RKayne's Blog

Nice and rainy
Oct 3, 2007 | 11:11 AM PST
Tags: Tomato , Brussels Sprouts , Radish , schefflera , spinach , lettuce , Purple Kolhrabi , Walla Walla , garlic , Sugar Snap Peas , Jade , Black Prince Tomato , Brandywine tomatoes , jalapeño , Cold Stratify , Rain

So, we 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?

 On another note, my wife just started her new job (she actually is going to get paid to learn, and sign language at that, I am stoked as I have always wanted to learn to sign so she is going to have to teach me...and several other people in my office LOL) and she does have her own office so I have another project.  Nice pots and some plants for it.  She wants to take the Jade and I am all for it, but we will have to get a full spectrum bulb and lamp as she doesn't have any windows and that bugger needs some light!  I have some cuttings I have taken from my office building and her old one of this corn looking plant that I still don't know what it is, but do know that bugger will grow in the dark, haha and some Schefflera cuttings I took from her old building that have all rooted up nicely.

 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 and I figure that I will let our youngest help (he will love to) since I already told him the one side is all his! He gets to plant the garlic, onions, (he wants them now but I had to explain that they will be in spring!) Brussels Sprouts and Kohlrabi.  I thought that he would get a kick out of being able to not only garden while it is cold, but they are very neat looking plants.  He and I are the only ones in the house who will eat Brussels Sprouts so we will be having plenty of them, haha.

 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!

 Pictures will be soon, I promise!

 

ps~ this blog post has been Cut and Pasted!




 

Got the house!
Apr 5, 2007 | 11:07 AM PST
Tags: vermiculture , worm , vegetable garden , schefflera , carrot , tomato , wisteria , beans , peas , african violet , maple , hardy , prayer plan
So I get a veggy patch! WOOT! We move next weekend so I won't be much online for about 4 days (I won't be able to help but to login now and then, keeps the work email lighter and we are going to get Clearwire). First thing I will do is weed it, till it and work the vermiculture (worm poo) in. I plan on tomatoes, runner beans, some peas and maybe corn. If I have room left, I will put carrots in. I can't wait to get started, but my Bonsai's will take precedence as the move will not be kind. I have a lot of white wisteria cuttings that will have to be babied after the move as they will most likely shift in the transfer. I plan on sitting in the back seat with them to minimize this from occurring, but figure it will take a bit more than just the move to harm them for wisteria is notorious in it's hardiness! The maples will ride well, I am sure...the real fun part will be for C to find a new spot for her African Violets, she has two really healthy ones and they love where they are at, but I understand they are rather picky about their permanent living spot, so I bet she will have to move them...alot...till she finds the perfect spot for them ;) I do have a few schefflera cuttings that 'followed me home' recently, but it is almost impossible to kill them. The one cutting I worry about at this time is a prayer plant cutting I have. It is alive so that is all that matters right now, right?