Fresh, delicious vegetables will soon be growing in my garden.
Planting is in full swing here at my farm. My new vegetable garden is looking excellent this season and my gardeners are busy filling each and every bed. We've already planted many crops including the brassicas, asparagus, rhubarb, artichokes, onions, leeks, shallots, and potatoes. Yesterday, we also planted cilantro, dill, and parsley. Everything I grow is shared with family and friends, used for video and print shoots, and saved for making my daily green juice. Whatever is left over goes to my beloved birds - the chickens, the peafowl, and the geese. I am looking forward to a very bountiful season.
Here are some photos, enjoy.
The weather this week here at my Bedford, New York farm has been excellent for gardening. Ryan McCallister and Brian O’Kelly have been so busy getting more of our crops in the ground. Here are just some of the herbs ready to plant.
A few weeks ago, I planted some lettuces – look how beautiful they are now. I can’t wait to try them.
And remember our asparagus? We already have many stalks growing, but since this is its first year, we cannot harvest it. Asparagus needs a couple of years to get fully established.
On this day, Brian planted lots of curly parsley. Curly parsley is an easy-to-grow type of parsley with round, curly leaves. In general, it is milder than the flat leaf variety.
Brian digs the holes as he plants. Parsley should be spaced about six to eight inches apart in an area with full sun and nutrient-rich, well-drained soil.
Before planting, Brian always teases the roots – gently pulling them apart with his fingers.
This is what the root ball looks like from the bottom. Loosening or teasing the roots before planting stimulates the roots and enables them to spread out and grow, forming a good foundation for the plant.
The young plant is now ready to be placed into the hole at the same depth it was in its container.
Once in the ground, Brian lightly tamps down around the plant to ensure good contact.
Here is a close look at the top of the curly parsley. Notice it has thicker ruffled, “curly” leaves. This is a very healthy plant.
And here is a row already planted. If well-maintained, we’ll be harvesting parsley in just a few weeks.
Here is a crop of dill in pots already placed where they will be planted – about a foot apart. Dill is an annual herb in the celery family Apiaceae. It is native to North Africa, Chad, Iran, and the Arabian Peninsula. Its leaves and seeds are often used as a herb or spice for flavoring food.
Brian uses a garden trowel to dig the holes. Herbs should be grown in soil that’s at least four to five inches deep.
Brian removes the dill plant from its pot, teases the roots and inserts it into the hole like the others.
And then lightly presses the soil around the plant.
Here, Brian plants younger dill plants in a row between more mature dill plants. We always plant in succession. Succession planting is a practice of seeding crops at intervals of seven to 21 days in order to maintain a consistent supply of harvestable produce throughout the season. This dramatically increases a garden’s yield, while also improving produce quality.
Dill grows well in full sun or partial shade. Dill is also a cool weather herb and will bolt in hot weather.
Do you know what these tiny sprouts are? Cilantro. Cilantro, Coriandrum sativum, is also known commonly as coriander or Chinese parsley. Coriander is actually the dried seed of cilantro. Cilantro is a popular microgreen garnish that complements meat, fish, poultry, noodle dishes and soups.
Cilantro is not for everyone – some truly abhor it. Interestingly, those who dislike cilantro tend to have a gene that detects the aldehyde part of cilantro as a soapy smell and taste. What’s your opinion on this herb?
I like cilantro and plant lots of it every year. Brian places our crop of cilantro in another bed where it will get full sun.
Once all the cilantro, dill, and parsley are planted, Brian gives them all a good watering. Everything in the garden looks great! Be sure to visit my blog tomorrow when I share photos of the building of my newest vegetable garden. You can also watch the process on “Martha Gardens” starting tomorrow, exclusively on Roku.
My azaleas are putting on quite a show at my Bedford, New York farm.
Of all the shrubs that flower in spring, azaleas provide some of the most brilliant displays. I have hundreds of them planted together in a garden that starts just outside my Summer House and runs along two sides of the carriage road all the way down to my stable. When they bloom this time of year, this area of my property erupts with spectacular color - from pure white to shades of pink, crimson, and orange. Azaleas can thrive in a wide variety of growing conditions, which makes them so useful in many different landscapes. They are popularly referred to as the “royalty of the garden,” long adorned for their brightly colored flowers and evergreen foliage.
Here are some photos, enjoy.
