Fruit trees have been ordered for spring

I am very excited. I've ordered a large size Meyer Lemon, a Violette du Bordeaux aka Negronne Fig and a Rainier Cherry tree from Bob Duncan at Fruit Trees and More in North Saanich. I'm sure that my blog and gardening friends will get this....I am excited out of my mind!!

Perfectly beautiful furniture for the greenhouse

I know I've asked before...but have you seen the movie Practical Magic? I spoke in a past post about the beautiful conservatory in the movie. In addition to the wonderful bell jars, everything is sitting on old white tables and chests. I plan to spend some time haunting thrift shops looking for similar tables. There was a time that I never would have considered a table with worn, chipping paint. What was the matter with me?

Things seem to be budding early

I was just in the garden and noticed how many plants have little green buds on them. The blueberries, blackberry and most of the bushes around the yard have little leaf buds swelling. I worry a bit for them, should we get a hard frost.
Last year in the heat of summer I planted three young cranberry cottoneasters that I grew from seed. They really suffered from the bad planting time coupled with the drought we get here in the summer. They were planted in awkward areas where the hoses don't reach. They dropped all of their leaves, and even though they are notoriously tough plants, I thought it was possible that I had killed them. I am thrilled to report...they are all alive. All three have teeny little green leaves coming out. I have a real soft spot for cottoneasters. I have two regular varieties growing against our shed. They fan up in a flat style that makes them perfect for walls. In the spring they get covered with small white flowers that the bees go crazy for. Right now they are covered with small bright red berries. The birds will devour them eventually.

I am obsessing over my compost temperature

I ran out to the compost bin today certain that when I plunge the thermometer in, it should at least be a little bit warmer. So...thermometer in, and, no difference at all. So I threw the tarp back and grabbed my pitchfork and started tossing it. It has now been thoroughly tossed. And like a crazy compost woman I was tossing and trying to figure out how much brown I had to my green. I've already added old compost and some manure. So in my best whiny voice "so why, why isn't the compost steaming like garden guru Jim's?" So now I wait.

Compost aerator review and compost thermometer

I LOVE my new compost aerator from Lee Valley. This year we have a pallet on top of the compost bin to hold the tarp up and in place. What this means is that any compost turning I do has to happen with me folded in half and digging is sideways. The aerator is really easy to push into the compost and grabs a big load of it to stir up. Really effortless and efficient. At the angle I have to work at, it is much easier than my pitchfork.
I took the compost pile's temperature with my new thermometer and found that it is quite cold. I did turn it a few weeks ago. I am hoping today's turning will get things going.
Garden Guru Jim told me that his garlic is starting to poke thorough the ground. I parted the mulch I had loaded on the garlic bed and realized that it was very deep and matting. I got out the wonderful old pitchfork that my parents gave me a while back. I gently slid the fork into the mulch and lifted it off. I made a pile. Indeed, under all that I found a garlic shoot just breaking the surface. I sprinkled a much thinner layer of mulch back on.