Mikhailah's Blog
Mikhailah's posts about: scarlett emperor
Apr 24, 2007 | 10:13 AM PST
Tags: peppermint , flat leaf parsley , Lobelia , Zinnia , Balsam , Alyssum , Sunflowers , cabbage , cauliflower , eggplant , scarlett emperor , polestar , onion , chives
I went to a small garden centre yesterday looking for parsley seedlings, ended up buying some peppermint instead. After reading up on mint in general I found that I need to restrict the roots to stop in from taking over the whole bed. So I have potted one plant and will be sinking it into the herb garden.
Not sure what to do with the rest, would like to put them out in the veggie garden out back. Will have to get some plumbing tubing and plant them in that. I would love to get my hands on some chocolate mint seeds.
The question is: is this really a peppermint? I looked at pictures online and the peppermint I saw didn't look like this. I also read somewhere that it should have purplish leaves? Maybe it will change as it matures?
I finally sowed some flower seeds today.... Lobelia, Alyssum, Zinnia, Balsam and 9 Sunflowers - in trays. See picture above.
I checked my baby bean yesterday, it hadn't grown any and I didn't see any more growing either. I think I'll just let it get on with it by itself. The polestar variety over on the other side is not doing too well, not very green and growing/flowering very slowly.
Cukes are still doing well, never had leaves this big before, gotta watch out for bugs all the time.
My cabbages are doing really great, I wish I'd planted more, I'm thinking to get more seedlings, you can never have too much cabbages, it's a pity they take up so much space though.
What else?.... oh yes, I'm getting a lot of sweet and hot peppers flowering and fruiting now, amazing how quickly a pepper grows, I'm giving them lots of water in the evening and they're producing well, compared to previous years.
My oak leaf lettuces that I let run to seed are now flowering, pretty little yellow flowers, hoping it will be straightforward to get the seeds from it.
I think this blog is becoming a 'note to self' . I'm hoping that I can organize my garden by looking back on this gardening diary and make good choices regarding when, where and what to plant and how I have dealt with problems when they have arisen. Sounds good in theory...!
I bought some strawberry seeds from the UK, still trying to figure out what to do with them, so much is against this project being successful, and I only have 13 seeds! (I was given some hope when I heard that they have been grown in the Blue Mountains in Jamaica! )
Another seemingly impossible project is getting rhubarb from seeds to grow here in the caribbean. Those of you in 4 season climates must think I'm nuts!? It can't hurt to try I guess.
Apr 20, 2007 | 2:48 PM PST
Tags: scarlett emperor , runner beans , passion fruit
Well, my latest challenge is to get my 'Scarlet Emperor' runner beans pollinated. The flowers have been dropping off because of the serious lack of bees around here. I went out last evening and 'landed on the keel' like a bee would. I'm not really sure if did it right or whether they will 'take' but I did try. I'm not looking forward to this task. So if anyone has any seeds for runner beans that are self pollinating PLEASE let me know so I can trade something for them. I have tons of passion fruit seeds that are very reliable.
If I'm successful, I'll post pictures of my baby beans!
