achicade's Blog

not much...
Mar 31, 2009 | 5:38 PM PST
Tag: veggies manure weather
Not much to report from Marietta, GA today....more gray clouds and sprinkles off and on all day. Waiting for sunny skies and warmer temperatures. Had to put a few things back in the greenhouse "just in case", it got down to 37 night before last, and low forties last night. Temps are going back up, though, thank God! It's supposed to be a low of 51 tonite. I dug some Nature's Helper and Manure into an old bed last night, plan to plant some more veggies. Can't wait for a sunny day so i can get out there again! Everyone have a great night! If you get a minute send a comment my way....even if it's just to tell me HEY and where you are from and the weather....no reason we should be strangers on here!

The Porch Won
Mar 28, 2009 | 5:58 PM PST
Tag: tarragon pepper tomato basil lemongrass
Well I couldn't stand it! In my last post I mentioned it was raining and I guessed I'd be inside....or on the porch.....well, the porch won! I transplanted some purple petra basil, and some opal basil. Then proceeded to plant some tarragon (never grown it from seed before so this should be interesting), some GREEN RUFFLES basil, which I've also never grown before, but i do like to grow different types of basil.  I also planted some East Indian Lemongrass. Tomorrow I will be dividing and repotting tomato plants and various types of peppers, and pray they will grow a bit before the Plant Sale in April! My friend Michelle said she wants some of those bell peppers - the variety i planted is Big Dipper. Also have cayenne and sweet banana coming along....my friend Linda gave me some heirloom tomato seed the other day, and even though it's kinda late, i went ahead and planted them anyhow....can't hurt, i'll just have a late harvest :-)  Hope everyone else had a pleasant and productive day.

raining again
Mar 28, 2009 | 5:07 AM PST
Tag: rain
It's raining again! Which is not such a bad thing now, is it, after the drought we've had the past few years! I am saving every bucketful I can, too, for later! Guess I'll be INSIDE today.....or on the front porch if it gets too claustrophobic in here! Everyone have a great day!

Rain! And other stuff.....
Mar 25, 2009 | 6:35 PM PST
Tag: rain barrel tomatoes peppers
Finally a bit of rain in Marietta! We've been needing it for a few days now, I was afraid I was going to have to pull out the water hose as i'd  used all my reserve rainwater! It's too early for that, and I am glad to see the rain! It's been raining since yesterday, first it was a slow, drizzly type rain, then a steady drip drip drip...now it has actually been a good steady rain a few times this evening! The buckets are in place, catching the rain water as it runs off the eaves. I have the makings for a rain barrel, just haven't installed the "plumbing" yet. So the mud buckets are still in place, until I get the spigot installed on the barrel.  Whatever works for now I guess. I am loathe to use a water hose again, so will be glad when I can get a few rain barrels full. The chlorine is just not good for the plants. If I do have to use water from the house, I try to put it in buckets to sit and let the chlorine dissipate, which I have heard takes 24 hours. Anyway glad to have the rain, and hoping all the growing things turn green green green! Have moved my plants from the greenhouse, got a bit too warm and I didn't want any casualties, so the babies are on my front porch and sidewalk...won't be long and some of them will be at market!  I did transplant about half of the tomatoes yesterday into bigger pots, covering them up to the first set of leaves. I have Better Boy, Early Girl, and Super Sweet 100 (cherry) tomatoes....sweet banana pepper, cayenne pepper, and  green peppers coming along as well.  Can't wait for the weekend, when I get to work non-stop Saturday with all my plants!  Here's hoping everyone has a good night!

