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February 26, 2013 by: Renee Wilkinson

Time to Wake Up

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It’s still pretty grey in Portland in late February, but a careful eye in the garden shows signs of spring at every turn. Here are some promises of spring I am noticing in the garden.
spring-quince-bud

Quince buds

Our flowering quince shrubs have buds at the brink of opening. Quince will mostly set fruit on woody stems developed in the previous year. As much as I love indoor cut flowers, I won’t risk missing out on fruit by sacrificing a stem of flowers for indoor enjoyment. Instead, they will bloom naturally outside while I hover over them waiting for signs of fruit setting.

Aronia leaves emerging

Aronia leaves emerging

The aronia has matured into a small, graceful shrub. Mid-spring will bring white flowers followed by dark berries in late summer. It puts on a spectacular show in the fall when the leaves turn scarlet. Right now it’s hinting at spring with it’s bright new leaves emerging.

Counting my apricots before the buds have even opened

Counting my apricots before the buds have even opened

Apricots, along with plums and cherries, are early spring bloomers that put on a spectacular show. Every day the buds swell just a bit bigger. I did my last round of spraying with an organic copper treatment to protect it from blight. There should be a massive harvest this year and I can hardly wait!

My "river" of blue irises in the front garden

My “river” of blue irises in the front garden

I rearranged the front garden this winter with propogated plants. The irises are already off to a running start and I will be sure to post pictures throughout the season. Right now the newly cut and dividing plants are too small to really notice. But get ready – with wet weather and a few weeks of sun it will explode with life.

Do you have plants already putting on a spring show? How is your garden telling you spring is near?

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Comments

  1. 1

    Amanda says

    February 26, 2013 at 8:48 am

    Here I am enjoying the blooms of my witch hazel, snow drops, and crocus. You have inspired me to go out and look at everything else, to see if there are early signs of spring that I have missed.

  2. 2

    Lauren says

    March 2, 2013 at 8:04 pm

    Bulbs are coming up, the comfrey in the pasture is showing signs of shooting up, and ALL the greens in the greenhouse/large hoophouse are growing like crazy (ands o are the weeds)

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Most days on the homestead aren’t big or dramati Most days on the homestead aren’t big or dramatic—they’re made of small, steady moments.

Refilling the chicken feeder. Collecting eggs still warm from the nest. Pulling up a few carrots. Tossing weeds to the flock. Trimming back the roses before they take over.

It’s not about doing it all—it’s about doing what you can, when you can.
Modern homesteading is less about perfection and more about rhythm. A little work, a little joy, and a lot of dirt under your nails.

Homesteading looks different for everyone—what does it look like (or feel like) for you?

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Swarm catching 🐝 This cluster was about the siz Swarm catching 🐝 This cluster was about the size of a basketball hanging in a Doug Fir next to a playground. They were super easy to catch with my extension pole! 

Note: don't put a swarm in anything plastic. I hated putting them in this bucket, but it's all I could grab in time. But they can easily overheat in something like this, which lacks good ventilation. I relocated them into a wooden hive super quick, but I was so nervous every minute they were in here.

As always, I chatted with several onlookers. Folks are always so curious about swarms and honeybees. It's a lovely way to educate and build bee ambassadors 🐝 
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#urbanbeekeeping #swarm #beeswarm #swarmseason #womeninbeekeeping #beekeeperslife
Weekend vibes: gardening in pajamas, coffee in han Weekend vibes: gardening in pajamas, coffee in hand, and dirt under my nails before 9am.
This is how I fit homesteading into modern family life—little pockets of peace squeezed between breakfast and soccer games.

It’s not picture-perfect, but it’s real—and it feeds my soul (and my soil). Here’s to slow starts, messy mornings, and growing what we can, when we can.

How do you squeeze in garden time during busy weeks? Pajamas optional—tips welcome.

#hipchickdigs #weekendgardening #momlifeinthegarden #homesteadinglife #gardeninginreallife #slowmorningvibes #growyourown
Hey there, new friends! I’m Renee, a modern home Hey there, new friends! I’m Renee, a modern homesteader living in Portland, Oregon—raising chickens, veggies, and three awesome kids on our little slice of urban heaven.

I'm carrying on generations of knowledge to grow my own food, live more sustainably, and teach my family the value of getting our hands dirty (in the best way). Here, I share the real ups and downs of homesteading—think garden wins, chicken shenanigans, DIY projects, and everyday lessons from the land.

Fun fact: I'm a tango dancer and a landscape architect. Both are useful in the garden 💃🏽 

I’d love to get to know you—drop a comment and tell me where you’re from and what you’re growing (plants, dreams, chickens… anything counts)!

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Homegrown asparagus tastes 1,000% better than anyt Homegrown asparagus tastes 1,000% better than anything from the store. So juicy, crisp, naturally sweet. Some of these were 18" long and still tender. 

Asparagus is a perennial vegetable, meaning you plant once and it comes back every year. You have to wait until year three to start harvesting, but it's worth that wait. 

I do nothing to care for it, but every year I have arms full throughout spring and early summer. I planted an 8' row along an otherwise boring fence. The foliage turns brilliant gold in the fall. Tell me if you grow this crop! 
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More garden arches! This one also started with 20' More garden arches! This one also started with 20' lengths of thin rebar, shoved into the ground with my weight and hooped over loosely. Our old Christmas tree trunks are tied to the rebar, to thicken up the base. 

Pruned branches from our fig tree make good vertical supports. Multi-stemmed branches help build up the sides, bc they can also be woven in horizontally.

The most time is spent weaving in thin, flexible branches horizontally from our plum trees. The structure gets more secure pretty quickly, as tension is built up.

I use twine only selectively. Most is just held in place with just tension alone. It won't last forever, but it's not meant to. I'll rebuild in about 3-4 years as branches need replacing.
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Making woven garden arches 💪🏼 I start with a Making woven garden arches 💪🏼 I start with a few 20' lengths of thin rebar. My soil is soft at this time of year, so I can use my body weight to push them deep into the ground. 

Then I start layering in pruned fruit tree branches. Fig and pear work well as vertical sides. Plum and apple are flexible enough for me to weave in between. Multi-stemmed pieces are helpful to create tangles of branches. I use twine selectively, if at all. 

I dream of hopping across the pond to take a workshop at @damsonfarm.house to improve my technique making natural supports. Some day, I hope! 
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I couldn't bring myself to send these cushions to I couldn't bring myself to send these cushions to a landfill, even though the fabric covers were totally deteriorating. But I've never seen cushion covers for sale, until I stumbled upon these at Ikea.

They fit perfectly! I don't need fancy patio furniture - just a place to put my feet up. So hurray for the small wins and keeping these babies out of the landfill 🎉
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Taking care of yourself can be a form of resistanc Taking care of yourself can be a form of resistance. Rest, nourish your body, tend your garden. Keep your tank full 💪🏼 
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