We've had an unusually warm spring with temperatures in the 80s most days. Typically this time of year it's cool with threats of frosts into mid-May. Spring basically started in March this year which is really weird. But I'm not complaining because I got to start working on my garden plans early.

First flowers of the year

My container garden was started in 2016 and every year I've added new plants to it. My goal is to have fruit plants on my patio so I can have berries nearby for easy picking. I started off with only blueberry plants. I added raspberries, a fig tree, and currants last year. This year I'm adding a dwarf cherry tree, honeyberries, black currants, more raspberries, and blackberries.

I chose two new companies to buy my plants from this year. I got my cherry tree from Gurneys and my raspberries, blackberries, black currant, and honeyberries from a company called Indiana Berry. I have to give both companies great praise. All my new plants arrived and are thriving. I'm going to get fruit in the next few months from my Indiana Berry plants which is pretty awesome for new arrivals.

My dormant cherry tree before being planted

Starting tomato seeds

I have slowly been starting seeds for my vegetable garden out in the yard. Right now I have a few different varieties of tomatoes, sweet peppers, and eggplant seeds started and ready to plant. I'm out of shape and my husband has been sick so tilling the garden beds has been a slow process.

This year I'm trying to take my time and focus on weed control. Living out in the woods, weeds are invasive and hard to deal with. Last year our garden beds got overwhelmed by weeds. I took four days on one small garden bed digging up the top four inches of soil to remove weed roots and clean it up nice. It was a lot of work but hopefully it will help as time goes on.

My husband went crazy over the winter with his chainsaw. He cleared a big portion of woods. He cut down trees and brush. Right now we are trying to figure out how to get rid of all the brush and how to work the land. It's mountain terrain so the land slopes downward and isn't flat. Once we get the land worked and tilled we can have a huge garden with enough plants we could stock food away for winter.

Clearing the woods

It's been nice being outdoors and working out in the garden again. I'm starting to get a tan. It feels good to sweat and feel sore after working on my various garden projects. I have a long list of things to accomplish this summer. I look forward o all the work ahead of me.