CarolineC's Blog

The Most Glorious Day...
Mar 31, 2008 | 6:34 PM PST
Tags: Blueberries , Blueberry bushes
... of my planting life so far this season.  The blueberry bushes have arrived!  5 Patriots and 5 Bluecrop.  I managed to get 7 into the ground this afternoon.  It was cold and rainy today--bad for me, but probably good for the plants.  As of now, they basically look like twigs, with only a few leaves and buds.  But I'm being optimistic and hoping that they will grow well this season, and perhaps even produce a few blueberries.  I've prepared so long and hard for these blueberry bushes, it's hard to believe they're actually here.  This is by far the single most expensive gardening project I've done--$65.50 for the blueberry bushes, and probably another $35 for soil amendments, etc.  But in addition to producing delicious blueberries, I think they will make the yard more attractive, especially once they've grown in a bit. :)

Seedlings Everywhere
Mar 19, 2008 | 6:50 AM PST
Tags: seedlings , seeds , malva zebrina , coleus

Here are some pics of *most* of my indoor plants and seedlings which I have started from seed for spring this year.   All were started from seed, except for that succulent in the big white pot there.  Many of them are still waiting to sprout. 

 

 

 

 

I'm at the point now where I'm trying to acclimate some of the hardier plants to the outdoors, just to make room for my growing collection.  It's getting quite crowded in here, but if I don't overdo it like this, I'll probably wish I had all summer.  So, hopefully it will pay off. ;)  Even though I am starting so many annuals, I have quite a few perennials too, so perhaps I won't have quite the same madness in here next year.  I've also winter sown quite a few things, as well as direct sowed flower seeds, sugar snap peas, lettuce, spinach and Swiss chard. The local nursery gave me some plain large and small black plastic pots.  I felt that even though they were within my budget (free), they should still be pretty, so I painted them.  I'm also sanding and painting that room, which is why there's dust all over the floor. ;) This is a coleus that I pinched the heck out of at its growing points so that it would grow in more fully.  The pic is kind of blurry.  It has grown in since then, quite well. One of my Malva Zebrinas has begun to bloom indoors!!  Only 2 months after sowing.  A marigold has bloomed too, but I don't have a pic of that just yet.

Philadelphia Flower Show 2008
Mar 8, 2008 | 6:47 PM PST
Tags: Philadelphia Flower Show , Landscaping , Flower displays

I came.  I saw.  I took pictures for ya'll. ;)  The theme this year was New Orleans.  I knew that before I went, but had forgotten by the time I got there, and thought that maybe the theme was music as there were so many trumpets, musical notes, etc.  My neighbor was volunteering there this year, and was kind enough to give me one of the free tickets that she got for volunteering. :)  I looked for her while I was there, but couldn't find her.  It was very crowded.  I did manage to find their seed store. ;)  They were selling seeds from several different companies, so there was a pretty good selection and opportunity to compare prices somewhat.  I restrained myself a great deal and only bought 5 packets of seed-- fuchsia, cyclamen, snapdragons, coleus "Fairway Mosaic,"  and cat grass.  I brought an extra roll of film, thinking that *maybe* I would need it.  I could have easily gone through another roll of film, and wished that I had brought more, but I'll know for next year.  I actually had a hard time getting pictures of anything more than the backs of people's heads. ;)   

After taking in the show, I had a little lunch at the Reading Terminal Market, which is like a farmer's market with a bunch of little restaurants.  That was really crowded too!  I went around noon, so no wonder.  All in all, a nice little trip. :)  

For those of you in the area who are interested, the flower show is going on through Sunday, March 9--tomorrow.  My pics really don't begin to cover all that is there, so it's worth the trip, if you would like to see it in person.   

I'm putting the best pics here, and the rest are in my photo album.