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Oct 3, 2007 | 11:11 AM PST
So, I have a new cam, so pics will be forthcoming. We have been getting rather a bit of rain (about time) but it is finally the end of the 'real' gardening season. If I can figure out a way to do it with minimal dirt (I know I should use at least a 5 gallon container but am willing to take a risk) I may cold stratify some of the tomato seeds I saved and start them up here in the office. That would be kind of cool, having some fresh tomatoes here. I kept some Black Prince and Brandywine seeds, although who knows what they will end up being as there were a few different varieties of tomatoes out there and I did not bag them so they are no doubt cross pollinated. I really don't mind, as long as they are fresh! I am planning on starting up some of the Jalapeno seeds I saved, I know it will do fine in a relatively smaller pot. I have all this sunshine here at my desk so I might as well take advantage of it, right?
I brought a couple Schefflera's in to the office.
My favorite story about Schefflera's...A pal of mine owned a hotel on the NC coast and the hurricane wall they had put in was coming down after a particularly nasty storm so the hotel had to come down. The people who were hired to take all the furniture and whatnot out and put it in storage really were not all that smart as they put all the plants in the storage unit as well. Three months later we opened up the unit, having already assumed the plants were living in the movers homes (nothing to quibble about, this all had to be done fast so the owner just figured a home is a home) and there they were. No water, no sun, three months...they were fine. They were Schefflera.
Time
to get going on some winter gardening. I got seed for Walla Walla sweet
onins, Garlic cloves, Purple Kohlrabi, Brussels Sprouts and Spinach so
far. I have cleared the sugar snap pea bed so now all I need to do is
take down the trellis (I used screws so it is basically collapsible)
and recondition the little plot o'dirt and wait for the maters to
finish up, collect the radish seeds from the early radish's that I let
bolt and do that soil as well. I want to put in garlic, onions,
Brussels Sprouts and Kohlrabi. They are very neat looking plants.
I will plant the spinach and plan on several lettuce varieties for this fall and come early spring in my tomato and radish bed, yum!
The long overdue Sugar Snap Pea trellis is built! I had scrap wood. Dowels (thick) and some runner poles I picked up off the side of the road! After I measured out the height of the dowels (so my short self could reach the top!) I measured out the width and then notched the dowels evenly, on both sides. I ran Hemp twine all the way around each pole at the notch then all the way around the 4 poles, then criss crossed it on 4 platforms. They are already reaching for the second platform of twine! I plan on, when they reach the top, cutting the twine so I can reach in an pick them easier. I figured a platform would be best with our limited space as they can spread out across the top nicely! It sits a bit over 4 ft tall by itself, add a foot for the raised area. Max likes to hang out in the garden with me :D
I decided to put some Sweet Peas in the bed that had the Tulips in it, they just do not last long and the bed is SO bare now. The second level is where they are going.
Since there were so many seeds, I figured they would go well next to the sugar snap peas well and bring a bit more bee happiness to that area as well! I have some coming up for the 'Tulip' bed...
My baby Radishes...they are an early variety, harvest in 22 DAYS! So I will plant a second round when it is time for these...and I love snacking on radishes :D
Then there is the garlic, I went to get some free pots (I love free pots, I use SO many) and she gave me some garlic...and some of what she thought might be volunteer garlic but when I dumped them out of the pot I very carefully separated them and planted them...sweet white onions :D
So there were a few days here that SERIOUSLY baked and I got worried about the sugar snap peas I had sowed so I few them epsom salts and watered it in really good and KABAM! Let there be sugar snap peas! I have the material I need so I will be building a nice platform/Japanese style trellis for them this weekend. I was working on the fishtank cover but HAVE to get the trellis done...will try to get them both done as I really want to get that tank going, it is 55 gallon.
So, I don't have a lot of space. I decided to actually LEAVE half of the space unused, I will just cut back the heavy overgrowth. Two reasons, we really don't need a lot of space because I would just plant too much (veggies) and then we would have too much to use! Another reason is due to the fact that there is an ABUNDANCE of Yellow Jackets who are nesting at the far end of this area 
and I really don't have a problem with them as they can be very beneficial and they are not bothering me so I will leave well enough alone.
I planted the basils, the garlic chives, some radishes and sweetpeas. Put in some sugar snap peas (I checked the dates and this is JUST the right time for me to get them in the ground, we will get a second harvest of the radishes! YAAAY!) and some regular chives (couldn't pass up the price on the seeds!). Now all I need to do is build a trellis, I have been promised some blades and a power cord as I have the wood I want to use. I am planning on a Japanese Style to the trellis...
So, 2 days of work.
The first day clearing half of the overgrown mess, the second day
tilling in some worm castings (vermicompost).
This is all hand done, due to lack of space & equipment, haha…I worked it with a garden fork. Weeds, grass, various bulbs that I have no
use for…some volunteer blackberries (bane of the PNW) and spiders…and here I
have some garden space. This is only
half done, but the hardest part has been done, IMHO. I planted some Tomato’s, an Early Girl,
Beefsteak and a Cherry. I plan on
putting in some Sugar Snap Peas after I build a trellis for them. Personally? I
think I should have a ‘Get Out of Hell Free’ card for doing this…it IS a rental
house, after all! Check out the pics, tell me what YOU think! This spot does get FULL sun, so at least it will produce!
Before:
After:
Tomatoes:
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