My large azalea collection is located outside my Summer House in a lightly wooded area where they get lots of filtered sunlight throughout the day. Three years ago, I extended the garden down the carriage road and planted more than 300-azaleas since. This week, they are erupting with swaths of beautiful color.
Azaleas are flowering shrubs in the Ericaceae family, which includes blueberries and mountain laurel. They are also all rhododendrons and members of the genus Rhododendron.
Azaleas are generally healthy, easy to grow plants. Some azaleas bloom as early as March, but most bloom in April and May with blossoms lasting several weeks.
Here they are flowering among the tree peonies across from my Summer House. The large mounds of bold pink look so gorgeous surrounded by all the green foliage. Azaleas are native to several continents including Asia, Europe, and North America. These plants can live for many years, and they continue to grow their entire lives.
The tube-shaped base of the flower contains a stamen that protrudes from the center.
The leaves are often evergreen with wooly undersides. The length of azalea leaves ranges from as little as a quarter-inch to more than six inches. Leaves of most azaleas are solid green, with a roughly long football-shape.
Azalea petal shapes vary greatly. They range from narrow to triangular to overlapping rounded petals. They can also be flat, wavy, or ruffled.
Azalea flowers can be single, hose-in-hose, double, or double hose-in-hose, depending on the number of petals.
Many azaleas have two to three-inch flowers and range in a variety of colors from pink to white to purple, red, orange, and yellow.
I wanted to keep similar colors together. These beautiful bold orange azaleas are at one end of the grove. Azaleas prefer morning sun and afternoon shade, or filtered light. Hot all-day sun can stress the plants and make them more susceptible to pests.
Here are some beautiful, crips white azaleas.
These are two of my mature specimens – and they continue to flourish year after year. Plant height ranges from about three to six feet for most varieties, but rare plants can range from under one foot to well over 15-feet tall.
When selecting a location for planting, be sure you know the mature size of the plants so they can be grouped accordingly in the landscape – tall plants in the background and short plants in the foreground.
The best time to shop for azaleas is when they are in bloom so you can see their flower colors and forms.
Buy plants that are sturdy, well-branched, and free of insect damage or diseases. And, avoid plants with weak, spindling growth and poor root systems.
Azaleas thrive in moist, well-drained soils high in organic matter. They benefit greatly from a few inches of acidic mulch applied around the base to protect the roots and help conserve moisture.
And never eat azaleas. Like its cousin the rhododendron, the azalea is a toxic plant, and all parts of the plant are poisonous, including the honey from the flowers.
Azaleas have short root systems, so they can easily be transplanted in early spring or early fall. Be careful not to plant too deep and water thoroughly after transplanting.
Once the plants establish their roots, scatter a handful of slow-release organic fertilizer near each plant once in the spring and again in autumn.
Prune azaleas after they bloom to remove tall, lanky growth or vigorous suckers that detract from the overall form and shape of the plant.
Although azaleas are resistant to many pests and diseases, they are susceptible to some problems, including bark scale, petal blight, powdery mildew, and a leaf disease called azalea gall. I am fortunate that all my azaleas have always remained healthy and beautiful.
Azaleas are so stunning in any part of the landscape. I am so proud of this garden – its beautiful display gets better and better every year. What azaleas grow in your garden?
Many of you comment on how much you love seeing photos of my farm’s landscapes and gardens.
When I’m home, I always take time to tour the property, take note of what needs to be done, and visit with all my dear animals. This time of year, the scenery at Cantitoe Corners changes rapidly from day to day, week to week, especially with all the glorious spring blooms.
Enjoy these photos.
Here in the Northeast, May is when we see so many trees and flowers show off their beautiful spring colors. The trees are leafing out and so many blossoms are emerging in the gardens. This view shows the tops of my majestic pin oaks near the entrance to my farm.
Muscari is a genus of perennial bulbous plants native to Eurasia. Most may know it by its common name grape hyacinth. Muscari appears as spikes of dense urn-shaped flowers resembling bunches of grapes in shades of blue.
They also come in light blue, pink, white, and two-toned. Muscari grows to about six to eight inches tall – and deer don’t seem to like them.
The boxwood are growing wonderfully every year. There are more than 300 boxwood shrubs planted here on both sides of the pergola. These boxwood shrubs were grown from small saplings nurtured in one area of my vegetable garden next to my chicken coops. They’ve grown so much since we planted them.
The alliums, with their bold purple colors, are starting to open in this pergola garden – wait until you see all of them in full blooom.
