Putting Down Roots

Now that we are in our own home I feel we can put down some roots and when I say roots I mean an apple tree and some blueberries.

It's that time of year to get the bareroots planted. I picked up 4 blueberry plants from a local nursery called Farmers Supply and ordered a low chill apple tree from Peaceful Valley. It's a 4 on 1 multiple grafted apple tree (semi-dwarf). Since I don't have room to plant two apple trees in my yard this was the best answer for variety and pollination.

The blueberries have been planted and seem to be adjusting their new home.

Blueberries 

The apple tree arrived yesterday and will be planted this weekend if all goes according to plan. We are going to build a raised planter box for the apple tree. The yard is slow to drain when it rains and I'm concerned the roots may stay too wet. I'm hoping by raising the tree a bit the drainage will no be an issue.

Apple Tree
Gordon, Fuji, Anna and Morsett Golden

Apple bud

Snow Day!

Well I was not expecting this when I woke up this morning. 

We heard that it might snow but didn't think too much about it since we don't get much snow here in the Southeast. I looked up the last time it really snowed here and that was back in 2011.


I'm glad I brought in all my front porch plants and covered my Hosta's last night. 


Here are some random photos from today of the front and back yard.












































Blueberries 



Blueberries that were planned last week.







Mint growing out the side of the bed.



Mint

What I've Learned So Far

We have been here in Leland NC just a little over a year and here is what I have learned so far,

* My new growing zone is 8a
* Last frost date is March 17th
* It rains a lot in the summer
* Spring onions grow randomly in your yard
* Little black ants bite
* Tomatoes don't grow very well here
* Lots of frogs
* Lightning bugs
* Lots of fence lizards (they are so cute!)
* Copperhead snakes (have not seen one, yet.)
* Yard is slow to drain in some areas
* Soil is sand over top of clay
* Hot
* Humid
* You need a screened in porch or patio

I played around with some ideas on a garden planner. I was able to use photos I took of my backyard. It's a start.

So Here We Go Again...

It has been well over a year or four since I posted to this blog. I had stopped post because I didn't really have anything new to share. Life and the garden were moving along just fine... until about Oct of 2014.

I'll give you a quick run down...

Dec 2014: Laid off from my job of 31 years.

Dec 31, 2014: Yes, New Years Eve: Started talking about where we would like to retire ( I was 53 at the time).

April 2015: Traveled to Wilmington North Carolina to check it out as a possible retirement landing spot. We liked the area, a lot.

May 2015: Jokingly told sweet husband I found a job for him on "In Deed" in Wilmington NC doing the same job as the one in the Bay Area.

August 2015: Another trip back out to Wilmington to see what the summer would be like and an impromptu interview with said job.

September 2015: Back to Wilmington so sweet husband could do a one week trial run with new company. During this trip I received news the house I had been renting for 32 years for only $850.00 a month in the Bay Area was going up for sale. Ugg! not good news. Housing market for both buying and renting was out of reach with me not working. At the end of the trip sweet husband was offered a job.

Nov 17, 2015: Hit the road to North Carolina.

Nov 25 2015: Moved into a vacation rental in Carolina Beach NC through the holidays and until I could find a house to rent long term.

Jan 2016: Rented a house in Leland NC. Sleepy little town just 10 minutes from Wilmington NC

Dec 2016: Bought our very first home in Leland NC!

March 2017: So here I go again. A new garden journey in zone 8 with humidity and hot summers.

New backyard... Can you say "blank slate"?