoes in the Kiddie Pool. The Peaches, Apricots, Pears, Cherries, Grapes, and Gooseberries all formed fruit in their small stage. Milkweed and Joe Pye Weed are coming up. Gladiolas spikes are about 9 inches tall. All the Spring flowers are done, Alliums are starting to bloom. The Oak tree (7 inches tall) the Squirrel planted is alive and well.

It rained a little, it has been a dry spring. I planted Corn, Radish, Carrots and Potatoes (3 types) in the garden. It has been a cool spring so I waited till now. I planted a few Tomato plants in the margins. I planted Pumpkim, Watermelon & Sunflowers on the edges of the Kiddie Pool so they can grow out of the Pool and trail out to the patio. I also scattered seeds from various Pine & Spruce cones in the Kiddie pool because it is vary controled area and wanted to see if it was an aid in starting these seeds. Planted some more Pink Petunias to continue our Goth & Barbie theme in front yard. The Black Knight Butterfly Bush already started blooming. The Black Heuchera looks happy among the Pink Petunias. Planted the 5 Norway spruce the Arbor Day org. sent me. We got 3 more Giant Squoias so we now have now 5 Giant Sequoias now planted in the ground, the area is the wettest but drains away. The Established Peach trees all have fruit, granted the young ones only a few. Our 2 new Peach trees have started to grow. The 2 Apricot trees have fruit on them. Cherry trees all have fruit. Apple trees all taking a year off. We have Gooseberries and Raspberries. Hostas, Irises Lilies and Peonias in front yard are all in some stage of growth as is the Barrel and Rock/Rain gardens. We have new plants growing in the Rock/ Rain garden I planted by seed and can't identify them as of yet. Evergreens all putting on good growth. Milkweed is popping up new places heading for our dry stream bed that traverses the length of our yard. The 2 Joe Pye Weeds are a foot and half tall already.The Flowers in the greenhouse (by seed) almost ready to plant out. Picked a bunch of Peas to eat as the Onions. Looks like 3 or 4 of the 9 Bean Soup mix (minus the spice pak) were viable and we will see what we get. Note: some of the Potatoes we planted came from a grocery store because they are 2/3 the cost of the garden center. This our regular practice.

The Corn, Radish and Potatoes started to break ground in the garden. There are Tomatoes on Kiddie pool plants also on South side Container Tomatoes plants. Also Pumpkins, Corn, and Watermelon breaking ground in the Kiddie pool. The 5 Norway Spruce from Arbor Day foundation are growing. The 5 Giant Sequoias are growing.The Irises and Wild Roses are blooming in the Rock/ Rock garden. One the Black Knight Butterfly bushes started to bloom. Beans and Onions growing well. The 2 new planted Peach trees are growing. The other Peach trees seem to have a couple Peaches on all of them. The same with the Pear trees. Also same with the Cherry trees. The Trees have seemed to take the year off. Gooseberries are almost full size. Looks like aRaspberrie yeat We have flowers on the Black Berries. All the Peonis are growing. The Pink (Barbie) & Black (Goth) theme is slowly starting to emerge as the Black are preaniuals and take longer to come into flower. The greenhouse flowersare getting there almost to plant them out. The Evergreens seemed to have put on allot of new growth. Most of the Hostas I planted under the Red Cedar Trees are up. The Joe Pye Weed and Milkweed are thriving.

It is Hot, mid 90's for 4days, hey the Corn is growing. The Kiddie pool raised bed is doing great. In the garden the Potatoes, Radish, Squash and Corn all up and growing. Beans and Onions doing good. Harvested the Peas as the heat also made the Lettuce bolt. A few Stawberries and Cabbagge, Califlower and Squash in Raised beds doing good. Flowers in greenhouse are almost ready to plant out. The Roses wild and reg. blooming as is the Iris and Peony. The Rock/Rain garden is about have the summer prarie flowers to bloom. Peaches Pears, Cherries and Apricots getting bigger. Gooseberries, Grapes and Raspberries are doing well.The Lilies just about to bloom.

Planted 2 more Giant Sequoias so that makes 7, got to plant one more. We had our first Red Tomato as always the 2 containers on south side of house, great micro climate. Harvested all the Peas replaced with Tomato plants. Saved the Peas that were dry for next year to plant. Corn will will be Knee high at 4th of July. Cabbage and Califlower doing good. Beans growing well. The Squirrels ate the Apricot pits (nut meat) in one afternoon so no Apricots. Peaches, Gooseberries, Grapes, Raspberries, Crabapples, Cherries and Pears all doing well. We collected Mulberries with sheets laid on the ground. Collected enough in one day to make 2 pies. Pepper plants doing good, no flowers yet. The Kiddie pool raised bed is working real well . I had to create some drain holes as we got a couple of down pours. Pumpkin and Sunflowers have a good start. We had the Pink flowers (Barbie) now the Black flowers (Goth) are starting to bloom, Black Lillies Black Butterfly Bush and Black Irises. Rabbit family has dined on our Srawberries. The Milkweed and Joe Pye Weed just great looking. The first Barrel garden has its Tiger Lilies blooming with the Black Lilies shortly. The second Barrel garden is Barbie and Goth theme and starting to show. The Rock/Rain garden going into next phase as the Peony and Wild Roses have ended and Hostas, Black Eyed Susan and Coneflowers ready to start to bloom.The 2 new Peach trees are holding their own as is new Magnolia. The Hickey Nut tree with some of its tap root missing from Walmart never grew as is the Black Hollyhocks which I got refunds from Walmart. The Rose bush is in full bloom and Deep Red looks like a Black edging to it.

July 6th

We got some rain after being really hot for a week and the Corn is 2 feet tall. A couple more Red Tomatos. Picked first Zip Lock baggie of Raspberries. Everything seems to be growing good. Left a few Tomato plants and Peppers in the greenhouse. Planted out about 5 trays of Goth/Barbie flowers I grew from seed and one was this black flower about about the size of a penny, really cool. The Black Lilies & Irises are blooming. The Giant Sequoias I planted already started to grow.We have Walnuts, now can we have them mature before the Squirrels get them. The Daises & Coneflowers are starting to bloom in the Rock/Rain garden as is the Milkweed in the backyard. The Joe Pie Weed is almost 6ft. tall already. The Milkweed is tall at least 5ft. in the back yard, shorter in Wash Tub container. Tiger & White Lilies in full bloom. The Kiddie Pool experiment as a raised bed is working real well, what a great way to recycle a Kiddie pool, idea came from the the Chicago Tomato Man . The Barbie/Goth for our theme front yard, I like it. The second Barrel garden doing pretty good and Hostas under the Cedar trees in front yard are doing well. I had to water the garden a few times as the heat was in the 90's for 7 days.