SPRING!!!!!! It was 72 today!!!
Mar 23, 2009 | 7:06 PM PST
Tag: spring greenhouse tarragon lemongrass herbs

It definitely is warming up in Marietta, GA...and I hope for good! It hit 72 today, and the plants in the greenhouse need to come out! Nothing got fried, but a few babies came close. Got to move the herbs out for sure tomorrow morning. It has steadily been warming up at night as well, it's supposed to only go to 49 tonite. As long as i keep an eye on the temps day to day, everything should be ok to move out. I had a request for tarragon today, already. I can tell i need to get some cuttings going. I only have a few tarragon plants coming up in the bed so far for the plant sale, and one is already spoken for! I should have lots more by end of May, though, if all goes well. I'm also working on getting some more East Indian lemongrass going, perhaps i should call mine "Northwest Georgia" lemongrass?  Ha!  Hmmm it's that time of year again...with so much to do, my friends usually know they won't see as much of me from now until the fall, unless they want to come over and help! Ha! Well i did get to see all my kids tonite and little Tommy, my grandson. We had a great time. I've got to run and get my beauty rest now, lots to do tomorrow! Ya'll have a good night! Happy Spring!  debbie

Tomatoes and peppers
Mar 14, 2009 | 7:15 PM PST
Tag: tomatoes peppers pots marjoram

Well we certainly need the rain, but the cold that came with it i could do without! After last week's spring weather, today was a real bummer!! I finally went outside to the greenhouse to check on the babies. The tomatoes and peppers are doing great!! Not quite all of them are up, but the ones that are look good. I am excited! I planted sweet 100 cherry tomatoes, Early Girl, and Better boy tomatoes. Sweet banana peppers, green peppers and cayenne....i was told by my daughter that i need to plant Jalepeno as well...! Planted some veggies the other night, of course they have not had time to come up! TODAY i planted marjoram, more morning glories and gomphrena (strawberry fields), lemon basil, tulsi (holy basil) and a few other sundries i can't remember....went to the dollar store when i was done and lucked up on finding more pots, 10 for $1...for the herb starts!  Came in and took a nap...i am ready for the nice weather to come back now!! Here's wishing you all a good night and that tomorrow is a sunny day! :-) going to read my latest seed catelog and dream of spring....

ok where's the warm weather gone?
Mar 14, 2009 | 7:35 AM PST
Tag: warm weather spring rain seed basil
It's definitely too cold, wet and yucky out there to plant anything or work in the yard at all, so i will work on my seeds today....and dream of sunny skies and warmer temps!  Gardeners are rising up all over the nation, buying seeds like CRAZY and i've been laughing, trying to keep up with the orders! It's fun when I realize there are so many others like me...obsessed with growing things....FROM SEED!! ok going to make up some more basil packs now....pray pray pray for WARM WEATHER (although the rain is nice, we definitely need it...just not the cold...haha) YA'LL HAVE A GLORIOUS DAY!  deb

babies
Mar 12, 2009 | 8:13 PM PST

here are some of my babies

and here are the baby tomatoes and peppers!

and thank you willowdancer, for the tip!

spring ??!!
Mar 12, 2009 | 4:35 PM PST
Tag: basil greenhouse herbs lavender oregano butterfly bush gardenia
Hi everyone, it's been a few weeks so i thought i would update your all on the babies in the greenhouse! I have seedling basils(lots of varieties), chamomile, catnip, lavender, oregano, thyme, and the tomatoes and peppers are coming up and looking good! A few other stray weird plants...i like a challenge and have planted some Fenugreek just for fun, it came up right away so it wasn't much of a challenge!  Outside, in the garden, i planted onion and bibb lettuces. My radishes are up, garlic is doing well, tarragon is peeking through the soil and i have romaine and baby lettuce mix going strong. Cilantro and dill, they love the cooler weather, and are doing just fine! Of course, the ever present PARSLEY...not just for me, but for the butterflies too. I'm getting ready for our plant sale on April 18 at Point of Need Ministries, on Canton Road. We are having a festival type event, a BAND JAM, and many vendors will be present, including MOI with the plant sale! I will have irises, gardenias, butterfly bushes, coreopsis (perennial), mugwort, and a bunch of other plants, including the herbs....it will be a great sale! I was going to try to post a photo here....never done that before....of my plants "getting ready"!  Couldn't figure it out, so i'll try again later.....Ya'll have a great day, and pray the weather holds and spring is here to stay! HAPPY GARDENING!