Of all the shrubs that flower in spring, azaleas provide some of the most brilliant displays. I have many planted outside my Summer House. Azaleas are flowering shrubs in the Ericaceae family, which includes blueberries and mountain laurel. They are also all rhododendrons and members of the genus Rhododendron. They’re all just starting to flower now – I’ll share more photos of my azaleas in another blog.
And look, one of the first tree peonies of the season. Like a rose bush, tree peonies drop their leaves and their woody stems stand through the winter.
And here’s another tree peony in deeper pink, almost red – about to unfurl.
This tree peony is called ‘White Lotus.’ When fully open, its flowers can be up to seven inches wide and each flower held high above its bold green foliage.
The herbaceous peony bed is growing beautifully. Soon, this garden bed will be overflowing with giant peonies in pink and white. We just finished staking the plants. The stakes and twine will keep the plants upright with their heavy flower heads.
Leucojum vernum, or the spring snowflake, is a perennial plant that produces green, linear leaves and white, bell-shaped flowers with a green edge and green dots. The plant grows between six to 10 inches in height and blooms in early spring. Leucojum is a genus of only two species in the family Amaryllidaceae – both native to Eurasia. These bulbous perennials have grass-like foliage and are quite fragrant.
Mertensia virginica, or Virginia bluebell, is a perennial that is native to North America. Its buds are actually pink, but the flowers are blue. They can grow in any garden and bloom in early to mid spring and continue blooming through early to mid summer. Mertensia virginica will grow to a height of 18 to 24 inches tall, so they’re great naturalization plants for use behind other, smaller ones. They do best in peaty, sandy soil, but once planted, they require very little maintenance.
Dicentra spectabilis, or bleeding heart, is a genus of eight species of herbaceous plants with oddly shaped flowers that look very similar to hearts. These flowers are native to eastern Asia and North America. The flowers have two tiny sepals and four petals. They are also bisymmetric, meaning the two outer petals are pouched at the base and curved outwards at the tip. They are shade loving woodland plants that bloom in the cool of spring and stay in bloom for several weeks.
Here they are in a bold red color.
This viburnum is growing in my white garden outside my Winter House. There are more than 150 species of Viburnum; many are native to North America, growing in USDA Hardiness Zones 2 to 9. Most viburnums flower in spring. The sometimes-fragrant flowers range from white and cream to pink-flushed or wholly pink.
I love Camperdown Elms. I have two outside my Winter House kitchen and outside my main greenhouse. Camperdown Elms slowly develop broad, flat heads and wide crowns with weeping branch habits. Its leaves are broad oblong-obovate to elliptic, rough-textured, and serrated. In spring, Campberdown weeping elm trees are covered with blossoms. Although the flowers are small and, individually, insignificant, many of them appear at the same time. When the entire dome is covered, the plant turns from dark green to light, silvery green – it’s so beautiful to see.
And the Japanese maples everywhere at the farm are all looking so bold in color. Many of my Japanese maples are varieties of Acer palmatum – trees that have been cultivated in Japanese gardens for centuries. Over the last several years, I’ve planted many of these trees.I just love them and always look forward to their gorgeous display every fall. These specimens provide countless variations in size, leaf shape, and color.
Solomon’s Seal is a hardy perennial native to the eastern United States and southern Canada. These plants produce dangling white flowers, which turn to dark blue berries later in the summer.
In my shade garden outside the Tenant House, I have lots of beautiful ferns. Every day more and more unfurl. A fern is a member of a group of roughly 12-thousand species of vascular plants that reproduce via spores. These are ostrich ferns.
Bloodroot plants are early spring bloomers and may be found growing wild in dappled sun in wooded areas, producing beautiful white flowers. Bloodroot plants, Sanguinaria canadensis, get their name from the dark red sap found in the stems and roots.
Fothergilla is a slow-growing, deciduous ornamental shrub that is native to moist lowland coastal plain bogs and savannahs in the southeastern U.S. from North Carolina to the Florida panhandle and Alabama. It grows two to three feet tall and as wide. The whimsical flowers are bottlebrush-like spikes that bloom in spring.
And here is my orchard, which surrounds three sides of my pool. We planted more than 200-fruit trees here, many of which started as bare-root cuttings. These trees are all growing very well – in part because of the nutrient-rich soil.
And here is the entrance leading to my allée of London planetrees and cotinus and the woodlands beyond. Spring is here, and there is so much to look at and appreciate. I hope you are able to enjoy the stunning blooms where you live.
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