Thursday, May 5, 2011

Society of Feline Gardeners- Thursday in the Garden with Jonesie

:: 3 paw taps::

Welcome back to my garden furriends!  Seems that Mr. Sun has decided to show up and we've had some wonderful days in the garden.  We're still way behind in getting everything planted, but that's just the way it goes.  You can't rush things and you have to go with what Mother Nature gives you.  We've got lots of stuff to see today so let's get started!

Dad has been doing a bit of weeding.  The weeds love the rain and have been popping up everywhere.  I tried to make sure that he didn't miss any. 
The flowers are starting to bloom and that makes me purr.  We have several Rhododendrons but my favorite is the pink one since it looks so wonderful with my grey furs.


Flowers are everywhere!
Pink, purple and red.  I love them all.

The vegetable bed is still waiting for dad to do a final clean out and add some additional dirt.   You have to be mindful not to stick just ordinary dirt into your vegetable and herb beds.  Mom and dad have a book that I have studied quite extensively by napping on it.  They got it long before I was born.  The book is Kitchen Herbs by Sal Gilbertie.  Mom and dad learned lots from this book but the one thing they said that has helped them the most is his recipe for dirt...ok, soil.  Sal says (I'm spilling the beans on my mom and dad because they say "Sal says" almost as much as they say "Jonesie says") that you should us the following recipe:

6 cubic feet sterilized topsoil
3 cubic feet perlite (crushed volcanic ash) or pumice
6 cubic feet peat moss
6 cubic feet sand or fine gravel

This has worked out great for us and I can say that this mixture feels wonderful under my paws.  Nip grows like crazy in it.

The cherry tree is blossoming and that makes my sister Cory happy because that means there will be lots of cherries toys for her to play with.
I helped snoopervise the preparation of the corn beds. 

Yup, dad did a fine job.  You have to make sure that all of the rows come out nice and even.  I find that measuring this with my paws is super helpful.  It's no good if the rows are too close together.

Leave a link so all of our garden pals can visit!

26 comments:

Gemini and Ichiro said...

That is very similar to the recipe for square foot gardening the Male used. The Woman just added more compost this year and planted on Sunday.

Raymond and Busby said...

Mom wants us to meow to you that Renee's Garden sells seeds to Gilbertie's Herb Garden which is somewhere on the East Coast.

We'll be back blogging soon, xoxo.

The Florida Furkids said...

Your garden is really shaping up!

The Florida Furkids and Angel Sniffie

Milo and Alfie Marshall said...

:: 3 paw taps::

OMC! That is an awesome garden post today. I love it that yoo have the same flowers as we do (Rhododendrons,Bluebells, Camellia etc). And that Cherry blossom is just beautiful.
Jonesie, yoo are indeed a master gardener.

Love Alfie xx

Angel MoMo and Charlotte said...

::3 paw taps::
Your garden is blooming! How lovely!

There are only some daisies and hibiscus in ours and that's it. Raining ++ lately, so I am not overjoyed.

Summer at sparklecat.com said...

You guys are planting CORN?!? I love corn! More specifically buttered corn. Well, actually, I like butter, whether it's on corn or not! Are you growing any of that?

The Island Cats said...

Wow! You've got lots of flowers blooming! Our trees are finally blooming, but other things seem to be taking their sweet ol' time to come up!

Mariodacat said...

M says your garden is to "die for." You are a Master Gardner. All work work pays off big time with bootiful flowers.

Alasandra, The Cats and Dogs said...

We love those blue bell like flowers. Do you know their name? We would love to get some of those.

Your garden is really looking nice. We are going to relax in it for a bit before heading to the Cinco de Mayo party.

Angel Ginger Jasper said...

I love how your garden is looking and how beautiful the colours. I think you are an excellent snoopervisor and your dad must love you helping. Hugs GJ x

Anonymous said...

You are a beautiful cat and what pretty flowers you have!! You also did a great job measuring those corn beds :)

My cat and I linked for the first time today. We look forward to getting to know the other society members.

Robyn and Scout

Forever Foster said...

We have major garden envy, Jonesie. We were very interested to hear the soil recipe. We now know our gardening adventures were doomed to failure when mum just asked for 'a big bag of dirt' at the garden centre. Who knew there was such an art to it!?

wildcatwoods said...

we got lots of stuff blooming in our yard too. Good luck with you planting - looks great so far.

Cats of Widlcat Woods

Cat said...

Jonesie I can see that you have been working very hard. Your garden is looking very neat and tidy with such beautiful flowers. I love your Rhododendrons, pink is my favourite colour too!!!

We have a flowering tree in our front yard and I am not sure what it is. The blossoms look like your cherry tree but it does not bear any fruit...maybe it is an ornamental variety? When we moved into this house a few years ago it was later in the summer so the following spring it was a lovely surprise to see this tree burst into bloom!

Unknown said...

Yipee! Your garden looks great!
Kisses
Nellie

SuziQCat said...

Your garden is looking great Jonesie...we can't wait to see the corn as it grows!

Avalon's Garden and Mewsings of Garden Cottage Cats said...

::3 paw tapz:: Dang i keepz furgettin dat!!
Dat garden recipe iz a fury good tip ^..^ Efen though da weather haz been up & down efurythin iz shapin up an lookin Great by you ^..^ Your Rhodiez are furry pretty and Boy you gotz alot of weedz!!
Efurythin iz startin to bloom all at once by us.
Happy Gardening ~ Ana

Tama-Chan, Benny, Vidock, Violette, Ollie, Heloise, Momo, Ryu said...

It's so nice that you can finally get down to some serious garden work, Jonesie!

Our cherry tree looks it will give a lot of cherries too this year!

Purrs,
The Chans

meowmeowmans said...

You are definitely a master gardener, Jonesie! Things are looking absolutely wonderful in your garden!

Mark's Mews (Marley, Lori, Loki, and Binq) said...

We love all the pretty flowers Jonesie! Our azaleas are just beginnin ta bloom.

The soil recipe sounds similar to the one TBT used from the Square Foot Gardening book when he started the beds. Now he just adds some compost, decomposed mulch, organic fertilizer and some lime each Spring.

Dad has been doing good werk at your place under your snoopervision!

ANGEL ABBYGRACE said...

We always learn so much from you Master Gardener Jonesie!
What a beautiful yard!

>^..^< >^..^< >^..^< >^..^< >^..^<
Abby Ping Jinx Boo Gracie
purrin
xoxox
~ManxMnews

Just Ducky said...

Nice job of working on the "soil". Do you fertilize it too?

Teddy Westlife said...

Your garden is looking great, Jonesie!

Brian's Home Blog said...

Bravo on that garden, you're green paw is getting greener every day!

The Creek Cats said...

Happy weekend, friends!

Alvin said...

Wow! You've got lots of flowers blooming! Our trees are finally blooming, but other things seem to be taking their sweet ol' time to come up! I love how your garden is looking and how beautiful the colours. I think you are an excellent snoopervisor and your dad must love you helping.
pet toys